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Mike Tracy of The Degenerates Taking the Best Cover/Tribute Category for the 2nd year in a row, the Degenerates are living proof that a bad attitude can in fact help you move up in the world. Pretty much nothing's sacred to them — not even their band. Just a year ago they mocked their own lack of original material; this year they've returned with a full disc of their own songs! So when you rock out to "Hero of Stupidity," you can smile knowing it was made by a bunch of big Rockers.

Hailing from the Greater Hartford area, The Degenerates' longtime motto is: "The more you drink, the better we sound!". You've heard them on WCCC before, doing a version of "60 Minute Man" for Sebastian In The Morning, Brother Don's "Sunday Services" theme, and on commercials for Rookies Sports Bar. Known for their covers, they've branched out with originals. They're also sponsored by Bud Light. Band members are: Mike Tracy (vocals/guitar), Tony Botticello (lead guitar), Chris Leland (bass), Dave Thayer (drums)

Crowd Control Brash punk-poppers, goths, retro swingers and metal kids, all together now by Dan Barry - February 24, 2005 The Degenerates delivered the finishing blow of the evening, and the crowd response was huge. They're an excellent party band, and they gear their covers toward the younger set (Green Day's "American Idiot," James' "Laid," and '80s nostalgia in the form of "867-5309 (Jenny)"). But The Degenerates are a cut above the typical cover band. They leave no breaks between songs, which means you have absolutely no chance -- or reason -- to leave the dance floor. More importantly, they look like they're having a good time onstage. The way they grin at each other and laugh back and forth makes you think that they're buying into the songs and making fun of them at the same time. And they probably are. They're brash enough to resent the widespread appeal of the songs they cover, but wise enough to understand that playing the songs everyone knows by heart is a surefire way to bring an entire room together. That's punk enough for me

The Degenerates...Readers Choice Mike Tracy, vocals and guitar Mike Guerreri, vocals and bass guitar Tony Boticello, vocals and guitar Al Malucci, drums Here's a band that is new to the Band Slam even though they've been around for five years. They used to play all originals but have switched to covers due to club demands, and often open for AC/DC or Ozzy Osborne tribute bands. They recently won the Rock Wars sponsored by Radio 104, competing against 20 bands that initially entered the eight-week competition. Their winnings include recording time in a studio, $2500 cash, and airplay on Radio 104 of their song "Pretty Good." They've already recorded more than 50 original songs. The key for them is not to overkill any of the instruments; their chemistry is one of their strongest points