24-7 Spyz

Infobox musical artist |
Name = 24-7 Spyz


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Img_size = 100px
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Background = group_or_band
Origin = flagicon|USA South Bronx, New York, USA
Genre = Experimental rock
Heavy metal
Post-punk
Hardcore punk
Funk metal
Years_active = 1986 – 1998, 2003 – present
Label =
URL = http://www.24-7spyz.com
Current_members = Jimi Hazel
Rick Skatore
Tobias Ralph
Past_members = P. Fluid
Anthony Johnson
Jeff Brodnax
Joel Maitoza
Tony Lewis
Matt Martin
Kindu Phibes

24-7 Spyz (pronounced "twenty-four-seven spies") are a band from the South Bronx, New York City, formed in 1986, originally consisting of Jimi Hazel (guitar), Rick Skatore (bass), Kindu Phibes (drums), and P. Fluid (real name, Peter Forrest) (vocals). The band is best known for mixing soul, funk, reggae, and R&B with heavy metal and punk music. The fact that they are African Americans playing variations of heavy metal led critics to compare them to bands such as Living Colour and Bad Brains. Though they were pioneers in the fusion of these particular music styles, influencing many bands, they have never achieved substantial commercial success. After several lineup changes, the band broke up in 1998, but reformed in 2003 before releasing their first new album of original material in over a decade in 2006.

Early Days

Upon their formation in 1986, the band immediately earned a dedicated following in New York due to the eclectic mix of their music. The band would switch gears from Motown and soul sounds with lush vocal harmonies to violent heavy metal and punk with ease, sometimes several times within the course of one song. The band was frequently compared to Living Colour, another all-black quartet from New York City that played heavy metal. Although Living Colour's sound was more commercially accessible (a trait that led to their surge in popularity), the Spyz musical output was much more diverse, some would say to a fault, in that it contained several different styles of music and many quick tempo changes and odd time signatures.

In-Effect Records

In 1988, In-Effect Records, a subsidiary of Relativity, signed the band, which, by now, included new drummer Anthony Johnson, and released their debut album, the genre-hopping "Harder Than You", produced by Bob Musso and Jimi Hazel, in December 1989. The first single was a cover of the Kool & The Gang song "Jungle Boogie." Critics and fans took notice of the band's left-wing political stanceFact|date=December 2007 and the unique and original sound of their tight-knit, high-energy music. The album sold 300,000 units due to non-stop touring worldwide and became an underground hit. It remains a pioneering classic in the rock/funk/hip hop genre made popular by such bands as 311, Limp Bizkit, and Kid Rock. The video for "Jungle Boogie" holds the dubious distinction of being the first video on MTV to air on the specialty shows "120 Minutes", "Yo! MTV Raps", "Hard 60", and "Headbanger's Ball".

The band's second album, 1990's "Gumbo Millennium", produced by Jimi Hazel and Tom Soares, was once again released through In-Effect Records. The album was much softer than the previous effort, focusing mostly on clean guitar and lush R&B harmonies and grooves although it still contained elements of thrash metal and punk. The first single, "Don't Break My Heart!," while commercially viable, failed to receive radio airplay. Regardless, the album sold over 300,000 units once again due to massive amounts of touring and proved to be an underground success. It soon brought the attention of several major labels. The band were soon opening for Jane's Addiction on the "Ritual De Lo Habitual" tour. The tour brought the band to a new audience but their growing success could not halt the sudden departure of Anthony Johnson and P. Fluid. While Johnson desired to return to school and his girlfriend, Fluid wanted to start his own band, the "P. Fluid Foundation." Fluid made the announcement of his departure during the band's live performance on the final date of the Jane's Addiction tour. Allegedly, he had not made it known to his bandmates beforehand. As a result of the departures, the band dropped out of a planned co-headlining tour with Suicidal Tendencies.

EastWest America

Despite the loss of two of the band's four members, Rick Skatore and Jimi Hazel decided to continue on. After playing with Cro-Mags and Bad Brains drummer Mackie Jayson on a temporary basis, Hazel and Skatore hired drummer Joel Maitoza along with vocalist Jeff Brodnax. The new lineup received rave reviews and the band was soon signed to EastWest America records, a division of Atlantic Records headed by Sylvia Rhone. The company tested the marketability of the new Spyz by releasing a five-song EP entitled "This is...24-7 Spyz!", produced by Jimi Hazel and Bruce Calder in 1991.

In 1992, the band received their largest commercial exposure by appearing in a Budweiser television commercial that aired for the first five months of the year. Soon after, the hour-long "Strength In Numbers" album, produced by Terry Date and Jimi Hazel, was released and proved to be the band's most critically acclaimed release to date. The album saw the band depart from its New York hardcore roots to concentrate more on heavy metal and soul. Unfortunately, at the time, popular music was shifting away from musical dexterity and towards the simplicity of grunge music. The album's single, "Break The Chains," received minor radio airplay and MTV exposure but Sylvia Rhone, president of EastWest America, pulled the label's support before dropping the band in the midst of what many feel was their creative peak. To add insult to injury, the label only pressed 18,000 pieces and allotted 2,000 for press purposes, thus making the disc widely unavailable almost immediately.

Disillusioned, the band members began working on other musical projects. Hazel and Skatore looked to form a new band, Black Angus, with Follow for Now drummer Bernard "Enrique" Coley. The Black Angus sessions were eventually recorded with drummer and longtime friend Carlton Smith of the Royal Crescent Mob. Maitoza formed Shockhead with vocalist Joseph McCraw and Nixons bassist Ricky Wolking, recording one disc, entitled "Television", which was produced by Jimi Hazel. Brodnax concentrated on his band, Egypt.

