Harvey Milk

Forming in the early '90s in Athens, Georgia's Harvey Milk named themselves after the martyred openly homosexual politician. With an approach that combined the volcanic sludge metal of the Melvins, a fierce experimental bent, passages of gentle indie rock, and classic rock riffage, the trio--guitarist Creston Spiers, bassist Steven Tanner, and drummer Pauly Trudeau--provided a powerful palette cleanser for the city's famed indie scene. While the band toured with fellow ear-drum abusers such as Shellac and GodheadSilo and released a spate of seven inches, EPs, and full-lengths, their first incarnation registered hardly a commercial dent before disbanding in 1996. Later versions of the band included Joe Preston and Kyle Spence.