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Los Angeles, the beginning of the 80' on boiling HC scene a new name appears;
SUICIDAL TENDENCIES. The "suicycos" are four of the Latin
Americans; young and angry members of the lower class who had never
compromise nor capitulate to the demands of style, whether in music or dress.
Based and formed by a few street-smart guys from Venice, which is located in
southwest Los Angeles, California, they were put together by singer Mike
Muir, who founded the band for fun in 1982. along with his school friends
Louiche Mayorga on bass, Grant Estes on guitars and Amery Smith on drums.
They dressed in the style of the area in which they lived; just plaid shirts
embellished with the unique hand-painted designs and graffiti. The main
detail was the shirt buttoned up only by the first button, the one around the
neck; so called the "Noose" style. By that time ST has become a
relational element for many people. The one who deserves most of credits for
recognition of the ST amongst mass of the same aggressive HC bands was
vocalist Mike Muir, with his strong, robust appearance and emblem bandanna on
his head, which became his trademark. They began as a skate/punk band and
quickly added some metal flavoring, but they were forever being condemned for
not fitting into the very popular Punk scene of the time because they had
lead breaks in their songs, and never fitting into the Metal scene because
they were too fast. An amazing and fascinating agglomeration of emotions and
a medley of styles is what you will find within their music and lyrics. As
one of their fans put it: "To speak of SUICIDAL TENDENCIES without
acknowledging their ability to put the most extreme of the thoughts into
words would be absurd. Unless your life is all so "lovely" or you
have built solid mind walls to protect those feelings you can't deal with,
you might just relate! Yeah, maybe some of their lyrics are pugnacious, but
sometimes that's the only way to get people to listen. Every single album has
it's own unique ambiance and I believe it is especially important to listen
to all of their material before misconstruing their perspectives."
 Judging from their name, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES
were never afraid of a little controversy. Hounded many times by the moral
majority because of it, vocalist Mike Muir has always insisted that they
don't condone suicide; in fact, their name came about because of all the
crazy things that he used to get up to when he was younger. And whereas most
rock bands pose around on Harleys, these guys took to skateboards for which
the name ST has become synonymous. Early on, the band found it increasingly
difficult to book shows, due to rumors of its members' affiliation with local
gangs and consistent violence at their performances. Despite an inauspicious
start, and being voted "...worst band and biggest assholes..." in
"Flipside" magazine 1982 pools, the underground buzz regarding
SUICIDAL TENDENCIES grew too loud for labels to ignore them, as the quartet
signed on with the indie label Frontier and issued a hardcore classic in
"Suicidal Tendencies", their self-titled debut album.
The release saw the light of the day on one of the
independent records companies, American Lesion Music, in 1983. Fast, furious,
and funny, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES' self-titled debut produced by a well-known
punk/HC photographer, Glen E. Friedman, owed much more to hardcore-punk than
to the later hardcore/heavy metal hybrid they would become known for, but for
some it's still quite possibly their best album. Just after its release they
set out to tour around America to spread the word with not as much as a
promotional budget behind them, which explains why they came back from it a
whole lot thinner than when they set off. The most they were paid for a show
was about $100 and they ended up playing a lot of gigs for free; on some
occasions this wasn't the plan intended, it just happened. Subsequent to their
arrival back home, they found that the local attitudes had changed towards
them. They were getting airplay on the radio with their first single off the
debut album, "Institutionalized". Mike Muir proved himself an
articulate lyricist and commentator, delving into subjects like alienation,
depression, and nonconformist politics with intelligence and humor. The band
behind him was aggressive and speedy, but never sunk into an overly fast
sonic blur. That album attracted attention of the fans as well  as the attention of P.M.R.C. and Californian
police, because of their name and image that was easy targets for them. The
rumors are that FBI persuaded the band to change the name of the song "I
Shot Reagan" into "I Shot The Devil". That song, along with
the "Subliminal", "I Saw Your Mommy..." and, of course,
single "Institutionalized" became their trademark. So MTV soon
picked up the trail, giving the video heavy rotation from which it gained a
15-week run, and made the top 28 videos of that year. That song was also
featured in the Emilio Estevez cult classic movie "Repo Man" (As a
backdrop to his fast-paced and cartoon-like debut chronicling the wayward
life of Los Angles repo men, punk auteur Alex Cox did well to use music from
the city's early-'80s hardcore punk scene; the tongue-in-cheek histrionics of
Fear and the Circle Jerks (who appear in the movie as a punk
band-turned-lounge act) fit flush with the film's mix of displaced suburban
youth, gruff, and wizened repo veterans, Mexican hoods, industrial-skid row
scenery, and irradiated UFO conspiracy theorists. Along with tracks by punk
godfathers Iggy Pop ("Repo Man") and Jonathan Richman (Burning
Sensation’s "Pablo Picasso"), the album's additional L.A. hardcore
highlights included Black Flag’s "TV Party," Suicidal Tendencies
"Institutionalized," and the Plugz's "Hombre Secreto (Secret
Agent Man)." The Plugz's noir-ish, punk en espanol tracks, in fact,
formed the trademark sound of the film. One of the first soundtracks to use
pre-existing band cuts in lieu of an original score, Repo Man is a
fine, if not terribly thorough document of L.A.'s punk heyday. — as written
by Stephen Cook) as well as in one episode of the hit TV show "Miami
Vice", in which the group made a cameo appearance performing the track.
