SSS BARE THEIR SOULS IN AN EXCLUSIVE THRASHIN’ INTERVIEW
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| SSS, also known as Short Sharp Shock, want to reverberate their righteous anthem – THRASH IS KING! Hailing from the streets of Liverpool, SSS liquidate elements of hardcore, punk and good ‘ol THRASH metal into a ferocious serum of in-your-face genuine THRASH! Blazing through UK stages, SSS have established themselves as an underground thrash force – embracing the ideals of the old school, updating the sound with their very own hardcore fusion elixir. SSS recently sat down to answer some pressing questions and reveal the thrashin’ beasts within! SSS will be reissuing their 2006 Thrashgig release, “Short Sharp Shock,” via Earache records in late July and will be touring the UK late Spring and Summer 2007! SSS bring it organically – short, sharp and crucially SHOCKING! |
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A POIGNANT INTERVIEW WITH SHORT SHARP SHOCK (SSS)!
How long has SSS been in existence? What releases have you put out before signing to Earache?
MARK: We got together in March 2004 I think. We had around 6 practices, made a demo and started playing gigs. We then put out a self titled 7" EP, which was a split release though our own Thrashgig label and Dead and Gone records. We then saved up our pennies and recorded and released our album, which is again self titled. Earache heard this and offered us a deal, including re-mastering and re-releasing this album for June 07.
How would you describe your brand of thrash?
FOXY: I have O.T.D...(old timers disease) - I can’t get rid of it! It’s in my blood for the rest of my days. It’s a bitter affliction, it wont budge. It’s got a hold on me and I cant shake it - a lot like our musical tastes. Suicidal Tendencies and SOD take away the pain of today's illness...and modern musical climate.
MARK: We're not talented enough to play straight up thrash metal, plus we don't have the attention span, so we focus in on more of the crossover sound - liberally nicking bits from
DRI, Excel, Suicidal Tendencies, SOD, No Mercy, etc. We all come from a punk rock and hardcore background, so that high energy and hard impact is essential to our sound.
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You hail from the home of the Beatles - how do you think the rest of the world views Liverpool?
FOXY: Burnt-out, broken in cars on bricks, curly hair and tashes, 3 football teams (I hate footy), drug addicts, shell suit tracksuits and dirty women. It’s a hole...but its our hole.
MARK: The rest of the UK views us as a dump, and the rest of the world probably only knows us from The Beatles and football, so I don't care. I love it here (and I love the Beatles too)!
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What are your thoughts on the modern Thrash revival? How do you think elements like the Internet will change the underground sentiment of the Thrash of ‘ol?
MARK: I didn't even realize there was other bands out there playing thrash, but I've been pleasantly surprised. It's mega underground at the minute, but hopefully things will change, as it's so easy to get your demo online with sites like MySpace. I think the Internet can be the modern equivalent to the tape trading scene, if the bands and fans embrace it.
FOXY: There’s a revival? It’s good to see other like minded people destroying their brains with an injection of thrash. People can be introduced to this genre at a single click - cut out the waiting for records to drop in the post (but that was half the fun). Get up to speed fast - digest with your slippers and a mug of hot chocolate by the fire!
What can we expect to see at a live SSS show?
FOXY: Human wreckage, head banging, crap moustaches.
MARK: Pigs heads, idiots, beards.
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Collectively, who are your greatest influences?
MARK: Exodus, Anthrax, SOD, Metallica, DRI, Megadeth, Slayer, Suicidal Tendencies, etc etc etc. Basically thrash metal.
FOXY: What he said - plus SSD. They took no shit!
If SSS were a group of animals, what kind of animal would you be?
FOXY: Human vermin...the world is full to the brim!
MARK: Pigeons - rats with wings.
right: Suicidal tendencies |
What are your thoughts on British thrash versus US thrash? What do you think are some differences?
MARK: You can't beat the Bay Area sound, but Xentrix did a pretty good version of it for 2 albums.
FOXY: East coast is 5 hours behind and west coast is 7....that's the only difference for me!
Foxy, the word on the street is you love roller coasters. What’s the fascination?
FOXY: Ha! Who told you that? But ya...coasters RIP! Speed is the need...my need is speed. Wooden coasters are the KING! The threat of these wooden thrashers falling over or coming off the tracks and you flying out, smashing your face on the ground with broken teeth, is always high on my list!
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Here’s my top 10:
1.The Phoenix - Elysburg, Pennsylvania (Old school park + AIRTIME KING!)
2.The Beast - Cincinnati, Ohio (Didn’t a thrash band write a song about this? WINK WINK)
3.Grand National – Blackpool, UK (Killer humps that will rip you out your seat!)
4. Son of Beast - Cincinnati, OH (Wood with a loop!)
5. Shivering Timbers - Muskegon, MI (A MAMMOTH of a coaster!)
6. Giant Dipper - Santa Cruz, CA (A classic/sick 80s arcade in Neptune's kingdom)
7. The Texas Giant - Arlington, TX (One word....relentless)
8. The Comet - Lake George, NY (100 continuous rides in 2002!)
9. Meanstreak - Sandusky. OH (Great before trim breaks added...all girl thrash band named after it!)
10.Thunderbolt - West Mifflin, PA (Old as the hills, plus the lights on the cars work)
Skateboarding is making a huge mainstream comeback, but has always played a role in the thrash lifestyle. How do you feel the two are connected?
FOXY: Fast and furious is what they are - anyone can skate and anyone can start a band, it’s gritty and raw. You can skate anywhere down your street or local park, slappy a curb or sweepers in the deep. Shoulder pads and cocaine was out, play in the garage. Can’t play? Who cares...just make a noise and learn fast! Kids got into skating and also listened to pissed off, fast music. It’s unruly, obnoxious, loud and aggressive - that's the attraction. Skating is dead, the X Games fad has gone (thank fuck!) - time to mop up and destroy all the parks that are now devoid of mums and dads and their ratfink kids. Skating comes in 10 year cycles....thrash comes in 20 year cycles....divide 20 by 10 and that gives you number 2. Two bearings per wheel - plus two times 2 is four, that's four spitfires on my deck and 4 members in SSS! If we’ve done our calculations correctly we get an A+ and a gold star. No apple for teacher though. |
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Short Sharp Shock are:
Foxy – Singer
Magill(Mark) - Bass
Broomo – Guitar
Dave - Drums
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Listen to SSS on MySpace:
www.myspace.com/shortsharpshock |
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