Ernie

1 rating since posting on Sunday, April 3, 2005
Ernie
in Everywhere
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*****
Missing you everyday, Ernie
The world will never be the same.

***** RIP Ernie Cortez THE BEST 11/4/67 - 12/16/04-
East bay native, lifetime Oakland resident, business
owner of Sacred Tattoo (on Broadway in Oakland)
talented artist and musician Ernie Cortez died
Thursday, at the tender age of 37 of cancer.

The following for his bands, Powerhouse and Doomsday
Device were legion. World wide.

Ernie made an impact on everyone he met and his love
of life and friendships were deep and true, something
that will live on forever.

He will be missed by many, but by none so much as me.

Rest in peace, baby brother, LOVE YOU FOREVER!! -your
sister

*******************************************
www.doomsdaydevice.net/pages/news.php
www.fresnohardcore.com
www.punknews.org/article.php
www.sfmusiconline.com/news.html

Editorial review for Powerhouse release:What Lies
Ahead (2001)
About the Artist
Powerhouse formed in 1993 with the intent to awaken
the Bay Area scene from it?s coma. There were no
hardcore bands. There were no hardcore shows. There
was no scene and you would be hard-pressed to find a
kid who actually claimed to like hardcore. The Green
Day phenomenon had kids dying their hair green and
swaying to the accessible sounds of MTV pop punk.
Powerhouse reacted by unleashing a tenacious sonic
assault that would forever change the landscape of the
Northern California music scene. They brought back the
ideals, styles, and musical sensibilities of old
school New York hardcore for a generation of kids that
didn?t even know who Agnostic Front and Warzone were.
Powerhouse, with bands like Second Coming and
Redemption 87, were on a mission. They had faith in
hardcore when the rest of the world was recovering
from their grunge hangovers with a big bowl of stale
three-chord punk. Slowly, the scene grew.

More shows became available. More bands began to form.
A greater interest was taken in hardcore by the kids
of the Bay Area. Now, hardcore in Northern California
is stronger than it has ever been. It has flourished
in a way that nobody could have predicted. It's
strong, stable, and constantly progressing. And the
foundation that this new scene stands proudly upon was
built by Powerhouse.

The line-up has had some changes over the years, but
is now as solid as oak. Chris Hower, originally from
New Jersey, handles the vocal duties. Ernie Cortez,
the godfather of OBHC (Oakland Brand Hardcore),
provides the thundering bass lines. "Machete" Eddie
Medina riffs with rage on the six strings. And Walter
Ryan, who had been in the legendary hardcore band
Madball, pounds the skins with precision and fury.

Powerhouse re-released their debut 7" entitled
Pandemonium in the Spring of 2000 on CD EP format with
two brand new un-released tracks. The follow up album
after Pandemonium was a full length CD LP entitled No
Regrets which was released by Blackout Records (home
of H20 and Sheer Terror). Now, Powerhouse returns to
Resurrection AD Records for their much-anticipated
second album that is due out in 2001. They have also
been featured on numerous compilations, serving as
ambassadors of California to the worldwide hardcore
community

Powerhouse has garnered respect from all corners of
the world. They claim fans and friends from such
important bands as Agnostic Front, Murphy's Law,
Madball, Skarhead, and 25 ta Life. They have shared
the stage with those integral bands and hundreds more.

In addition to the music, Powerhouse has become a
multi-faceted consortium to the kids of the Bay Area.
The band opened their own all-ages club, called the
Bombshelter, and even operates their own tattoo shop
called Sacred Tattoo. The tattoo shop has become so
successful that they have opened up shop in Fresno and
Seattle. The term "a force to reckon with" seems to
have been coined with Powerhouse in mind. They will
persevere. They will continue to push the scene to
it's full potential. Hardcore in Northern California
is a machine and Powerhouse is it's engine.
- , posted 04/03/05

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