It's a hard days night for Corey down in Sakura. The street wars have re-occured and are heavier than ever before. That's right, the Sakura Night gangs are back and are on the streets out for blood, your blood! So don't go there unless you have suicidal tendencies. In other words, one of the most ambitious projects by the Ghost Car collective is back with a vengeange. Those damned Skabs are taking over, literally, and we got the scoop!
Tune in here, bandcamp-style, and read along as we had a conversation with one of the Sakura members...
PLAYMAKER: Who is fighting who and how does it relate to the songs?
STREET WAR: As of right now the SKABS shit on everyone. They don't care if they live or die. Story one "REVENGE" Corey has beef with Slog and Cuts from the Skabs, and War game from the Shadows for burning down his Dojo and raping and killing his wife Kim.
The Shadows hate trash and want it out of the city. War game the leader of the Shadows sees the Skabs as one of the biggest down falls of the city and plans to wipe them off the map. He will kill the innocent to do so.
The second story "DEATH OF A CHAMPION" Ex-gang member, Skillz has turned his life around with the help of his older brother Kool Beat, but just when Skillz gets his shit together, his brother is murdered by someone in the Black Lotus. He goes on a hunt to find out who killed him.
The third story "GAME OVER" Brother and sister, Krissy and Danny are being watched by the Tyrants, one of the biggest gangs in the city of Sakura, because of their fighting skills. Megalo the leader of Tyrants wants to recruit them into his army. During the story one of them gets captured, while the other one meets up with the other characters from story one and two and goes after these kidnappers.
None of the gangs get along but some of the members from each gang secretly talk to each other.
PM: How do the gangs defer each other?
SW: Ok, let me breakdown the leaders of the gangs.
SLOG: Ruthless leader of the Skabs. Together with his lover, Rabies, Slog contrives to make a joke of life and terrorize the streets of Sakura. Do not be seen walking on his turf, he and the rest of the Skabs will have their way with you.
HIA: Commander of the Black Lotus, brother of Kurayamino Hasu the leader of the Black Lotus, the only person he has ever answered to. He would die for his sister. He has a weird love for his sister, not the traditional love between siblings.
His sister knows this but is not threaten by him, she will always love him because he is her brother and family comes before anything.
Kurayamino Hasu has grown very bitter and has fallen over the edge mentally from the loss of Kool Beat, her ex-lover.
WAR GAME: Director of the Shadows, doesn't like to call himself a leader. He just gives direction to guide his team on their endeavors . As most of the other gangs thirst for power, War game wants nothing to do with it. He is looking to bring the city of Sakura to it's knees.
PM: Is there reason to believe the street wars will take over other cities, besides Sakura?
SW: I don't know, I think I will keep things in one area for right now.
PM: Do you think Danger seen your concept and modeled himself toward the idea of Street War?
SW: Um, I don't think so. Someone else said that to me too but I'm really not sure what that means. I thought his stuff was themed in the jungles with some dude that looks like Spider-man and a kid.
PM: What do you think of others imitating your ideas in general?
SW: I think you need to be inspired by other artists to grow. Shit, I'm inspired by Street Fighter, Streets Of Rage, Final Fight, Fatal Fury, Man Hunt. As for them, I'm sure they all spawned from each other as well. I think it's cool to imitate my idea but don't rip it off. Come up with characters that look different and come up with your own story and the gangs of Sakura wont come looking for you.
PM: Who is the scariest character, and who is trying to settle for peace?
SW: Well, none of the characters want peace, except for maybe WAR GAME when he has finally burned the city alive with the rest of his mates. As for the scariest, I would have to say The Skabs member Cuts. He lives for blood. He will cut you up and do perverted things to your dead body.
PM: What's the main operating devices to make it's soundtrack?
SW: The two main devices would be Logic Pro and Korg Triton.
PM: What's the plan with the releases?
SW: Sound track is out already. There is one track on their called SICK'EM and it is based on the character Rabies. It really shouldn't be on the EP but I hate when a EP is less then four tracks. I only say this because the other three tracks are based on the story lines and then there is this random track about one member of the Skabs. I should have came out with some of the other stories I plan on doing and added that as the track three but I always fuck myself by promoting a release date for some reason, lol and then I have to meet that deadline with something. I may put out a Full length and have every song in order down the road.
PM: What are you working on now and what else will we see from the STREET WAR project?
SW: I have to go back to the Savage house project. I'm doing a track with an artist named BARON, where he will be doing the vocals on the track. You should see that next. After that, Hopefully Rikk Sloan the other member of Savage house will join me in making the cross over EP with Ghost Driver and Savage House and I will explain the story between Ghost Driver and Syn. The cover art for that is amazing btw. I had one of my favorite artist do it. Way later during the rest of the year, I will be working on Savage House/Ghost Driver full length albums and hopefully have Savage House done by mid summer and Ghost by October 1st. Syn, the character from Savage House will make an appearance in Street War very soon and the story will tell her origin. In between all of that I wanted to do a remix or two as Savage House. As for Street War sometime later i will put out another EP called Sakura Nights and introduce other gangs.
There's much more info and graphics on Street War's MySpace, it's off the hook! Head over there now and try to befriend them, if you dare... But don't come crying if someone bit your ear off. You've been warned as the SKABS RULE!!