Boots Up! Braces Down!
Skinheads Still Scare People Put The Boot Back In Boot Party
>>INTERVIEW BY seth gotro >>PIC Courtesy Of koi records

Skinhead music is back in full force as Mike De Lorenzo and Vinnie Value, former members of Warzone and Kill Your Idols, lace up the cherry reds, heading back to their oi! and New York City hardcore roots with a four-song seven-inch. I had a chance to get the brothers to sound off about the album, the music, and skinhead in general.

De Lorenzo and Value have been patrolling the blue line of the Skinhead scene since, well...forever. With the advent of eBay and retail chain market stores like Hot Topic, hard music is constantly being invaded by new acts, and “acts” in every sense of the word. SSSP’s music is geared to the true grit in the scene, the brothers with the scars and the backbone to prove they're worthy of the name skinhead and not to some shithead with money burning a hole in his pocket. Spotting the freshcut in a gaggle of cropped mugs isn't always the easiest.

“[Hardcore] is something that you just know in your heart,” Value says. “I try not to judge people on their appearance because kids all look the same these days. Don’t get me wrong, I can't stand the jerk-offs that go out of their way to be ‘weird’; some of the hardest guys I know look like ‘nerds.’”

The real proof for Value is when the brothers hit the stage and the amps go on. Value continues: “You can just tell a lot of these bands are full of shit when you see their live performance. Just overdoing things a bit too much, there’s no need to spin your guitar around your neck, that is just unacceptable.”

DeLorenzo agreed with his bandmate.

“Any jerk with a credit card can buy a uniform and look a part, whether it be punk, skinhead, black metal psychopath, or, well, anything for that matter. True hardcore, punk, and oi! bands that are driven by emotions and the things they sing about fuel the fire that keeps them going. When you see a band live you can totally see it when they are just going through the motions. I believe those kind of things can come across on a recording as well.”

The seven-inch is being released by KOI Records, and the union between the band and the label is tight. Value and DeLorenzo have been on other labels in the past with their collective bands, but felt that the deal with KOI is helping SSSP stay motivated after all their years in music, and that a positive relationship would translate across the bond between the band and the fans. The positive mood has helped keep these veterans motivated and on-track to successful performances.

“People like Mark at KOI Records, Vinnie Value, and Ron Grimaldi (Deathcycle) keep me motivated,” says DeLorenzo. “[This music] is for people who are involved in the scene out of pure love. Not to be popular, not to prove themselves, but because they love it.”
For Value, when he makes loyal listeners and new recruits think about what they’re hearing, it fuels the fire behind the songs the band writes. That positivity is expounded when he receives feedback after people listen to the record. Staying motivated might be a grind from time to time, but the payoff is worth the effort.

“Honestly, it isn’t easy, but the feedback I get from people who have been involved for a while to the newer kids just getting into the underground has been the heart and soul of my efforts,” he said. “I really enjoy making people think and helping them with the lyrics and music I create — that and I’m still pissed off at a lot going on in the world.”

While hardcore and metal have been caught in an upswing, seeing their scene evolve (often to its detriment) into a more mainstream sound (and target market), skinhead culture has remained, for the most part, unrepentantly the same. That exclusionary sentiment is echoed in the very name of this band.

“It’s such a true statement!” says Value on the name of their latest band. “Whenever the word skinhead is mentioned, people get nervous.”

What skinhead hasn’t had to refute accusations of racism and neo-Nazism simply by showing up at a show? Even freshcuts, straight out of the barber’s chair, are quick to grab skinhead prefixes like “Trad” or “SHARP” or feel obligated to wear the “No Nazis” button on their flight jacket as a way of appeasing Nazi-hunting crust punks, who are more than willing to put the beatdown on any suspected fascist. The truth of it is skinheads police their own scene and purge their ranks of anyone stupid enough to flaunt a swastika patch or button, and are righteously indignant towards anyone calling them a Nazi. DeLorenzo had this to input on the tightly woven, worldwide fraternity: “Andy from KYI said it the best when he stated that skinhead is really one of the only true remaining ‘alternative’ lifestyles,” he states. “There is a lot of history and culture behind it. The roots of the culture really remain a mystery to the masses and that’s a good thing, because I think it keeps a lot of people away from it. There comes a real sense of pride with calling yourself skinhead — unless you go rockabilly. That’s where skinheads go to die,” he adds, laughing.

When SSSP recorded seven songs, they had no idea that they were going to be putting out a record at all. Positive reviews are rolling in as old fans and new-jacks alike tune in to the aggressive, stripped down sound.

“We were psyched to record the seven-inch and it seems to have been pretty well received. The reviews I have read have been really good, and I have gotten a lot of positive feedback from people I know, as well as people who have stumbled across the Myspace page. I'm really proud of the record,” said DeLorenzo.

One last thing: If you think that skinheads are drunken louts with nothing but booze and aggro on their minds, think again — SSSP are involved with animal rights activism and are devout vegans. Got a problem with that? Take it up with these two bruisers and you’re barking up the wrong tree.

“I haven't eaten meat in 15 years,” DeLorenzo states matter-of-factly. “I am vegan. Without getting on a soapbox, I will simply state that I do not believe in the abuse and murder of animals. I feel more compassion towards animals in general than I do for the human race.”

Value echoes that sentiment, and took a jab at the usual barbs thrown at vegans.
“I am a vegetarian; I think a lot of people just go through life without thinking. I really think if people were more informed about animal abuse and the health issues involved, there would be a lot more of us out there,” he says. “I’m Italian, for Christ sake, my family eats rabbit on Easter. If I had a dime for every time someone said, ‘I can’t believe you don’t eat...’ or, ‘Well, where do you get your protein?’ I’d be a rich man.”
Look for SSSP to strike terror into your heart as they play local shows to support the record. No touring plans as of yet, but don't let that stop you from checking them out at www.koirecords.com.