Judging from their name, Suicidal Tendencies were never afraid of a little controversy. Formed in Venice, CA, during the early '80s, the group's leader from the beginning was outspoken vocalist Mike Muir. The outfit specialized in vicious hardcore early on -- building a huge following among skateboarders, lending a major hand in the creation of... [+] Read More

Judging from their name, Suicidal Tendencies were never afraid of a little controversy. Formed in Venice, CA, during the early '80s, the group's leader from the beginning was outspoken vocalist Mike Muir. The outfit specialized in vicious hardcore early on -- building a huge following among skateboarders, lending a major hand in the creation of skatepunk -- before turning their focus eventually to thrash metal. Early on, the group (whose original lineup included Muir, guitarist Grant Estes, bassist Louiche Mayorga, and drummer Amery Smith) found it increasingly difficult to book shows, due to rumors of its members' affiliation with local gangs and consistent violence at their performances. The underground buzz regarding Suicidal Tendencies grew too loud for labels to ignore though, as the quartet signed on with the indie label Frontier; issuing Muir and company's classic self-titled debut in 1983. The album quickly became the best-selling hardcore album up to that point; its best-known track, "Institutionalized," was one of the first hardcore punk videos to receive substantial airplay on MTV, and was eventually used in the Emilio Estevez cult classic movie Repo Man, as well as in an episode for the hit TV show Miami Vice (for which the group made a cameo appearance).

Suicidal Tendencies proved influential for future speed/thrash metal bands, but despite its early success, the quartet's reputation preceded them, as no other record label was willing to take them on (in addition, Los Angeles banned the group from playing around this time, lasting until the early '90s). Not much was heard from the group for several years afterward (leading many to believe that Suicidal had broken up), but Muir and company eventually found a home with Caroline Records. By this time, half of the original lineup had left; Muir and Mayorga were the only holdovers, while guitarist Rocky George and drummer R.J. Herrera rounded out the group. 1987 saw the release of Suicidal's sophomore release, Join the Army, which spawned another popular skatepunk anthem, "Possessed to Skate," as more and more metal heads began to be spotted in Suicidal's audience. Soon after, Suicidal was finally offered a major-label contract (with Epic), as another lineup change occurred: Mayorga exited the band, while newcomer Bob Heathcote took his spot; and a second guitarist, Mike Clark, was added as well. This Suicidal lineup's first album together, 1988's How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile Today, showed that their transformation from hardcore to heavy metal was now complete, as did a compilation of two earlier EPs, 1989's Controlled by Hatred/Feel Like Shit...Déjà Vu.

Suicidal's first release of the new decade, 1990's Lights, Camera, Revolution, was another success; its video for the explosive "You Can't Bring Me Down" received repeated airings on MTV's Headbanger's Ball program, while the album (in addition to the Controlled by Hatred comp) would be certified gold in the U.S. a few years later. The release also signaled the arrival of new bassist Robert Trujillo, whose penchant for funk added a new element to the group's sound. The group tried to broaden their audience even further by opening a string of arena shows for prog-metallists Queensrÿche during the summer of 1991. Their next release, 1992's The Art of Rebellion, proved to be one of Suicidal's most musically experimental albums of their career. Muir and Trujillo also teamed up around this time for a funk metal side project, Infectious Grooves (including several other participants, such as Jane's Addiction drummer Stephen Perkins) and issued a debut release, The Plague That Makes Your Booty Move. Upset that the group's classic debut had been out of print for several years by this point, Muir decided to re-record the entire record with Suicidal's '90s lineup under the title of Still Cyco After All These Years.

But after one more release, 1994's Suicidal for Life, Suicidal Tendencies decided to hang it up. A pair of compilations were issued in 1997: a best-of set, Prime Cuts, plus Friends & Family. Muir and Trujillo continued to issue further Infectious Grooves releases (Sarsippius' Ark and Groove Family Cyco), in addition to Muir pursuing a solo career under the alias of Cyco Miko (Lost My Brain Once Again) and Trujillo touring and recording as part of Ozzy Osbourne's solo band (appearing on Osbourne's 2001 release, Down to Earth). Muir formed a new version of Suicidal Tendencies in the late '90s (with Clark being the only other familiar face), resulting in such further studio releases as 1999's Freedumb and 2000's Free Your Soul and Save My Mind. Muir and Trujillo joined forces once more for a fourth Infectious Grooves studio release in 2000, Mas Borracho; while another Cyco Miko release surfaced, Schizophrenic Born Again Problem Child, along with a follow-up up to their earlier compilation, Friends & Family, Vol. 2. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Formed by brothers Lou and Pete Koller in the mid-'80s, Sick of It All became a seminal band in the New York City hardcore scene. While remaining true to their roots and without compromising their style, Sick of It All have progressed from an indie band with a strong live following to a major-label act touring with the likes of Helmet and... [+] Read More

