BZ

BZ PERU
(TEXTO EN CASTELLANO ABAJO)
BZ is a Skinhead Oi! band.
Fundamentally there are two phases of BZs history.
The band started out (as Battle Zone) in Essex, England in 1989 and stopped in 1994. During this time they released 2 singles; WAY OF DEATH and RIGHT TO MARCH and one album; NOWHERE TO HIDE. They were very active on the live circuit and played concerts all over the UK, and both Continental and Eastern Europe. They started recording their second album in 1994 but never completed it. It eventually got released in 1999 long after the band had split, as the sarcastically named ARSON AROUND WITH MATCHES.
Battle Zone went through various line-up changes (mainly drummers) finally incorporating members of KLASSE KRIMINALE, ANOTHER MANS POISON and GRADE ONE. The only consistent band member was Alex on vocals. The final line-up in 1994 consisted of:
Alex on vocals
Antonella (ex Klase Kriminale) on guitar
Doc (ex Grade One) on bass
Charlie (ex Grade One and Another Man's Poison) on drums
Many reformed political bands prefer to gloss over their previous affiliations, but to be honest it would be unfair to talk about Battle Zone and gloss over the political aspects of the band at that time, however irrelevant they may seem now, therefore -
In the late mid 80s to the mid 90s the skinhead music scene in the UK was pretty much divided into three groups;
The right-wing groups, such as Skrewdriver and Skullhead (which were considered to be anything between nationalist to national socialist)
The left wing groups such as The Oppressed and Angelic Upstarts (from socialist to communist and usually bunched up with the anti-racists and anarchists)
The apolitical groups such as Section 5 and Close Shave who were at most patriotic.
Battle Zone whilst considered by many as a political band held a unique position. They played concerts with the right wing bands AND the apolitical bands. Battle Zone was the only skinhead Oi! band at that time to have done it (and regularly at that). Whilst some of the original lyrics are dodgy to say the least, Battle Zone was never really considered an extreme band (although that depends what you consider extreme right?). Being considered and admitting to being nationalist at most.
The final split in 1994 was not the most conventional of band splits. Fuelled by Alexs disillusionment and general changing of opinions, a subtle and gradual (anything too fast or overt was dangerous) attempt to distance the band from the right-wing aspects of the Oi! movement caused Battle Zone and in particular Alex to fall foul of the right-wing political movement of the time.
Most people have heard versions of what happened after that. Most of the rumours and stories that I have heard and read about that stage vary from close to the truth to outright bullshit.
All but one of the band members mentioned above now lives outside of the UK. Charlie moved to Africa, Antonella went back to Italy and Alex moved to Peru.
Battle Zone became a distant memory and formed a small piece of the mosaic of skinhead history. until 2004when it stopped being history
After an accidental meeting with Kimba Vilis, one of the members of Perus first, longest running and most prestigious punk / street punk band (Leusemia) in the local tattooist in downtown Miraflores, Lima, Alex decided to revive his singing career and start a band.
After deliberation with the new members of the rapidly formed band (made up of members of Histeria Kolektiva and Leusemia) it was decided that the old Battle Zone songs were too good to never be sung again, so it was decided to revive them and perform them in Peru (with appropriate lyric changes). At that stage the band was still going to be known as Battle Zone and there were posters all over Lima announcing the concert were Battle Zone supported Histeria Kolektiva and Leusemia.
A family tragedy of one of the band members led to him leaving the country and subsequently enthusiasm waned so Alex decided to continue with the project, with a subtle name change (the band became BZ) with new musicians and has managed to set up a powerful five-piece for the first time in the bands history.
The current line-up of BZ Peru is:
Alex on vocals
Leonello on guitar
Leo on second guitar
Jota on bass
Lucho on drums
Regular rehearsals, some slight lyric changes to reflect the times and changes and the APOLITICAL stance of the band. BZ will be recording new material in the very near future. And if you are in Lima, Peru and want to see the first and only Oi! band in Peru, check them out at one of their concerts. You wont be disappointed.
In the midst of all the BZ thing in Peru, which to be honest was only ever really intended for Peru and maybe Latin America, Alex dropped a line to some of his old friends, to let them know that he was back on the scene (albeit in Peru where there really isnt much of a skinhead scene) and was surprised to hear that Battle Zone was still respected and listened to, and that had, in some places achieved an almost cult status!
After speaking to Phil Templar of The Templars (now indisputably the USAs leading Oi! band) it was decided to set up some BZ concerts in the USA. Due to the fact that Peruvians find it almost impossible to get a passport visa to visit the USA it was decided the BZ would be made up of other well-known skinhead musicians from the USA.
