After a couple of previous musical incarnations fizzled out, high school friends Jess Margera (drums) and Deron Miller (guitars/vocals) eventually teamed up with Ryan Bruni (bass) and Chad I. Ginsburg (guitar) to form CKY in 1998. Short for Camp Kill Yourself, the West Chester, Philadelphia band plays a post-grunge style of alternative metal that has resonated with fans of hard rock. The band experienced a surge in popularity in the early 2000s thanks to regular plays on the hit MTV show, Jackass, which featured Margera's younger brother, Bam. In 2011, Miller decided to leave the group amidst growing tension with the members. CKY continued to perform as a trio, going on tours across the UK and the USA. Its music never strays far from the heavy, riff-based format it's built its name around, but that hasn't prevented it from becoming one of the stronger bands in the hard rock scene.
