88 Fingers Louie is an American punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois. They play a style of hardcore punk, melodic hardcore, and punk rock. After the band split in 1999, guitarist Dan Wleklinski and bassist Joe Principe formed the blockbuster band Rise Against. The group meets in 2009, and continues to play throughout Chicago, Canada, Belgium, Las Vegas, and Asbury Park. The band plays a special concert 20 years in 2013. Their name is inspired by a gangster piano salesman in The Flintstones.
88 Fingers Louie was formed in 1993 in Chicago, IL by singer Denis Buckley, guitarist Mr. Precision (Dan Wleklinski), bassist Joe Principe and drummer Dom Vallone. The same year, the band releases its first 7 "to its own label, Go Deaf Records.After signing on the label Fat Wreck Chords, the group publishes two other EP 7", entitled Go Away and Wanted . After participating in several splits and compilations in 1994, the group released a new EP 10 ", Totin '40's and Fuckin' Shit Up in 1995; drummer Dom Vallone leaves the band, then they recruit Glenn Porter, then release their first studio album, lang = "en"> Behind Bars , at Hopeless Records on September 12th 1995.
The group is touring several times, but tensions between members are surfacing. After taking part in the split Chicago vs. Amsterdam , 88 Fingers Louie broke up in late 1996 because of fights between members, and after singer Denis Buckley urinated on drummer Glenn Porter. But a new single "7 is released, The Teacher Gets It, early 1997. Later that year, Fat Wreck Chords publishes a compilation entitled The Dom Years .
In 1998, the group decided to meet with a new drummer, John Carroll. The band releases its second album, Back on the Streets , and goes on tour. However, other fights break out. Only a few weeks after a split with Kid Dynamite, the group separates again. Denis Buckley will sing in the band Explode and Make Up>, former drummer Glenn Porter will play with Alkaline Trio after leaving 88 Fingers Louie, and new drummer John Carroll will play with Paper Mice, while Dan Wleklinski and Joe Principe will form Rise Against>.
