Virus

selected  Virus TShirTS, PosTerS & Prints  

The Virus is a street punk band from Philadelphia, United States. Now defunct, their former singer Mike Virus went on to perform in the band Cheap Sex. Fat Dave now fronts Lancaster, Pennsylvania punk band the Nightime Dealers.

The Virus formed in February 1998, with Mike Virus on vocals, Chris on lead guitar, Fat Dave on guitar, Jarrod on drums, and Geoff on bass. The Virus played their first show (not concerts) a month later. During The Virus  first six months, The Virus performed several shows, including one in Philadelphia with the band Special Duties, and another at the now-closed Coney Island High in New York City.

In July 1998, The Virus recorded two songs for a split CD with New York band The Manix (with members of The Devotchkas and The Casualties). Only 130 copies of the CD were made, and they sold out quickly. Shortly thereafter, original bass player Geoff was asked to leave The Virus. After trying out several bass players, it was decided that Fat Dave’s longtime friend Paul would join The Virus.

In February 1999, The Virus recorded five songs for their first 7", called Global Crisis, and for the Punx Unite 2 compilation on Charged Records. The 7" sold out fairly quickly, and The Virus started getting a lot more gig offers. In May, lead guitar player Chris and The Virus had a falling out, with Chris leaving The Virus . The Virus continued to perform regularly all over the east coast United States as a quartet.

In September, The Virus added a new member, Mike Authority of local Philadelphia band, No Authority. In March 2000, The Virus recorded 12 songs for their first full-length CD/LP, Still Fighting For A Future, on Charged Records. After the album was recorded, singer Mike Virus left The Virus and Paul took over vocals. The Virus then recruited Tim from the Jersey band the Oi Scouts.

In June, The Virus left for a six-week USA tour with The Casualties, Endless Struggle, Antidote and Funeral Dress. After returning from the tour, Tim informed The Virus that the road life wasn’t for him, but he agreed to help out until The Virus replaced him. In December The Virus brought in Josh, who was a fan of The Virus . In March 2001, The Virus recorded four new songs for a limited picture disc 7" to be released on Charged Records. Punk Core Records bought the rights to release the picture disc from Charged Records, and released the 7" in October 2001, along with a Singles & Rarities CD .

In June 2000, The Virus played the Promote Chaos festival in Atlanta, Georgia alongside bands like: Anti-Nowhere League, The Crack, and Peter and the Test Tube Babies. A month later The Virus went to Morecambe, England to play at the Holidays In The Sun festival alongside bands like The Exploited, The Partisans, GBH, UK Subs, Resistance 77, Threats and Cock Sparrer.

Late August saw The Virus on a short East Coast US tour with Antidote from Holland. After the tour, The Virus took five months off to write and record their second 12-song CD/LP titled Nowhere To Hide on Punk Core Records. During those five months, Fat Dave left The Virus. In February 2002, The Virus recorded their second full-length album. Drew joined The Virus on bass, and Josh moved to guitar On February 15, The Virus played in Philadelphia with Slaughter & The Dogs.

After that, The Virus were back to playing regular weekend gigs all over the American east coast. In April, the Nowhere To Hide CD & LP was released. In July, The Virus again played at the Holidays In The Sun festival in England. The Virus then went on a short west coast US tour with The Riffs from Portland. Then The Virus played the HITS fest in Asbury Park, New Jersey in early September. A highlight of the festival for The Virus was having Wattie Buchan of the Exploited join The Virus onstage to sing The Exploited song I Believe In Anarchy. The Virus returned to California at the end of the year to play three concerts in Hollywood, Pomona and San Diego with the Riffs & The Voids

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