The Suicide Machines | |
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![]() Singer Jason Navarro performing with the Suicide Machines in 2005 | |
Background information | |
Origin | Detroit, Michigan, United States |
Genres | |
Years active | 1991–2006, 2009–present |
Labels | Hollywood, Side One Dummy, Fat Wreck Chords, Noise Riot, Bad Time Records |
Members | Jason Navarro Ryan Vandeberghe Rich Tschirhart Justin Malek |
Past members | Jason Brake Dan Lukacinsky Stefan Rairigh Bill Jennings Derek Grant Dave Smith Royce Nunley Erin Pitman |
The Suicide Machines are an American punk rock band formed in March 1991 in Detroit, Michigan. During the course of their career, the band has released seven full-length albums on the labels Hollywood Records, Side One Dummy Records and Fat Wreck Chords, as well as several EPs and singles. They have experienced lineup changes over the years, all with founding member Jason Navarro as lead singer and front man. The contemporary lineup includes Ryan Vandeberghe on drums, Rich Tschirhart on bass and Justin Malek on guitar.
The band's musical style initially blended elements of punk rock, ska, and hardcore into genres popularly known as ska punk and ska-core, which characterized their first two albums. After a brief foray in a more radio friendly direction, they shifted back towards their mid-1990s style, bringing back ska punk, as well as a heavier ferocity with strong political overtones that draws from early hardcore punk.
The Suicide Machines have achieved a high level of underground recognition through relentless touring, including multiple performances on the Warped Tour, Riot Fest and for many years their annual hometown Black Christmas festivals.
In 2019, the band entered Marc Jacob Hudson's Rancho Recordo, with producer Roger Lima of Less Than Jake to record a new full-length album, Revolution Spring. The album was released March 27, 2020, via Fat Wreck Chords. [1] A music video, "To Play Caesar (Is To Be Stabbed To Death)" from the Revolution Spring album was released in 2020 as well.
In 2022, the band released a split 12" with Japanese band Coquettish, entitled "Gebo Gomi" on Bad Time Records.
The Suicide Machines formed in 1991 in Detroit, Michigan, under the original name Jack Kevorkian and the Suicide Machines. The band's original lineup consisted of Jason Navarro on vocals, Dan Lukacinsky on guitar, Jason Brake on bass guitar, and Stefan Rairigh on drums] This lineup lasted a year until Bill Jennings replaced Rairigh, but he was soon replaced by Derek Grant. They recorded the band's first demos The Essential Kevorkian and Green World in 1993 and 1994, both released through their own label Sluggo's Old Skool Records. They also released the "Vans Song" 7-inch single on Youth Rendition Records. Brake left the group in 1994 and was briefly replaced by Dave Smith until Royce Nunley joined on bass. The lineup of Navarro, Lukacinsky, Nunley, and Grant would last for the next four years. This lineup reduced the band's name to the Suicide Machines and recorded the Skank for Brains split album with the Rudiments.
In 1995 the band signed to Hollywood Records. 1996 saw the release of their first album, Destruction by Definition . Its blend of punk rock and ska brought them national attention in the midst of the mid-1990s punk rock mainstream revival. The single "No Face" became a minor hit on modern rock radio stations and the album was supported through extensive touring across the United States. They released a follow-up in 1998 entitled Battle Hymns , which continued their ska punk style while incorporating more aggressive elements of hardcore punk and sociopolitical lyrics, with nearly all of its songs lasting under two minutes in length.
Following the release of Battle Hymns Grant left the band. He went on to play with numerous groups including Thoughts of Ionesco, the Vandals, Face to Face, and Telegraph before finding a permanent position in the Alkaline Trio. He was replaced by Erin Pitman for some touring before new permanent drummer Ryan Vandeberghe joined. In 2000 this lineup released The Suicide Machines , a more hard rock–oriented effort that moved away from the ska influences of their earlier releases. They received some radio and video play for the single "Sometimes I Don't Mind" and performed on the Warped Tour that summer. In 2001 they released Steal This Record , which continued their exploration of pop punk style while mixing in elements of their earlier ska punk and hardcore albums.