The album quickly became the best-selling hardcore album up to that point; it
grew in popularity over the ensuing months and within the first 3 years of
its release, has sold around 150.000 copies, while its best-known track,
"Institutionalized," was one of the first hardcore punk videos to
receive substantial airplay on MTV.
 Prior to this ascendancy no major record
companies wanted to know a band with such a socially unacceptable name, and
beside that, the bands' consistently lack of scruples (often violence on
their concerts) resulted with five years long prohibition of public
appearances in Los Angeles. But as tables always turn; they were waiting for
two years, until the Virgin owned Caroline label and offered a deal that gave
ST total artistic control over everything. They took it.
Somewhere during this period, Mike Muir set in
motion his own records label, Suicidal Records. On that label, a lot of
Venice bands were featured. Just to mention BEOWÜLF, UNCLE SLAM, EXCEL, and
NO/MERCY, as well as famous compilation "Welcome To Venice". It was
released in 1985. and featured LOS
CYCOS, EXCEL, BEOWÜLF, NO/MERCY and ST, with the song "Look Up... The
Boys Are Back". 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.
 "Join The Army" was their second
album and first for the Caroline label ended up being almost three years in
the making due to various catastrophes that occurred within the ranks of the
band. By this time, half of the original lineup had left; Muir and Mayorga
were the only holdovers, while guitarist Grant Estes was replaced with
respected black guitarist Rocky George, and Ralph J. Herrera replaced drummer
Amery Smith. Album was produced by Lester Claypool and ST, and finally
released in 1987. to much critical acclaim. No one could expect 1987's “Join
the Army”, the long-awaited follow-up to SUICIDAL TENDENCIES' quintessential
self-titled debut, to live up to its predecessor, but few expected it to be
so disappointing (that was the general opinion, and not mine). Most fans
accepted it well, but critics found it pretty disappointing, badly written,
badly played, and terribly produced. As few bright moments "Possessed to
Skate" and "War Inside My Head" were stated. The general
opinion was that there could have been many reasons for this fiasco, but
considering the renewed quality of the following year's “How Will I Laugh
Tomorrow” opus, perhaps the most likely was that “Join the Army” was a
transitional album in the transformation of the band's sound from
hardcore-punk to thrash-metal. This album compared to first one, was enriched
by very popular icon of street life of that time: the skateboard. The first
single, "Possessed To Skate", was accompanied by another self-made
video about a kid who, along with his pals, trashes his parents’ house whilst
they are away, turning it into a skateboard heaven along with the swimming
pool. The house used in that video actually belonged to a friends’ parents.
The deal was that they fixed it up afterwards. It was also the most famous
song from that period, along with the songs like: "Join The Army"
that become something like anthem of that time, "Two Wrongs Don't Make A
Right (But They Make Me Feel A Whole Lot Better)", the song with
probably longest title ever, "Suicidal Maniac" and "I Feel
Your Pain" with their aggressive and raw lyrics. Along with the new
fashion trend (T-shirts, caps, bandannas, etc.) skateboard also marks the new
genre of HC: skate core. Along with D.R.I., AGNOSTIC FRONT and GANG GREEN, ST
became one of the most expressive spokesmen of new genre and more and more
metal heads began to be spotted in Suicidal's audience.
 Soon after, Suicidal was finally offered a
major-label contract. "How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can’t Even Smile
Today" was their third album. That was major label exposure with the
first album for Virgin records in Britain and Epic records in America in the year
1988. Many agreed that SUICIDAL TENDENCIES regrouped successfully for one of
its best efforts to date. By this stage in the game the musical approach of
the band had improved considerably although some personnel changes had taken
place. Mayorga exited the band, while newcomer Bob Heathcote took his spot.
In addition, they had decided to add the rhythm guitarist in the band. Mike
Clark who was good Muir's friend and his band mate from their punk/HC band
NO/MERCY came as the rhythm guitarist. The influence of the Mike Clark on
this album was obvious because he did about 70% of the song writing. The
band's thrash fusion of its hardcore roots with speed metal was fully
developed by this point, and Muir's social commentary and self-analysis were
as ragingly compelling and by turns amusing as ever. The album was produced
by Mark Dodson (known for his work with ANTHRAX), later to be credited by
many people for enhancing ST's overall sound. This marked the debut of Mike
Clark as the group’s sound exploded extending from ballade title-track
"How Will I Laugh Tomorrow" to the furious, fast and outstanding
numbers such as the first single "Trip At The Brain" and the ST's
call to the faithful in "Pledge Your Allegiance". Not to forget tracks
like “Sorry?!”, “The Feeling’s Back” or great skate instrumental "Surf
And Slam", which brought them incredible reviews and helped swell their
already burgeoning ranks of followers.
"Controlled By Hatred” and “Feel Like Shit...