In July 2006 two concerts were held in Boston and the infamous CBGBs in New York. BZ was advertised as Way of Death (the name of the first single) to try and keep it low key as the organizer said those who know will know and those who dont work it out dont matter
The concerts were an astounding success and it was decided that these would not be the last BZ USA concerts and we all agreed to make it a regular occurrence.
BZ USA almost by accident has become a band, with all of the members commited to bringing the BZ old classics live to the American public. There are also plans for BZ USA to record some new material.
The band members are:
Alex on vocals
Chris (Bombardiers) on guitar
Perry (Templars) on bass
Phil (Templars) on drums
So thats the story to date. BZ is still going strong, (albeit in two presentations BZ Peru and BZ USA).
There are BZ Peru concerts planned throughout 2006-7 in Lima and a possible appearance at the Brazilian Oi! festival in Sao Paolo, Brazil in December 2006. There is going to be some new releases in the very near future including a song on the LATIN CONNECTION compilation CD / single.
BZ USA are booked to appear in Jacksonville, Florida in March 2007 and there are other possible opportunities and offers under consideration.
To summarise, BZ is the combination of all the GOOD things that Battle Zone were (but NOT the bad) and the accumulation of many years of life experience.
The talents involved in both BZ Peru and BZ USA are sure not to disappoint. BZ is going to make its dent in the world skinhead scene again. Mark my words!
We can be reached by email at: [email protected]
Or by snail mail at: Apartado 18-1236, Lima 18, Peru


...AND NOW IN SPANISH...
------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ ---
BZ es una banda de Oi! Skinhead .
Fundamentalmente, hay 2 etapas de la historia de BZ.
El grupo comenzo (con el nombre de Battle Zone) en Essex, Inglaterra en 1989 y finalizo en 1994. Durante este tiempo, sacaron dos sencillos de 7 pulgadas en vinilo por la disquera francesa Rebelles Europeens: WAY OF DEATH (Manera de Morir), y RIGHT TO MARCH (Derecho a Marchar). Ademas un LP llamado NOWHERE TO HIDE (Sin Lugar para Esconderse). Fueron muy activos tocando en vivo, y tocaron conciertos por todo el Reino Unido, y Europa Occidental y Oriental. Comenzaron a grabar su segundo album en 1994 pero nunca lo finalizaron. Eventualmente salio a la luz en 1999, cuando ya la banda se habia separado, con el sarcastico titulo de ARSON AROUND WITH MATCHES (Quemando con Fosforos).
Battle Zone tuvo varios cambios de personal (particularmente con bateristas) finalmente incorporando miembros de KLASSE KRIMINALE, ANOTHER MANS POISON y GRADE ONE. El unico miembro constante de la banda era Alex como Vocalista. El grupo final de 1994 consistia de:
Alex vocalista
Antonella (ex-Klasse Kriminale) guitarra
Doc (ex Grade One) bajo
Charlie (ex grade One y Another Man’s Poison) baterista
Muchas bandas que antes tuvieron una posicion politica prefieren no hablar sobre ello, pero para ser honesto no seria justo hablar sobre Battle Zone y no hablar sobre sus aspectos politicos en esa epoca, aunque ahora esto sea IRRELEVANTE, entonces:
Desde mediados de 80s hasta mediados de los 90s, la escena musical Skinhead en el Reino Unido estaba basicamente dividida en 3 grupos;
-Los grupos derechistas, como Skrewdriver, Skullhead, Brutal Attack, y No Remorse, (que eran considerados de Nacionalistas a Nacional Socialistas)
-Los grupos izquierdistas, como the Oppressed, Angelic Upstarts y Blaggers ITA, (que eran socialistas, comunistas, y usualmente junto con los grupos anti-racistas y anarquistas).
-Los grupos apoliticos como Section 5, y Close Shave, que a lo maximo tenian posiciones patrioticas.
Battle Zone, aunque considerados por muchos como una banda politica tenian una posicion original en el sentido de que tocaban conciertos con las bandas derechistas y las apoliticas. Battle Zone era la unica banda skinhead Oi! en esa epoca que lo hacia, y frecuentemente. Mientras algunas de las letras originales eran controversiales, Battle Zone nunca fue considerada una banda extrema (aunque eso dependa de lo que cada uno considera extrema derecha ?). Se consideraron y admitieron ser Nacionalistas.
La ruptura final en 1994 no fue convencional. Fue causada por la desilusion y cambio de opiniones de Alex, un intento gradual de distanciar a la banda de los aspectos derechistas del Oi! de esa epoca (un cambio muy rapido o subito era peligroso) causo que Battle Zone, y especificamente Alex, cayeran bastante mal al movimiento derechista de esa epoca. Mucha gente ha escuchado versiones de lo que ocurrio despues de eso. La mayoria de los rumores e historias que he escuchado y leido sobre esa epoca varian de cercanas a la verdad a basura total.
