Scott Sturgeon, also known as Stza Crack or simply Stza ( ; born March 4, 1976), is an American musician and artist who has fronted several
ska-punk
Ska punk (also spelled ska-punk) is a fusion genre that mixes ska music and punk rock music together. (sometimes spelled skacore) is a subgenre of ska punk that mixes ska with hardcore punk. Early ska punk mixed both 2 tone and ska with hard ...
bands in the
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
area, the best known being
Choking Victim
Choking Victim was an American punk band formed in New York City, which lasted from 1992 to 1998. They played a mix of hardcore punk and ska (sometimes known as ska-core). Following the breakup of the band, which occurred the same day as the re ...
and
Leftöver Crack
Leftöver Crack is an American punk rock band formed in 1998, following the breakup of Choking Victim. The band is currently signed to Tankcrimes for CD releases, and Alternative Tentacles for vinyl releases. Leftöver Crack spans several di ...
.
The stage name Stza is a tribute to the
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop group formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992. Its original members include RZA, GZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Masta Killa. Close affili ...
, members of which would take their stage names from the
Supreme Alphabet of the
Five-Percent Nation, such as GZA (God ZigZagZig Allah) and RZA (Ruler ZigZagZig Allah) - Stza's name would therefore be ''Self Truth ZigZagZig Allah''.
Early life
Stza was raised in New York by his mother, who he classified as an "over-protective
Jewish
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
mom". He rarely saw his biological father, and his stepfather died by
suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...
. As a teenager, he dropped out of high school, ran away from home and began riding freight trains. During this time, he began using
heroin
Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a potent opioid mainly used as a recreational drug for its euphoric effects. Medical grade diamorphine is used as a pure hydrochloride salt. Various white and brow ...
and
crack cocaine
Crack cocaine, commonly known simply as crack, and also known as rock, is a free base form of the stimulant cocaine that can be smoked. Crack offers a short, intense high to smokers. The ''Manual of Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment'' calls ...
. He later described drugs as a positive influence in his life and said that he would have killed himself during this time if not for drugs because he was "very lonely and suicidal."
Music career
In 1990, Stza and a friend of his,
Alec Baillie
Alec Baillie (died November 10, 2020) was an American bassist. He played in the bands Choking Victim, Agent 99, and Leftöver Crack.
Biography
Baillie grew up in Manhattan and attended the same high school as his future bandmate Scott "Stza" ...
, formed No Commercial Value, which later evolved into
Choking Victim
Choking Victim was an American punk band formed in New York City, which lasted from 1992 to 1998. They played a mix of hardcore punk and ska (sometimes known as ska-core). Following the breakup of the band, which occurred the same day as the re ...
and then again into
Leftöver Crack
Leftöver Crack is an American punk rock band formed in 1998, following the breakup of Choking Victim. The band is currently signed to Tankcrimes for CD releases, and Alternative Tentacles for vinyl releases. Leftöver Crack spans several di ...
. Although many members of these bands have come and gone, Stza remained a constant figure, writing the vast majority of the lyrics and music and becoming the bands' self-appointed spokesperson. Stza is also associated with the band Morning Glory through Leftöver Crack member,
Ezra Kire
Ezra Kire (born Ezra Cannon, December 30, 1975) is an American musician with the punk band Morning Glory (band), Morning Glory, and is an ex-member of punk bands Leftöver Crack, Choking Victim and INDK, InDK. He currently resides in New York Ci ...
. In 2005, he collaborated with
Mischief Brew
Mischief Brew was an American folk punk band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania consisting of vocalist and guitarist Erik Petersen, bassist Shawn St. Clair, and drummers Christopher Petersen and Christopher Kulp. The band played DIY folk punk and ...
on a song for their first album, ''
Smash The Windows''.