Deja-Vu" originally released between 1987 and 1989 as two separate vinyl
EPs, were eventually combined into one convenient, almost full-length compact
disc. It was band’s fourth release that came out on September 27th, 1989 and
was released for Epic. Besides offering two versions of the title track to
the band's outstanding 1988 Epic debut, “How Will I Laugh Tomorrow” (one is
the video edit, the other an emotional acoustic version), the rest of those
two EP's were mostly cover songs from Muir's and Clark's old band NO/MERCY.
One EP was "Controlled By Hatred" which contained four songs
besides fore mentioned "How Will I Laugh Tomorrow". They were
"Master Of No Mercy" and "Waking The Dead",  originally NO/MERCY songs, but this time
played in SUICIDAL way and a new track "Just Another Love Song",
written with truly suicidal-humor. The other EP was "Feel Like Shit...
Deja-Vu". It contained "How Will I Laugh Tomorrow" (heavy
emotion version) plus two NO/MERCY covers; "Controlled By Hatred"
and "Choosing My Own Way Of Life". And there was another cover
song, "It's Not Easy" from Muir's old band LOS CYCOS. Again there
was one completely new ST track, "Feel Like Shit... Deja-Vu". And
again the changes in band were made; bass player Bob Heathcote was replaced
by Stymee (later to be revealed as Robert Trujillo), and Paul Winger and ST
produced album. The sound on this album was really heavy and destructive, the
tracks showcase Mike Muir's gang of social deviants at their best and the
production was rather poorly made (don’t know it that was the was it was
intended to be done), so unfortunately vocals and guitar solos couldn't be
heard too well. Just the way it should be - loud and aggressive. SUICIDAL
TENDENCIES fanatics no doubt got a kick out of these rarities, which also
provided a nice link between the aforementioned album and 1990's stellar
follow-up, “Lights... Camera... Revolution!”
But as the band's stature increased, so did their
problems. Because of their name and image, they were targets for P.M.R.C.
which blamed them for teenage suicides, and California police which didn't
permit their performance because they were feared that because of their
image, ST were part of an L.A. gang... The Crips. Naturally, the outspoken
Mike Muir fought vehemently against these bizarre accusations and such a bad
treatment towards them.
 "Lights…
Camera… Revolution!" was their fifth album, which was released in June
of 1990. for Epic records. After recording some definite gems in the late
'80s, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES triumphantly entered the '90s with one of its best
albums ever. Not since the mid-'80s had the L.A. band sounded this confident,
focused and inspired. Album brought very clear production (again with Mark
Dodson), no obvious changes in band, many of the video clips featured on MTV,
and, of course, wider popularity. But fans immediately started accusing the
band for "softening" and "sale", what Muir immediately
deny. Of course, it wasn't really no more real HC, but conjunction of Metal,
Funk, and HC... As the matter of fact, the members of the band were no longer
insisting on Hard-Core as definite music style, but on all kinds of music
idioms from their own living environment. And their environment is Venice,
L.A. California, the state with the minority of white population, and don't we
forget that the most of the members of ST are (or were) Latino Americans. But
despite that the album kept characteristics of hard and coherent sound:
"Send Me Your Money” (a gut-level, brutally honest attack on television
evangelists, phony saints and preachers) was well known hit from that album.
“Lovely” and “Get Whacked” demonstrated just how much fun SUICIDAL TENDENCIES
can be, but most of all, the metal-oriented album, leading with tracks like
"You Can't Bring Me Down" and “Alone", was dark, angry, and
troubling. The band already commanded incredibly devoted following, and
powerful dark-humoured cuts like "Disco's Out, Murder's In" or
“Go’n Breakdown” brought even more listeners aboard. This definitely is a
disc that no SUICIDAL TENDENCIES fan should be without.
With
"Lights… Camera… Revolution!" album ST showed once again a real
rebellion against hypocrisies and an invitation to live. As Mike Muir put it
in their video release "Lights Camera Suicidal" a year later;
"Suicidal is a way of life, a speed one, because life is too short and
there’s a lot of things to enjoy in this world." By 1991. there was a
funk/metal twist thrown into the emotion pool of SUICIDAL TENDENCIES. There
was also funkadelic side band called INFECTIOUS GROOVES that was put together
by Mike Muir and Robert Trujillo. Upon releasing "Lights Camera
Revolution" album, it turned out that they were quite direct, and that's
why the ST was banned from Los Angeles in the end of the 80' as you can see
in their clip of "You Can't Bring Me Down", although the album
would be certified gold in the U.S. a few years later. 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.
 "The Art Of Rebellion” was their sixth
album, released in June of 1992. after two years pause, for Epic records, and
proved to be one of Suicidal's most musically experimental albums of their
career. Some changes in personnel were made; drummer Ralph J. Herrera left
the band because of personal reasons, but the rest of the band accepted it
well (no hard feelings) and instead of him came Josh Freese, but only as the
additional musician. There was also inscription on the album in which members
of the ST thank Ralph J. Herrera for eight outstanding years spent with them.
