SA Music Zone is excited to present an interview with Mark Biagio, the creative force behind The Fismits. In this conversation, Mark delves into the inspiration and journey behind their latest single ‘Halen’, a tribute to the 90s band Live Jimi Presley and its late frontman, Marc ‘Presley’ Feltham.
Discover how this long-lost song was revived and what it means for the legacy of these influential artists. Keep on reading to find out that Mark had to say…
What drew you to the music of Live Jimi Presley initially, and how did it influence your own musical style?
“We all grew up listening to Barney Simon on radio 5. He played a track called “Hog in Armour” and it sounded like nothing I’d heard before. The line “my eyes have seen what the head can’t explain” is a classic. I can’t say they influenced my style.”
Can you describe the moment you decided that ‘Halen’ needed to be finished and released?
“I can’t recall there being a moment or a lightning strike or something. It was more like, “its sounding good and it should have been done ages ago, what are you waiting for Biagio?”
How did your past experiences and collaborations with Marc ‘Presley’ Feltham shape your approach to recording ‘Halen’?
“No approach, or no plan at that stage – pick up the guitar, work out the chords and start playing the track. Somehow a riff arrived, and I liked the direction. It was definitely a Fismits direction and not a Live Jimi Presley one.”
What specific elements did you incorporate into ‘Halen’ to preserve the original essence while adding The Fismits‘ unique touch?
“I was finishing it off and it needed a solo and a few other things and I thought, how would Marc play this solo? So, yeah, I gave it a go.”
“There is a musical line at the end of the original track that they played with a toy mouth organ in the studio. I thought I should emulate that a bit, but with brass instruments and then I added an angle grinder in obvious tribute – that I played badly, I’m sure Marc would have let me know.”
Given the socio-political climate of the 90s, how do you think bands like Live Jimi Presley made an impact, and how is that reflected in ‘Halen’?
“I don’t think it reflects in Halen. Halen is just a song with a bit of attitude. There were many bands that made an impact in the late 80’s to mid nighties never made it “big”. They opened our eyes to what had gone before – that’s what they had did, and that was important.”
How did the recording process of ‘Halen’ differ from your previous work with The Fismits?
“This track from idea to its end is all “me”. I think that’s the biggest change.”
What emotions and memories were evoked for you while working on ‘Halen’, and how did they influence the final version?
“I started missing a guy who I had not seen or spoken to for twenty plus years. Again, I hate to disappoint, but there is no final vision, well in my world, you work and follow where the track leads you – the key is to recognise when it’s done.”
In your opinion, why is it important to bring attention to the music and messages of bands like Live Jimi Presley today?
“Firstly, I think the creativity and originality of South African artists from the late 70’s to mid 90’s was incredible. We were isolated, so DIY was the only way. Similar to the punk ethos in 75.”
“There were scenes in each town, bands got together and produced compilation cassettes, there were fanzines and we exchanged ideas through the postal service!”
“I also think, the message today is that there was a whole music scene, against the establishment of that day, although we came from the suburbs of privilege, we were not in agreement with what was going down.”
“The only weapon we had was our out of tune guitars. The other essence is, timeless, those songs and their lyrics, still apply today … “we are the ones facing the guns!”
How do you hope ‘Halen’ will be received by both old fans of Live Jimi Presley and new listeners discovering this era of music?
“I think if someone finds the song “cool” and they then go, “oh it’s a cover of this band who breathed fire on stage, played scrap metal and angle grinders in a thing called the Moscow Circus? Let me Google that!” For those in the know … “Good job Mark”, is good enough, and maybe they haul out some vinyl and show their kids.”
What message or legacy do you hope to preserve through releasing ‘Halen’, and how do you see it fitting into the future of The Fismits?
“Ya, I don’t know. I think releasing ‘Halen’ will at least put it amongst the gazillion other tracks on streaming platforms. So, it’s not lost anymore, in that sense. What it does from then on, is, well, “up to the gods” in a way. As for fitting into the future – it is part of the repertoire now and I won’t let it die.”
Thank you, Mark, for sharing your insights and the powerful story behind ‘Halen’. We eagerly anticipate the release and encourage all our readers to listen to this remarkable tribute.
Be sure to stream ‘Halen’ on all platforms from Friday, June 7. Experience the revival of a hidden gem and celebrate the enduring influence of Live Jimi Presley and The Fismits.
Watch this space for updates in the Interviews category on SA Music Zone.
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