Following touring in support of Steal This Record bassist Nunley left the Suicide Machines to start his own band, Blueprint 76, and was replaced by Rich Tschirhart. The band also ended their contract with Hollywood Records, fulfilling their contractual obligations by releasing the compilation album The Least Worst of the Suicide Machines . They then moved to the independent label Side One Dummy Records. Their next album A Match and Some Gasoline , released in 2003, found the band abandoning the pop experimentations of their previous two albums and returning more to the ska punk and hardcore styles of their earlier years. They also continued exploring sociopolitical themes in songs such as "Did You Ever Get a Feeling of Dread?" and "Your Silence," which were critical of President George W. Bush's administration, its response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. They toured internationally in support of the album and again performed on the Warped Tour.
In 2005 the band released the album War Profiteering is Killing Us All , which continued their political themes by openly attacking the Bush White House, the continuation of the Iraq War, and conservative Republicanism. Navarro also launched his own record label, Noise Riot Records, and released On the Eve of Destruction: 1991-1995 , a compilation of the band's early EPs, singles, and demos.
In 2006, while touring in support of War Profiteering is Killing Us All, the band abruptly broke up. Explanations given by the band members for this included Vandeberghe's desire to take a break from touring, which he did while friend Steve McCrumb filled for a performance at the Troubadour in Los Angeles on May 11. A tour of Mexico had been planned to follow this, and Navarro had suggested that the band perform its final shows that Christmas. However, interpersonal tensions came to a head after the Troubadour show when Lukacinsky refused to finish the tour. Lukacinsky himself further elaborated that the band had been planning to break up for some time. [2]
Following the band's breakup Navarro and Vandeberghe continued working with Left in Ruin, a band they had started as a Suicide Machines side project and had worked on and off with for almost 6 years. Vandeberghe also joined the new band Hifi Handgrenades, and Tschirhart joined the band soon after. Later, Tschirhart formed another band called the A-Gang with former Mest drummer Nick Gigler. Lukacinsky, meanwhile, started his own band Bayonetting the Wounded, who broke up after a few demo recordings. He then moved to Japan and formed the One Thought Moment. Early in 2008, Navarro formed another Detroit band, Hellmouth, in which he was back on lead vocals. In 2011, Navarro formed a new band called Break Anchor. Bassist Rich Tschirhart also went on to form Bastardous with former Mest drummer, Nick Gigler. In 2013, drummer Ryan Vandeberghe teamed up with current and former members of Telegraph, Hellmouth, Hifi Handgrenades, ForDireLifeSake, and others to form the band Rebel Spies.
The Suicide Machines as a band were dormant for 3 years. Always willing to play benefits for various social activist causes, they reunited in 2009.
In late 2009, the Suicide Machines, with Hellmouth drummer Justin Malek replacing Lukacinsky on guitar, reformed for a benefit concert in Detroit. [3]
On July 24, 2010, the Suicide Machines performed at St. Andrews Hall in Detroit. In October, the Suicide Machines performed at The Fest 9. [4] On October 8, 2011, the Suicide Machines played Riot Fest 2011 in Chicago, as well as further shows throughout 2011.
The Suicide Machines played shows in Rochester, NY [5] on May 19, followed by a performance at Pouzza Fest 2012, which took place May 18–20 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. [6]
Throughout 2012, 2013, and 2014, the band continued to play shows around the U.S., including their annual Black Christmas fests that they headline in their native Detroit each December.
On August 16, 2014, the Suicide Machines headlined with Lower Class Brats, Suburban Legends and Morning Glory for the Summergrind 2014 [7] show in Denver, Colorado.
In April 2015, the band embarked on a two-week tour of the midwestern and east coast United States with former drummer Derek Grant, performing their 1996 album, 'Destruction By Definition', in its entirety at all shows.
The band played the Vans Warped Tour that summer for four dates: Cuyahoga Falls, Cincinnati, Noblesville, and Auburn Hills. On May 18, 2017, it was announced that the Suicide Machines would be headlining the New Generation of Ska Festival in Seoul, South Korea on August 19. [8]
The band played a show with the Code on May 25, 2018, in Lawrenceville, PA and announced that they were working on new material, and would return with a new record. They performed some of the new songs at Black Christmas in Detroit in December 2018. The band played local shows throughout the year and occasionally did short tours and one-off shows overseas. The band's final live performance before the global pandemic shutdown was a benefit for the charity Food Not Class in January 2020.
