School's Out!

Teens Adam Panic and Scary Kids Scaring Kids are better than your average baby acts -- way better.

Comments (0) By Christopher O'Connor Thursday, Jun 26 2003

The songs on After Darkdefinitely aren't '70s funk or any other brand of lightweight stuff. The band meshes a massive, distorted guitar sound from Chad Crawford and D.J. Wilson with Akary's '80s, Men Without Hats keys and Costa's impressively powerful drumming. Meanwhile, vocalist Tyson Stevens screams, wails and moans loudly and urgently. And with the six-minute album coda "My Knife, Your Throat," sung as a passionate love ballad -- Stevens and Crawford developed that concept -- Scary Kids definitely are out to provoke a response.

"There's those bands that try to be all serious and mad, like, From the depths of hell!'" says Costa. "We're kind of like mocking it. We're not serious enough or emo to do that. We just like to fuck around."

Kevin Scanlon

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Kevin Scanlon

Scary Kids Scaring Kids transcend high school in the music.

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They don't fuck around too much, though. They all work part-time restaurant and delivery jobs to fund their endeavors, and they added a third guitarist, Steve Kirby, shortly after recording the EP to make their sound even more chaotic. They've also sacrificed -- Akary put his savings toward a much-sought trip to Europe into the band's recording fund instead.

Costa says despite the loose, lazy practice schedule, they do understand Scary Kids is a long-term commitment.

"It's like that one Simpsons where Bart gets the guitar and tries to play it for like five minutes and then quits," the drummer says. "I can't do it!' People expect results too quick."

And some, their diplomas fresh in their hands, get a jump on the field. -- By Christopher O'Connor

Got a problem with Kick & Scream? Let's hear it. Contact the author at his online adress: christopher.oconnor@newtimes.com, or at 602-407-1715.