Spite (punk band)

Spite
Image of lead Vocalist
Background information
Origin	Kalamazoo, Michigan, Michigan
Genres	Punk, Hardcore
Years active	1983–1985
Labels	CD Baby
Associated acts	Violent Apathy, God Bullies, and Negative Approach.
Website	Official website
Past members
Scott Boman : Vocals Dan Humiston : Bass Tommy Fuller : Guitar Greg Fox : Guitar Bill (Willie)Axe : Drums

The Hardcore punk rock band, Spite, was an essential musical hub in the Michigan hardcore scene. It was made up of members from other notable bands, who branched out to play an essential role in the musical community, both inside and outside the region. At present, Spite’s effect on music is evident in that it continues to be imitated by artists from a variety of genres.

Band history

Spite formed in Kalamazoo, Michigan in the Fall of 1983. These original members of the midwestern hardcore scene, played with other Kalamazoo groups such as Violent Apathy and FAQ. During their brief career they performed with some national acts such as Fang and Born Without a Face. Perhaps their most notable show was with the Butthole Surfers, Naked Raygun, and Eleventh Hour at Western Michigan University( February 23, 1985).

Three of Spite's members went on to perform in other groups, while another made his mark in politics. They were: Scott Boman (Vocals) Former member of the Degenerates, Dan Humiston (Bass) Former member of Passive Aggression and later member Memories of Tomorrow, Greg Fox (Guitar & vocals) who is a former member of Passive Aggression and later member of , Bill (Willie) Axe(Drums & vocals) who is a former member of Passive Aggression and later member of RollingHead and Memories of Tomorrow, and Tommy Fuller (Guitar leads) who was a Former member of the Touch and Go Records artist, Violent Apathy

After Spite

From left: Richard Bowser of Violent Apathy, Scott Boman of the Degenerates & Spite, and John Brannon Negative Approach.

Tom Fuller

Guitarist, Tom "Tommy" Fuller Performed with Black Spring from 1989 to 1995. Black Spring released their Album "Girth" in 1992. In 2001 Fuller played guitar on the "Aliens, Psychos & Wild Things, Vol. 2 CD," which was on the Arcania International label. More recently, in 2005, he released his solo album, "Chasing an Illusion" on Red Cap Records Fuller also appears on "Makin' the Point" by Frankie & The Knockouts. Another 2005 appearance is with Twisted Sister on their "Live at Wacken: The Reunion" DVD. This DVD was produced by Eagle Vision USA. Most recently (June 2007), Tom Fuller has rejoined Violent Apathy on their Twenty Five Year Reunion Tour.

Greg Fox

Spite was also a springboard for the band's other guitarist, Greg Fox. In 1989 Fox joined the Huntunes and performed on their self-titled album. Greg Fox also played guitar on a 2004 release by The '89 Cubs called, There Are Giants in the Earth, which was recorded on the Slowdance Records label.

Scott Boman

The vocalist, Scott Boman, also wrote opinion columns in the Western Herald (Western Michigan University publication), was founder of Fellowship of the Purple Cube and is a perennial Michigan Libertarian politician. Most recently, Boman has been involved in spoken word performances. In 2009 he was featured in Detroit's Annual Erotic Poetry and Music Festival. This "eclectic celebration of the erotic arts" is a charitable event for Paws with a Cause. Paws with a Cause pairs shelter dogs with disabled human companions.

Bill Axe

After Spite was dissolved, drummer Bill "Willie" Axe performed with bassist Dan Humiston in Memories of Tomorrow. Then, from 1991 to 1995, Axe played drums for Rollinghead. Rollinghead released their CD "Daddyhorse" in 1991 on the Piranha Alley Records label, and in 1994 they released "Vol.3 Live" via the Grass Records and Roundflat Records labels.

Dan Humiston

Bass player, Dan "Danno" Humiston went on to perform with the bands, Shroud of Secrecy and Memories of Tomorrow(1989). Memories of Tomorrow performed with Soundgarden at the state theater during its Louder than Love tour. Humiston also recorded and engineered the CD, "Racecar 1991" by Overman, the work was of such interest that it was later remasterd as "Racecar 2003".

Discography

• The Emotion not the Point

Though Spite performed in the 1980s, they did not release their work on CD until 2007, when they released, "The Emotion Not The Point." Songs include: Bored, Our Backyard, Andy's Gone, and Bowser Rules.

A later punk rock band called Spite

In 1994 Beckie (Bass) from Chaos U.K., Steve (Vocals) and John (Drums) both from Ripcord and Pete (Guitar) formed a later Punk Rock band "Spite". This band was based in Bristol, England and released recorded material under the name "Spite" 11 years after the formation of the original Spite in 1983, and 11 years prior to the original spite's release of "The Emotion Not the Point."^{[citation needed]}

They were heavily influenced by U.K. bands such as Discharge, One Way System and Rudimentary Peni and were musically, lyrically and politically very different to the Kalamazoo band of the same name.^{[citation needed]} Discharge performed in Kalamazoo close to the time of the original Spite’s formation with Violent Apathy at the Hicks Student Center of K-College. Violent Apathy later performed with the Kalamazoo band, Spite at the same location.

They released 2 7"'s, "Last Orders E.P." (BDR 7001 - January 1996) and "A Threat to Society?" (BDR 7003 - July 1996). Both E.P.'s were released by Blind Destruction Records and are now out of print and sought after by Punk Rock record collectors.^{[citation needed]}

The band toured the U.K. and Europe extensively during 1995 and 1996 which took its toll on the individual members of the band who played their last gig at the Packhorse in Bristol in January 1997.^{[citation needed]}

Spite tribute bands

Since the original Kalamazoo band, Spite, dissolved, several musical groups have emulated Spites style and public persona. This even includes adoption of the original band name:

In 1996 such a group formed in Charlotte, North Carolina.

In 1999 a “Spite” group formed in west-vlaanderen, Belgium.

In 2001 a group in Nürnberg Germany, adopter use of the "Spite" moniker and Instrumental style.

Most recently a Devizes, Southwest, United Kingdom version formed in 2006.

These are to be regarded as tribute bands, rather than the original on reunion tours, since none of these more recent incarnations of Spite contain any of the original members.

External links

• Homepage of Spite and Degenerates
• Informational page about "Spite"
• Spite information page