SPILL FEATURE: STOCKHOLM SYNDROME – A CONVERSATION WITH FISHBONE’S ANGELO MOORE & CHRIS DOWD

STOCKHOLM SYNDROME

A CONVERSATION WITH FISHBONE’S ANGELO MOORE & CHRIS DOWD

Fishbone remain icons of alternative rock. Having made their debut in 1985 with their eponymous EP, the band pioneered a post-genre sound that blurred all the lines between punk, soul, metal, funk, jazz, and rock that would carry key albums such as 1988’s Truth And Soul, 1991’s The Reality Of My Surroundings, 1993’s Give A Monkey A Brain And He’ll Swear He’s The Center Of The Universe, and 1996’s Chim Chim’s Badass Revenge while proving to be incredibly influential for shaping the alternative wave of the ‘90s, particularly the sounds emerging from Los Angeles. Four decades later, Fishbone’s eighth full-length album, Stockholm Syndrome, dropping on June 27^th, harkens back to that classic era. Founding members Angelo Moore (lead vocals and saxophone) and Chris Dowd (keyboard, trombone, vocals) discuss the making of the record and the importance of keeping Fishbone politically charged.

Stockholm Syndrome follows 2023’s EP, Fishbone (not to be mistaken with their debut EP of the same name), the first studio release from the band in nearly a decade. Despite a lengthy pause in music, Moore confidently tells me, “Fishbone has never stopped. We’ve never stopped producing, manifesting, and existing… We’ve always kept going. We’re not making a comeback; we’ve always been here.” Ture to his word, Fishbone remains a constant on the touring circuit, with a performance that is something to behold. He continues, “We have a new lineup and perspective”, referring to the recent split with vocalist and trumpet player Dirty Walt, bassist Norwood Fisher, drummer John Steward, and guitarist Mark Phillips. The new lineup, consists of Hassan Hurd, JS Williams, James Jones, and also sees the return of guitarist Spacey T, who was previously in the band from 1997 to 2003, during what Moore calls the “special forces lineup.” He continues, “These guys are brand new, no baggage, no past, a fresh contribution to Fishbone. It gives us a brand new perspective… They’re translating what Fishbone has done and what Fishbone is now.” With the exception of Jones, this lineup can be heard on Stockholm Syndrome, with bass filled out by producer Aroyn Day.

STOCKHOLM SYNDROME ALBUM REVIEW

This takes us to Stockholm Syndrome, the first full-length studio album from Fishbone since 2006. Musically, however, the album feels like it was unearthed from the early ‘90s, with Dowd comparing it to Give A Monkey A Brain And He’ll Swear He’s The Center Of The Universe, “After Give A Monkey A Brain, things changed, and now we have Stockholm Syndrome and it’s a return to a sound the band had.” He adds, “Angelo and I have been making music since we were twelve… I left the band for creative reasons [Dowd departed in 1994, returning in 2018] …. A lot of those creative reasons is what has brought us to this record… I feel like Stockholm Syndrome is back to the band’s original mission statement was creatively…This is a return to our original message, it’s like Truth And Soul.” As a result, Stockholm Syndrome is a musical odyssey drawing on inspiration from punk to soul, metal to funk, and rock to ska over the course of a dozen songs – and sometimes, all within the same track. Led by singles “Racist Piece Of Shit” and “Last Call In America”, along with additional highlights “Dog Eat Dog”, “Suckered By Sabotage”, and “Secret Police”, the album speaks to the divisions within America, racial inequities, systemic white supremacy, and a collapsing capitalist society. Dowd asks, “Did you ever think your southern neighbours would be this fucking crazy?”

“Like Sly And The Family Stone, you didn’t call it rock, you didn’t call it funk, you didn’t call it soul, it was just Sly And The Family Stone; it was very eclectic and it brought a lot of people together musically. That was always the mission statement,” Dowd tells me. This speaks to the core of both the band and Stockholm Syndrome. In spite of their recent, and substantial lineup changes, Fishbone pushes forward and are on the road throughout the summer with a handful of headlining dates, a spot at Warped Tour, and supporting Less Than Jake. Beyond this, Dowd is hoping for a headlining tour this fall, stating, “I feel like this record is emotionally important for us. As an artistic collective, I think that it’s important for us to go out and represent this album… It’s amazing to me that, out of all these bands, that we’re one of the only ones making a statement about what’s happening.”

Listen to the full, unabridged conversation with Angelo Moore and Chris Dowd, including more on the recent lineup changes, Hot Tub Time Machine, the rough shape of American politics, and their desert island records on episode 47 of Beats By Ger on Spotify and YouTube.

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Main Photo Credit: Raymond Amico | Background Photo Credit: Matt Dessner