For seven consecutive years, the Suicide Machines hosted and headlined multi-band shows at The Majestic Complex in Detroit around the holidays.
In early 2020 Fat Wreck Chords announced the band's new album, Revolution Spring, would be released on March 27, 2020. [9] On March 25, 2020, a stream of the album was posted to YouTube. Unfortunately, the onset of the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic prevented the band from touring to support the new release.
During the shutdown, the band instead filmed and streamed "The Suicide Machines Devil's Night 2020" on YouTube.
The band returned to live in person performance in July 2021 with another benefit for the Food Not Class charity.
In October 2021, they performed a Halloween themed show at Detroit City Distillery to celebrate the release of their Suicide Machines' signature bourbon, Well Whiskey Wishes.
2022 saw the Suicide Machines touring the UK and United States, including dates on the traveling Punk In Drublic music and craft beer festival. They also released a split 12" Gebo Gomi with Japanese band Coquettish, on Bad Time Records.
On September 8, 2023, the band celebrated the 20th Anniversary of the release of A Match & Some Gasoline with a deluxe vinyl LP reissue of the original CD.
The Suicide Machines discography | |
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Studio albums | 7 |
Compilation albums | 2 |
Music videos | 6 |
EPs | 3 |
Singles | 4 |
Demos the essential Kevorkian | 2 |
Other appearances | 4 |
The discography of the Suicide Machines consists of seven studio albums, one split album, two compilation albums, three EPs, four singles, two demos, and six music videos.
Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||
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US | ||||
Billboard 200 [10] [11] | Heatseekers [10] | |||
1996 | Destruction by Definition [12] | — | 32 | |
1998 | Battle Hymns [13]
| 127 | 3 | |
2000 | The Suicide Machines [14]
| 188 | 11 | |
2001 | Steal This Record [15]
| — | — | |
2003 | A Match and Some Gasoline [16]
| — | — | |
2005 | War Profiteering Is Killing Us All [17]
| — | — | |
2020 | Revolution Spring
| — | — | |
"—" denotes releases that did not chart. |
Year | Album details | |||
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2022 | Gebo Gomi with Coquettish
| — | — | |
"—" denotes releases that did not chart. |
Year | Album details |
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2002 | The Least Worst of the Suicide Machines [18] |
2006 | On the Eve of Destruction: 1991-1995 [19]
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Year | Song | Director | Album |
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1996 | "No Face" | Destruction By Definition | |
"S.O.S." | |||
1998 | "Give" | Battle Hymns | |
2000 | "Sometimes I Don't Mind" | The Suicide Machines | |
2003 | "Keep It a Crime" | Matthew Stawski [20] | A Match and Some Gasoline |
2005 | "War Profiteering Is Killing Us All" [21] | Matthew Stawski | War Profiteering Is Killing Us All |
2020 | "To Play Caesar (Is To Be Stabbed To Death)" | David Dominic Jr. | Revolution Spring |
Year | Release details |
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1996 | Skank for Brains [22] |
1998 | Live! Live! Live! [23]
|
2003 | The Suicide Machines / Potshot
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Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album |
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US | |||
Modern Rock [24] [25] | |||
1993 | "Vans Song" | — | |
1997 | "No Face" | 31 | Destruction By Definition |
1998 | "Give" [26] | — | Battle Hymns |
2000 | "Sometimes I Don't Mind" | 22 | The Suicide Machines |
"—" denotes releases that did not chart. "n/a" denotes singles that are not from albums. |
Year | Release details |
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1993 | The Essential Kevorkian
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1994 | Green World
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The following songs by The Suicide Machines were released on compilation and tribute albums. This is not an exhaustive list; songs that were first released on the band's albums, EPs, and singles are not included.
