Punch, formed in 1969 in Long Island, was an ambitious hard rock band that played with ferocity. The band, consisting of Dave Stein on vocals, Ray Kusnier on guitar, Tony Giustra on bass, and Pete Tudda on drums, had a sound that was described by critics as "harder-than-hard rock" played at "louder-than-loud volume."
The music of Punch drives with a relentless energy, pushing forward with wailing guitar-work, plus vocals that slither and then growl. During their short stint of three years, Punch shared the stage with Chicago's Illinois Speed Press and NYC's Elephant's Memory. They quickly made a name for themselves in the club scene in New York, performing at The Village Gate, Cafe Wha?, and Ungano's.
However, it was in Montreal that they received their most receptive audience, and their powerful performances were deeply appreciated. The band used massive speaker horns to create wall-shaking sounds, overloading the space with only three instruments, a technique used by Led Zeppelin and Mountain.
Although Punch only lasted until 1972, the band's music is growing louder with time, finding a new generation of believers. Their uncompromising approach still hits with the same force today and reminds us of what raw hard rock was like before that more polished sound took over by the mid-1970s.
