Kicked in the Head

Led by singer Gary Hedrick Jr., Kicked in the Head is a powerful ska/punk combo hailing from Boston. Starting in the mid-'90s, the band found itself not only influenced by fellow Boston bands Slapshot and Aerosmith, but national acts as varied as Faith No More and Rage Against the Machine. Known for their lively concert performances, the band secured a spot on the 1998 Warped Tour, leading them to open for the Mighty Mighty Bosstones at their Hometown Throwdown concert.

Kicked in the Head made two albums in the '90s, World Domination and All in the Family. Gaining exposure through mainstream press and a spot on their tours, they recorded Thick As Thieves in 2000 and released it independently the same year. They eventually secured its release through Resurrection A.D. Records in the fall of 2001, started to tour behind it in November of that year.

Consisting of Hedrick Jr., bassist Ryan Dowd, guitarists Matt San Nocki and Matt Rositano, and drummer Anthony Modano, the band seemed ready for bigger and better success as of the release of Thick As Thieves. Although the record didn't break them into the mainstream, it did further their fanbase and allow them to release Salita in the fall of 2002.