Compulsion

Compulsion grew out of a Dublin neo-punk band called Thee Amazing Colossal Men. Singer Josephmary, guitarist Garrett Lee, and bassist Sid Rainey had a deal with Virgin that resulted in their winning a lawsuit against the label, after which they regrouped as Compulsion in London with Dutch drummer Jan-Willem Alkema. The group went on welfare while honing its songwriting skills, releasing three EPs and a minor hit single, "Mall Monarchy." Their sound combines punk volume and aggression with pop melodies on releases like 1994's Comforter and 1996's Future Is Medium. ~ Steve Huey