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."
Daniel Scharstein: keyboards and drums. Scharstein was a student at Cornell University.
Music
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:
1987: Zero released song titled "Severe Tire Damage on the 1987 album "Here Goes Nothin'"
1988: Vice Academy. In one scene two guys listen to a tape of their favorite rock band: Severe Tire Damage.
1992: Real Men Don't Eat Quiche by Bruce Feirstein. One example of "real men" is that they "...still keep waiting for a band to be named either Republican Guard or Severe Tire Damage."
1993: Mrs. Doubtfire. In one scene, Robin Williams' character pretends he was in the band Severe Tire Damage.
1993: In the mockumentary The Making of '...And God Spoke' the fictional Production Designer Peter Garbone explains his affiliation with the two directors of the movie, by their previous production of music videos of little known bands like "Bjorn Again" and "Severe Tire Damage".
1998: Zits, appeared August 5. While trying to choose a name for their band, they suggest "Severe Tire Damage, Blown Lunch, and Bite-size Yak". In the end, they reject these for "Goat Cheese Pizza".
2006: Monk, season 4, episode 15, "Mr. Monk Goes to the Dentist", aired March 10. Lieutenant Randy Disher temporarily quits the force and devotes himself full-time to his high school garage band "The Randy Disher Project". The other band members disagree about the name of the band. One band member suggests Severe Tire Damage as a better name for the band.
Downfall
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.