Ahora solamente uno de los miembros de la banda mencionados anteriormente vive en el Reino Unido. Charlie se mudo a Africa, Antonella regreso a Italia, y Alex se mudo a Peru.
Battle Zone se convirtio en una memoria distante y formo una pequena pieza del mosaico de la historia skinhead hasta el 2004 cuando revivio.
Despues de un encuentro accidental con Kimba Vilis, uno de los miembros de la primera, y mas antigua y prestigiosa de las bandas punk/punk callejero (LEUSEMIA) en el estudio de tatuajes en Miraflores, Lima, Peru, Alex decidio revivir su carrera de cantante y comenzar una banda.
Despues de deliberar con los nuevos integrantes de la rapidamente formada banda (compuesta de miembros de Histeria Kolektiva y Leusemia) se decidio que las viejas canciones de Battle Zone eran muy buenas como para no cantarlas otro vez, entonces se decidio revivirlas y tocarlas en Peru ( con los cambios de letras apropiados). En esa epoca la banda todavia se llamaba Battle Zone y hubieron posters por todo Lima anunciando conciertos de Battle Zone como teloneros de Histeria Kolektiva y Leusemia.
La tragedia familiar de uno de los integrantes causo que se vaya del pais y bajo el entusiasmo, pero Alex decidio continuar el proyecto, con un pequeno cambio de nombre (la banda se convirtio en BZ) con nuevos musicos y ha logrado convertirse en un quinteto poderoso por la primera vez en la historia de la banda.
La banda actualmente esta compuesta por:
Alex vocalista
Leonello guitarra
Leo segunda guitarra
Jota bajo
Lucho bateria
Varias practicas, algunos cambios de letras para reflejar los tiempos que han cambiado, y la postura APOLITICA de la banda han impulsado que BZ grabe nuevo material en un futuro muy cercano. Y si usted esta en Lima, Peru, y quiere ver uno de las primeras y unicas bandas Oi! en el Peru, vaya a uno de sus conciertos. No estara decepcionado.
Mientras ocurria todo esto con BZ en el Peru, que para ser sincero era solo para Peru y tal vez America Latina, Alex escribio a algunos de sus viejos amigos para dejarles saber que todavia estaba en la escena (y encima en Peru donde no hay mucha escena skin), y le sorprendio que Battle Zone todavia era respetado y escuchado, y que en algunos lugares, tenia un lugar mitico!
Despues de conversar con Phil Templar de los Templars (indisputablement la mejor banda Oi! de los EEUU), se decidio hacer unos conciertos de BZ en los EEUU. Porque para los Peruanos es casi imposible que les otorgue visas para visitar a los EEUU, se decidio que BZ estari compuesta de otros musicos skinheads conocidos en ese pais.
En Julio 2006, se realizaron 2 conciertos, uno en Boston y otro en el infame CBGBs en Nueva York. BZ se llamo Way of Death (el nombre del primer sencillo), y se decidio que seria un concierto intimo para que vayan los que saben, y los que no saben, que averiguen que les gustara.
Los conciertos fueron un gran exito, y se decidio que estos no serian los ultimos conciertos de BZ USA, y se acordo que estos serian hechos con regularidad.
BZ USA se ha convertido en banda casi accidentalmente, con todos sus miembros abocados a tocar las canciones clasicas de BZ en vivo al publico Norteamericano. Tambien hay planes para que BZ USA grabar material nuevo.
Los miembros de la banda son:
Alex vocalista
Chris (Bombardiers) guitarra
Perry (Templars) bajo
Phil (Templars) bateria
Esa es la historia hasta ahora. BZ sigue fuerte en sus 2 alineaciones (BZ Peru y BZ USA).
Hay varios conciertos de BZ Peru planeados para 2006-7 en Lima y posiblemente una aparicion en el Festival Oi! Brasileno en Sao Paulo en Diciembre 2006. Habran nuevas canciones en el futuro cercano, incluyendo una cancion en el CD/sencillo Compilatorio LATIN CONNECTION (Conexion Latina).
BZ USA van a tocar en Jacksonville, Florida en Marzo 2007, y hay otras oportunidades posibles y ofertas bajo consideracion.
En resumen, BZ es la combinacion de todas las cosas BUENAS que era Battle Zone (PERO NO LAS MALAS), y es la acumulacion de la madurez y experiencias vividas.
Los talentos involucrados en BZ Peru y BZ USA no van a decepcionar. BZ dejara su marca en la escena skinhead mundial otra vez. Esa es mi palabra!
Nuestro email es: [email protected]
o por correo postal : Apartado 18-1236, Lima 18, Peru
Thanx to Isaac for the translation!