Greatest Shits

Biography

Punk-group PSYCHOTERROR was formed in spring of 1991. Its first gig took place at "Kalapäevad" (Fish-eating days) festival in Tartu in September 1991. Forming members of the group were: Freddy - lead vocals, Müül - bass guitar, Uims - lead guitar, Andres - drums. Today, only Freddy and Uims have remained. All forming members have previously been playing in different groups: Freddy was the vocalist of punk-group "Anonüümne AK" in 1987-1988, Müül played guitar in "Alice Tisler", a group from Kohtl...

Punk-group PSYCHOTERROR was formed in spring of 1991. Its first gig took place at "Kalapäevad" (Fish-eating days) festival in Tartu in September 1991. Forming members of the group were: Freddy - lead vocals, Müül - bass guitar, Uims - lead guitar, Andres - drums. Today, only Freddy and Uims have remained. All forming members have previously been playing in different groups: Freddy was the vocalist of punk-group "Anonüümne AK" in 1987-1988, Müül played guitar in "Alice Tisler", a group from Kohtla-Järve, which was named so after an Estonian female revolutionist who died in 1917.Uims and Andres were playing in an indie-rock group called "Wide Open" in 1990-1991, the aim of which was to sound like "The Cure" and "Joy Division". Before that Andres has been a part of different groups playing different styles, e.g. proge-heavy-rock group called "Synd" (1986-1987).

All of them found their way to punk-rock listening to music which they could get in mid 80s in Estonia: Sex Pistols, of course, as well as Estonia's punk classics "Generaator M" (active around 1982-1984 with a single comeback in 1987); "Propeller" (active in 1980, but banned by authorities the same year, since 1995 performing live at beer festivals with their old songs. One of their vocalists, Urmas Alender, drowned with M/S "Estonia" in 1994).

In addition to the fore-mentioned bands Estonian punk-rock was much influenced by Finnish punk-scene of the 80s, especially hard-core groups like "Lama", "Riistetyt", "Kaaos", etc. After Villu Tamme and his J.M.K.E. made a break-through in Finland with the "Tere Perestroika" single in 1989, it was even easier to get acquainted with Finnish punk-scene.

Even today, most of Estonia's punk-groups are influenced by "The Exploited". It sounds "historical" to many ears. The same applies to "Psychoterror", which in its early years was inspired by "Extreme Noise Terror" and early "Napalm Death". But this line turned out to be unsuitable for the group - in 1994 the band turned for traditional punk for good, getting inspiration from groups like "The Stooges" and "Undertones". Drummer Andres left Psychoterror already in 1992 for a "Sonic Youth"-like noise-pop band "Suck & Blow". (Andres is a drummer of J.M.K.E. since 1994).

With the exception of Tõnu Poopuu, who played drums on Psychoterror's first MC, the group's new drummer was Sven Liba (since the beginning of 1995), who also plays with "ZLO" and "Conflict OK". Before joining Psychoterror, Liba played in "Undertaker" a metal-group from Kohtla-Järve, as well as several punk-bands.

In 1996, Psychoterror made its first German tour. Thanks to that it was published on international compilations "Punk Rock Makes World Go Round" and "OI! Rare & Exotic". Later, the group has been touring in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, Netherlands, Latvia, Lithuania and Russia (2004).

Second guitarist Sven Kimmel ("Mozg"), a former member of Liba's "Undertaker", joined Psychoterror in 1998. He brought metal influence. When Müül decided to leave the band in 2000, Uims took over as a bassist on lives. In 2001, Müül founded ZLO. He invited Liba for drummer and Uims for guitarist. In 2000-2002, Uims played bass guitar also in "Vennaskond", which has seen numerous changes in its line-up, including Müül (1993) and Liba (2000).

Psychoterror is not afraid of experimenting with different styles (metal, psychobilly, ska..), while not losing its punk-spirit. Psychoterror today are: Freddy - lead vocals, Liba - drums, Mozg - lead guitar, Uims - bass. Since 1995, the group has published following tapes in Estonia: * "Tusk. Töötus. Armetus." / "Grief. Unemployment. Wretchedness." (1995, Fucking Cunt Records, split with "Noisemurder") * "Viva la Revolucion" (1995, FCR) * "Chaos City" (1996, FCR) * "Live in Bremen" (1996, FCR) * "Wayste & Insanity" (1997, FCR) * "Cheap Holidays" (2000, FCR) * "Mikrokosmos" / "Microcosmos" (2002, Kaljukotkas) * "Greatest Shits" (2002, Kaljukotkas; mc, cd)

In 2002, a brand new German label "Disco Hater Records" published Psychoterror's "Punks in the City" CD as its first release. The band has also got lots of previously not released live recordings and early "basement-tapings". Bands last release by now is mc "Straight To The Point", published in Sgt. Petersburg, Russia by Karma Mira Records (www.karma-mira.nm.ru)/ Szarapow Sound System (www.svinokop.narod.ru). In February 2005 Psychoterror's new CD "Freddy, löö esimesena!" ("Freddy, hit first!") was released by Estonian label Kaljukotkas.



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