Heavy Metal Soul By The Pound

n the wake of Living Colour's success with 1988's Vivid, several other all-black hard rock outfits soon appeared -- including 24-7 Spyz. Like Living Colour, 24-7 specialized in a merger of funk and heavy metal, with often message-filled lyrics. The group's leaders from their formation in 1986 to the present day have been guitarist Jimi Hazel (a gentleman who took his first and last names from two of his favorite guitarists -- Jimi Hendrix and Funkadelic's Eddie Hazel) and bassist Rick Skatore. Hailing from New York City (the Bronx, to be exact), the group issued its debut full-length, Harder Than You, in 1988 on the In-Effect label. The album -- which included vocal contributions from singer P. Fluid -- received some MTV attention with a cover of Kool & the Gang's 'Jungle Boogie.' Released in 1990, Gumbo Millennium saw the group perfect its multi-genre-encompassing sound even further, as an opening slot on Jane's Addiction's tour in support of Ritual de lo Habitual saw the group expand its following.