SS was a

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

hardcore punk Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier punk ...

band. They were most likely the first Japanese band to play punk rock in a high-speed, minimalist hardcore style comparable to that played by US bands such as Black Flag,

Middle Class The middle class refers to a class of people in the middle of a social hierarchy, often defined by occupation, income, education, or social status. The term has historically been associated with modernity, capitalism and political debate. Commo ...

, and

Bad Brains Bad Brains are an American rock band formed in Washington, D.C. in 1976. Originally a jazz fusion band under the name Mind Power, they are widely regarded as pioneers of hardcore punk, though the band's members have objected to the use of this ...

, and indeed SS was contemporaneous with the earliest incarnations of those three bands. SS comprised Tommy SS on vocals, Jun SS on guitar, Tsuyoshi SS on bass, and Takami SS on drums. The entire recorded output of SS consisted of two

live albums An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records coll ...

, both released years after the performances that they immortalized took place: ''The Original SS'', recorded in March 1979, released on vinyl in 1984; and ''SS Live!'', recorded in June 1979, released on CD in 1990. These performances were almost simultaneous with the recording of the Bad Brains' first

demos Demos may refer to: Computing * DEMOS, a Soviet Unix-like operating system * DEMOS (ISP), the first internet service provider in the USSR * Demos Commander, an Orthodox File Manager for Unix-like systems * plural for Demo (computer programming) ...

. Both albums were remastered and released together on a single CD, also titled ''SS Live!'', in 2001. The vast majority of the songs on both albums are less than a minute long, with only a single track clocking in at more than two minutes. Most of the songs on these albums are originals, except for covers of "

Blitzkrieg Bop Blitzkrieg Bop is a song by American punk rock band, Ramones, released in February 1976 as their debut single in the United States. It appeared as the opening track on the band's debut album, ''Ramones'', released two months later. The song, w ...

" by

The Ramones The Ramones were an American punk rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first true punk rock group. Despite achieving a limited commercial appeal in the United ...

(played at both performances) and "First Time" by The Boys. Both songs were played faster than the original version.

Discography

*''The Original SS'' Alchemy Records (ARLP-002), 1984 *''SS Live!'' Alchemy Records (ARCD-0014), 1990 *''SS Live!'' (both albums, remastered) Alchemy Records (ARCD-129), 2001 ;Compilation * (VHS) Rockers (July 1, 1989) * (DVD) ROCKERS (July 3, 2009) : 3. Mr. Twist / 15. Coca Cola (Live at Shimokitazawa Loft, Dec 31st 1978) {{Authority control Japanese hardcore punk groups