Derozer
Derozer is an Italian punk rock band, formed in July 1989 in the town of Vicenza. Starting from the second half of the 90es it is (together with Punkreas and Porno Riviste) the most famous and influential Italian punk rock band and one of the most active bands in the alternative ska and punk music scene.
Derozer | |
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Derozer in Ferrara, 2008 | |
Background information | |
Origin | Italy |
Genres | Punk rock Hardcore punk |
Years active | 1989-2008 2012-present |
Labels | Derotten Records, KOB, Mad Butcher |
Associated acts | Punkreas, L'Invasione degli Omini Verdi |
Website | Derozer.it |
Members | Seby Mendez Spazza Spasio |
Past members | Miki Domenico Davide Gino Rakas |
History
The first line-up included Mendez (bass-player), Spasio (drums), Domenico (guitar) and Davide (singer). The band started by playing Ramones and Germs songs. After a first demo tape, Domenico and Davide left the band and were replaced by Seby, singer and guitar-player of a local hardcore punk band named "Strange Corner" as well as one of the first Derozer's fans. The band started to play more regularly and to participate to some local contests. In 1994 a new demo tape was recorded and rapidly went out-of-print: "144" (the phone code of payment erotic chat lines).
Meanwhile, Spasio experienced some troubles with alcohol that forced him to leave the band for a while, being replaced by the Illinois-born Gino Rakas who will take part to the recording of "BAR", the first full-length Derozer's album.
In 1997 Seby and Mendez start playing (and will keep doing so until 2001) also with Los Fastidios, a street punk band based in Verona whose singer Enrico is still considered one of the Italian leaders of the S.H.A.R.P. (Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice) movement.
The second album was released in 1998 with Spasio again part of the band: "Alla nostra età" (At our age). The album received positive reviews both in Italy and in other European countries, where Derozer played extensively. Following this success the band started a new co-operation with the German label "Mad Butcher" and published a third studio album "Mondo Perfetto" (Perfect World) which can be considered a cornerstone for the band, as the lyrics turned from mainly ironic to instrospective and socially-committed.
Their success kept growing steadily with the fourth album released in 2002 "Chiusi dentro" (Locked inside), followed in 2003 by "Live in Studio" (a best-of collection recorded in one session at Mad Butcher Studios in Germany).
At the end of 2003, after a live show, Seby has got a serious accident falling on a broken bottle during the after-show party: this caused deep cuts to his left wrist which needed emergency treatment and blood transfusion. This just few days before Derozer were due to headline "Punkitalia", a punk festival in Berlin. Due to this accident Derozer were forced to stop for a while, however Seby did not give up and recovered quite quickly, although he could not play guitar any longer.
Spasio joined the band as a new guitar-player, and the live-activity resumed as intense as before with a new album coming out in 2004 "Di nuovo in marcia" (Back to marching again).
The live activity does not stop, however after some misunderstandings, Spasio in 2006 left the band once more to be replaced by Miky, also the young drummer in Mendez's side-project Tacoparty. Meanwhile, after years of trying, Seby will be able to play guitar in live-shows once more.
Following a communique on their official website on 5/2/2008, Derozer took a break after nearly twenty years on stage and did not perform any liver or studio activity until the end of 2011. In January 2012 they announced that Spasio was joining again the band and that a new Italian tour would start on 17 March from Brescia[1] to finish in Vicenza on 25 August. Also, in June 2012 a collection of 25 songs (including a documentary on their history) was published. A new studio album is expected to be released in the first months of 2013.[2]
Band members
- Seby (Sebastiano Berlato), Lead-Vocals, Guitar (from 1993)
- Mendez, Bass Guitar (from 1989)
- Spasio, Drums (1989–1995, 1997–2006, from 2012)
- Spazza, Guitar (from 2003)
- Miky, Drums (2006-2008)
- Domenico, Vocals, Guitar (1990–1993)
- Davide il "Rozzo" ("The Rude") Lead-Vocals (1991–1993)
- Gino Rakas, Drums(1995–1997)
Discography
- 144 (EP) - 1994
- Bar - 1995
- Alla nostra età - 1998 (Derotten Records)
- Giorni duri (7" split with Gli impossibili) - 1999
- Mondo perfetto - 2000
- Chiusi dentro - 2002
- Live in studio - 2003
- Di nuovo in marcia - 2004
Videos
- Straniero ;
- Cielo Nero ;
- Black Out ;
- La Nuvola .
References
- Archived 2012-07-24 at Archive.today Bresciaoggi.it - New 2012 tour
- Nuovavicenza.it - Derozer future activities]