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, charged performances and the provocative antics of their 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 LP 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 the EP Get It Away. It 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. 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.
Chris Foley went on to play drums for Bulkhead, Jennifer Trynin and Star Ghost Dog. Today he plays with Heavy Stud.
In the summer of 2004 Springa was seriously injured in a car accident outside of Boston. A gala benefit featuring Evan Dando and reunions of The Outlets and Jerry's Kids raised money for his medical expenses. SSD did not perform.
Springa has since experienced a full recovery and is working on a rock opera.
~from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ss_decontrol
Fight Them
SS Decontrol Lyrics
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Cause we're fuckin straight
They beat us now
But we can't wait
We'll be a force
And they will pay
As we will have our fuckin say
Won't drink their booze
They'll take the pills
See, kids can't be bought
You say they're good
I can't explain
Drugs can't help
They make you tame
When you gonna realize
They fuck you up
Allowing them to shut you up
Your excuse is boredom
I can't understand
When you're wasted
You're like putty in their hands
Always looking forward
To the next high
Ignoring any problems
Letting them just slip by
Why not be different
From all the rest
We'll have the straight edge
And authority can have the rest
Why not be different
From all the rest
We'll have the straight edge
And they can have the rest
These lyrics, from the song "Fight Them" by SS Decontrol, convey a strong message about staying true to oneself and resisting societal pressures. The band expresses a strong conviction in their straight-edge lifestyle and promotes a rebellion against conformity.
The first verse highlights their determination to stay connected and united because they adhere to a straight-edge lifestyle, which essentially means abstaining from drugs, alcohol, and other vices. Despite facing opposition or being beaten down by those who do not understand or accept their choices, they are eagerly looking forward to the opportunity to express themselves and make their mark.
The second verse emphasizes their refusal to succumb to societal expectations. While others may indulge in substances like alcohol, drugs, or pills, they choose to stay clear of them. They suggest that young people should not be easily influenced or motivated by materialistic things. They question the goodness or benefits that others claim these substances may provide, arguing that instead of helping, they actually make one submissive or submissive-like.
The lyrics then delve into a critique of those who adhere to the party culture, insinuating that these individuals are too easily manipulated and silenced. They accuse those who use boredom as an excuse for indulging in these vices, failing to understand why one would willingly become vulnerable and malleable when under the influence. They argue that people should face and address their problems instead of escaping them through substances.
In the final verse, the band encourages listeners to be different from the masses and embrace the straight-edge lifestyle. They assert that by doing so, they can maintain their individuality and resist the influence of authority. They advocate for creating a distinct identity and rejecting societal norms, whereby they have control over their own lives. They conclude by challenging others to question why they should conform and why not choose to be different, asserting that they will claim the straight-edge lifestyle, leaving everything else to those who conform.
Line by Line Meaning
We're in touch
We are connected with each other
Cause we're fuckin straight
Because we live a drug-free and disciplined lifestyle
They beat us now
They may oppress or harm us currently
But we can't wait
But we are eager and determined to take action
We'll be a force
We will become a powerful collective
And they will pay
And they will face the consequences
As we will have our fuckin say
Because we will make our voice heard
Won't drink their booze
We will not consume their alcoholic beverages
They'll smoke the pot
They may choose to use marijuana
They'll take the pills
They might rely on prescription drugs
See, kids can't be bought
Understand, young people cannot be influenced or controlled by material things
You say they're good
You claim that drugs are beneficial
I can't explain
I cannot comprehend or justify
Drugs can't help
Substances cannot provide real assistance
They make you tame
They lead to conformity and passivity
When you gonna realize
When will you finally understand
They fuck you up
They greatly harm you
Allowing them to shut you up
Permitting them to silence you
Your excuse is boredom
Your justification is simply being bored
I can't understand
I cannot comprehend
When you're wasted
When you are under the influence
You're like putty in their hands
You become easily manipulated and controlled by them
Always looking forward
Always anticipating or seeking
To the next high
The next euphoric experience from drugs
Ignoring any problems
Disregarding any issues or challenges
Letting them just slip by
Allowing them to go unnoticed or untreated
Why not be different
Why not choose to be unique or distinct
From all the rest
Differing from everyone else
We'll have the straight edge
We will adopt the straight edge philosophy (abstaining from drugs and alcohol)
And authority can have the rest
And let the authorities or the establishment handle the other lifestyles
Why not be different
Why not choose to be unique or distinct
From all the rest
Differing from everyone else
We'll have the straight edge
We will adopt the straight edge philosophy (abstaining from drugs and alcohol)
And they can have the rest
And let the others follow their own paths
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Al Barile, Chris Foley, David Spring, Jaime Sciarappa
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@papakneecap7985
i like to singa about the muna and the tuna and the SPRINGA
@craig0weston20
True punk rock
@RasManuel
Yd