Limp Wrist

Limp Wrist is an American punk rock band formed in 1998. With members connected to Los Crudos, Hail Mary, Devoid of Faith, By the Throat, and Kill the Man Who Questions, the band plays short, fast hardcore and centers themes connected to the gay community in both live performances and lyrics. They are an openly gay band and identify as part of the queercore punk subculture. The band’s stance was summed up in a quote from Frontiers magazine: “We put the ‘core’ back in ‘Queercore’.” Limp Wrist were also featured on the cover of My Brain Hurts, Liz Baillie’s comic about queer teenagers in New York City.

How the band came together

After Los Crudos broke up, vocalist Martin Sorrondeguy and original guitarist Mark Telfian came up with the idea to start a new band. They asked bassist Andrew Martini and original drummer Scott Moore, who were living in Philadelphia, to join them for a first practice in late 1998. The band’s first gig followed not long after, set in Philadelphia at Stalag 13 on June 13, 1999. From the start, the members were spread across different cities, and they never all lived in the same place at the same time. That reality shaped the band’s pace, with infrequent shows and occasional tours rather than constant activity.

Early recordings and a stop start schedule

The band’s first recording was the self-released demo Don’t Knock It Till You Try It. They followed that with a single titled “What’s Up With The Kids,” and then the self-titled LP Limp Wrist. Because the band members lived in different states, keeping the group active consistently was difficult. After a quieter period, Limp Wrist resumed touring in 2004 and released Complete Discography the same year.

Songs, references, and context

On Complete Discography, the song “Ode” pays tribute to gay hardcore musicians Gary Floyd of The Dicks, Randy Turner of Big Boys, and Joshua Plague of Mukilteo Fairies and Behead the Prophet, No Lord Shall Live, placing Limp Wrist within a broader lineage. One of the band’s best known songs is “I Love Hardcore Boys, I Love Boys Hardcore,” which drew attention from fans and press. Sorrondeguy appears in Queercore: A Punk-u-mentary by Scott Treleaven and discusses the tension and meaning built into those kinds of titles.

Other projects and related work

In 2002, Maximum RockNRoll featured Sorrondeguy in its “QueerPunk” issue, in a discussion alongside Gary Fembot and Iraya Robles of Sta-Prest, and Aaron Detroit of The Little Deaths. Sorrondeguy also released a documentary film in 1999 titled Beyond The Screams: A U.S. Latino Hardcore Punk Documentary, a project he began while still in Los Crudos.

Later releases

In 2006, Limp Wrist released a split label 7-inch titled “Want Us Dead” through Cheap Art and Lengua Armada. In 2009, the band self-released a 7-song 12-inch record in the United States. The European version of that release, issued by La Vida Es Un Mus, included the “Want Us Dead” record on side B. Later, the band released Facades in 2017.

Members

• Martin Sorrondeguy, vocals (1998 to present)
• Scott Moore, drums (1998 to 2000), guitar (2004 to present)
• Andrew Martini, bass (1998 to present)
• Paul Henry, drums (2000 to present)

Former members

• Mark Telfian, guitar (1998 to 2004)

Discography

• Don’t Knock It Till You Try It, self-released demo
• Limp Wrist, LP and CD (Lengua Armada Discos in the US, La Vida Es Un Mus in Europe)
• Facades (2017)
• “What’s Up With The Kids” (single, Paralogy Records)
• Split 7-inch with Knifed
• “Want Us Dead” (split 7-inch release by Cheap Art and Lengua Armada, May 2006)