BIO, BRIEF HISTORY & TESTIMONIALS

BIO:

From A-F Records website:
Only a band of arresting importance could be regarded as the foundation of such mighty conquests as Strike Anywhere (Jade Tree and now Fat Wreck Chords), Ann Beretta (Lookout!), and River City High (Doghouse). But Inquisition, a band that remains highly influential in spite of their brief mid-90's lifespan, is that important. According to Strike Anywhere’s Thomas Barnett (ex-Inquisition), the resonance of Inquisition remains a dear relative to the music he and his band mates are creating today. (In fact, Barnett’s band is named after an Inquisition song entitled Strike Anywhere.) And notably, all kinds of bands, from an assortment of scenes, have sighted Inquisition as a necessary inspiration for their songwriting: Hot Water Music, Ensign, Anti-Flag, Dashboard Confessional, Suicide Machines, among others.

BRIEF HISTORY:
Inquisition formed in Richmond, VA 1991 as a band of 4 high school friends on a mission to take over the world (or at least the west end of Richmond). In early 92 original bass player, Leer Baker left the band leaving the Inquisition in an uncertain limbo. Tim Barry of AVAIL, another influential Richmond band, gets all of the credit for the introductions that changed the band and turned the Inquisition into a new machine that would go on to change the lives of each of the 4 members of the band as well as everyone who saw them perform and who heard their records. No one could have predicted the explosiveness nor fierce intensity of this motley bunch of boys out to take on the world.

Mark Avery on guitar, Thomas Barnett as the voice of the band along with Russ Jones on drums and now Rob Huddleston on bass went on to record and self release (as most bands did in the DIY hay-day that was the early 90's) their first studio album titled the BROKEN SONGS. The band began networking and touring often setting up the next tour dates while on the road. Now you must take into consideration that this was before cell phones and the internet and communication was not just a mouse click away like it is today.

The Inquisition toured non stop for the next several years before recording the REVOLUTION record. Inbetween albums, the band released several 7 inch singles and began to appear on numerous compilations. The band, now an often too hard working group began recording the album that would go on to change and inspire people for years to come in 1995.

The REVOLUTION...I THINK IT's CALLED INSPIRATION cd was released in early 1996 on POP A WHEELIE RECORDS and without missing a beat the band was back on tour and did not seem to stop untill the inevitable meltdown in the fall of 96. On Sunday Sept 8th, 1996 the Inquisition took the stage at the Biograph theater in Richmond VA for the last time with opening bands the PEE TANKS and a band from Berkeley CA on one of their first U.S. tours called AFI. Despite what anyone might have said or any rumor that might have been spread, the reason for the band's break-up is this: we were too young to realize that taking a break was an option - plain and simple.

The story goes on and each of the guys went on to start other bands and each tasted a variety a success but I am sure everyone will agree that nothing any of us did after the Inquisition was as important or as impacting as what we did while we were known simply as the INQUISITION; 4 young boys with heads full of ideals and hearts full of a need to make a change. This is how I remeber it. I'm sure a few dates are incorrect but the important facts are all there.

Thanks to everyone at A-F for making us all remember how great those days were and for everything that has been involved in this re-release.
-Rob • Sept 2005

TESTIMONIALS:

"Desperation Man!!! Gut Wrenching Sincerity!!! That's what I love about
Inquisition. They were and still are everything missing in punk. The title says itall! This record is essential."
Jay SUICIDE MACHINES

"I'd first heard Inquisition sometime in 1995 (or maybe it was 1996?), and "Revolution..." was an absolutely amazing release. Even then, hearing
them for the first time, I thought they were what punk rock should sound
like, and Inquisition definitively were a huge influence on Anti-Flag." PatThetic / Anti-Flag

"I don't know how certain bands slip through the cracks. A band like
Inquistition made a dent in the underground punk community in their hayday, when they should have been a full blown car crash. Inquisition, from a Richmonders perspective is one of the most influectial bands there have been. Hopefully they will get what they deserve with this release.

Revolution and inspiration."
Tim Barry AVAIL

"Inq were--and still are--one of the most engaging, bands of their time. Very few things will leave as lasting an impression on me as the first chord of the first song I heard by them, and very few songs--if any--will wear out my record player the way "Uproar" has."
Jason Black HOT WATER MUSIC

"The first time I heard Inquisition was the Ideas Are Bulletproof 7". I think
it was sometime in 1995 and I remember it was a time in my life where I had become very disillusioned with the state of music both locally and nationally. It seemed to me that things had lost their fire and I desperately needed something to come and prove me wrong. Suddenly along come a bunch of kids from RVA (home of just about all my favorite bands) who just floored me. Inquisition had it all, the energy, the desperation, political lyrics, it was all there and it got me so psyched.

Then a split with Kilara came out and then the "Revolution, I think it's called inspiration" LP. Fuck yeah! Every song, every note I was so hooked. Sadly I never got to see them play live.

Years later Ensign and Strike Anywhere would start to play a lot of shows together and we would all become good friends. In fact last year in Europe Ensign learned an Inquisition cover and tried to force Thomas to get up and sing it. Damn you Thomas...one day...one day! Till this day Inquisition is one of my favorite bands of all time, so much so that I got an Inquisition tattoo a few years ago and in the process I think freaked Thomas out a little bit (does that make me some crazed stalker?). Anyway, I'd just like to say "Thanks you guys for making music then and now that really, really matters!". We got a bomb in our hearts and a fuse to be lit...FUCK YEAH WE DO!"
Tim Shaw ENSIGN