They have gone through bassists like toilet paper and think they’ve probably had the most drama in the history of undiscovered bands.
Meet Sinizen: a rock group that was formed in Huntington Beach, Calif. In 2001, guitarist and singer Kevin Brown and drummer Mike Manning started the band after graduating high school. The current lineup consists of Brown, Manning, keyboardist Lorenzo Flores and bassist Gary Larason.
"Members get hooked on drugs, quit, disappear and [are] afraid to tour, which is why Mike and I are the only original members left,” Brown says.
Despite the drama Sinizen has endured, they are determined to succeed.
“We still have a long road to the top but we will never stop, so you’ll see us up there one day,” Brown says.
What type of music does Sinizen play?
“We hate to classify it... Basically we are So Cal punk rockers who play reggae mixed with blues,” Brown says. “We come from every genre like punk, reggae, ska, hip-hop to blues, R&B, country and folk. Like Bradley Nowell said, good music is good music!”
The band has released three albums: Songs in the Key of Peace (2005), the classic rock-oriented Speak of the Devil (2008), and their most successful, Grass Roots Culture (2010). The reggae album was downloaded thousands of times the first month of release and began to create a buzz for Sinizen. Their latest singles are “Better Off Alone” and “Shine So Free”, which are both available on iTunes and at their shows.
Sinizen will be playing at the Rock Bar in Scottsdale on Oct. 12.
Sinizen will be in Scottsdale on Oct. 12. Photo courtesy of MIke Piper.This is not the first time Sinizen will be in the Valley, and this isn’t the largest tour they have embarked on.
“We’ve been playing in the Valley since 2009. I wouldn't call this a major tour. we've been on 3 US tours and about 10 West coast tours! So this October tour is only 2 weeks and seems very small to us [laughs]. We’ve played with bands like Dirty Heads, Authority Zero, Rebelution, Iration, Tribal Seeds, Sugar Ray, stuff like that. ”
What message do they have for SPM readers?
“If you believe in your dreams and yourself, don’t let anyone take that away. No drugs, women (or men) or anything else can stop you from achieving success. You will be successful, no matter how long it takes.”
Sinizen’s music can be heard on their website and MySpace page. You can also like them on Facebook.
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