Formed by brothers Lou and Pete Koller in the mid-'80s, Sick of It All became a seminal band in the New York City hardcore scene. While remaining true to their roots and without compromising their style, Sick of It All have progressed from an indie band with a strong live following to a major-label act touring with the likes of Helmet and Rancid. Sick of It All remain a vital influence on the hardcore scene. They released Built to Last in early 1997 to critical acclaim and an expanding audience.

The brothers came up with the band's bluntly expressive name in their parents' basement in 1984. SOIA's original lineup -- with Lou on vocals, Pete on guitar, Rich Cipriano on bass, and Arman Majidi on drums -- released an initial self-titled EP in 1987 on the independent Revelation label. After playing N.Y.C. clubs like CBGB's and building a strong local following, SOIA released, on the Combat label, their first album, Blood Sweat & No Tears, a collection of 19 songs of intense energy, 17 of which clocked in at less than two minutes. Following the release of the album, SOIA embarked on their first national tour. Majidi left during the tour to work with Rest in Pieces and was replaced by Max Capshaw. Majidi rejoined to record the We Stand Alone EP, which was released in early 1991 on the Relativity label. Neither Majidi nor Cipriano played with the Koller brothers on the tour preceding the release; Eddie Coen substituted on bass, plus E.K. on drums.

SOIA recorded and released Just Look Around for Relativity in 1992 with the original lineup intact, and then Cipriano left for good prior to an international tour that brought SOIA to Europe and Japan. Craig Setari came on to play bass and to establish the lineup that has remained intact through the release of Built to Last. Just Look Around was instrumental in revitalizing the declining N.Y.C. hardcore scene. SOIA left the Relativity label after the release of the album, citing dissatisfaction with the efforts of the indie label. They released Scratch the Surface in 1994 on the Eastwest label, facing accusations of selling out from fans and industry members.

Two releases in 1995 on the Lost & Found label -- a live album entitled Live in a World Full of Hate and a collection of early recordings, Spreading the Hardcore Reality -- bridged the gap between the releases of Scratch the Surface and Built to Last, which was released on the Elektra label. During that time, SOIA continued to tour extensively, including visits to South and Central America.

SOIA has suffered from associations with violence. Frequent fights at early shows gave them the unwanted and unfounded image of condoning violence. The bandmembers have attempted to disassociate the group from the violent acts of their fans. In the early '90s, Wayne Lo, a Massachusetts prep student, shot and killed several classmates while wearing a Sick of It All T-shirt, and The New York Times granted space to the bandmembers to issue a statement of vindication, in which they explained how Lo had misinterpreted their lyrics. Rolling Stone also ran an editorial in defense of the band. "Goatless," a song on Scratch the Surface, is inspired by the episode.

SOIA's steady progression has been colored by numerous accusations of selling out. The band once debated the pseudo-anarchist band Born Against live on N.Y.U. radio about that very subject. The band generally dismisses any such accusations. Only in recent years have the members of the group been able to give up their "day jobs." They are not overly concerned about their image, and in fact have stated in interviews that they have no image. They are more concerned about writing music inspired by real events in their own lives, and performing it with more emphasis on impact and energy than on melody.

Still going strong into the new millennium, Sick of It All returned with their second release on Fat Wreck Chords, Yours Truly, in the fall of 2000. Next came the band documentary video The Story So Far in 2001, their contribution to Fat's Live in a Dive series (2002), the studio album Life on the Ropes (2003), and the B-sides collection Outtakes for the Outcast (2004). Marking 20 years together in 2006, they began the year over in the U.K. with Dropkick Murphys before their ninth full-length, Death to Tyrants, dropped in April on Abacus. ~ Nick Kemper, All Music Guide [-] Hide

The Skatenigs began their career as associates of Ministry and its stable of guest musicians during the late '80s. Singer Phil Owens appeared on the Revolting Cocks' Beers, Steers and Queers album, and managed to get the Skatenigs a spot on the Revolting Cocks/Mentors tour. After the drug-fueled decadence of that experience, the band recorded... [+] Read More

