Revisiting and Ranking Hot Water Music’s 10 Albums

Over the past 30 years, Gainesville’s own Hot Water Music has established itself as one of the most unique and respected bands within the punk scene. From their early, post-hardcore sound, which placed emphasis on intricate bass and drum lines, to their later years where they picked up the RPMs and focused more on melody — the band has always been one of consistency and quality.

The band was initially formed in 1993 after the founding members — vocalist/guitarist Chuck Ragan, vocalist/guitarist Chris Wollard, bassist Jason Black, and drummer George Rebelo — moved to Gainesville. They quickly started to make a name for themselves, playing rowdy live shows in the area and standing out from the crowd via the duo gravelly vocals of Ragan and Wollard as well as the jazz-trained talents of Black and Rebelo.

After releasing The New What Next, the band went on hiatus for a period, and everyone except Ragan formed The Draft. Less than 2 years after their break, they began performing reunion shows and, in 2012, came back with a new album, Exister.

In 2017, Wollard took a break from the band to focus on health, and Chris Cresswell of The Flatliners stepped in to fill his shoes for already booked live shows. After playing with them for a while, Cresswell has become an official band member.