Suicidal Tendencies
By All Music Guide
By All Music Guide
Suicidal Tendencies proved influential for future speed/ hrash metal bands, but despite its early success, the quartets reputation preceded them, as no other record label was willing to take them on (in addition, Los Angeles banned the group from playing around this time, lasting until the early 90s). Not much was heard from the group for several years afterward (leading many to believe that Suicidal had broken up), but Muir and company eventually found a home with Caroline Records. By this time, half of the original lineup had left; Muir and Mayorga were the only holdovers, while guitarist Rocky George and drummer R.J. Herrera rounded out the group. 1987 saw the release of Suicidals sophomore release, Join the Army, which spawned another popular skatepunk anthem, Possessed to Skate, as more and more metal heads began to be spotted in Suicidals audience. Soon after, Suicidal was finally offered a major-label contract (with Epic), as another lineup change occurred: Mayorga exited the band, while newcomer Bob Heathcote took his spot; and a second guitarist, Mike Clark, was added as well. This Suicidal lineups first album together, 1988s How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Cant Even Smile Today, showed that their transformation from hardcore to heavy metal was now complete, as did a compilation of two earlier EPs, 1989s Controlled by Hatred/Feel Like Shit...Déjà Vu.
Suicidals first release of the new decade, 1990s Lights, Camera, Revolution, was another success; its video for the explosive You Cant Bring Me Down received repeated airings on MTVs Headbangers Ball program, while the album (in addition to the Controlled by Hatred comp) would be certified gold in the U.S. a few years later. The release also signaled the arrival of new bassist Robert Trujillo, whose penchant for funk added a new element to the groups sound. The group tried to broaden their audience even further by opening a string of arena shows for prog-metallists Queensrÿche during the summer of 1991. Their next release, 1992s The Art of Rebellion, proved to be one of Suicidals most musically experimental albums of their career. Muir and Trujillo also teamed up around this time for a funk metal side project, Infectious Grooves (including several other participants, such as Janes Addiction drummer Stephen Perkins) and issued a debut release, The Plague That Makes Your Booty Move. Upset that the groups classic debut had been out of print for several years by this point, Muir decided to re-record the entire record with Suicidals 90s lineup under the title of Still Cyco After All These Years.
But after one more release, 1994s Suicidal for Life, Suicidal Tendencies decided to hang it up. A pair of compilations were issued in 1997: a best-of set, Prime Cuts, plus Friends & Family. Muir and Trujillo continued to issue further Infectious Grooves releases (Sarsippius Ark and Groove Family Cyco), in addition to Muir pursuing a solo career under the alias of Cyco Miko (Lost My Brain Once Again) and Trujillo touring and recording as part of Ozzy Osbournes solo band (appearing on Osbournes 2001 release, Down to Earth). Muir formed a new version of Suicidal Tendencies in the late 90s (with Clark being the only other familiar face), resulting in such further studio releases as 1999s Freedumb and 2000s Free Your Soul and Save My Mind. Muir and Trujillo joined forces once more for a fourth Infectious Grooves studio release in 2000, Mas Borracho; while another Cyco Miko release surfaced, Schizophrenic Born Again Problem Child, along with a follow-up up to their earlier compilation, Friends & Family, Vol. 2.
