“9 bursts of machine driven, maniac fronted, super-villainous hardcore from the beyond”, says the official press release for “Match Game” by experimental, industrialized raw punk act SCIENCE MAN, and it hits the nail on the head. The new offering from alter-ego of Buffalo, NY based artist John Toohill exposes the darker, nastier soul of his alternate art as it spirals into the void. High energy, industrial wasteland, noise punk. Call it whatever you like, but he’s nailing it. Listen for yourself.
“Match Game” marks the follow up 7″ to the 2019 S/T LP, also on Swimming Faith Records (listen below), and comes as a forerunner of his next full-length, “SM II” LP on Big Neck Records.
Asked about the background behind the project, John commented:
“Well, I guess we call it an Alter-Ego Solo Project, cuz nobody wants to listen to a punk band just called “John Toohill”. I like to think of “SCIENCE MAN” as sorta a symbiotic relationship between him and I. We need each other to make this project work properly. Can’t have Mr. Hyde without Dr. J, ya know? Even tho I’m sure the monster wouldn’t mind his creator being dead. I’m in other bands. I need his mask so I can justify being a total control freak who does 100% of the work and is unwilling to wait or compromise. Cuz that is what this whole project is supposed to be. Trying to reach that point where I’m making music for myself at my best and on own my level… well, our level. Science Man and I. Don’t get me wrong, I do want other people to dig it. No bullshit artist statement about “I don’t care what people think” coming from me. I’m just also digging to see what we can make with absolute minimal outside influence.
We did a demo, then an S/T LP, and lots of touring in 2019. Finished recording the 2nd LP “SM II” in early April and sent it out for release this fall with BIG NECK RECORDS. After that I was about to switch focus to other stuff when Science Man opened a device known as “The Cube” and suddenly disappeared for 72hrs. June 10-12th to be exact. I know cuz I had been (and still am) stuck at home during this pandemic since early March. I have no idea what goes on inside “The Cube” but when Sci Man returned he presented me with a gift and it is MATCH GAME. I thought to myself “is this what he does while I’m not around?! Is this the sound of Science Man without me? Is this what he meant when he said “in the future I will find a cure for the future”?” It’s some sorta distilled spirit too potent for regular consumption. What had happened IN there?? Cannibalizing my limb to augment the nasty, bashing ability of one of his. So I released it as a 7″ on my label Swimming Faith.
To things that influenced SCIENCE MAN
“I have no idea because Science Man made this one without me but, I’d guess…”
- No John to do the more weirdo Rock and Roll riffs like on the usual songs.
- Post-Apocalyptic retro-future movies .
- The actual, currently looming apocalypse.
- Not knowing how to play the drums for shit.
- Suddenly being able to shut off and commit to doing one thing for days and days in a row.
- I watched a lot of pro wrestling as a kid. I bet that’s a thing.
- Sci-Fi / Horror books and film. Recently re-reading Valis.
- All the coffee.
- All the ugliness of American people that we’ve always known was there being pressure cooked and amplified in the last few months + years.
- Not taking myself too seriously so I can seriously do something I think is cool.
- The Cube.
