Quicksand Curated Playlist
Following the announcement of influential post-hardcore band, Quicksand, signing to Epitaph we got some of their biggest fans to curate a playlist of favorite songs from their past releases. Contributors include Tim McIlrath (Rise Against), Geoff Rickly (Thursday), Abe Cunningham (Deftones), Riley Breckeridge (Thrice), Tim Kasher (Cursive/The Good Life) and more. Listen below and read along as to why these songs made a lasting impact on these talented artists.
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"Landmine Spring"
Tim McIlrath from Rise Against
Landmine Spring is my favorite Quicksand song. I can still remember seeing it live when Quicksand was opening the Deftones/Snapcase tour in Milwaukee, WI . Despite most bands sounding muddy and bashy in the beautifully rustic yet sonically flawed Eagles Ballroom, Quicksand songs cut through it all to remain powerful. I remember loving Sergio’s bass following the kick drum, and eventually the guitar doing the same. It was huge and crunchy and epic. As a young songwriter I couldn’t decide whether I needed to try harder or throw in the towel…
Jeremy Bolm from Touche Amore
If there was one thing that Quicksand mastered, it was the trebly guitar over a heavily distorted bass that punches along with the bass drum. I absolutely point the finger to them when I hear any band of punk ilk do this. I can think of a hundred bands from Majority Rule to Jimmy Eat World that do this. I love this about Quicksand, and I think this song has such a stand out punch to it that coincides with the one in your gut from the heavy lyrical content.
"Head To Wall"
Geoff Rickly from Thursday
This song is one of the most masterful displays of power from any band in the 90's. On Slip, Quicksand showed the world that the New York Hardcore scene could bend guitars into gloriously expressive things: capture the scrape of the NY streets and the subterranean velocity of the subway. Head to Wall starts out on an empty corner in a bad part of town, pre-gentrification. In violent bursts, the song lifts sky word, on the strength of the droning guitars and Walter's ecstatic cries.
Johnny Whitney from The Blood Brothers
"Head to wall" is my favorite Quicksand song. When Jordan and I were in 8th grade our first band covered "Head to Wall" at an extremely low attendance show we put on in our Jr High cafeteria. I'm pretty sure we turned a lot of tater tots into Quicksand that day.
"Too Official"
Abe Cunningham from Deftones
“Has your identity sold out?”… Uh oh!!! A favorite of mine from one of the baddest bands ever. Some of my top memories in life have been the couple of times Deftones has gotten to tour with Quicksand. From the very first Warped Tour in ‘95 when we all met and Walter cut me in line and took my veggie burger that I had been waiting like 45 mins for…to us doing it again in ’98-’99. Now I get to ask Sergio “who is on his guest list tonight”….Hahahah.
"Lie and Wait"
Riley Breckenridge from Thrice
This was one of the first Quicksand songs I ever heard, and it hooked me instantly -- the energy of the main guitar riff pulling against the half-time drums, the dynamic shift into the B section, the urgency in the vocals, the unhinged feeling of the guitar solo, and the awesome pickup/reprise of the main riff at the end with the gritty bass tone pushing it along -- every aspect just seemed so on point. Combine all of that with the band’s flawless fusion of styles, and and it checked all the boxes of music that I was (and still am) a fan of.
"Omission" & "Clean Slate"
Dennis Lyxzén from Refused
I bought the first 7" on a trip down to Stockholm in 1990. I played it until the grooves of the vinyl were worn out. Definitely one of the truly seminal records that defined my musical taste and direction. Quicksand came to Sweden 3 times during the 90's and even though it was an 8 hour drive down to Stockholm, I went every time. First time they were opening up for Living Colors and about 7 people were in the room when they played. The 2nd time they played a really weird small bar in Stockholm with some weird heavy metal band opening up for them. The last time they came and opened up for the Offspring when they were at their peak. It was brutal to watch the crowd not caring at all. But I loved it, loved them, still do. My pick is Omission and Clean slate!
"Dine Alone"
Jeremy Bolm from Touche Amore
A song I like to think simplifies the daily aches of loneliness and cleverly finds itself justifying actions that some may find awkward. The humorous lyrics are not lost over such a constant head bopping beat and drive. It perfectly swings up and down. This was one of the first recorded songs I ever heard by Quicksand. I saw them open for Deftones in 1998 and I thought they were awesome, but I wasn’t familiar with their music until buying this album on CD a short time after.
"Fazer"
Andrew Fisher from Basement
One of my favorite opening tracks of any album. Like many Quicksand songs, it has this hypnotic drive that makes you groove without realizing. All the musicianship is outstanding, and I particularly love the use of octaves and harmonics in the guitars.
"Under The Screw"
Tim Kasher from Cursive/The Good Life
Quicksand is one of my favorite bands, I had to stop listening to Slip for a few years due to extreme overplaying. I’m in danger of overplaying their new album, Interiors, and “Under the Screw” is likely my current favorite Quicksand song. It opens with a gigantic drum fill—in full stereo—that’s given an appropriate encore at the end of the song. Very fucking fun.
"Thorn In My Side"
Frank Iero from My Chemical Romance / Frank Iero and the Patience
I remember one night staying up late with headphones and listening to WSOU 89.5, the Seton Hall college radio station where i found out about pretty much every band I ever loved, and hearing "Thorn In My Side" by Quicksand for the very first time. Hearing those guitar harmonics in the verse blew my mind, it was so heavy yet incredibly melodic. At that point I had no idea what other bands the members of quicksand had been in previously, but eventually that realization and the rabbit hole of hardcore and punk I would travel down paved the way for developing my musical tastes.