Also there was this other change, Mike Muir became Cyco Miko, what was later
to be name of side-project punk/rock band. On the SUICIDAL earliest albums,
Mike Muir specialized in intense, angst-ridden rants, harrowing but for some,
one-dimensional. He has since developed into a rock-solid vocalist, his voice
a powerful and fluid instrument, and he still managed to deliver emotionally
ferocious spoken-word segments in opening track “Can’t Stop” or tracks like
"I Wasn't Meant to Feel This" and “Gotta Kill Captain Stupid”. As
member of the press put it once: “A clenched fist in a velvet glove - or is
it an open hand in chain mail? - Whichever, “The Art of Rebellion” packs a
punch that should win over new devotees while maintaining the group's
hardcore following.” The producer of the album was Peter Collins, and the
record brought no qualitative shift in terms of already proverbial intensity
of the band because of the slow and weird but also very addictive songs like
"Nobody Hears", "Asleep At The Wheel” and to great epic
"Monopoly On Sorrow". It was a more ambitious, diverse work, and
rather complex project that confirmed SUICIDAL TENDENCIES as multi-layered
and complex artists. Any fears that the band was going soft or mellowing were
dispelled by furious live shows.
"F.N.G." was the release that followed in
the 1992. The pride of Venice, CA, had released a string of wildly successful
recordings up to that point, and it must have seemed like a good time to try
encapsulating all the music from the Caroline/Virgin/Epic years. It was
released by Virgin Records (later re-released on EMI in 2000, don’t know
why), which was no longer ST's label, so it's released like greatest hits
contains many highlights from first three ST albums; "Suicidal
Tendencies", "Join The Army" and "How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile
Today". Release was compiled by Harris Greenfield and it was re-mastered
by Francis Arkwright. It contained 22 tracks, and one of them was
"Suicyco Mania", but this time in instrumental version, while on
the album it had lyrics! Although it seems that the "How Will I Laugh
Tomorrow" album released on Virgin in Europe was different from one
released on Epic in America, especially because of this "Suicyco
Mania" song. The compilation itself seems pretty good, sounds vibrant
and alive, and should be given more than casual consideration by any casual
SUICIDAL TENDENCIES fan — that is, if a casual fan of the band exists. There
are even two early band photos and cool text praising ST written by Peter
Grant (from the Riff Raff magazine). Guess this is the release I'd recommend
to all the people who are about to hear ST for the first time, while hardcore
fans should, and probably do, have all the studio releases that were picked through
to compile “F.N.G” (what does it stands for, anyways?). They need not bother
with the record, although this release is still a fine listen on its own
merits.
"Still Cyco After All These Years” was their
seventh album and total blast, which once again proved ST's artistic
abilities. It was released in 1993 for Epic records with Mike Dodson
(again) and Mike Muir as the
producers. Rumors are that, upset about the fact that his band's seminal 1983
debut had long been out of print with no scheduled CD release in sight,
SUICIDAL TENDENCIES leader Mike Muir decided to take matters into his own
hands by re-recording the entire affair from scratch. So this release was in
fact re-recording of the first one, "Suicidal Tendencies" with two
songs from "Join The Army" ("War Inside My Head" and
"A Little Each Day") and one brand new; "Don't Give Me Your
Nothin'" (that was only released as B-side of "Send Me Your
Money" single). Critics were hard on it, stating that although 1993's
“Still Cyco After All These Years” tries as hard as it can to faithfully
imitate much of the original  album's performance (and even, to a certain
degree, its cover art), there's simply no such thing as a perfect replica.
And when dealing with a verified classic, anything but a perfect replica will
never satisfy those familiar with the real deal, that way trying to show it
as qualitative stagnation of the band, but fans accepted it very well. All
the songs on the album were recorded again by the most-powerful line-up to
date and the sound and production was a blast! Album was filled with
aggressive and speed guitar solos and riffs as well as crushing lyrics from
the original one, and the song "Don't Give Me Your Nothin'" was a
killer (both lyrical and musical). ST's skate/thrash/HC orgies have lost
nothing of its fascination during past decade, so the listener still get
goose pimples all over while listening to them. I have found this to be one
of the best works of the ST, although it's in this faultless and matchless
publication, despite all the critics thrown their way, "Still Cyco After
All These Years” has become all but obsolete since the 1997 Epitaph Records
CD release of the 1983 classic.
"Suicidal
For Life",
released on June 14th, 1994, was their eight and (as it seemed
long after its release) unfortunately last album. SUICIDAL TENDENCIES' long
relationship with Epic Records came to an end with 1994's “Suicidal For Life”
and, as expected, the breakup was not a pretty one. The label's inability to
introduce any of the group's groundbreaking albums to a significantly wider
audience certainly didn't sit well with ST main man Mike Muir, who decided to
run through the motions while being as gratuitously offensive as possible on
this contractually necessary release. After a scathing though mercifully
short rant called "Invocation, the band launched into the
self-explanatory "Don't Give a Fuck!," "No Fuck'n
Problem," "Suicyco Muthafucka" (with its famous quotation:
"I ain't no muthafucker, never had one, never really wanted one, but
that don't mean your daughter's safe... guess that makes me a daughterfucker..."!) and "Fucked Up Just
Right!" Gee, think they were trying to piss someone off at the label?
