24-7 Spyz

24-7 Spyz is a band from the South Bronx, New York, formed in 1986. The band is best known for mixing soul, funk, reggae, and R&B with heavy metal and punk. 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.

In 2005, the band released a limited edition DVD titled HMS4L: The Many Lives of Walter Rattamus 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, they 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?.

Other Information

• Origin: South Bronx, New York, United States
• Genres: Experimental rock, Post-punk, Funk metal, Alternative metal
• Years active: 1986–present
• Labels: Gumbo Recording Company, In-Effect Records, EastWest America Records, What Are Records
• Website: http://www.24-7spyz.com
• Members:

1. Jimi Hazel – guitar, vocals
2. Rick Skatore – bass
3. Tobias Ralph – drums

Releases

• Harder Than You (1989)
• Gumbo Millennium (1990)
• This is…24-7 Spyz! (1991) – EP
• 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)
• If I Could (1997) – EP
• HMS4L: The Many Lives of Walter Rattamus (2005 – band restrospective 1986-2004) – DVD
• Face the Day (2006)
• Can You Hear the Sound? (2006, recorded live in 1998) – Live
• Face the Day (remastered) (2009)

Links

• 24-7 Spyz – Official Site
• 24-7 Spyz – Official Forum
• 24-7 Spyz – MySpace
• 24-7 Spyz – What Are Records
• 24-7 Spyz – Wikipedia

~ by molco on December 28, 2010.