This is a simple introduction to a band that most of you have been waiting for. Its members are just now making their way through the L.A. underground and have already garnered more awards than bands who have lived here for years; Best Metal Performance, Best Metal Band, Best Hard Rock Band of 2006 (Rock City Awards).

It’s my pleasure to introduce you to Old Fashioned Beatdown, a quartet of pure aggression and professionalism. The band hails from Orlando, Fla. and moved to L.A. about a year and a half ago.

“We did everything that we could in Florida. We were playing to crowds several thousand strong,“ comments drummer Russ Rodriguez. “We weren’t going to get anywhere by staying in that town. It was time to either move or quit.”

So, the band packed its gear and headed west.

After arriving in L.A., the group quickly got to work. The first venue that welcomed this unknown metal act was the Roxy.

The band members had no idea what to expect, but after playing that first show, the town opened up its arms, and fans started to emerge. The group presently has a fan base of loyal street teamers and devoted followers that come to almost every show.

So, what is it that brings people to see this band? What is it that pulls the crowd into the pit at every event? Part of the reason is the message behind the songs.

Rodriguez and frontman Joey Naugler write the lyrics and tend to focus on making change.

“It’s about changing your situation. Things can get fucked up in life, but you are the only one that can do something about it,” says Naugler.

Rodriguez adds, “When I hear my lyrics coming out of Joey, and he’s yelling it with all his heart, it inspires me … and I’m the one who wrote it.”

The lyrics are only one part of this metal machine. An unrelenting guitar is what drives crowds into a frenzy.

Woodzy is the man on the axe for OFB and also the hand behind its signature middle finger logo. Woodzy takes notes from KISS and Pantera, and it comes through in his music. The low end and heaviness is unmatched, but he doesn’t just leave it at that. He takes time to arrange the song and lay in something that’s been missing from modern day rock for a long, long time – the solo. This isn’t just a guitar and vocally driven band though, these guys come fully equipped with a killer drummer. Rodriguez’s ability to control the double bass allows for a smooth, mean sound that hammers at your soul.

Matched with Bob Pickerelli’s bass, the floor shakes with each new beat as the pit explodes in front of the stage. Their southern metal roots are fully exposed as each song comes blasting off the stage and into your face in the exact way it did from great bands in the ’90s.

When asked what they think about L.A.’s music scene, the band members unanimously agree: “There are so many shitty bands in this town. All you have to do is stay focused and kick ass, and you will earn all the fans you deserve.”

“We can’t believe how bad some of the metal is out here, even the rock,” Woodzy offers. “We are here for a reason. We came here because we want to do this more than anything in the world. It’s not the easiest profession to go into.”

Right now the band is finishing up its latest CD and playing shows throughout Southern California, mostly in Hollywood. However, they have traveled anywhere they’ve been needed. It’s kind of like they started out as a band and have grown into superheroes, saving us from weak, water-downed, wannabe metal.

Oh, and as far as the band’s name? Naugler explains, “We are beating you down with the music – it’s heavy, it’s tough, and it’s going to change you.”

Woodzy chimes in, “The only pussies allowed into our shows belong to the girls.”

For more information, visit www.oldfashionedbeatdown.com or www.myspace.com/oldfashionedbeatdown.