Defunct Local Band Profile Series: Poverty-Stricken

It's now time for this month's Defunct Local Band Profile, as we're once again spotlighting a local metal, hard rock, or punk band from the past, as randomly selected from our inactive band links! This month's selection takes us a decade and a half back to Sault Michigan for a young original band who definitely had something good going while it lasted, especially for their scene, so here's what you should know on them!

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Poverty-Stricken

Hometown: Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

Genre: Screamo/Punk

Lineup (Members not in their last known lineup in italics):

Taylor Keller, vocals/guitar
Ian Rose, guitar
Justin Menard, bass
Jack Messer, drums

Nick Marsh, guitar
Scott Savoie (Swayze Train, Insipid Brutality), guitar
Mike Libertoski (Bleak Life, Galactic Alignment), bass
Nathan Cushman, bass
Bertram Miller, bass/trumpet
Stephanie Frost, bass
Chris Shannon (Bush Meat, The Dirty Merchants), drums

Audio/Video: Poverty-Stricken did self-publish a demo cassette tape in 2004 with six original songs and two covers that was available on request, and a proper album named "A Rising Fall" was once planned to follow it, and it may have seen a release of some kind in 2006. Material from the latter sessions did make it to their page on the now-defunct PureVolume, with titles like "Stickin' In My Eye", "And The Hero Will Drown", and "Prostrate", though no material is known to publically survive on active social media or music sites. Note that band members are not familiar from other major E.U.P. acts aside from Scott & Mike, albeit via heavier projects.

Info/Analysis: Active from 2003 until at least mid-2006, Poverty-Stricken are one of the very few modern punk bands to come out of Sault Michigan. Originally named Lung Cheese & Death By Kickdrum, the band went through a lot of lineup turnover during their run, with only Taylor & Jack sticking with the group from bell to bell. Plans initially called for them to play hardcore ska, with early updates mostly revolving around demo recording & their lineup changes, but their best known lineup (Taylor, Justin, and Jack) settled into more advanced studio sessions in late 2005 onward, including a song for a planned compilation from the now-defunct Geneva Records. Scattered concerts would occur, including high school functions and a July 2006 show in Cedarville, but updates did not follow online, and Poverty-Stricken likely dissolved by the beginning of 2007.

With a detailed array of online pages (now only really visible on Tripod) and a locally unique sound, it would have been nice to see Poverty-Stricken have a longer & more fruitful run, as they had potential! Their PureVolume demos were rough, but they had a good ear for melodies and d a fun free-wheeling style, with "Stickin' In My Eye" working as an upbeat skate punk number in particular. I was in high school at the same time Poverty-Stricken were, and I'd have been into them had we been in the same Sault Ste. Marie, but alas. Hopefully the guys are all doing well nowadays!

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I hope you guys liked this month's Defunct Local Band Profile! This series returns on or around May 10th when we return to Sault Ontario for our next randomly selected defunct band, that being mid-late 2010s alternative hard rock quartet Id Iota! Look for that then, and for more news and notes on the site soon! Thanks everyone!