Firewater (band)

Firewater
Firewater performing at Globaltica World Culture Festival in Gdynia, Poland
Background information
Origin	New York, New York, US
Genres	Alternative rock, gypsy punk, klezmer, cabaret, ska, jazz
Labels	Bloodshot Records, Noisolution Records

Firewater is an American band founded by former Cop Shoot Cop frontman Tod A. in New York City in 1995.

A self-described "world punk" band, Firewater incorporate many diverse elements of world music with punk rock rhythms, including cabaret, ska, jazz, folk and most notably Eastern European influences such as klezmer and gypsy music, which has led to their inclusion in the gypsy punk genre.

As of late 2012, Firewater has released seven studio albums and has seen some success, particularly in Europe and on United States college radio stations. They are currently signed to Bloodshot Records.

After Tod left his previous group, Cop Shoot Cop, he quickly regrouped and formed Firewater to explore the styles of music Cop Shoot Cop had only hinted at, including klezmer, gypsy, jazz and ska forms. Labeled a musical collective, Tod has remained Firewater's only consistent member, acting as singer-songwriter and bassist/guitarist. Throughout their fluctuating line-up, the band has occasionally featured numerous notable musicians, including Duane Denison of the Jesus Lizard, Yuval Gabay of Soul Coughing, David Ouimet of Motherhead Bug, Jennifer Charles of Elysian Fields, Hahn Rowe, Tamir Muskat and Ori Kaplan of Gogol Bordello and Balkan Beat Box.