The Derelicts were in exactly the right place at exactly the right time with exactly the wrong kind of music, for a town that was pregnant to the bursting point with what would become known as grunge music,” Tim Price of Gas Huffer points out. “But they would nevertheless become popular, as their generally straight ahead punk rock sound was big and ferocious, with cut-above songwriting. Their songs had hooks and singer Duane had an amazingly powerful voice.”
Empty Records adds “In the early Seattle grunge days when everyone was growing their hair and wearing love beads The Derelicts held their punk ground, drinking and rocking down the house. They coined the “punk fueled with alcohol and hate” rage that made way for The Supersuckers and The Fumes to carry on the tradition…Their live shows are legendary for their unpredictable inter-band violence on stage and driving rock force. They became the MRR reference point of late ’80s punk.”
“The title track is the epitome of the Derelicts’ attack: Dwarves-like octane, Poison Idea-like filth, and all the walloping that comes with genuine street punk” opines C.A. Coyle of Spokane, WA based weekly the Inlander. In the same article he quotes Mark Arm of Mudhoney who declares “I’ve been a fan of the Derelicts since the first time around.”
The band is Duane Lance Bodenhemier on vocals, Jason Freeman on bass and backing vocals, Neil Rogers on guitar and Donny Paycheck (Zeke co-founder and label founder) on drums and backing vocals. Life of Strife was produced by Jack Endino at Soundhouse in 2018. The fifteen tracks on the album are: 1. “Life Of Strife,” 2. “Wrong With This, 3. “Fight,” 4. “I Walk Alone,” 5. “Boxed In,” 6. “Makes Me Sick,” 7. “Mr. Fuckerman,” 8. “Save Your Lies,” 9. “You Loose,” 10. “Don’t Wanna Live,” 11. “Fuck You,” 12. “Why Does It Gurt,” 13. “Bleed Me Out,” 14. “Final Fall,” and 15 “Assholes Unite.” The band’s influences include Dead Boys, G.B.H., Dwarves, Zeke, Supersuckers, Mudhoney, Melvins, Nirvana, Sonics, Link Wray, The Stones, MC5, The Stooges, The Damned, Chuck Berry, The Saints.