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SPYZ 247 SPYZ
SPYZ
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by Mike Gitter
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REARNE
LINETA
"A little mayhem." says vocalist Peter Fluid.
a half years we've been together, a lot further than bands that
"A bit of zaniness," adds self-proclaimed drum wonder Anthony have been around for twice as long. We don't have a manager
"Big Foot" Johnson.
"A lot of talent," interjects bassist Rick Skatore.
"And a whole lot of excitement!" laughs guitarist Jimmy Hazel.
Mark my words, friends, 24-7 Spyz are going to be huge.
There's no one else like them. No one comes close to the sheer
fireworks and positive vibrations this Bronx-based unit ignites
with its stunning combination of musical proficiency and wild
stage antics.
When the Spyz are on stage, check your expectations at the
door. They'll beg, borrow and steal a rapid succession of styles
and influences, shifting gears between rock, funk, dub, rap and
Brains-style ultra-core. "It's a crazy mish-mash," laughs Jimmy,
"everything from Polish tangos to 'Re-Ignition.' I think we can
express ourselves better than most bands. We're musicians first
and a band second. That's what makes us really versatile."
"If you hear Hershey's or Lipton tea commercials in the middle
of the set, you'll know it's Spyz," says Pete. "We're crazy enough
to do something like that."
Like their Bad Brained contemporaries, these high-energy
zanies are also Rastafarians. While possessing the spiritual vibe
and attitude of their faith, they don't make it their singular pur-
pose of outlook. "We don't want to cram anything like that down
people's throats," says Jimmy. "We don't want them to form any
general ideas of what we're supposed to be about because with
the Spyz, there is no general idea."
"As soon as we hit you with one thing, we'll move on to another
aspect of life and then another and then another," adds Pete.
"There are a lot of different elements that you can sing about
and relate to. Sure, we have our beliefs, but we feel there is so
much to see and so much to know that you can't limit yourself.
We've got a political song, a military song, a sex song-we can
sing about officials or the universe. There is a spiritual vibe of
believing in ourselves. We've come a long way in the two and
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or a booking agent or even a van. We have each other and that's
what's most important."
Insanity is the key word. 24-7, that's twenty-four hours a day.
seven days a week- constant, ongoing, you might just say
hyperactive. Spyz-sixties Jerry Goldsmith soundtracks, the
musical accompaniment to stylish espionage. Peter explains: "I
read an article in East Coast Rocker which said that for a band
to be successful they should develop an image or name and a
repertoire behind that. When we first started playing back in early
1986, we developed a spy theme, doing things in a spy form-
James Bond, Our Man Flynt, Courageous Cat, Batman. It was
a lot like ska and punk mixed together
Their climb toward success hasn't been easy. It wasn't until
they became a part of NYC's explosive hardcore scene that the
Spyz gained any amount of real notoriety. Championed by
publications such as Village Noise, a local fanzine, as well as
notable musician types including members of Murphy's Law and
Agnostic Front, the Spyz won a recording contract from the newly
formed In-Effect label. Their debut Lp. "Harder Than You" should
be in the stores now.
"We used to go see bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers or
Fishbone and there were plenty of kids having a great time, div-
ing off the stage and we wondered why they weren't doing that
when we played," remembers Jimmy. "Why did CBGB's have
chairs and tables set up when we played? We play aggressively
and we want our crowds to give back the same positive energy
that we put forth. We realized that the only way we were going
to get that kind of reaction would be to play these 'core shows.
I love hardcore-bands like Murphy's Law, Absolution, Sick of
It All, In Your Face. It's got a great, positive energy!"
"We bring in a lot of people, especially blacks who have no
idea about the hardcore scene. Tthink we're opening them up
to what we've discovered," says Peter. "It's a totally different vibe
Jimmy Hazel
Rick Skatore
Big Foot Johnson
Peter Fluid
than, for instance, rap. Hardcore seems to get its energy from
the moshing that's going on in the pit. You have to be totally aware
of what's going on around you. Rap is more laid-back, sort of
a 'Get out of my face sucker or you might get shot. Rap's also
a lot less positive."
So why choose an independent, relatively underground label
when the majors are snapping up new black rock bands as fast
as they can get them? "We'd just as soon be on a small label,"
explains Jimmy. "You've got more freedom to do what you want
to do. If they have as much faith in you as you do in yourself.
they'll allow you to do that. When you grow, they grow, and vice
versa. When you sign to a large, already established/con-
glomerate and you don't sell quite enough records, they'll drop
you. There's simply no faith with an operation (Continued on page 100)
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