Severe Tire Damage (band)


Severe Tire Damage is a rock and roll "garage" band from Palo Alto, California.

Innovation

Severe Tire Damage was the first band to perform live on the Internet. On June 24, 1993, the band was playing a gig at Xerox PARC while elsewhere in the building, scientists were discussing new technology for broadcasting on the Internet using livestreaming. As proof of their technology, the band was broadcast and could be seen live in Australia and elsewhere.
On Friday, November 18, 1994, the Rolling Stones decided to broadcast one of their concert tours on the Internet.
Before their broadcast, Severe Tire Damage returned to the Internet, this time becoming the "opening act" for the Stones.
Instead of an obscure Australian researcher, the entire world press was watching this time,
and Severe Tire Damage was elevated from obscurity to Warholian fame.
Newsweek magazine described Severe Tire Damage as being "a lesser known rock band."
The Rolling Stones told The New York Times:
"the surprise opening act by Severe Tire Damage was a good reminder of the democratic nature of the Internet."

Band members

The core band consisted of these people:
Additional people came and went during the band's history:
Besides performing rock and roll standards, the band wrote a number of original songs that run the range from rock to punk.
These songs appears on their two albums: "Who Cares" and "Trial Starter Kit". Both albums are out of print but are available on their collection CD "The Best We Can Do."

Other uses

Bands with the name "Severe Tire Damage" appear in the media many times:
On April 27, 1999, Weiser died,
and the band never fully recovered.
For Rubin, this was the second band in which the drummer had died, making his life into a
Spinal Tap-like experience. For a brief time afterward silicon valley drummer Joel Jewitt practiced with the band and played some local gigs; as of March 2010 Jewitt was believed to be alive. Rubin and Haines continue to keep score on dead drummers; currently Haines is ahead of Rubin three to two.