The Skatenigs began their career as associates of Ministry and its stable of guest musicians during the late '80s. Singer Phil Owens appeared on the Revolting Cocks' Beers, Steers and Queers album, and managed to get the Skatenigs a spot on the Revolting Cocks/Mentors tour. After the drug-fueled decadence of that experience, the band recorded the Chemical Imbalance EP and shopped for a label. Megaforce Records came knocking, so the band signed on to release their debut, Stupid People Shouldn't Breed. Ministry mastermind Al Jourgensen produced the album, but refused to take credit for it, beginning a rift between himself and Owens. The music was a catchy mix of punk, metal, and industrial, but it never really caught on and soon they found themselves off of Megaforce. By 1994, tensions were quite high between Owens and Jourgensen, but the band managed to release What a Mangled Web We Leave on Red Force and toured behind it. The band remained rather inactive during the second half of the decade, reappearing in 2000 with a different lineup. Ministry wrote a song about all the bad blood between the group of musicians who used to gravitate around Jourgensen, and many believe that Owens was one of the song's major targets. Owens denied this claim, instead trying to focus any attention he received on the new Skatenigs album, which still has not arrived. ~ Bradley Torreano, All Music Guide [-] Hide

The ten-track Sick of It All compilation gathers highlights from the band's early records, including "Pay the Price," "Friends Like You" and "Pete's Sake, " making it a good introduction to the New York group's neo-hardcore punk. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

The ten-track Sick of It All compilation gathers highlights from the band's early records, including "Pay the Price," "Friends Like You" and "Pete's Sake, " making it a good introduction to the New York group's neo-hardcore punk. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Fast, furious, and funny, Suicidal Tendencies' self-titled debut owed much more to hardcore punk than to the later hardcore/heavy metal hybrid they would become known for, but it's still quite possibly their best album. Mike Muir proves himself an articulate lyricist and commentator, delving into subjects like alienation, depression, and... [+] Read More

Fast, furious, and funny, Suicidal Tendencies' self-titled debut owed much more to hardcore punk than to the later hardcore/heavy metal hybrid they would become known for, but it's still quite possibly their best album. Mike Muir proves himself an articulate lyricist and commentator, delving into subjects like alienation, depression, and nonconformist politics with intelligence and humor. The band behind him is aggressive and speedy, but never sinks into an overly fast sonic blur. Contains the classic rant "Institutionalized." ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide [-] Hide

A strange album, this one -- or maybe not so strange in light of the future, but still odd. Whatever bandleader Phil Owen was on at the time, it helped in creating an album that in its own way almost predicted nu metal, though without that particular compressed explosion Ross Robinson brought on the production front to Korn and Limp Bizkit.... [+] Read More

A strange album, this one -- or maybe not so strange in light of the future, but still odd. Whatever bandleader Phil Owen was on at the time, it helped in creating an album that in its own way almost predicted nu metal, though without that particular compressed explosion Ross Robinson brought on the production front to Korn and Limp Bizkit. Instead, it's an uncredited Al Jourgensen effort that, with the occasional samples and general noise level, is pretty well in keeping with his contemporaneous Ministry and particularly Revolting Cocks work, though without the chaotic level of detail expected from those bands. Songs like the catchy enough riffing of "Chemical Imbalance" are more straight-ahead charges that aren't industrial rock, per se, and the trebly sound on "Shit Authority" suggest demos only slightly cleaned up. If anything, Stupid People Shouldn't Breed is a more hip-hop dabbling and less completely powerful romp through what Pantera was getting up to -- and if more of the album sounded like that band's "Fuckin' Hostile" it might actually get somewhere. The B-boy posing is a bit silly, though that never stopped, say, Infectious Grooves, but nobody's ever going to mistake the MCing on "I Got It Made" or the ham-handed-and-a-half let's-all-stand-together "Fight da Suckas" for Ice Cube. There are some moments of murky metal drama that make welcome additions -- the echoed, slightly doomy verses to "Stand Tall," for instance -- while "Poundsauce" and "Loudspeaker" distill everything down to a good simple formula that works. However, more common is the intentionally ridiculous attitude and lyrics to a song like "Horny for Evil," which added to the utterly generic thrash metal breaks just provokes a shrug rather than entertainment value. ~ Ned Raggett, All Music Guide [-] Hide