Paul Northfield and ST produced the album while some changes in band were
made; drummer Jimmy DeGrasso (ex-WHITE LION/ex-Y&T) came instead of Josh
Freese. The album offers hardest HC/metal  sound
ever made by ST, returning to their thrash-core roots after the overtly
traditional power metal strains of 1992's “The Art of Rebellion”, while the
lyrics are really nasty. The ST returned in fast-paced and profanity-peppered
style, while continuing to extend individual talents to the full. It seemed
like the members of the ST were sick of it all and wanted this album to be
their last, so they did some really killing tracks. Who could have forget
numbers like; "Fucked Up Just Right!" with really groovy lyrics and
outro laugh, then "Depression
And Anguish" proving the drummers’ skills or killer ballad "Love
Vs. Loneliness", with its beautiful and sad lyrics. This was probably
one of the best (maybe even the best) works of the band, on which they said
all the things they wanted to say without any scruples. For some, the lead
guitarist Rocky George's typically fluid and inventive solos, accompanied
with Mike Clark's powerful riffs, qualifies as one of the album's best
moments. But one of the greatest things that give quite opposite hint of
what's on the album (because the titles of the tracks weren't printed on back
sleeve) is front-cover sticker that says: Contains Profanity.
Shortly after its release, during their recent U.S.
tour, the news filtered through that band were no more as well that they're
breaking the band up, and a chapter in hardcore history, slammed shut behind
them. SUICIDAL TENDENCIES were, are, and will always be... a pure inexorable
energy with a steel edge. During that time their decision to break up seemed
to be definitive, so it was a real surprise when rumors started to go around
about ST's reunion. But they say that a little faith goes a long way.
"Prime Cuts" was the ST release that came
out of nowhere. It was released on Epic on June 3rd, 1997. and was made like
the greatest hits album with a couple of new songs. The strangest thing was
the lineup of the band. It was again changed, and this time it was a big
change. Really big. Rocky George was in band no more. As ST split, he left
and joined a band called WHITE DEVIL (along with ex-CRO-MAGS band mates,
Harley Flanagan and Parris Mayhew), that shortly after changed its name to
SAMSARA. Later they began playing under the name CRO-MAGS again. Anyways,
another great guitarist replaced Rocky. It was Dean Pleasants (who played
guitar in INFECTIOS GROOVES). Josh Paul came instead of Robert Trujillo (who
left playing with OZZY OSBOURNE), and Brooks Wackerman (also from INFECTIOUS
GROOVES) came instead drummer Jimmy DeGrasso (that left playing in Dave
Mustaine's side-project band, MD.45, and later to be a permanent member in
MEGADETH). Josh Paul and Brooks Wackerman were also bandmates from another
cool band, BAD4GOOD. So the only members from the "old" ST were
Mike Muir and Mike Clark. But, as Muir put it of Suicidal circa '97; "It
doesn't matter who's left, it matters who's taken their places." And
once again Muir was right. The compilation offered us 15 tracks: 2 completely
new tracks ("Berserk!" and "Feeding The Addiction") and 2
re-recorded songs; "Possessed To Skate" as "Go Skate!
(Possessed To Skate '97.)" and "Join The Army" became
"Join The New Army". The rest of album were 11 "classic"
tracks... And the cover of the album was cool yet pretty simple; it featured
a hand from the wrist down and the wrist was slashed with a razor pictured
right below it. The artwork (ST flyers on the back of the CD) was done by
Rick Clayton, who also played bass in NO/MERCY.
The thing was that ST didn't wanted this compilation
to be released, because they wanted to release a full-length album, but it
seems that Epic wanted to make a quick buck, so they released it without ST's
permission. And that has resulted with SUICIDAL TENDENCIES breaking their
contract with Epic Records. And ST was without record label once again.
Luckily, they decided to release something on their own label, Suicidal
Records.
 "Epic Escape" was the title of the
compilation released on December 23rd, 1997. It featured SUICIDAL TENDENCIES
(with 3 new songs), INFECTIOUS GROOVES (also with 3 new songs), CYCO MIKO
(with 2 new songs), THE FUNERAL PARTY, CREEPER (featuring Mike Clark on
guitar) and MUSICAL HEROIN. All those bands were simply called "Suicidal
Family & Friends", so that name soon became synonymous for the whole
compilation. Muir said that it could also be called "Welcome To Venice
2" in a way. Inside the CD there was also word of thanks from Mike Muir,
and future plans. ST produced most of the songs, while some were produced by
The Freakazoid Twins (of the MUSICAL HEROIN). The whole album was co-produced
by Michael Vail Blum, known for his work with INFECTIOUS GROOVES. There was
also a funny warning on the CD that all unauthorized duplication is a
violation of applicable laws (and will result in a ass whoppin'). With new
songs ST proved themselves once again. They showed they haven't even nearly
run out of ideas, and that they are functioning perfectly in their new
lineup. Great riffs, and great bass work on opening track "Panic",
as well as hysteric "Scream Out", or call to faithful in "We
Are Family", what seems to be the new ST anthem. As stated in the end of
the booklet; if you ain't SUICIDAL, you ain't shit!
