Although Pennsylvania-based CKY are just beginning to make waves on radio and music charts, they're not exactly out-of-the-blue rookies. Formed in 1998, the band has released a total of three albums - the first two being basically skateboard movie soundtracks. The most recent, Inflitrate.Destroy.Rebuild., however, has helped them get a hold in the punk/metal scene.
And then there's the whole "Jackass" deal. Fans of the outrageous show will recognize CKY's sound as their music is featured throughout the MTV show's episodes and movie. Drummer Jess Margera can claim fame through his professional skateboarding brother, Bam, who starred in the first episodes. Jess himself has been in a few shows, mostly rolling down hills in shopping carts and the like. Typical "Jackass" stunts.
While the association with the wildly popular show has its benefits, there are drawbacks. Guitarist Chad Ginsburg told VH1, "Bands we're booked with and club owners are always freaked out. They think we're gonna [urinate] in their deli trays and all types of shit. We're banned from Philadelphia right now because when we were there somebody got too drunk and tried to impress us by throwing a bottle through some lady's window and we got blamed for it.
"Everybody was like, ‘Oh, the "Jackass" guys must've broken the window.' But it wasn't us."
"Jackass" associations aside, CKY are adamant about taking the music back to the fans and making sure their fans know the band isn't all about the money.
"The only way to do it, as far as I'm concerned, is to be real with your fans and make a connection. I'll spend a whole day online talking to them. It's helpful for us and to them to know where we're all at in our heads and what's going on as we're trying to organize the revolt," Ginsburg said.