System Addict

In the Fall of 1990, Ed Fuhrman teamed up with ex-Non Fiction bassist Damon Trotta and drummer Victor Barocas to form the core of what would soon evolve into the NY/NJ based System Addict. After a nine month search they were joined by vocalist Mark Sunshine formerly with the local band Elysium. The band proceeded to record a five song demo (the blue one) in the spring of 1991. Soon after its release they began playing local shows to support the demo and try to build a local following. The tape received favorable reviews in the local trade papers as well as some national and international fanzines. After a year of hard work and many East coast gigs the group actually had quite a buzz going in the industry. A few of the major labels showed some interest and the band did many showcases to try and get a record deal. Unfortunately because of the extreme diversity of System Addict's music the record labels were unwilling to take a chance on the group. System Addict's busy touring schedule was apparently too much for the drummer to handle so he departed and was quickly replaced by the talented Mike Watt; If Mr. Watt sounds familiar, he was the drummer of The Step Kings on Roadrunner Records. After that lineup change, the quartet hit the studio once again to record a four song EP entitled "Sickness & Wealth". Although the band still didn't have a record deal, System Addict were able to negotiate a small distribution deal with a European label. The EP ultimately sold a few thousand copies, but support for the band back home was waning. The group was finding it more difficult to get booked at local clubs and all interest from record labels had faded. In November 1994 vocalist Sunshine was asked to leave the band due to personal differences. He was replaced in early 1995 by Scott Symonds. Scott was young and inexperienced but had a cool voice, so he was given the chance to fill Mark's shoes. Once again the band entered the studio to record another four song demo. This proved to be the death blow to the group. Scott and Mike were both sick and Ed got food poisoning on the first day of the recording. Needless to say the end result was disastrous. The demo sounded horrible and the band had no money left to do it over again. One of these four songs appears on the Hades US release of Exist To Resist as a bonus track. System Addict played its last show in April of 1995 and disbanded shortly thereafter.