SS was a Japanese

Japanese people

The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...

 hardcore punk

Hardcore punk

Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...

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

Black Flag (band)

Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band...

, Middle Class

Middle Class (band)

The Middle Class are an American punk rock/hardcore punk band established in 1977 in Santa Ana, California. The band consisted of Jeff Atta on vocals, Mike Atta on lead guitar, Mike Patton on bass, and Bruce Atta on drums. The band achieved major success in the hardcore punk scene of Southern...

, and Bad Brains

Bad Brains

Bad Brains is an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C., in 1977. They are widely regarded as among the pioneers of hardcore punk, though the band's members objected to this term to describe their music. They are also an adept reggae band, while later recordings featured elements of...

, 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, 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. (It’s interesting to note that these performances were almost simultaneous with the recording of the Bad Brains' first demos

Demo (music)

A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...

.) 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

"Blitzkrieg Bop" is a song by the American punk rock band Ramones. It was released as the band's debut single in April of 1976 in the United States...

” by The Ramones (played at both performances) and “First Time” by The Boys

The Boys (UK Band)

The Boys are an English punk rock band formed in London in 1976.Members of the band had previously played in other groups, such as London SS and Hollywood Brats. After recording four studio albums and eight singles, as well as recording Christmas themed music under the name The Yobs, they disbanded...

. Both songs were played far faster than the original versions by SS.

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