From Westchester County in New York, USA, an affluent neighbourhood devoid of the ghetto culture celebrated in much rap parlance, frat rock band Too Much Joy still managed to attract controversy in 1991 by performing cover versions of 2 Live Crew songs at a concert in Miami, Florida, following which they became the subjects of an obscenity case (later dismissed by jury). In the process this goofy indie rock quartet became rap music's least likely victims of censorship. Formed by school friends Tim Quirk (vocals), Jay Blumenfield (guitar/vocals), Sandy Smallens (bass), and Tommy Vinton (drums), Too Much Joy made their debut in 1987 with the awfully-titled Green Eggs And Crack. The uninspiring follow-up Son Of Sam I Am included a cover version of LL Cool J's "That's A Lie". However, by the advent of their major label debut Cereal Killers they had performed what some critics termed "a Beastie Boys in reverse", eschewing hip-hop in favour of a hardcore punk sound reminiscent of early Hsker D. The single "Crush Story" became a minor radio hit and "King Of Beers' pressed all the right college rock buttons, but after the follow-up album Mutiny failed to set the charts alight the band were dropped by Giant Records. Founding member Smallens was replaced by producer William Wittman on 1996"s ... Finally, Too Much Joy's first release in nearly four years. A collection of unreleased tracks, demos and B-sides proved to be the quartet's final release.

Listen to Too Much Joy at Finetune.

• (2005)  Cereal Killers
• (2005)  Mutiny
• (2005)  Son Of Sam I Am

• Crush Story
• Seasons In The Sun
• That's A Lie (Remix)
• Clowns
• Goodbye Ohio

• Faith No More
• Ween
• Oingo Boingo
• The Pixies
• Nirvana
• Smashing Pumpkins
• They Might Be Giants
• Nine Inch Nails
• Dropkick Murphys
• Beck
• The Clash
• The Streets
• Weezer
• Aimee Mann
• Moby
• Ned's Atomic Dustbin
• Cake
• Depeche Mode
• Elvis Costello
• The Shins

• smallens
• braymond918