A-Z of Amphetamine Reptile – Today Is The Day

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Along with Unsane and Helmet, Today Is The Day represent one of the few active acts associated with AmRep. While they never had a hit like “Unsung” or “Scrape”, they were still able to find their audience and tour/record new music, even after AmRep fell apart.

They formed in the early 90s in Nashville, Tennessee and debuted with self-released EP called “How To Win Friends And Influence People” in 1992, which attracted attention of AmRep. They were signed toin February of 1993 and released “Supernova” later that year. The following year they released “Willpower”, followed by “Clusterfuck” EP with labelmates Chokebore and Guzzard. Their self-titled album released in March of ’96 became their final record for AmRep.

In 1997, they signed to metal label Relapse Records, which released “Temple Of The Morning Star” (1997), “In The Eyes Of God” (1999), “Sadness Will Prevail” (2002), and “Kiss The Pig” (2003), as well as compilation called “Live Till You Die” (2000). “Kiss The Pig” was the last record that they did for Relapse, while “Axis Of Eden” (2007) came out on band leader Steve Austin own label Supernova Records.

Musically, they post-AmRep sound shifted in more metallic direction (not surprising, given the fact that they were signed to Relapse), but they never abandoned trademark quirkiness – compilation album “Live Till You Die” included cover versions of songs by Bad Company, Chris Isaac and The Beatles, while double album “Sadness Will Prevail” is mixing noise/ambient and heavy metal in equal proportions.

Associated Bands – Mastodon, Aurora Borealis, Blotted Science, Divine Empire, Hate Eternal, Malevolent Creation, Nile, Esoteric, Circle Of Dead Children, Lethargy, Taipan

Fun Facts

– TTID are well known for their use of samples from movies, songs and commercials. Snippets of dialogue from movies “Rebel Without A Cause”, “Paradise Lost”, “Carrie”, “The Last Temptation of Christ”, “The Illustrated Man”, “Memento”, “Rosemary’s Baby” (among many others) can be heard on their records.

– Former members Brann Dailor and Bill Kelliher went on to play with Mastodon

– Steve Austin is not related in any way to WWF figher Steve “Stone Cold” Austin

– Steve owns “Austin Enterprise” studio in Nashville, TN and he also runs his own label Supernova Records. Some of Supernova acts include TTID side project Taipan, Defcon 4 and Roanoke.

– TTID portrayed a christian rock band in black comedy “Duck! A Carbine High School Massacre” (1999)

Discography:

How To Win Friends And Influence People EP (1992)

I Bent Scared / Come On Down And Get Saved 7″ (1993)

Supernova (1993)

Willpower (1994)

Today Is The Day (1996 / 2008 Reissue)

In These Black Days Volume 3 (Split With Coalesce) 7″ (1997)

Temple Of The Morning Star (1997)

In The Eyes Of God (1999)

Live Till You Die (2000)

Zodiac Dreaming (Split With 16) Mini-CD (2001)