Sounds of Mass Production
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Sounds of Mass Production is a cyberpunk/rap/Nu-metal/Industrial music band from Seattle, WA (US). The band name is often referred to by the acronym SMP. Founded in 1992 (under various names, including 12 Inch Penis and Synthesia Murder Program) by musicians Jason Bazinet and Sean Ivy, the band has gone through numerous lineup changes, with Bazinet remaining as the sole constant member and primary songwriter.
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[edit] History
SMP debuted in 1995 with Stalemate, their first album, released on Re-Constriction Records. A raw, DIY sound, lo-fi movie samples, and lyrics with a retro-punk take on technology quickly set SMP apart from other industrial bands of the time. Three years later, SMP followed up with their sophomore album, Ultimatum, which spawned their first underground hit song, Militia Love. Drummer Matt Sharifi of Omnibox had also joined their studio and live crew around this time.
By the end of the '90s, SMP had moved to the Seattle based label ADSR Musicwerks. Through this label, they released Terminal in 2000. The track Policy became a dance club hit, but was indicative of a growing musical rift between Ivy and Bazinet. Songs on Terminal penned by Ivy tended towards more electronica and dance friendly tunes, while Bazinet held true to his gritty rap roots with songs like File 484 and Megaton. Sometime in 2001, Ivy and Bazinet parted ways, with Bazinet retaining the rights to the band. Sharifi also left the live lineup around this time.
Seeking to expand on the growing popularity of SMP, Bazinet left ADSR and signed on with Chicago based Invisible Records for the release of the remix album Hacked in 2001, and the re-release of Terminal (with an altered track listing) a year later. Touring to support the new releases, Bazinet enlisted keyboarist Paul Furio of Static Engine, drummer Charlie Lormé of Lifelike Feel, and guitarist Chris Roy of Doll Factory. This period saw a tour of the American Southwest, as well as SMP opening for acts such as Pigface, Gravity Kills, and Meg Lee Chin. Lormé and Roy left SMP in 2002, and Scott Brovan of Uglyhead filled in on Guitar.
In 2003, SMP left Invisible Records due to contractual disagreements, and Furio left the live lineup, to be replaced on keyboards by Garrick Antikajian of Doll Factory. Bazinet formed his own label, Music Ration Records, for the release of the next album, Crimes of the Future. SMP enlisted Wade Alin of Christ Analogue to produce Crimes, resulting in the most polished album yet, with booming drums and an in-your-face sound usually reserved only for major label releases.
In 2005, SMP released its first music video for This Perfect Day, the lead track on Crimes. Filmed in Seattle by Resonance Digital Arts, and directed by former keyboardist Furio, the video was made available both as a promotional DVD and as an online download. By 2005, SMP had also signed to Static Sky Records, pending the release of a new album.
[edit] Trivia
An accomplished drummer in his own right, Bazinet has performed live and studio drums for the following bands: Doll Factory, Static Engine, 64k, Christ Analogue, and Uglyhead.
Bazinet is a strict vegetarian.
The cover art for Terminal and Hacked was created by Heather Ivy, wife of SMP founder Sean Ivy.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
- Stalemate (1995)
- Ultimatum (1998)
- Terminal (2000)
- Hacked (2001)
- Terminal - Reissue on Invisible Records (2002)
- Crimes of the Future (2004)