"Six The Hard Way" was ninth regular ST
release. It was the long awaited new material, released as EP on Suicidal
records, on 27th October, 1998. It also marked the SUICIDAL TENDENCIES
comeback. ST did all the work considering producing and recording of the
whole EP. They presented themselves again after a long time, with 4 new
tracks and 2 furious live tracks. The first two tracks called
"Freedumb" and "Cyco Vision" were really aggressive, they
even sounds like they came off the "Suicidal Tendencies" album. Raw
and unleashed punk/HC energy in its full force. They were also the songs that
were to appear on next ST album, called "Freedumb". The following
two tracks, "Refuse" and "What's The Word?" sounded a bit
like INFECTIOUS GROOVES, but then again it is not a surprise, because Muir
stated that these two tracks were supposed to be released on SUICIDAL GROOVES
record (that was supposed to be put
together as a conjunction between SUICIDAL TENDENCIES and INFECTIOUS GROOVES)
during time that ST was split. Despite that fact, these two songs are also
rocking! And at the end of this EP, there are two classical ST songs recorded
live; "Fascist Pig" and "I Saw Your Mommy...". The second
one has some really awesome disco-like intro, with Muir talking and
jamming...
 "Freedumb" came out on May 18th,
1999. Finally, it was new ST album, being very loud and fast. Everything a
good Suicidal punk/HC should be. Something we've been waiting for. It
represented ST's definition of power. Or was it the other way around? The
opinions were very different. As stated in the press: “To the very extent to
which SUICIDAL TENDENCIES were once edgy, intelligent, and refreshingly
original, 1999's “Freedumb” is trite, repetitive, and disappointing.
Seemingly all the elements that once made this Venice-based funk-thrash
quartet enjoyable are gone, replaced by dated riffs and lyrics that wouldn't
fit in during any time period. It's as if frontman Mike Muir doesn't know
where to direct his anger anymore. And so he directs it all over the place,
with varying degrees of effectiveness. There's no biting criticism of
religious hypocrisy on “Freedumb”, nor are there any attacks on minimum-wage
labor or corporate greed. What this album does have is a song called
"Hippie Killer," which, in theory, could be funny, if Muir made any
attempt to elucidate what makes hippies worth killing. But his criticism goes
no farther than, "Hippies suck!" And then there's the title track,
"Freedumb." The concept behind this clever play on words is only
explained by the repeated posture, "You want your freedumb? / We got
your freedumb! / Get your freedumb / I've got your freedumb!" Lyrically,
Muir's work on “Freedumb” is nothing short of lazy, which is highly
disappointing, because when he's at his best, he's second to none. Almost
every song toggles back and forth between the same two or three chords,
making a three-minute song feel twice as long as it actually is. The band is
obviously trying to return to the simplicity of its roots, but their earlier
material had - in addition to clever lyrics - catchy hooks, something this
album is sorely lacking. Furthermore, their earlier work, even the
foul-mouthed “Suicidal for Life” album, relied heavily on the funky bass
riffs of ultra-talented Robert Trujillo. His contribution to this album seems
disappointingly sparse. The final and best song, "Heaven,"
introduces Spanish guitars to Suicidal's repertoire. It's a nice touch, but
too little, and too late, to save the rest.” (as written by Kieran McCarthy)
So, although this  album was a disappointed for some, it was very
well accepted by majority of the fans. The band once again did all the work
on album with help from Paul Northfield, who worked with them on their
"Suicidal For Life" record, back in 1994. The album was consisted
of 10 new tracks, played in punk/HC style, in which ST wanted to get back to
the roots, while still trying to not repeat themselves. Even Muir said in the
booklet of the CD that; "most people will never hear this record and a
lot that do won’t (and shouldn't) get it." He also said that five years
ago he didn't think there would be another ST record. But they were back and
they brought us the new great songs like "Halfway Up My Head",
"Naked", or "Built To Survive", kind of like old
"Pledge Your Allegiance" or new "We Are Familly", call to
faithful or kicking groovy track "Get Sick"! Kind of disappointing
were the songs “I’ll Buy Myself”, “I Ain’t Like You” and “Gaijan Go Home”,
which sounded just too much like CYCO MIKO tracks, and after few listening
they seems like they were recorded just to fill up the space on the album.
All in all that was a fine release, which gave a glimpse of future and things
to come in the history of SUICIDAL TENDENCIES.
