INFORMATION:
OXYMORON is an Oi!, Streetpunk band from Erlangen , Germany. Their sound is most similar to bands like One Way System, Major Accident and Blitz. They have been around for a few years now and have gained a reputation as a "classic". Both of their albums together have sold 25,000 copies worldwide. OXYMORON are:
Sucker-Lead Vocals & Guitar
Arne-Bass & Vocals
Martin-Guitar & Vocals
Chrissy-Guitar
Bjoeren-Drums
HISTORY:
OXYMORON was called into being in late 1992 actually, though the roots of the band go back to the fall of 1989. Formed by Sucker and his drumming cousin Bjoern and completed by their friends, Martin on the guitar and Fizlaus on the bass , the original lineup needed a couple of years and various efforts to see the light of the day under the name OXYMORON. The main intention behind it all was to have a laugh and get the kind of music across that they were all into, and since the early nineties didn't seem to have alot of punk bands being around anymore they felt an urge to get out and do it theirselves to keep it going. Mostly influenced by early Eighties' punk and Oi! stuff it was quite obvious what it would sound like in general but it was a long way until they made it on stage. Coming from Erlangen/ Nurnberg , Germany , their first real appearance was at the annual punk festival in their home town together with other local bands. After this show they got offered some gigs as support for more established acts and started playing throughout Germany. Practicing in a moldy former beer cellar wich they called the Oxyfactory the time was right in the summer of '93 for recording their debut -ep "Beware Poisonous !" wich they produced and realeased on their provisional label Oxyfactory Records (that never put out any further records by the way.) This single finally came out in early 1994 and was subsequently reissued bt Helen of Oi! Records who had picked it up and apparently liked it because they gave them a record deal for a full length album additionally."Fuck the Nineties - Here's our Noize", as it was eventually called, had to be recorded as a three-piece for Fizlaus left the band after one tour and couldn't be replaced immediately. They paid the studio from their own money that they somehow managed to raise, but it was well worth it. The response and the reviews that they recieved for this album were more than they ever had expected and lots of fanzines and indie music mags became attentive all over the place. With their pal Arne joining them a few weeks later taking over the bass, they seized the opportunity and started gigging abroad (Like in england , France, the Netherlands and Spain) as well as in Germany, where they were touring twice together with Braindance, with whom they did a split single named "Mohican Melodies". Since they are a mixed and alway stood for unity between the tribes, bith punks and skins attended their shows from the very beginning. Thus they played alot of Oi!-Festivals that were taking place again in the past few years, too, with the likes of Cock Sparrer, Angelic Upstarts, Major Accisent, Test Tube Babies , etc. In the spring of 1996 the "Crisis Identity" single was released on Rough Beat Records, followed by their first trip to the U.S., a two week long tour of the East Coast in the company of Braindance and The Casualties, which went down very well for them after all. In the meantime they had met Mosch from Knock Out records who had done much good for the streetpunk scene with his publications and had become an ever present companion , so they decided to sign to his label. Roughly one year later their second long-player "The Pack is Back" was consequently released by him, and they went on the road with it in various countries of Europe again (partially supported by the Short'n'Curlies). The most exciting tour for them however was to come in the summer of 1997 when they had the chance to play in Japan for almost three weeks along with the Discocks, and they certainly went for it. This year wasnt good for OXYMORON so far and they had to take a few blows, because some tours planned for a long time (i.e. with the Anti Heroes and Blanks 77 in the USA) were cancelled just weeks before or had to be called off ( like the one in the U.K.). Besides Sucker had to go to the hospital for a while and couldn't play guitar. But they don't give in so easily , so they recruited a close friend of the band as a second guitarist- Chrissy, who's been playing bass for them on the US tour already i their fifth member now. and theyve just recorded some songs together, among other things for a split-ep with the Dropkick Murphys. So the line-up now at the moment is : Sucker (vocals), Martin (guitar), Arne (bass), Chrissy (guitar), and Bjoern (drums). At the moment OXYMORON are working on new stuff which will probably be pressed as a mini album put out by Knock Out Records by the end of '98, (the title theyre toying with is Westworld) There's also a tour in the US planned for next spring which hopefully comes off this time, as well as another one in Europe with the Dropkick Murphys and perhaps one in Japan again. Anyway, Theyve got loads of new , material in the pipeline and don't intend to bite the dust anytime soon... -THIS HISTORY WAS PROVIDED BY SUCKER
