What’s Going on Here
After 25 Years, Skinny Puppy Keeps the Message Alive

By Dominick Scala

Life imitating art imitating life is definitely not exempt from its own sense of irony. I write these words as an homage to those particular musicians and artists that are so far ahead of their time, and forge ahead with little or no recognition from the corporate “mainstream,” yet inspire and influence countless others that will go on to help graduate the masses into the next generation of creativity. Bands like: Failure, Flaming Lips, Misfits, Joy Division, Afghan Wigs, Kyuss, Cramps, Throbbing Gristle, Gary Numan, Cake, Soul Coughing, Annie DiFranco, Robert Johnson, Daniel Johnston, Kate Bush, Iggy Pop, and of course… Skinny Puppy.

The latter, in fact, is so determined, they’re touring for their new, already recorded and designed album that, due to label SPV filing for insolvency earlier this year, is yet to be released.

About a month ago on the band’s website at SkinnyPuppy.com, SP’s manager issued a statement: “the new Skinny Puppy LP will not be out in time for the tour,” The statement read. “We have been in discussion with SPV and had hoped to find a solution to the mess they have put us in, but it looks as though things will not get sorted out until years end.”  

SP was born in Vancouver in 1982 as an experimental side project of new-wave artist cEvin Key. Nivek Ogre aligned forces soon after, and Skinny Puppy evolved into a full-time extravaganza. The duo joined forces with Psyche keyboardist Dwayne Goettel in 1986.

So let us think for a moment, and try to either envision or remember (dependent upon your date of birth) the technology that the early eighties had to offer. Being a musician back then, especially an electro-industrial outfit, meant expensive analog gear and developing ideas and ways to get things done — ways that didn’t yet exist. (Like sampling, for instance.) There was not yet a personal computer in every household. The ‘digital revolution’ was a nonexistent term.

Skinny Puppy found themselves experimenting with analog and eventually digital recording techniques, layering sounds and rhythms, tape-splicing, obvious as well as unconventional instrumentation, and ahh yes, distortion. They soon became well known for their innovative use of sampling.

Releasing their first album in 1984, they quickly amassed a cult-like following. Their music fuses ambient, new-wave, rock, noise and electro, and integrated horror-like theatrics on stage. Merging improvisational performance art with the music, the lyrics take a stance on key issues, drawing attention to topics such as animal testing, warfare and politics. Dave “Rave” Ogilvie produced many of their records and was pretty much a member of the band throughout the next years.

As the band became a trailblazer in the “industrial” music scene in part spawned by German electronic band Einsturzende Neubauten, they worked and toured alongside other musicians from Ministry, KMFDM, Pigface, and Front Line Assembly.

Over the past 25 years, they have put out 13 albums, taking a hiatus after the death of Goettel in 1995 of an apparent heroin overdose.

The Puppies are also not without their share of controversies beginning, well, at the beginning. Key and Ogre were arrested for "disorderly conduct" at a 1988 concert in Cincinnati, Ohio after an audience member, believing the stuffed animal Ogre was "vivisecting" to be a real dog, called the police. Their album “ViviSect VI,” (which literally translates to 666) draws attention to the ‘evil’ of live animal testing and, politically, the use of VX nerve gas.

A slew of socially aware albums followed, addressing everything from the Kent State University student shootings on “Rabies,” released in 1989: “got to keep the camera alive / tell the world / what’s going on here / warning shots are fired at the / stomach, chest … changing guns for brooms the guards change to clean up crews,” to drug addiction on 1990s “Too Dark Park.”

However, it was on their live DVD in support of their 2004 album “The Greater Wrong of the Right,” which included “Information Warfare,” a documentary about the U.S.-led wars in Iraq made by William Morrison that caused the most recent controversy. The documentary addressed the alleged existence of depleted uranium in the battlefield and the casualties of war. During the live shows supporting “The Greater Wrong of The Right,” Ogre shot fake blood out of a mechanical rifle at the audience, while donning a hyperbolized horned Venetian mask, symbolically taking his own civilian casualties — with an overgrown Pinocchio-styled nose.

A groundbreaking video for “Greater Wrong” track “Pro-test” further drove home the theme of the disconnect that citizens have between their own city streets, and the war-mongering performed abroad on their behalf. In the video, a group of ‘goths’ engage in a turf war with some camo-clad opponents, but instead of trading bullets, the clans use breakdancing moves as ammunition.  

The anti-Bush administration stance taken by the band drew the ire of PABAAH (Patriotic Americans Boycotting Anti-American Hollywood), which attempted a boycott of college radio stations that played Skinny Puppy.

In support of 2007s, “Mythmaker,” (a show some of us locals had to fly to New York City to catch) Ogre heralded side project OhGr by bringing back producer of Puppy past Mark walk, and putting on an electric rubber-tubing beset live show in classic Skinny Puppy style: “Home sinking / full of blood / what's going on? Is something wrong? / All the armies fighting in our house,” Ogre sang.

And the commentary continues.

Now touring for the embattled “In Solvent See,” fans at the live shows are literally the first to hear Skinny Puppy’s next message — we won’t spoil it for you.

Skinny Puppy will perform at 8 p.m., on Friday, Nov. 27 at Revolution Live, 200 West Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. Tickets are $19.99. Visit jointherevolution.net or call 954-727-0950.

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