Biography
Skarface came together in France during 1991 as a ska group that handles all its own production, fueled by an all-consuming impulse to perform the style nonstop while rejecting the expanding alternative scene. Its name drew from 1930s film noir, above all the movie Scarface, which lent the ensemble a criminal twist on 2-Tone values; at the outset, the visual presentation mattered equally with the sound. The musicians follow the SHARP outlook, or SkinHeads Against Racial Prejudice, since several members of the 1998 are skinheads.
Three weeks of practice led to their opening show, after which an initial self-produced EP appeared three months later, two tracks also landing on a combined Oi!/ska sampler. Labels remained entirely uninterested even as French and English listeners responded, so the band gave up on outside deals and paid for a full album from its own resources.
September 1992 brought the arrival of Cheap Pounk Skaaaaaa!, which moved several thousand copies inside France and confirmed the choice to stay independent, a path that extended in 1997 to the creation of their own label for releasing other acts. The undertaking stands out because Skarface operates without professional status, members balancing day jobs with music, a reality that prompted five of the nine founders to depart while replacements accumulated, among them five lead guitarists. Even so, the group has appeared at concerts and festivals throughout Europe to strong approval.
Three weeks of practice led to their opening show, after which an initial self-produced EP appeared three months later, two tracks also landing on a combined Oi!/ska sampler. Labels remained entirely uninterested even as French and English listeners responded, so the band gave up on outside deals and paid for a full album from its own resources.
September 1992 brought the arrival of Cheap Pounk Skaaaaaa!, which moved several thousand copies inside France and confirmed the choice to stay independent, a path that extended in 1997 to the creation of their own label for releasing other acts. The undertaking stands out because Skarface operates without professional status, members balancing day jobs with music, a reality that prompted five of the nine founders to depart while replacements accumulated, among them five lead guitarists. Even so, the group has appeared at concerts and festivals throughout Europe to strong approval.
Albums
Singles
