SA Music & Entertainment Magazine had the pleasure of speaking with Mark Biagio, the guitarist and vocalist of The Fismits, about their latest single ‘Halen’.
This song is a heartfelt tribute to the 90s South African band Live Jimi Presley and its late frontman, Marc ‘Presley’ Feltham. In this interview, Mark Biagio shares insights on the creation of ‘Halen’, his relationship with Feltham, and the enduring legacy of Live Jimi Presley.
Honouring the Past…
Q: What inspired you to revisit and finally release ‘Halen’ after so many years?
Mark Biagio: I think the spark was Marc’s passing. An unconscious knee jerk reaction of “Get off your ass, and get it done now, as time is moving!” That’s what a psychologist would say. ‘Halen’ was holding its own in the “in-progress” folder on Google Drive, I was actively working on three other tracks, I then opened the ‘Halen’ project file and went for it. It was not a planned task that’s for sure.
Q: Reflecting on the rebellious spirit of South African bands like Live Jimi Presley in the 90s, how do you think their defiance against the establishment influenced the music scene of that era, and how did being part of that movement as a fan and musician yourself shape your perspective and music with The Fismits?
Mark Biagio: The early 90’s was a very strange time. It’s hard to look back and probably easy in hindsight to come up with all sorts of theories as to why the scene looked and sounded like it did. I think our influence and opinions were already formed in the 80’s and we were only able to release them at that point.
I don’t see the scene as actually influencing or shape it – we were already shaped, but the use of our crafts and talents were only maturing at that point and were able to be released. I was influenced by bands that had gone before us in that regard, artists like Asylum Kids, Dog Detachment, Koos, James Phillips, the Gereformeerde Blues Band. They were the true pioneers against the systems at play.
The earthquake was already happening, the 90s’ was rather about dodging the cracks and falling buildings while trying to start your adult hood.
Q: Can you share a bit about your personal connection to Marc ‘Presley’ Feltham and how it influenced the recording of ‘Halen’?
Mark Biagio: Marc and I officially met when we they came to record three tracks for a compilation of unsigned South African bands that Leon Retief and I had ambitiously dreamed up. I was already a fan of LJP as they were a band in the “next league” i.e. they had airplay and reputation but were not signed. I had bootleg versions of Hog in Armour, Calculus and Mobile Home that I taped off the radio.
My band had shared the stage with them at the Archi ball in Durban, they were different sounding for sure. I told Leon, if Soda Sex was to have “cred” we need LJP on it and he eagerly went on his quest. So, when Leon told me he got the Presley’s, and they were coming to the studio I was a nervous as hell. This was the biggest rock act that I had yet to engineer, I was working with Hugh Masekela, Jonas Gwangwa, Koloi Lebona and many others every day, that did not phase me, somehow, recording LJP did as it was very close to home.
I also knew that their previous demo was done by a very good engineer at the time, so, I needed to impress. Luckily there are no rules and standards for recoding scrap metal and angle grinders, so I just made it sound as real and as in your face as I could, kept the guitars as loud as they can go. Job done.
About halfway thorough I think we had established a mutual respect. After that followed Soda Sex Fountain 2, which Marc co-produced with us and some more Presley recordings of Song A and Mr Soul. Marc and I spent many late nights sitting on strange couches in chill out lounges discussing Neil Young and other things.
I’m thankful for Marc’s insistence on showing me the genius of Neil Young. When recording ‘Halen’, I did consciously add a guitar solo in the Marc style and was always making sure there was no hero moments or stagnant times in the song. Marc always shouted “Harder! Faster!” at a band when he got bored.
Q: What was it like working with Marc ‘Presley’ Feltham back in the 90s, and how did those experiences shape your musical journey?
Mark Biagio: I don’t know how much it shaped it. It would have had input, but we are all sponges absorbing moments and mixing them with other moments and when the sponge is squeezed you can’t see which moment is from where. It took a lot of confidence and knowing your stuff to engage in a conversation or challenge Marc. So, I think a lot of the boldness I have today, to step out of my comfort zone and back what I got, would, or may have had some roots in those moments.
Q: Live Jimi Presley was known for their unconventional performances. How did you capture that spirit in your recording of ‘Halen’?
Mark Biagio: Are you saying ‘Halen’ is an unconventional song? If anything, I probably conventionalised it (if that’s a word?). It has my voice which is unconventional, but the rest has all been done before. Maybe the combination of certain things and where they are is different, but I followed where the track was taking me and reacting to what I was adding to it. If ‘Halen’ is acceptably unconventional, then I am happy that that accidentally happened.
Q: The Fismits have evolved significantly since their formation in 2016. How does ‘Halen’ reflect your band’s growth and current musical direction?
Mark Biagio: ‘Halen’ is the first of the 3rd wave, if you will, of the Fismits evolution. Hope it’s a wave the others were probably ripples. This evolution is almost like the evil scientist hard at work in his lab trying to take over the world. The other ripples have had input from the band members of the time. It was a band trying to find its confidence and I was seeking the people to help me on my journey. The guys that joined for a while are amazing people and they helped me create tracks that I love and am proud of.
However, life, love, work and all the other forces working against the Fismits meant that I could not keep the band together. After reading Bruce Springsteen’s autobiography I decided that in essence, when I start the next ripple it needs to have the spirit of ‘Mark and The Fismits’, and I need to own and drive the show.
Q: What challenges did you face in bringing ‘Halen’ to life, and how did you overcome them?
Mark Biagio: This is one recording that came to life from the first demo. I hardly struggled. Vocals were only a few takes, guitars and bass line parts fell into place at a normal rate. Editing drums to sound like what is in my head – that is just laborious – but must be done. I can’t recall exactly how long it took, but once it started, it got going, the next step to get done was obvious. Sometimes songs can take ages, I’m working on one that I’ve redone in 3 different keys trying to find a balance between the tones of the guitars and my voice. ‘Halen’ did not have any struggles from that realm.
Q: In what ways do you hope ‘Halen’ will impact listeners and contribute to the legacy of Live Jimi Presley?
Mark Biagio: Firstly, it needs to be recognised as a good song and to be enjoyed for whatever reason the listener feels is a good reason. If they then want to then delve further into the LJP catalogue or Fismits catalogue or even go on a journey to dust off the music from the 80’s/90’s that was coming out of the dark cigarette smoke filled live venues of South Africa, that would be awesome. Hidden gems a plenty.
Q: Looking forward, what can fans expect next from The Fismits?
Mark Biagio: There are new tracks, as mentioned, coming. More songs from that “in-progress” folder. I have also had the idea for a few years now to haul out another lost track or two. Let’s see what tomorrow brings, then I’ll decide.
Thank you, Mark, for sharing your insights and the story behind ‘Halen’. We look forward to hearing more from The Fismits in the future.
Don’t miss out on ‘Halen’, available on all platforms from tomorrow, Friday 7 June.
Stream it and experience the magic of The Fismits and the importance of this tribute to Live Jimi Presley and Marc ‘Presley’ Feltham
Download / Stream ‘Halen’ here
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