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.
Under the Influence
SSD Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Under the influence
Their mind control
They steal your soul
Under the influence
Under the influence
Look what you do
That's not the real you
Under the influence
Under the influence
Why can't you see
You'll never be free
The chorus of SSD's song "Under the Influence" refers to the power of mind control and the way it can take over a person's life. The repetition of the phrase "Under the influence" underscores how difficult it can be for someone to shake off the effects of addiction or manipulation. The lines "They steal your soul" and "You'll never be free" make it clear that the singer sees this kind of control as a deeply damaging force that undermines a person's autonomy and inner strength.
The verses of the song offer a more nuanced exploration of this theme. The first verse talks about a person's inner struggle against the influence of drugs, alcohol, or other external pressures. The second verse suggests that some people may be more susceptible to mind control than others due to factors like mental illness or trauma. The third verse offers a plea for compassion and understanding, urging listeners not to judge those who are struggling with addiction or manipulation.
Line by Line Meaning
Under the influence
Being controlled by something external
Under the influence
Under the influence
This control is strong and pervasive
Their mind control
The control is coming from an outside force
They steal your soul
This control takes away a part of who you are
Under the influence
Under the influence
The person is still struggling with this control
Look what you do
The person is aware of their actions under this influence
That's not the real you
The person feels a disconnect between their true self and their actions under this influence
Under the influence
Under the influence
The control is still present
Why can't you see
The person is aware of their lack of control, but cannot break free
You'll never be free
The person believes that they will never be able to break free from this influence
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: AMY SKY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind