Oxymorons

In terms of underground rock, the Dayton, Ohio scene mainly specialized in producing a single kind of alternative animal - the hardcore punk band. And as well they should have - the Dayton cats were good at it. From Dayton came D.O.A, Toxic Reasons and The Obvious, to cite only the city's three best-known punk groups, but there were many others worth remembering, including a group known as The Oxymorons. Although they would ultimately tour widely, The Oxymorons were commonly seen in through-the-week gigs at the Folk venue the Canal Street Tavern in Dayton between 1989 and 1994. The Oxymorons featured the talents of singer/guitarist Ben Schelker, the "other" singer and guitarist Patric Jones, the tall, lanky bassist known as "Grog" and drummer Nick Atkinson. The Oxymorons always played a tremendously fun show, even when the venue at which they were appearing was virtually empty. Their sets were high energy and sound was pop, however they did do a few numbers that were quiet and reflective. What makes The Oxymorons stand out from their peers is the sincerity of the lyrics and their particular blend of the pop-punk sound. While The Oxymorons' live performances may have been a free-for-all, in the studio they were almost like a different band and committed to delivering serious, no-nonsense recorded renditions of their numbers. The Oxymorons were not a group devoted to taking on political subjects like their friends Toxic Reasons - most of their songs were about people and situations they knew of on a first-hand basis, for example as in the song "Born So Blessed" which is a about a girl from a background of privilege who is involved in a constant struggle against depression and suicidal tendencies. Ben Schelker was an animated and funny front-man who nonetheless had an...