Sick of It All

  • New York, NY
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  • 1985
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About Sick of It All


Formed by brothers Lou and Pete Koller in the mid-'80s, Sick of It All became a seminal band in the New York City hardcore scene. While remaining true to their roots and without compromising their style, Sick of It All progressed from an indie band with a strong live following to a major-label act touring with the likes of Helmet and Rancid. Sick of It All remained a vital influence on the hardcore scene. They released Built to Last in early 1997 to critical acclaim and an expanding audience.

The brothers came up with the band's bluntly expressive name in their parents' basement in 1984. SOIA's original lineup -- with Lou on vocals, Pete on guitar, Rich Cipriano on bass, and Arman Majidi on drums -- released an initial self-titled EP in 1987 on the independent Revelation label. After playing N.Y.C. clubs like CBGB and building a strong local following, SOIA released, on the Combat label, their first album, Blood Sweat & No Tears, a collection of 19 songs of intense energy, 17 of which clocked in at less than two minutes. Following the release of the album, SOIA embarked on their first national tour. Majidi left during the tour to work with Rest in Pieces and was replaced by Max Capshaw. Majidi rejoined to record the We Stand Alone EP, which was released in early 1991 on the Relativity label. Neither Majidi nor Cipriano played with the Koller brothers on the tour preceding the release; Eddie Coen substituted on bass, plus E.K. on drums.

SOIA recorded and released Just Look Around for Relativity in 1992 with the original lineup intact, and then Cipriano left for good prior to an international tour that brought SOIA to Europe and Japan. Craig Setari came on to play bass and to establish the lineup that remained intact into the new millennium. Just Look Around was instrumental in revitalizing the declining N.Y.C. hardcore scene. SOIA left the Relativity label after the release of the album, citing dissatisfaction with the efforts of the indie label. They released Scratch the Surface in 1994 on the Eastwest label, facing accusations of selling out from fans and industry members.

Two releases in 1995 on the Lost & Found label -- a live album entitled Live in a World Full of Hate and a collection of early recordings, Spreading the Hardcore Reality -- bridged the gap between the releases of Scratch the Surface and Built to Last, which was released on the Elektra label. During that time, SOIA continued to tour extensively, including visits to South and Central America.

SOIA have suffered from associations with violence. Frequent fights at early shows gave them the unwanted and unfounded image of condoning violence. The bandmembers have attempted to disassociate the group from the violent acts of their fans. In the early '90s, Wayne Lo, a Massachusetts prep student, shot and killed several classmates while wearing a Sick of It All T-shirt, and The New York Times granted space to the bandmembers to issue a statement of vindication, in which they explained how Lo had misinterpreted their lyrics. Rolling Stone also ran an editorial in defense of the band. "Goatless," a song on Scratch the Surface, is inspired by the episode.

SOIA's steady progression has been colored by numerous accusations of selling out. The band once debated the pseudo-anarchist band Born Against live on N.Y.U. radio about that very subject. The band generally dismisses any such accusations. Only in recent years have the members of the group been able to give up their "day jobs." They are not overly concerned about their image, and in fact have stated in interviews that they have no image. They are more concerned about writing music inspired by real events in their own lives, and performing it with more emphasis on impact and energy than on melody.

Still going strong into the new millennium, Sick of It All returned with their second release on Fat Wreck Chords, Yours Truly, in the fall of 2000. Next came the band documentary video The Story So Far in 2001, their contribution to Fat's Live in a Dive series (2002), the studio album Life on the Ropes (2003), and the B-sides collection Outtakes for the Outcast (2004). Marking 20 years together in 2006, they began the year in the U.K. with Dropkick Murphys before their ninth full-length, Death to Tyrants, dropped in April on Abacus. The band spent the next four years touring, and finally returned with its ninth album, Based on a True Story, in April of 2010. The following year, Sick of It All celebrated their 25th anniversary with Nonstop, which featured the band re-recording some of its classic songs with producer Tue Madsen at the helm in the studio. ~ Nick Kemper, Rovi

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Music

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  • Take the Night Off
    sick-of-it-all
    Video
    Take the Night Off
  • 77
    SoundStream
    SoundStream
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    0:00
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    All the music you want, just 10 bucks a month. Try it free.
    • What's Goin' On
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/9/6/5/4/6/107064569.mp3
    • Just Look Around
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/3/5/5/3/4/107943553.mp3
    • We Stand Alone
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/1/6/9/2/4/107942961.mp3
    • Survival Of The Fittest
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g2/4/3/6/3/7/891773634.mp3
    • B.S. Justice
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/6/4/4/0/0/107100446.mp3
    • Clobberin' Time
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g2/0/1/4/5/1/929515410.mp3

Photos

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  • Sick of It All
    Courtesy of Fat Wreck Chords
  • Sick of It All

