Skumlove

Skum Love the man was known among the touring industry and was synonymous with filth, debauchery, and his dealings with the perverse. Skum Love was also a house hold name in Hollywood’s most notorious nightclubs and alleyways. While Skum was promoting clubs all over southern California, touring the world and spreading the “brand” so to speak of Skumlove there was always a musical itch that wasn’t being scratched. Skum under the wing of Glen Danzig began the first incarnation of Skumlove using Danzig‘s then band consisting of Joey C and Todd Youth. Although having access to an easy road through friends in the business Skum Love was a self-made man and this incarnation died due to creative differences.

Skum worked with different artists in Los Angeles but nothing was clicking musically as his sound was misunderstood by Los Angeles’ Musicians Institute graduates and current scene locals. Skum met M Robinson through Dino Cazares of Fear Factory (later to be dubbed Robyn Sin by Dave Teague of the Dickies while in the green room of Roseanne Barr’s talk show – another story all together) and without hesitation brought him into the world of Skumlove without hearing a played note. From early writings in a Venice studio apartment to a North Hollywood apartment where the songs were first recorded using wave files and playing over a Roland Groove box and a Radio Shack Karaoke machine, the first song “Ego” was born. Being an entrepreneur Skum and Robyn burned discs night after night and spent hours at Kinkos making the 3 song demo which was later distributed and sold thousands throughout Hollywood nightclubs.

After more songs from Skum’s mind escaped with the approved additions from Robyn Sin‘s guitar work accompanied by a demand from local clubs for more music, the 6 song “I’m so Evil the Devil worships me” was released in early 2000. Thoughts of a band began to emerge however Skum and Robyn took the cd’s on the road while working for Professional Murder Music. Skum arranged for the cd to be played prior to PMM’s set and crowd interest set in as Skumlove began to sell records on the road without playing a show. As the demand increased Skumlove burned more discs on the road and printed more artwork to support the demand. After all was said and done Skumlove had sold almost 10,000 records in the US alone. Like an Infection Skumlove was in the bloodstream of the Underground rock scene.

Upon returning from tour Skumlove set up in Roman Marisak‘s studio and rerecorded three noted favorites from internet feedback – Loaded, XTC and I am your god. Assisting on the recordings were PMM’s Justin Bennett (PMM, Skinny Puppy and My LIfe with the Thrill Kill Kult, Peter Murphy), PMM’s Jeff Schartoff (Peter Murphy, Human Waste Project) and PMM’s Roman Marisak. The news infected the local scene and Skumlove the band was needed. To round out the live band of Skum Love and Robyn Sin, Justin Bennett assumed the drum position, Dino Cazares (Fear Factory, Brujeria, Assesino) was added as a second guitar, “Boy” triggered samples and Frank Mercurio (Cypress Hill, SX-10) manned the Bass duties. Skumlove continued infecting the local music scene with their own headlining sold out shows and supporting touring acts such as Hanzel Und Gretyl, GodHead, The Genitorturers. As well as supporting tours with Type O Negative, Prong, Static-X and 2005’s Blackest of the Black with Danzig without buying on to the shows like a normal local act.

Skumlove’s released “I come for your Children” which gained the attention of a Canadian label Misfortune Records, which lead to the international release of “Songs of Lust and Corrosion” and a few more tours around the U.S. and Canada. Upon their return Skumlove entered the studio again with Roman Marisak at the controls.

This Time Skum enlisted Tommy Victor (Prong/Danzig), Burton C. Bell and Dino Cazares (Fear Factory) and Tony Campos (Fear Factory, SoulFly, Ministry), Michael Ciravolo (Human Drama, Gene Loves Jezabel) and Mark “Gemini” Thwaite (Peter Murphy, Mission UK, Gary Numan) to help him make a harder more guitar driven album. ½ through the recording Misfortune Records went under and once again Skum found himself without a label. He took a deep breath and continued on with the recording and have 9 contagious songs waiting to for a host. While finishing up the Album he piqued the interest of Bill Metoyer, veteran producer and former VP of Metal Blade. Who agreed to finish mastering what he feels is a necessary album that needs to be heard. One way or another Skumlove will continue to infect the masses with his musical contagion.