The 65's formed in 2009 in Rutherford NJ when Joe Pugsley and John Steele, both veterans of the NY/NJ music scene who were playing at the time in the since defunct alt-country band The Dark Brothers, recruited some friends to record a collection of songs that Joe had wanted to release for some time, but had never been properly recorded. The songs were a mix of aggressive punk influenced pop songs, acoustic tracks, and mid-tempo straightforward rock n roll. After spending most of 2009 and 2010 recording and performing locally, they signed with Dromedary Records to release their well received first full length LP "Strike Hard!" in December 2011 - the record was dubbed one of Indie Rock Cafe's Best New Releases of 2011 along with Jonsi and Josh Ritter. A video for the first single "Walk On Selfishly" came soon after in early 2012, premiered by Magnet Magazine. They spent the rest of the year performing in and around the northeast in support of the album while working on new material for future release. In 2013, they released "I Got You", a 4 song EP along with another video for the newly formed Pyrrhic Victory Recordings record label/collective. The band's tempo slowed somewhat after the "I Got You" EP as Joe and John began working on other musical projects, both performing and releasing music together as the rhythm section for Kingston NY based surf/punk band Galanos, and Ryan continuing his work with NJ punk band When Thieves Are About, as well as an upcoming solo project. They continued to write and record during this period however, with the end result being November 2015's "New Fun Hell", a digital only 3 song release with an accompanying video for the lead track "Hold On Tight". This EP found the band moving away somewhat from their softer side, and more towards their driving, punk inspired sounds and sensibilities. The band is now excited to announce they are working on their 2nd full length with plans to release by year end, and are releasing 2 of the new tracks 5.23.17, via a Limited Edition picture lathe cut 7” for the lead track "Wolves and Men", as well as a CD which will include the new tracks "Wolves and Men" & "As My Body Numbs", as well as the 3 songs from "New Fun Hell", which had yet to see a physical release. Press: "In my review of I Got in issue 70, I compared singer/guitarist/founder Joe Pugsley’s gasoline-gargling, sandpaper-gruff growl to Leatherface’s Frankie Stubbs and Swervedriver’s Adam Franklin, with a Bruce Springsteen grimace. That still suffices, though you can also envision a fuming, frenzied Mould behind the mic when Pugsley spits out the EP’s closing line “Watch us drown,” as if his life was on the line." - The Big Takeover Hailing from the depths of North Jersey, the 65’s are emerging with their punk-inspired gritty pop songs. After the release of 2011’s Strike Hard, the band has put out a new four-song EP, I Got You (Pyrrhic Victory). Check out the quartet’s gravely vocals and fast guitar riffs by downloading Superchunk cover “Precision Auto” below." - Magnet "Grand and epic powerful pop that packs a punch." - Diamond Deposits "Rutherford, NJ singer/guitarist Joe Pugsley originally conceived this foursome as a side project to his now defunct alt-country outfit The Dark Brothers, and this four-songer resumes their convincing 2011 debut Strike Hard!'s thick 'n' crunchy twin guitar attack. On the driving, punk-edged opener "Have You Been Saved?" and the staggered, bruising "Holes Dug Deep," his guttural, raspy growl blends Leatherface's Frankie Stubbs and Swervedriver's Adam Franklin." - The Big Takeover "The 65’s have managed to maintain their original style while incorporating new, experimental pieces. Strike Hard!’s meaningful lyrics are accompanied by basic melodies, gravely vocals and a great deal of heart and soul." - The Aquarian "...a delightful mix of styles. Loud and quiet, acoustic and electric, the 65’s are equally at home in coffee shops and rock clubs." - Magnet "Artfully blending a hard-crunching full speed ahead sound with a smart and thoughtful sensibility, this bang-up indie rock outfit deliver the best of both worlds with this stellar debut album. " - Jersey Beat "If you dig the crunchy sounds of bands like Superchunk or Husker Du then this band will be right up your alley." - Dagger Zine "With its sonic guitars, melodic basslines, power drumming, and distinctive vocals, The 65’s debut album Strike Hard! (released earlier this year on Dromedary Records) comes across as an amalgam of college-rock’s brightest moments, incorporting elements like the throaty angst of the Replacements, the roiling guitars of Husker Du, and the jangling melodies of R.E.M." - nj.com “Best new releases of 2011” - Indie Rock Cafe