 "Free Your Soul... And Save My
Mind"! A year passed, and a new ST album was released! On Suicidal
Records, on August 29th, 2000. produced by the band. The line-up has not
changed, but the style had. The band revitalized their moribund skater punk
sound while the sound on the album was groovy but heavy, something we'd
expect from SUICIDAL GROOVES, but it still manages to maintain its hardcore
roots. This effort hits the mark in most respects. Once again, they sound
like accomplished musicians, rattling off funky riffs and spirited three-to
four-minute bursts of punk. Some of the songs like "Self-Destruct",
"Animal" & "Start Your Brain" (a powerful old-timer
punk tune with seriously wigged-out distortion techniques) are fast and
furious and in truly "Freedumb" style, while tracks like
"Children Of The Bored" and "Charlie Monroe", or even
"Home", sound like the "old” SUICIDAL TENDENCIES. There are
also very groovy tracks like great "Got Mutation" and the title
track. The album also featured three previously released tracks that appeared
on CYCO MIKO sampler; "Animal", "Pop Songs" and
"Straight From The Heart", with that last one to became the new ST
anthem, with its hip-hop groove and vocals. Among the pleasant surprises on
the album was the track titled "Cyco Speaks", which was in fact a
very smart Mike Muir spoken-word performance. Yet the public reactions on
this album were very different. Some praised it as an excellent example of a
band that never fails to surprise its fans and audience, while others turned
it down claiming that "there was TOO MUCH funk and groove on something
that was meant to be a SUICIDAL TENDENCIES album!" Well, I couldn't
agree more with both, but maybe the sound was a bit ahead of its time, less
metal and groovier, but it still was SUICIDAL. A few big steps ahead, but
definitely SUICIDAL!
"Friends And Family 2", an Suicidal Records
sampler was released in 2001. on the band's own label; Suicidal Records. It practically continued what
"Epic Escape" started, being the third sampler on Suicidal Records.
Featured on the sampler were some of the bands that also appeared on "Epic Escape", such as CREEPER,
THE FUNERAL PARTY, INFECTIOUS GROOVES and SUICIDAL TENDENCIES. Also appearing
was NO MERCY FOOL! with another
classic remake; "We're Evil" and another brand new track; "Something Inside Me". The interesting appearance was
of ZEN VODOU, the band of Reece McLaughlin, one of ST roadies, as well as of
MISSILE GIRL SCOOT, punk/rock/hardcore band that was opening for ST on their
tour in Japan. Adam Siegel's band MY HEAD also appeared with two fine
hard-rock songs that were previously unreleased. Yet the most funniest
appearances were of JERIMIAH WEED AND THE BAD SEED, an odd hippie project;
"Plant The Seed" with hilarious lyrics. And a special treat
appeared; SARPIPPIUS live back in 1992. with INFECTIOUS GROOVES, performing
his hit-single; "Whipcream"! Really blast of things that we were to
expect on Suicidal Records in the future!
So now, pledge your allegiance, be down for SUICIDAL
and start your local loco ST chapter today. Go cyco!
S.T.
growing strong with new line-up in 2003.
The End (for now)
SUICIDAL TENDENCIES
timeline & fact sheet.
1982.
- Suicidal Tendencies were was born in Mike and Jim Muir's kitchen, in
Venice, California, 1982.
- They played their first gig at the Muir's apartment, they charge admission
to pay the rent, the monthly event becomes so big that they are forced to
rent a hall.
- Voted "Worst band and biggest assholes"--Flipside '82.
- Rumors run rampant of beatings and deaths at Suicidal shows.
1983.
- "Suicidal Tendencies" is released.
- Featured both video and single: "Institutionalized"
- Voted "Best new band, best band, and best record"--Flipside '83.
- S.T. appears in cameo role on hit TV series, "Miami Vice".
- "Institutionalized" included on "Repo Man" soundtrack
[MCA].
- Self-titled debut becomes all-time best-selling American punk album.
- They are banned from playing Los Angeles due to supposed crowd violence.
- Mike Muir is detained by the Secret Service at his home in Venice, and
questioned about the lyrics to the song "I Shot Reagan".
1984.
- Appeared on Original Soundtrack: Repo Man (with
"Institutionalized")
1987.
- "Join The Army" is released.
- Featured videos: "Possessed To Skate" and "War Inside My
Head".
- First alternative rock/independent punk rock release to break Billboard's Hot
100 sales chart.
- "Join The Army" at The Billboard 200 chart position No.100
- Kids are being arrested on the Venice boardwalk for wearing Suicidal
Tendencies T-shirts.
- A member of the JDL contacts Suicidal Tendencies record label regarding
"Join The Army". A label spokesman asks if he (JDL member) has ever
heard or seen a picture of the band or read the lyrics.
- After seeing the multi-racial line up of the band (and actually listening
to the record) he realizes that he may have spoken "out of context"
and apologizes to the band and label.
1988.
- "How will I
Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Smile Today" is released.
- Featured videos: "Trip At The Brain" and "How Will I Laugh
Tomorrow".
- "How Will I Laugh Tomorrow" at The Billboard 200 chart position
No.111
- After seeing the "How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile
Today" record in his video producer's office, Stevie Ray Vaughn proceeds
to go into a tirade about how Suicidal is ruining the youth of today.
- Hank Williams Jr. sees the same Suicidal record in his video producer's
office and informs them of his son's love for the band.
- Hank Williams Jr. wins a country music award and thanks Suicidal
Tendencies!!!
- Stevie Ray Vaughn (RIP).
1989.
- "Controlled
by Hatred / Feel Like Shit Deja-vu" is released.
- Featured videos: "Waking The Dead" and "How Will I Laugh
Tomorrow (Heavy Emotion Version)".
- "Controlled By Hatred/Feel Like Shit" at The Billboard 200 chart
position No.150
- The PMRC contacts Suicidal's label regarding their intentions of having all
of their records pulled from stores.