In 2005, he played solo (doing acoustic shows) and in a new band,
Crack Rock Steady Seven, featuring members of
The Infested in
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
. 2006 saw him in
Mexico City
Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...
forming another regional Crack Rocksteady Seven, the CRS7mx featuring members of
Niño Zombi. In the fall of 2006 he returned to the United States and toured with Leftöver Crack, their tour with
Citizen Fish
Citizen Fish is an English punk rock band that has been active since 1990 and shares members with Subhumans. Citizen Fish does not emphasize the raw political statements and nihilistic viewpoint of the former, instead focusing on issues of ...
was dubbed Cracktoberfest 2006. Most recently Stza has been involved in the creation of another punk/ska band, this time with members of Casa de Chihuahua, The Slackers, and The Degenerics (Nico do Gaillo, Ara Babajian and Frank Piegaro respectively) called "
Star Fucking Hipsters". Star Fucking Hipsters' debut album was released September 30, 2008 on the
Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords (pronounced "Fat Records") is a San Francisco, California-based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by NOFX lead singer Michael Burkett (better known as Fat Mike) in 1990.
The label has released mater ...
label. Their second album, "Never Rest In Peace", was released on October 20, 2009 on the
Alternative Tentacles
Alternative Tentacles is an independent record label established in 1979 in San Francisco, California. It was used by Dead Kennedys for the self-produced single " California Über Alles". After realizing the potential for an independent label, t ...
label. Their new album, titled "From the Dumpster to the Grave" was released on October 11, 2011 on Fat Wreck Chords during a record release show at Europa in Brooklyn, New York.
Personal life
Stza, along with other members of
Leftöver Crack
Leftöver Crack is an American punk rock band formed in 1998, following the breakup of Choking Victim. The band is currently signed to Tankcrimes for CD releases, and Alternative Tentacles for vinyl releases. Leftöver Crack spans several di ...
, has at times resided at 155
Avenue C, better known as
C-Squat
C-Squat is a former squat house located at 155 Avenue C (between 9th and 10th Streets) in the Alphabet City neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City that has been home to musicians, artists, and activists, among others. After a fire, it was t ...
. He is a
vegetarian
Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slaughter.
Vegetarianism m ...
.
Stza has identified as an
atheist Jew
Jewish atheism refers to the atheism of people who are ethnically and (at least to some extent) culturally Jewish. Contrary to popular belief, the term "Jewish atheism" is not a contradiction because Jewish identity encompasses not only religio ...
.
In 2008, Stza, who has tattoos on his fingers reading "KILL COPS," was arrested for throwing donuts at
New York Police Department
The New York City Police Department (NYPD), officially the City of New York Police Department, established on May 23, 1845, is the primary municipal law enforcement agency within the City of New York, the largest and one of the oldest in ...
officers during a show near
Tompkins Square Park
Tompkins Square Park is a public park in the Alphabet City, Manhattan, Alphabet City portion of East Village, Manhattan, East Village, Manhattan, New York City. The square-shaped park, bounded on the north by 10th Street (Manhattan), East 10th ...
.
Discography
Albums
;With Choking Victim
*''
No Gods, No Managers'' - (1999)
;With Leftover Crack
*''
Mediocre Generica'' - (2001)
*''
Fuck World Trade
''Fuck World Trade'' is the second album by American punk band Leftöver Crack, released in 2004 on the Alternative Tentacles label.
The album continues the band's self-defined status as anti-racist, anti-sexist, anti-capitalist, and anarcho-c ...
'' - (2004)
*''
Constructs of the State'' - (2015)
;With Star Fucking Hipsters
*''
Until We're Dead'' - (2008)
*''
Never Rest in Peace'' - (2009)
*''
From the Dumpster to the Grave'' - (2011)
EPs
*''Rock the 40 Oz.'' - (May 8, 2000)
*''Shoot the Kids at School'' - (2000)
*''
Rock the 40 Oz: Reloaded'' - (July 16, 2004)
Splits
*''Baby Jesus Sliced Up in the Manger'' (as the Crack Rock Steady 7, with F-Minus), HellBent Records, 2001.
*''Leftover Crack /
Citizen Fish
Citizen Fish is an English punk rock band that has been active since 1990 and shares members with Subhumans. Citizen Fish does not emphasize the raw political statements and nihilistic viewpoint of the former, instead focusing on issues of ...
