The Skatenigs launched their trajectory in the late '80s by forging ties to Ministry and the circle of musicians who frequently collaborated with the group. Vocalist Phil Owens contributed to the Revolting Cocks album Beers, Steers and Queers, which in turn secured the Skatenigs an opening slot on the Revolting Cocks/Mentors tour. Once that tour’s drug-saturated excess concluded, the band tracked the Chemical Imbalance EP and began seeking a record deal. Megaforce Records extended an offer, prompting the group to commit to its first full-length release, Stupid People Shouldn’t Breed. Although Ministry architect Al Jourgensen handled production duties, he declined to be credited, thereby initiating friction with Owens. The resulting blend of punk, metal, and industrial elements proved catchy yet failed to gain traction, leaving the band without a home at Megaforce. Despite mounting friction between Owens and Jourgensen, 1994 saw the issuance of What a Mangled Web We Leave on Red Force, followed by supporting live dates. Activity dwindled through the latter half of the decade until a revamped lineup resurfaced in 2000. Ministry later composed a track addressing the acrimony that had accumulated among the musicians once clustered around Jourgensen, and many observers concluded that Owens figured prominently among its intended subjects. Owens rejected the interpretation and attempted to redirect any ensuing notice toward an upcoming Skatenigs album that has yet to materialize.
