Life Sentence
Life Sentence was/is a popular Chicago punk/hardcore band from the mid 1980s to the early 90s. They were from Itasca and formed out of the ashes of the Anti-Bodies and 6 Feet Under (not to be confused with the Metal band). They went through a few lineup changes and even some nasty lawsuits between members and the rights to the name. Guitarist and founder Eric Brockman emerged with the rights to the name and continued on into the early '90s with different rhythm sections before disappearing from the scene all together due to substance abuse issues. In 2009, Eric resurfaced with an entirely new line-up for a few local shows before vanishing again.
Members
2009 Line-up
- Eric Brockman - Vocals/Guitar
- Nick Zasabeta - Bass/Vocals
- Cris Jefferies - Guitar/Vocals
- Brent Nimz - Drums/Vocals
Original Line-up
- Ray Morris - Vocals
- Eric Brockman - Guitar, Vocals
- Chris Sim - Bass
- Jay Bartot - Drums
Recording Line-ups
Life Sentence 12"
- Joe Losurdo - Vocals/Bass
- Eric Brockman - Vocals/Guitar
- Tom O'Connor - Drums
No Experience Necessary LP
- Eric Brockman - Vocals/Guitar
- Jeff Hauck - Vocals/Bass
- Gustave Roman - Drums
More Punks For Profit 7"
- Eric Brockman - Vocals/Guitar
- Jeff Hauck - Vocals/Bass
- Dave Rosato - Drums
Releases
- Demo Tape - According to MXV, it was "pretty well distributed" - about 1985
- Self Titled LP - (Walkthrufyre Records, 1986)
- Problems
- Race to Die
- Election Day
- Men in Blue
- Punks for Profit
- Peacetime Death
- Unemployment
- In the Streets
- Figured it Out
- Take a Stand
- Open your Eyes
- Gun Control
Reissued on LP/CD/digital with 4 bonus tracks in 2018 on Jet Speed Records.
- No Experience Necessary LP (Walkthrufyre Records, 1989)
- Win, Lose or Sue
- Ode To Me
- Time/Life
- Tour Til Death
- Cancer
- No Experience Necessary
- Domestic Squabbles
- Actions Speak Louder Than Word
- Freedoms Promised Dream
- Gun Control
- Stand On Your Own
- Sins In The Pulpit
- The Elevator Song
- More Punks For Profit 7" EP (Doing Time Records, 1991)
- More Punks For Profit
- Godzilla
- The Ballad
- Demos 7" EP (Alona's Dream Records, 2023)
- Race To Die/Election Day
- Men In Blue
- Peacetime Death
- Unemployment
- Open Your Eyes
- The first 4 tracks were part of a 10-song recording session from 1985 (the rest were included on the band's 1987 self-titled 12"). "Open Your Eyes" is from a later session after Ray left the band.
History
The history of Life Sentence is long and gets very messy towards the end of its existance. Instead of summarizing, read MXV's review of Life Sentence's LP - where many former members and acquaintences chime in. Great read...
External Links
- MXV reviews their s/t LP - Lots of info, history and controversy in the comments section
- Life Sentence Facebook page
- Discogs profile
- Chicago Reader interview with Joe Losurdo in 2018