Baxter (punk band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1995 |
| Defunct | 1999 |
| Headquarters | Chicago , United States |
| Products | Music albums, EPs, singles |
Baxter (occasionally stylized as .baxter.) was an American post-hardcore ensemble originating from Chicago. The lineup featured Tim McIlrath (who later joined Rise Against and The Killing Tree), Neil Hennessy (subsequently part of The Lawrence Arms, The Falcon, and Colossal), Anthony Fiore (succeeded by Timothy Remis, who went on to perform with The Killing Tree, Sweet Cobra, Hill Dunes, and Cloakroom), alongside bassist J. Wood.
Biography
Established in Chicago in 1995, Baxter cultivated a dedicated local audience through basement performances and self-produced recordings. Their debut EP, self-titled, displayed cover art reminiscent of Chun-Li from the Street Fighter franchise. In 1997, the band independently issued the full-length cassette Troy's Bucket, which garnered modest underground acclaim and was later reissued by Astroboy Records. That same year, Baxter signed with the independent label Static Station and released the 7" record Lost Voices, which significantly boosted their regional recognition. The group embarked on numerous tours throughout the Midwest before disbanding in 1999.
Following their breakup, the members continued contributing to the hardcore genre with projects such as The Killing Tree, The Honor System, The Lawrence Arms, and most notably, Rise Against. In 2003, Will Not Clear Man Records assembled a compilation titled Baxter, featuring previously released material alongside unreleased tracks, mastered by Doug Ward. Furthermore, Minneapolis hip-hop artist P.O.S incorporated a sample from their song "Out of Reach" in his 2004 album Ipecac Neat. Additionally, the track "Survivor's Guilt" by Rise Against includes a reference to a sample originally utilized in Baxter’s "Burden" from the Troy's Bucket release.
Discography
- Baxter (1996) – Self-published
- Troy's Bucket (1997) – Astroboy Records (initially self-released)
- Lost Voices... (1997) – Static Station Records
- Eastman & Evergreen (1999) – Science Records
- .baxter. (2003) – Will Not Clear Man Records
Final lineup
- Tim McIlrath – lead vocals (1995–1999)
- Neil Hennessy – guitar, backing vocals (1995–1999)
- Timothy Remis – drums (1997–1999)
- J.Wood – bass guitar (1995–1999)
Former members
- Anthony Fiore – drums (1995–1997)