- The band quietly contacts the PMRC and informs them of their intentions if
the records are pulled from stores.
- All records stay in place
1990.
- "Lights...
Camera...Revolution!" is released.
- Featured singles: "You Can't Bring Me Down" and "Send Me
Your Money" (with "Don't Give Me Your Nothin'" as a B-side).
- Featured videos: "You Can't Bring Me Down", "Alone",
"Send Me Your Money" and "War Inside My Head (Live)".
- "Lights... Camera... Revolution!" at The Billboard 200 chart
position No.101
- Released one and only S.T. home video; "Lights Camera Suicidal".
1991.
- Album
"Lights Camera Revolution" nominated for Grammy Award, "Best
Metal Performance", vocal or instrumental, on January, 1991.
- Appeared on Various Artists: Hot'n Heavy (with "How Will I Laugh
Tomorrow").
- Toured U.S. arenas with Queensryche on spring/summer, 1991.
- They play their first show back in Los Angeles (at U.C Irvine) the police
brace for a possible riot.
- Because they (LAPD) had no jurisdiction on a state campus they were forced
to wait outside of the campus.
- The show went off without incident.
1992.
-
"F.N.G." compilation and "The Art Of Rebellion" are
released.
- Featured single: "Asleep At The Wheel".
- Featured videos: "Nobody Hears", "Asleep At The Wheel"
and "I'll Hate You Better".
- "Art Of Rebellion" at The Billboard 200 chart position No.52
- "Nobody Hears" single at Mainstream Rock Tracks chart position
No.28
- The song "Nobody Hears" gets substantial airplay.
- Appeared on Various Artists: Thrash Patrol (with "Alone").
- The band tours stadiums throughout the world, also playing warm-up
"secret" club dates on West Coast, and shortly after embarks on
national arena tour with Ozzy Osbourne, in summer, 1992.
1993.
- "Still Cyco
After All These Years" is released.
- Featured video: "Institutionalized".
- "Still Cyco After All These Years" at The Billboard 200 chart
position No.117
- "I'll Hate You Better" single at Mainstream Rock Tracks chart
position No.34
- Appeared on Various Artists: Faster & Louder: Hardcore Punk, Vol.1
(with "I Saw Your Mommy")
- Appeared on Various Artists: Metal Mayhem (with "Nobody Hears")
- Suicidal Tendencies headlines U.S. tour with Infectious Grooves opening,
March/April, 1993.
- European tour includes stadium shows with Metallica, Guns N'Roses; festival
dates with Anthrax, Living Colour, Iggy Pop; plus S.T. headlining gigs in
Germany, France, and the UK, June/July, 1993.
1994.
- "Institutionalized" nominated for Grammy, "Best Metal
Performance With Vocal", January, 1994.
- "Suicidal Tendencies is everything a great rock & roll band is
supposed to be: loud, exciting, awesome on stage, and deeply threatening to
authority"--The L.A. Times
- "Suicidal For Life" is released.
- Featured singles: "What You Need's A Friend" and "Love Vs.
Loneliness" (with "When Two Worlds Collide" as a B-side).
- Featured videos: "Love Vs. Loneliness" and "What You Need's
A Friend"
- "Suicidal For Life" at The Billboard 200 chart position No.82
- The lyrics for every song on side one has the words "shit" and
"fuck" in them.
- Appeared on Various Artists: Punk University (with
"Institutionalized").
- They support Metallica on U.S. arena tour, shortly after the band decides
to split, June/August, 1994.
- Mike Muir officially breaks up the band.
1995.
- Suicidal
Tendencies track "I shot The Devil" featured in the "Empire
Records" movie, but not included on the Soundtrack (?!).
- Appeared on
Various Artists: Old School Punk (with "Institutionalized").
- Appeared on Original Soundtrack: S.F.W. (with "No Fuck'n
Problem").
1996.
- Appeared on
Various Artists: Skaters Have More Fun (with "Possessed To Skate").
1997.
- After parting
ways with Sony music and Big Time Management, Suicidal Tendencies re-groups
with a new line-up and tours the world.
- "Prime Cuts" compilation is released against band's will.
- Featured video: "How To Kill A Rat".
- "Epic Escape" compliation/sampler is released the same year, on
the Suicidal Records label.
- Featured video: "We Are Family".
- Appeared on Various Artists: Before X (with "Institutionalized").
- Appeared on Various Artists: Vans Warped Tour '99 (with "Cyco
Vision").
1998.
- "Six The
Hard Way" EP is released.
- The band was nominated for "Big Comeback" at the
"Loudside" awards, 1998.
1999.
- "Freedumb"
is released.
- Appeared on Various Artists: Vans Warped Tour '99 (with "Cyco
Vision").
- Appeared on Various Artists: A Compilation of Warped Music II (with
"We Are Family").
2000.
- "Free Your
Soul... And Save My Mind" is released.
- Appeared on Various Artists: Hard Rockin' Hits: 20 Original Recordings
(with "How Will I Laugh Tomorrow").
2001.
- "Suicidal
Friends & Family 2" is released.
2002.
- Appeared on
Various Artists: Sedated in the Eighties, Vol. 6 (with
"Institutionalized").
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