Templars (introduction)

(Update 19 september 2011: Updated the bandlist with 3 additionall sideprojects)

Probably the most wellknown and celebrated Oi! band to come out from America. Also one of those bands that has matured in a great way. I wont write a heapload of information on this band cause its actually one of the few bands that can easily be googled. What i will try to do though is post the correct discography (something that can get hard since the band has re-released almost every ep on different labels and my collection of the band is 30+ records).

This New York band was started as a 3-piece in 1990 by Carl Fritscher on guitar and vocals, Phil Rigaud on drums and Don Gurle playing bass. They recorded several cassettes on their own but it wasnt untill in 1993 that they released their first true EP through Sonic Aggression. Don soon left the band to play in a HC band called Sub DK.
After this they became a 2-man band with Carl playing bass, guitars and singing on the recordings and Phil doing the drums. Playing live though they borrowed members from other bands or let friends play with them and even if they still to this day are looked on as a 2-man project Perry Hardy (famous from old skinzines and also played in Chapter 21) has become somewhat of a third member. Also Chet Knight (from Time bomb 77 and Adolf and the piss artists) was a solid part of the band for some time but as far as i know he has no affilliation with the band today. Chris White who moved to US after playing in French punkbands Bombardiers and Les Poches plays in the band today but has not played on any recordings yet.

The bands lyrics focuses a lot on old history mainly The order of the templars (no shit) and from what i know both Carl and Phil have a real interest in old skandinavian mythology (think i read somewhere that Carl has even studied Swedish history as a degree). With lyrics about the old crucades mixed with the quite advanced guitarplay and drummings and the fact that they DO NOT draw their influences mainly from old generic football hooligan Oi! seperates their sound from the majority of other bands. Another factor in the distinct Templars sound is that they have recorded the majority of their songs in the same basement studio (Acre studio) since their first release. A lot of other NY bands like Skin disorder has been produced by Carl and recorded their albums at this verry same studio.

Being the most populair US band in Europa i find it funny how many bands actually mention Templars as an influence to their sound. These same bands would never imagine mentioning Ultima Thule, Skrewdriver or early french Oi!/RAC acts like Herberts, Tolbiac toads etc as their influences even though these where the bands that created the soundfusion that became the Templars sound.

Carl and Phil's sideprojects and guest appearences in other bands are as confucing and impressive as all their re-releases but i will try to name a few:

Oxblood (Phil used to play drums in the band)

First strike (Phil was never an official member but played drums on their LP)

Vibram 94 (Both Carl and Phil played in this band)

Battle cry (Phil played a couple of shows as their drummer but was never a member of the band.)

Nadsat psychos (Phil and Carls verry brief psychobilly band that had one song on the first addition of Backstreets of American Oi!)

Stomper 98 (A German Oi! band that drafted Phil to play drums, still a member today)

Tartan mushroom (Carls and Phils glamrock sideproject with Andy Animal from NY punkband Stalkers on vocals. Great band that never relly left the practice stage though.)

B.C USA (After Alex from Battle Zone moved Peru he started up the band again under the names BZ Peru and BZ USA. BZ USA had both Perry and Phil in the band the few times they played.)

Stamford bridge (Carls soloproject with a great mods sound to it. Has released a couple of split EP's)

Wodnes thegnas (a vikingrock sideproject by Carl around late 90's. Released a split with Templars)

TNT (Templars teaming up with the singer Ivano from Italian band Asociale.)

Sons of acre (Dont know much about this project except the fact that Carl sang and played guitar.)

The butchers (Templars sideproject that had a nice 77ish sound to it. Band recorded a whole heap of sonfs but only released a split cd.)

Ukkos Jumala (Carl and the Finnish band 2 Fist Season. The band released an EP)

The righteous (A great and forgotten Swedish band that hooked up with Carl who produced/played on an album for them. The album was called "9 days we hung" and is to be released by Pure impact later this year.)

Solstice (Carl's first vikingproject. No releases)

East side boys (Carl and Phil's sideproject with Riton from West side boys)

Carl also recorded a demo with members from Swedish bands Frontlash and Vindicate this! in 2004-2005. It was a vikingrock project but dont know the name of it. (It might be Aifur)

Think thats all of them but post a comment if i have missed a band