The Enemy Label

When Hazel and Skatore discovered how popular the original lineup still remained in Europe, they reunited with Anthony Johnson and P. Fluid, now performing as Forrest (his real last name) to release "Temporarily Disconnected", produced by Jimi Hazel. The album was released exclusively in Europe by the Enemy label, and was followed by a quick tour of the continent before Johnson and Fluid left the band once more.

Alternate versions of the next studio album were released in 1996. In March, "6", produced by Jimi Hazel, was released exclusively in Europe through the Enemy label. The album contained covers of The Association's "Along Comes Mary" and Love's "7 and 7 Is." The album was titled "6" due to it being the sixth release by the band.

In September 1996, What Are Records released "Heavy Metal Soul by the Pound", the American version of "6". The track listing would remain almost identical to "6" with the exception of the removal of "Along Comes Mary" and "7 and 7 Is" and the additions of "Earth And Sky" and "Save The World" as replacements.

Both versions of the album saw the band returning as a trio with Jimi Hazel on guitar and lead vocals, Rick Skatore on bass and Joel Maitoza returning to the drums for the first time in four years. Two tracks recorded before Maitoza's return featured guest drummer Carlton Smith of Royal Crescent Mob. Additional vocals were contributed by Doug Pinnick of King's X for the songs "Love And Peace" and "Yeah X 3".

The next release was the "If I Could" EP, available exclusively through their fan club and featuring remixes and live performances of several songs. In 1998, a disagreement between Hazel and Skatore led to the dissolution of 24-7 Spyz.

olo albums and Reformation

In 2000, Hazel co-wrote several songs for a band named Crime, who were using the material to shop for labels. Skatore re-emerged in 2001, playing bass in a band named Blockk 16. The band's first release, "Too Brutal For Radio", would feature guest appearances by Savatage guitarist Chris Caffrey and Spread Eagle vocalist Ray West. After the release of the album, Skatore suffered from a collapsed lung. Despite prior disagreements, Hazel came to the aid of his friend by performing together as 24-7 Spyz for a benefit concert at New York City's CBGB's. Proceeds from the show went towards Skatore's medical bills.

In 2002, Hazel released his first solo CD, "21stCenturySouthBronxRockStar" on his own label, The Gumbo Recording Company. It was followed by the formation of Maitoza's new band, Crown 10, in May of 2003. 2003 also saw Hazel and Skatore reunite for a second CBGB's performance with Tony Lewis on drums. Later that year, Hazel and Skatore would announce the official re-formation of 24-7 Spyz. In 2005, the band released a limited edition DVD titled "" through their website. The DVD tells the history of the band through the various incarnations and also includes commentary from Jimi Hazel and Rick Skatore.

In 2006, the band released "Face the Day", with new drummer Tobias Ralph, through The Gumbo Recording Company label. The disc was produced by Jimi Hazel and Ron Thal (aka Bumblefoot of Guns N' Roses) and was the first 24-7-Spyz studio album in a decade. Shortly thereafter, the band released a live performance from 1998 as a digital download and CD titled "Can You Hear the Sound?".

Whereabouts of Former Members

Anthony Johnson re-emerged as a drummer for Ben Folds during a tour supporting Folds' solo album, "Rockin' the Suburbs". In 2005, he made an appearance on the self-titled, five song release by Lost Tricks, a band fronted by actor Trevor Oswalt.

P. Fluid and the P. Fluid Foundation played clubs in and around New York City but never released an album. Shortly after leaving 24-7 Spyz for the second time, P. Fluid, now using the name Forrest Thinner, formed Blkvampires. The band eventually released a five song EP titled "The Collector's Item" through the [http://www.catchafire.com/sto/music/product_music.asp?ProductID=2 Catch A Fire] website. The five songs had previously been recorded by 24-7 Spyz and released on "Temporarily Disconnected". A decade after the band's formation, the New York City based band released one [http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/blkvampires self titled album] compiling seven old unreleased tracks as well as the five songs previously included on the "The Collector's Item" EP. The band remains active in 2008.

Joel Maitoza has played drums/percussion on 17 albums including Crown 10, Shockhead, Don Lithgow, Seventrain and Kerry Conally as well as many other acts. He remains heavily involved in session work and producing. From 2000-2006, Joel managed the thrash-groove metal act Brick Bath on the Pavement/Crash Music label. They released three CDs worldwide (I Wont Live the Lie, Rebuilt and American Currency). In 2007, Joel started working with guitarist Christophe Godin from France and plans on releasing their new album in early 2008 as well as a new solo project.

During Jeff Brodnax's time with Egypt, the band released two albums, "Drowning in the Promised Land" and "Soul Hammer". The singer has since released an album titled "Acoustic EP" and continues to tour in support of it.

Discography

tudio Albums

*"Harder Than You" (1989)
*"Gumbo Millennium" (1990)
*"Strength in Numbers" (1992)
*"Temporarily Disconnected" (1995)
*"6" (alternate version released in America as "Heavy Metal Soul by the Pound") (1996)
*"Heavy Metal Soul by the Pound" (alternate version released in Europe as "6") (1996)
*"Face the Day" (2006)

Live Albums

*"Can You Hear the Sound?" (2006, recorded live in 1998)

EPs

*"This is...24-7 Spyz!" (1991)
*"If I Could" (1997)

DVDs

*"" (2005 - band restrospective 1986-2004)

External links

* [http://24-7spyz.com 24-7 Spyz]
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* [http://www.catchafire.com/sto/music/product_music.asp?ProductID=2 P. Fluid's 5 song EP]
* [http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/blkvampires P. Fluid's new band Blkvampires]