The Suppression Swing formed after popular So Cal. Bands Outspoken and Caste broke up. After only a handful of practices in which Jason Hampton, who was originally playing guitar, became the singer, The Swing recorded the “Just A Word” 7” and started playing live. At that point the line-up was PT Pugh on drums, Mike Hartsfield on guitar, Evan Mann on second guitar, Ed McKirdy on bass and Hampton on vocals.

“We were just excited about the prospects of what the band could do,” PT states, “usually a band has to start from scratch but with Mike in the band, and everyone eager to work really hard, we sort of started at a middle ground. We didn’t have to shop the band to labels because at that time, New Age was one of the biggest.”

After playing several local and out of town shows, The Swing decamped to the studio to record the groundbreaking “Greeted With Closed Arms” full length CD. McKirdy had since moved back to New Jersey and was replaced by Mean Season’s Colin Buis.

“I almost wrecked my voice on that one, dude,” Hampton states, “the back of my throat was bleeding and I was in pain, but I drank lots of tea, chewed some throat lozenges and I was straight.”

The band continued to play with Buis being replaced by Dave Patterson. Patterson a longtime fan of the Orange County hardcore scene was very “into” playing with such a powerhouse line-up.

“I felt extremely lucky to be in that band at that time. I had grown up going to all their shows, buying all their records and now I was making one with them. I have done some other bands since this, but none were as important to me as The Suppression Swing.”

While the times and band members have changed over the years, it is that initial love of music of wanting to express something together that best defines the legacy left by The Suppression Swing.

“The Swing may not have been as big as Outspoken, but I never expected it to be.” Hartsfield states matter-of-factly. “You don’t do hardcore music to make money, well at least you didn’t then. You do it because there’s something about it that speaks to you. To something you can’t put into words… really. You do it because you have to.”