Split 7"'' (with Citizen Fish),
Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords (pronounced "Fat Records") is a San Francisco, California-based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by NOFX lead singer Michael Burkett (better known as Fat Mike) in 1990.
The label has released mater ...
, 2006.
*
Deadline (split album) (with Citizen Fish),
Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords (pronounced "Fat Records") is a San Francisco, California-based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by NOFX lead singer Michael Burkett (better known as Fat Mike) in 1990.
The label has released mater ...
, March 6, 2007. (LP on
Alternative Tentacles
Alternative Tentacles is an independent record label established in 1979 in San Francisco, California. It was used by Dead Kennedys for the self-produced single " California Über Alles". After realizing the potential for an independent label, t ...
)
Compilations
* ''Give 'Em the Boot'', ( Infested) Hellcat Records, 1997.
*''Give 'Em the Boot II'', (Crack City Rockers
emo
Emo is a rock music genre characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. It emerged as a style of and hardcore punk from the Washington D.C. hardcore punk scene, where it was known as emotional hardcore or emocore and pioneered b ...
Hellcat Records
Hellcat Records is an independent record label based in Los Angeles, California. The label, an offshoot of Epitaph Records, was started as a partnership between Brett Gurewitz of Bad Religion, the owner of Epitaph, and Tim Armstrong of Rancid ...
, 1999.
*''Punk Rawk Explosion 6'', (Nazi White Trash), ?, 2003.
*''Give 'Em the Boot III'', (Atheist Anthem)
Hellcat Records
Hellcat Records is an independent record label based in Los Angeles, California. The label, an offshoot of Epitaph Records, was started as a partnership between Brett Gurewitz of Bad Religion, the owner of Epitaph, and Tim Armstrong of Rancid ...
, 2002.
*''Go Kart vs. the Corporate Giant Vol. 3'', (Rock The 40oz)
Go Kart Records
Go-Kart Records is an independent record label specializing in punk rock located in New York City that was most active from 1995 to 2005. It also has a European division in Mannheim, Germany.
History
In its May 1999 issue, '' Guitar World'' ...
, 2002.
*''2003 Sampler'', (So Ya Wanna Be A Cop)
A-F Records
A-F Records is an American independent record label founded by punk rock band Anti-Flag and based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was created to help expose more political punk bands to a larger audience. The label's offices were damaged when a ...
, 2003.
*''Fueling the Flames of Revolution Vol. 3'', (One Dead Cop)
A-F Records
A-F Records is an American independent record label founded by punk rock band Anti-Flag and based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was created to help expose more political punk bands to a larger audience. The label's offices were damaged when a ...
, 2003.
*''Against Police Injustice'',(Operation:MOVE, Super Tuesday
emo
Emo is a rock music genre characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. It emerged as a style of and hardcore punk from the Washington D.C. hardcore punk scene, where it was known as emotional hardcore or emocore and pioneered b ...
Non Commercial, 2003.
*''Mass Destruction'', (Muppet N.A.M.B.L.A) BANKSHOT! Records, 2003.
*''Riot Ska'', (Drug Song, Nobody Is Free) Beer Records, 2004.
*''The Kids Are Gonna Pay'' (Look Who's Talking Now) with F-Minus, Morning Glory & Bent Outta Shape, Blacknoise Records, 2006.
*''Sexy Babies Across the Wasteland'' (Guest Vocals with
Last False Hope) – 2012,
Sexy Baby Records.
Live
*2002: ''Straight Outta' Naples''
*2001: ''Live C-Squat 3/31/01''
*2008: ''live at the stage @ Arnhem, Holland''
Bootlegs
*2004: ''Fuck World Trade'' (demo)
Film
*2007:
Loren Cass
''Loren Cass'' is a feature-length motion picture about adolescents coming to terms with their lives in St. Petersburg, Florida, after the riots that took place in 1996. It was directed by independent film-maker Chris Fuller and took ten years to ...
(Gotham Award nomination)
References
{{Authority control
American punk rock musicians
1976 births
Living people
American people of Jewish descent
Anarcho-punk musicians
Squatters
Jewish American atheists
Shoplifters
Choking Victim members
Leftöver Crack members
Star Fucking Hipsters members