Everything Sucks

Everything Sucks is the fifth studio album by American punk rock band the Descendents, released on September 24, 1996, through Epitaph Records. It was their first album of new studio material since 1987's All, after which singer Milo Aukerman had left the band to pursue a career in biochemistry. The remaining members (bassist Karl Alvarez, guitarist Stephen Egerton, and drummer Bill Stevenson) had changed the band's name to All and released eight albums between 1988 and 1995 with singers Dave Smalley, Scott Reynolds, and Chad Price. When Aukerman decided to return to music the group chose to operate as two acts simultaneously, playing with Aukerman as the Descendents and with Price as All. It is considered a return to the band's angrier hardcore punk such as the Fat EP and Milo Goes to College. Everything Sucks was the first Descendents release to chart, reaching #132 on the Billboard 200 and #4 on Top Heatseekers, supported by the singles "I'm the One" and "When I Get Old". Aukerman returned to his biochemistry career following the album's supporting tours, reuniting with them again in 2004 for Cool to Be You, and again in 2010 for live performances. Background The Descendents formed in 1978 in Manhattan Beach, California, with an initial recording lineup of Tony Lombardo (bass guitar), Frank Navetta (guitar), and Bill Stevenson (drums). Adding singer Milo Aukerman in 1980, the band released three albums over the next six years, weathering several lineup changes (Navetta left the band in 1983 and was replaced by Ray Cooper, and Lombardo left in 1985 and was replaced by Doug Carrion) and a hiatus from 1983 to 1985 while Aukerman attended college and Stevenson joined Black Flag. By September 1986 Aukerman and Stevenson were the only remaining members, and recruited bassist Karl Alvarez and guitarist Stephen Egerton from Salt Lake City to continue the band. This Descendents lineup recorded All in 1987, an album themed around the concept of "All" invented by Stevenson and friend Pat McCuistion in 1980. When Aukerman left the band later that year to pursue a career in biochemistry, Alvarez, Egerton, and Stevenson changed the band's name to All and continued with singers Dave Smalley, Scott Reynolds, and Chad Price. Stevenson stated at the time that he wished to preserve the Descendents as his and Aukerman's project: Milo has stuck with me for almost nine years now, so I wouldn't exactly feel right about just continuing to call us the Descendents.