Interview with Todd Deguchi and Jim Korthe of the Band, 3rd Strike

Jim Korthe and Todd Deguchi Ressurect Their Band and Talk About the Past, the Present, Their Friendship and Musical Bond

In the late 90's the third wave of the rap/rock/nu-metal scene was in full swing and one of the bands touted as "the next big thing" came straight out of my own hometown. San Pedro California is not known for its cutting edge music scene, although it is home to Mike Watt and has been referenced by the Beastie Boys once or twice. The sleepy town is indeed just that, a sleepy small town connected to the south bay. In 1999 the band 3rd Strike came roaring out of Pedro with an aggressive take on the nu-metal/rap/rock sound that was all the rage (no pun intended).

I had a vested interest in the band and I wanted to see them do well even if it was for selfish reasons. I liked the fact that this type of band came out of San Pedro. We were finally going to be seen as a cutting edge place thanks to the group. I was also excited to see two former classmates of mine doing well in the music business.

Guitarist Todd Deguchi and I went to the same Jr. High School together and before he went on to San Pedro High School vocalist Jim Korthe was a classmate of mine at Bishop Montgomery. We may have been trapped in a Catholic school but that did not stop Jim from turning me on to Metallica! The band seemed on a trajectory for success.

The title track from their debut disc "Lost Angel" got some airplay on KROQ and the band landed gigs on The Warped Tour, Ozzfest and The Cypress Hill Smokeout. The group seemed poised for bigger and better things and then within the blink of an eye 3rd Strike was gone. Now after a four year hiatus the band is back with a new lineup and a new sound. What has not changed however is the songwriting partnership and friendship of Korthe and Deguchi. Their bond over music has kept their eyes on the prize and it has made a friendship last through the toughest of times.

The first band Deguchi and Korthe put together, Dimestore Hoods, was a rap/rock outfit that eventually landed a record deal. At the time Korthe was doing double duty in that band as both the singer and the drummer.

"We tried having Jim drum and sing and we realized we really needed a frontman," Todd explains.