Crash Pad played the Alachua Music Harvest in October 1996, headlined by national acts including George Clinton and They Might Be Giants. Crash Pad also released its debut 12-song cassette in late November of that year. During 1997 Crash Pad continued playing local clubs, but also went on the road to play the Cow Haus in Tallahassee, the Moto Lounge in Jacksonville, and the Central Florida Peace Party in Lake County. In 1998 Crash Pad expanded to a quartet, was instrumental in the "Save 97X" (a local radio station bought out by corporate lackeys) campaign, organized and played a benefit for outlawed microbroadcasters Free Radio Gainesville, began recording for its second release, and played downstate in Fort Myers at Higher Learning, in addition to the usual local shows.
In 1999 Crash Pad continued playing local shows, including another FRG benefit and headlining the 10th Annual Gainesville Hempfest, and was nominated for 3 Hogtown Music Awards ("Hammies") by the readers of local alternative newsmonthly Moon Magazine, in the categories of Best Overall Band, Best Rock Band, and Best Punk Band. The group also released a three-song CD single, "Nine Minutes of Pleasure" in limited release, which garnered favorable reviews from World Wide Punk and the G-Note websites, and from local student newspaper the Orange and Blue (January 2000). 2000 also brought airplay on Rock 104, more local shows including two shows in the Rock 104 Locals Only Concert Series, a benefit for Campus N.O.W., a performance at the Fall Music Showcase 2000 ("Moefest II"), and a show at D.I.Y. Records in Orlando. In 2000 Crash Pad again received Hammie nominations, for Favorite Punk Band and Favorite Pop Act, and won the Hogtown Music Award for Favorite Punk Band. 2001 saw Crash Pad play the Brass Mug in Tampa, and the Punkapalooza fest, Moefest III, and a Red Cross Benefit Concert here in town, along with the usual club dates. Although the Hammies were not held after 2000, Crash Pad was named one of the Alligator's Detours' "Hot 20" of Gainesville's Best Bands in 2001. In 2001 Crash Pad also finally recorded it's 14-song full-length CD, "High-Gain Villains," at Goldentone with Rob McGregor at the helm, released in 2002. In the February 2002 issue of Moon Magazine Crash Pad was also listed as one of ten local "Bands To Watch." In 2003 Crash Pad was asked to record 2 songs for a benefit compilation CD for the Alachua Coalition for the Homeless and Hungry, and to help book and play at the legendary punk rockers Roach Motel's only Gainesville reunion show.
Crash Pad's first release garnered favorable reviews (some of which are on this page) in such national and regional publications as MaximumRockAndRoll and Ink 19, and on websites like World Wide Punk and the G-Note. Requests for the cassette album were received from radio stations in cities including Chicago, Phoenix, Monterrey, Mexico, and Caracas, Venezuela. A song from the first release was also featured on the Punk-List Zine's 1998 edition compilation, and was the winner of a contest on the Indie Jukebox webpage where it competed with songs from bands from the US and other countries. Songs from "Nine Minutes of Pleasure" received airplay locally on pirate station FM 96.7 in 1998, on 97X, where Crash Pad personally appeared on the Moe Music show in both 1997 and 1998, and on Free Radio Gainesville, where Crash Pad also personally appeared in 1998, and on Rock 104 in 2000 and 2001. Songs from "High-Gain Villains" have received airplay on Rock 104 and Z100 in 2002, as well as garnering rave reviews in Moon Magazine and at Ink19.com.
Crash Pad seeks to play all available venues and has brought its high-energy stage show to numerous local clubs, both "mainstream" and "alternative" oriented, including: Covered Dish, Hardback Cafe, Lyric, Florida Theatre (Mainstage, Pub and High Note), Down-Lo, Full Circle, Brick City, Civic Media Center, Purple Porpoise,Common Grounds, the Melody Club, the Market Street Pub, Alligator Rocks, the Shamrock, and Eddie C's.
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