News

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  • Sick of It All
    Omar Rodriguez-Lopez on Bosnian Rainbows and His Emotional Last Year
    MTV Hive
    May 21, 2013
    Omar Rodriguez-Lopez's former bands the Mars Volta and At the Drive-In are the sort of acts that fans get tattoos of. But unlike the permanent na...
    Read More
  • Sick of It All
    8 Best Moments of Hangout Music Festival
    MTV Hive
    May 20, 2013
    Hangout Music Festival 2013 is a wrap, and we have plenty to show for it besides sand-filled suitcases and sunburned noses. Hive was on the ground al...
    Read More
  • Sick of It All
    Chrissy Teigen Dives Into Macklemore Crowd At Hangout And It's F***ing Awesome
    VH1 Tuner
    May 18, 2013
    We know you wish you were in the crowd during Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ' amazing high-energy set at Hangout. But we've got the next best thing. VH1's ...
    Read More
  • Sick of It All
    VH1's Weekly Wrap-Up: The Greatest Moments From The Week In TV
    VH1 Blog
    May 17, 2013
    From Traci lashing out at Drew on Love & Hip Hop Atlanta to the Grand River Singers surprising Rob and Tim with a romantic dinner on Off...
    Read More
  • Sick of It All
    Bibio's Five Artists You Should Obsess Over Right Now
    MTV Hive
    May 15, 2013
    For British experimental composer Bibio , his music has a direct connection to seasonal change. “It affects me a lot,” he says. And he's rather forth...
    Read More

Tour Dates

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  • Jun 12 Wednesday
    Toronto, ON, Canada Echo Beach at Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
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  • Jun 13 Thursday
    London, ON, Canada Call The Office
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  • Jun 14 Friday
    Montebello, QC, Canada Montebello Marina
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  • Jun 15 Saturday
    Montebello, QC, Canada Montebello Marina
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  • Jun 21 Friday
    Clisson, France Unknown venue
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  • Jun 22 Saturday
    Paris, France La Bellevilloise
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  • Jun 23 Sunday
    Schweinfurt, Germany Kulturhaus Stattbahnhof
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  • Jun 25 Tuesday
    Milan, Italy The Factory
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  • Jun 27 Thursday
    Montabaur, Germany Flugplatz
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  • Jun 27 Thursday
    Vienna, Austria Szene Wien
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  • Jun 30 Sunday
    Hengelo, Netherlands Metropool
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  • Jul 2 Tuesday
    Cologne, Germany Underground
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  • Jul 2 Tuesday
    Essen, Germany Turock
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  • Jul 3 Wednesday
    Dordrecht, Netherlands Bibelot Main Stage
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  • Jul 5 Friday
    Augsburg, Germany Kantine
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  • Aug 8 Thursday
    Philadelphia, PA, US The Electric Factory
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  • Aug 10 Saturday
    Montreal, QC, Canada Parc Jean Drapeau
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  • Aug 11 Sunday
    Philadelphia, PA, US The Electric Factory
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  • Aug 11 Sunday
    Philadelphia, PA, US The Electric Factory
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  • Aug 20 Tuesday
    Hannover, Germany Faust
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  • Aug 22 Thursday
    Charleville-Mézières, France Stade Bayard
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  • Aug 23 Friday
    Leeds, UK Leeds Festival, Bramham Park
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  • Aug 23 Friday
    Reading, UK Richfield Avenue
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  • Aug 25 Sunday
    Charleville-Mézières, France Stade Bayard
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  • Aug 30 Friday
    Cologne, Germany Underground
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Discography

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Next Page
  • Nonstop (2011)
    Sick of It All
    Nonstop (2011)
    Century Media
  • Based on a True Story (2010)
    Sick of It All
    Based on a True Story (2010)
    Nuclear Blast
  • Death to Tyrants (2006)
    Sick of It All
    Death to Tyrants (2006)
    Phantom Import Distribution
  • Life on the Ropes (2003)
    Sick of It All
    Life on the Ropes (2003)
    Fat Wreck Chords
  • Live in a Dive (2002)
    Sick of It All
    Live in a Dive (2002)
    Fat Wreck Chords
  • Yours Truly (2000)
    Sick of It All
    Yours Truly (2000)
    Fat Wreck Chords
  • Call to Arms (1999)
    Sick of It All
    Call to Arms (1999)
    Fat Wreck Chords
  • Built to Last (1997)
    Sick of It All
    Built to Last (1997)
    EastWest America
  • Spreading the Hardcore Reality (1995)
    Sick of It All
    Spreading the Hardcore Reality (1995)
    Lost & Found
  • Live in a World Full of Hate (1995)
    Sick of It All
    Live in a World Full of Hate (1995)
    Lost & Found
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