Formed by songwriter/guitarist Al Barile (then a machinist at the General Electric plant in Lynn, Massachusetts and a student at Northeastern University), SSD started performing at smaller venues throughout the greater Boston metropolitan area in the summer of 1981. The band quickly gained notoriety within the local music scene for intense performances charged and for the provocative antics of its core group of followers, the Boston Crew.
The original lineup was Al Barile on guitar, Springa (David Spring) on vocals, Jaime Sciarappa on bass and Chris Foley on drums. They released their debut EP The Kids Will Have Their Say on their own X-Claim label in 1982. Ian MacKaye of Minor Threat was a friend and supporter and his Dischord label's logo appeared on the back cover.
In 1983 they added second guitarist Francois Levesque and released Get it Away. This EP is widely regarded to be their best record. The X-Claim pressings of it and The Kids Will Have Their Say are both highly collectable.
Like many hardcore bands - particularly those in the Boston area - SSD, as they were now officially called, were heading in a heavy metal direction. In 1984 they signed to the Boston label Modern Method and released the How We Rock EP which was rooted in the hardcore sound but exhibited overt heavy metal characteristics, such as a relatively high number of lengthy guitar solos. After signing to Homestead they released the Break it Up LP in 1985. Their first (and only) full length LP, it had both feet planted in the metal genre, leaving behind all trappings of punk and hardcore.
SSD broke up in 1985.
Jaime Sciarappa went on to play bass with the Boston hardcore band Slapshot for a short time.
After the breakup Springa went on to front the short lived band Razorcaine and the comedy rock projects Die Blitzkinder (with The Slaves) and Springa as Tom Jones. His flamboyant persona and lounge lizard lifestyle during this time stood in marked contrast to the straight edge rhetoric of SS Decontrol. In the early 1990s he would move to Chicago to pursue comedy further with The Second City.
In 1991 Al Barile compiled Power for Taang! records. It spans SSD's entire career and is the only official release in print today. In the early 1990s he took up the bass guitar and he and Levesque formed the hardcore band Gage.
On the road
SSD Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For my feet to step by
The heart of standing is:
-I cannot fly!
I'm so involved
I can't give it up..
I don't feel like winning,
Though I'm on top
See where it takes you
And where it takes me
Either homefires burning
Or we both go free..
Bigger than ever
The sun is a star
Hold me together
I'm flying apart, yeah!
You got a way
To keep me on your side
You make me so small,
I stand sideways and hide
See where it takes you...
Bigger than ever ...
See where it takes you
And where it takes me
Either homefires burning
Or we both go free, yeah!
Bigger than ever...
The song "On the Road" by SSD expresses a sense of overwhelming enormity in the face of existential questions about purpose and meaning. The lyrics "It's far too big for my feet to step by" and "Bigger than ever, the sun is a star" suggest a feeling of insignificance and powerlessness in the face of the vastness of the universe. This is coupled with a sense of being trapped or committed, as heard in the line "I'm so involved, I can't give it up" and "Hold me together, I'm flying apart". The dichotomy of wanting to escape while also feeling compelled to stay is explored through "See where it takes you and where it takes me, either homefires burning or we both go free". The singer is simultaneously seeking direction and release, but also struggling with the sense of obligation and duty that comes with a chosen path.
The lyrics also touch on the theme of power dynamics in relationships, particularly when it comes to influence and control. The lines "You got a way to keep me on your side, you make me so small, I stand sideways and hide" suggest a sense of manipulation and emotional suppression. The singer is aware of this but feels powerless to change it, which adds to the overall feeling of being trapped and overwhelmed.
Line by Line Meaning
It's far too big
The task at hand seems impossible for me to cope with
For my feet to step by
It's beyond my capability to handle or execute
The heart of standing is:
I am incapable of soaring in the air
-I cannot fly!
My limitations prevent me from achieving great heights
I'm so involved
I have invested everything in this
I can't give it up..
I am unable to back out or abandon it
I don't feel like winning,
Although I'm currently at the top, I don't have the desire to win over the competition
Though I'm on top
Even though I am currently leading the competition
See where it takes you
Let's see where this journey leads you
And where it takes me
And where it takes me as well
Either homefires burning
Either we achieve our goal or we come back empty-handed
Or we both go free..
We either succeed or fail together
Bigger than ever
The hurdle or obstacle ahead is more significant than ever
The sun is a star
The sun is a massive star in our solar system
Hold me together
Keep me from falling apart or breaking under pressure
I'm flying apart, yeah!
I am on the brink of falling apart due to the intense pressure
You got a way
You have a particular approach that suits me
To keep me on your side
To maintain a good relationship with me
You make me so small,
You have a way of making me feel insignificant
I stand sideways and hide
I am unable to face you or confront the situation
Either homefires burning
Either we achieve our goal or we come back empty-handed
Or we both go free, yeah!
We either succeed or fail together
Bigger than ever...
The challenge ahead is enormous and more significant than ever before
Contributed by Colton G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@jimcypher
I went to college in Boston back in 1984 and a guy down the hall in the dorm had this record. Changed my life...
@WorldRockumentaryChannel
Fvck yeah this was great then and greater now. I learned how to play every song on my bass guitar while on play back listening to the album. I couldn't listen to Metallica after hearing this at the time.
@sullman67
Great over the top production.
@RokuErickson
On parole
...I mean on the the road!
@samuelblinne6040
Awesome
@MrHungJAK
So good!!rocks fukken hard mang
@piotrb8434
The album cover - SSD on the road.
@onbradley
Not metal - early progressive hardcore.
@NOFB
lol no
@richmoreno9938
😂😂😂