Year | Release details | Track |
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1999 | Anti-Racist Action [27] |
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Before You Were Punk 2 [28]
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| |
2001 | Plea for Peace: Take Action [29]
|
|
2002 | The Giant Rock'n'Roll Swindle
|
|
2007 | Our Impact Will Be Felt [30]
|
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2015 | Punk Rock Christmas
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2020 | Ska Against Racism
|
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Battle Hymns is the second album by the Detroit, Michigan punk rock band The Suicide Machines, released in 1998 by Hollywood Records. It was the band's last album with drummer Derek Grant, who left the group the following year. The album's musical direction continued the band's style of ska punk but moved in more of a hardcore direction, with most songs lasting under two minutes in and consisting of fast, aggressive musicianship and vocals. A music video was filmed for the single "Give" and the song was featured in the Disney Channel motion picture Brink! The album peaked at No. 127 on the Billboard 200.
Destruction by Definition is the debut album by the Detroit, Michigan, punk rock band the Suicide Machines, released in 1996 by Hollywood Records. It was the band's first full-length album and established their presence in the mid-1990s punk rock mainstream revival alongside the third wave ska movement. The album's musical style blends elements of hardcore punk and ska, which contributed to the band's style being described as ska punk or "skacore." Music videos were filmed for the singles "No Face" and "S.O.S.," with "No Face" reaching #31 on Billboard's Modern Rock charts while "New Girl" was featured on the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater soundtrack, alongside “No Face” and “S.O.S.” being featured in the soundtrack for the PlayStation fighting game Vs. “Break The Glass” was also featured in the soundtrack to the film An American Werewolf in Paris.
The Suicide Machines is the third album by the American punk rock band the Suicide Machines, released in 2000 by Hollywood Records. It was the band's first album with drummer Ryan Vandeberghe, replacing Derek Grant who had left the group before the release of 1998's 'Battle Hymns'. The album's musical direction shifted away from the ska punk and hardcore styles of their previous albums and exhibited heavy pop influence, leading many to classify the album as pop punk and alternative rock. A music video was filmed for the single "Sometimes I Don't Mind", which reached No. 22 on Billboard's Modern Rock charts. The album itself ranked at No. 188 on the Billboard 200.
Steal This Record is the fourth studio album by the Detroit, Michigan punk rock band the Suicide Machines, released in 2001 by Hollywood Records. It was the band's last album for the Hollywood label, as they moved to Side One Dummy Records the following year. It was also their last album with longtime bassist Royce Nunley, who left the group in 2002.
A Match and Some Gasoline is the fifth album by the Detroit, Michigan punk rock band The Suicide Machines, released in 2003 by Side One Dummy Records. It was the band's first album for the Side One Dummy label, after their departure from Hollywood Records the previous year. It was also their first album to include bassist Rich Tschirhart, replacing longtime member Royce Nunley who had left the group in 2002. The album's musical direction returned the band to the ska punk and hardcore styles of their first two albums, almost completely abandoning the pop punk style they had incorporated into their previous two releases. A music video was filmed for the single “Keep It A Crime”. The song “High Anxiety” appeared on the soundtrack of Tony Hawk’s Underground 2.
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The Least Worst of the Suicide Machines is a compilation album by the Detroit, Michigan punk rock band The Suicide Machines, released in 2002 by Hollywood Records. It has tracks from all of the band's albums on the Hollywood label: Destruction by Definition (1996), Battle Hymns (1998), The Suicide Machines (2000), and Steal This Record (2001). It also includes several previously unreleased bonus tracks. The album was released shortly after the band had left the Hollywood label and signed with Side One Dummy Records.
On the Eve of Destruction: 1991–1995 is a compilation album by the Detroit, Michigan punk rock band The Suicide Machines, released in 2005 by Noise Riot Records. It collects nearly all the tracks from the band's early releases, including The Essential Kevorkian and Green World demos, the "Vans Song" single, and other demos and rare tracks. Several of the songs were re-recorded for the band's debut album Destruction by Definition in 1996 but appear here in early, rawer forms. It was the first release from Noise Riot, a label founded by Suicide Machines singer Jason Navarro. It was the band's final release prior to their break up, lasting from 2006 to 2009, but a new album, Revolution Spring has since been released in 2020.
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