SUICIDAL TENDENCIES

Formed in Venice, California, during the early '80s, from the beginning the group's leader was outspoken vocalist Mike Muir. The outfit specialized in vicious hardcore early on -- building a huge following among skateboarders and thus lending a major hand in the creation of skatepunk -- before eventually turning their focus to thrash metal. Early on, the group (whose original lineup included Muir, guitarist Grant Estes, bassist Louiche Mayorga, and drummer Amery Smith) found it increasingly difficult to book shows due to rumors of its members' affiliation with local gangs and consistent