Lesser Of Two
Lesser of Two was an American crossover thrash, screamo, and hardcore punk band that began in Florida in 1989 and relocated to Oakland, California in 1997. The band disbanded in 2003.
The name came from Steven DeCaprio, who landed on it during a hallucination while skateboarding through a strip mall. He fixated on two competing soda dispenser brands sitting side by side outside a grocery store, and the idea of those two “choices” turned into a larger critique in his mind. He saw choice, freedom, and democracy as a kind of sales pitch, a false setup meant to keep people compliant.
Early on, Ash Miller, who played second guitar on Swing, told DeCaprio that “Lesser of Two Evils” was too long. Not long after that, DeCaprio was removed from the band for being an incompetent musician, but he kept the name and formed a new version of the group with Isaac Grant, Mike Shuman, and Rob Coleman.
A band defined by constant turnover
Lineup changes became the band’s most consistent habit. From 1989 through 2002, Lesser of Two cycled through seven bass players, seven drummers, two guitarists, and six vocalists. The only thing that stayed the same was the band name, which is a pretty funny badge of stability when you think about it.
In 1995, Kelly Nelson, DeCaprio’s wife, officially joined and played bass until the end. She appears on all the recordings except the Swing 7-inch and one track on the Farmhouse 1994 compilation album.
Tours, DIY, and international ties
Across their run, Lesser of Two released three singles, three albums, and appeared on multiple compilations. They toured extensively through the United States and also played Mexico, Canada, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, France, Spain, Austria, and the Netherlands, while maintaining a Do It Yourself ethic.
In 1999, they released a cassette version of their self-titled album through Nikt Nic Nie Wie, one of Poland’s oldest punk labels. They were also featured in the Polish magazine Pasazer No. 13–14, which included a compilation featuring a track from the band. Lesser of Two also toured alongside influential Polish punk band Post Regiment for a leg of their run.
Sound and lyrical focus
Lesser of Two’s music carried a crust punk sound without treating the genre like a rulebook. Their songs were marked by extremely fast tempos that could drop into slower, heavier sections, backed by screaming vocals, chaotic noise, and political lyrics that centered on the darker sides of human existence.
They received positive reviews from outlets including Maximumrocknroll, Flipside, Slug and Lettuce, and HeartattaCk, both for their recordings and their live performances.
Members
- Steven DeCaprio
- Kelly Nelson
- Moses Saarni
- Dave Earles
- Rob “Trans Am” Coleman
- Joel “Buddy” Purdue
- Isaac Grant
- Stacey Storer
- Ash Miller
- James Diederich
Other projects
After Lesser of Two, DeCaprio and Nelson, the only members to play on all three albums, continued playing together in Embers in Oakland. Former drummer Moses Saarni went on to play with Drain the Sky, which featured members of His Hero Is Gone and Dystopia. Other bands connected to former members include Ballast, Preying Hands, Jehovah’s Hitlist, Myth of Progress, Look Back and Laugh, and Pleasant Valley.
Discography
- 1991: Swing 7″ E.P. (vinyl)
- 1994: Journey compilation (cassette)
- 1994: Farmhouse ’94 compilation (CD and 12″ vinyl, Farmhouse Records)
- 1995: Man…kind 7″ E.P. (vinyl)
- 1999: Lesser of Two (self-titled album, CD, 12″ vinyl, cassette, released via Nikt Nic Nie Wie (Poland), Malarie Records (Czech Republic), Estajanovismo Records (Mexico))
- 2000: Pasazer No. 13–14 magazine with compilation CD
- 2000: Jedzenie zamiast polityki compilation cassette, proceeds supporting Food Not Bombs in Poland (Krzyk)
- 2001: Transmutation 7″ E.P. (vinyl)
- 2002: Transmutation discography album (CD, singles and outtakes)
- 2002: War Circus (album, CD)
