Barfight

Barfight came out of New York's underground scene with a jagged guitar sound and Johnny "Bones" O'Toole's searing vocals. Their 1998 debut album was called "Anthems for the Disenchanted." They put out a few more records after that, including one in 2001 that shared its name with their song "Friend In Need."

Mary Jane "MJ" Burke played keyboards for the band, adding some ethereal melodies to their otherwise pounding rhythm section. They worked with Rick Rubin and Patti Smith at different points, which says something about the company they kept.

Their lyrics dealt with alienation and addiction, and their stage presence could be confrontational. That combination meant they weren't for everyone, but it also meant they didn't sound like much else happening at the time.