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
Jock Itch
SS Decontrol Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The US hockey team is the best
Anyone different is a commie to you
Anyone black is a nigger to you
You wear nice clothes think
You've got class
Like to get drunk and kick some ass
Practice kicks on the wall
Bats, lead gloves won't help no more
As no one leaves out your door
You mess with our people and you will pay
Won't allow it to the very last day
You're a bouncer at a club
Think you're so fuckin tough
You like to throw your weight around
But only when other bouncers can be found
You like to beat on un-united punks
When Hardware youth comes
You'll take the bumps
The lyrics of "Jock Itch" by SS Decontrol describe a person who wears the American flag on their chest and is proud of their country's hockey team, but who also holds racist and discriminatory views towards those who are different from them. The person in question thinks they are tough and like to get into fights, but are shown to be ultimately powerless when faced with a united group of people. The lyrics criticize the person's use of violence and their narrow-mindedness, suggesting that they will ultimately pay the price for their actions.
The song speaks to the larger issue of discrimination and hate towards those who are perceived as being different or other. The American flag is a symbol of patriotism and national pride, but in this context it is being used as a tool of exclusion and intimidation. The lyrics suggest that this kind of behavior is ultimately futile and that those who engage in it will eventually be held accountable for their actions. The song also speaks to the importance of community and solidarity, suggesting that when people come together they can overcome even the staunchest of opponents.
Line by Line Meaning
You wear the American flag on your chest
You display your patriotism through your clothing
The US hockey team is the best
You believe that your country's sports team is superior to the others
Anyone different is a commie to you
You label anyone who doesn't fit your ideal mold as a communist
Anyone black is a nigger to you
You dismiss anyone with a different skin color as being inferior and unworthy of respect
You wear nice clothes think
You think your fashionable attire gives you an air of superiority
You've got class
You believe you are better and above others in terms of social status
Like to get drunk and kick some ass
You find pleasure in drinking and starting physical altercations
Practice kicks on the wall
You work on your fighting skills by practicing alone
Think you're tough but you will fall
You overestimate your own strength and will eventually face defeat
Bats, lead gloves won't help no more
Your use of weapons will no longer fend off consequences
As no one leaves out your door
You will face retribution for your violent actions
You mess with our people and you will pay
You will face retaliation for your attacks on innocent individuals
Won't allow it to the very last day
We will continue to stand against your bigotry and violence until the end
You're a bouncer at a club
You work as a security guard at a venue
Think you're so fuckin tough
You egotistically believe that you are invincible
You like to throw your weight around
You enjoy using your position of authority to intimidate and dominate others
But only when other bouncers can be found
You only act aggressively when you have backup
You like to beat on un-united punks
You target individuals who are not collectively organized
When Hardware youth comes
When a group of united individuals arrives
You'll take the bumps
You will receive the physical consequences of your violent behavior
Contributed by Sebastian C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.