Early career, controversy, and first hiatus (1981–1986)
Suicidal Tendencies was formed in 1981 as a
hardcore punk band in
Venice, California. The original line-up of the band consisted of
Mike Muir on vocals, Mike Ball on guitar, Carlos "Egie" Egert on drums, and Mike Dunnigan on bass. After the recording of its first demo, Carlos Egert left the band and was replaced by
Dunnigan's brother Sean. Muir, at the time a student at Santa Monica College, originally only intended Suicidal Tendencies as a "party band" for fun, but as the band grew in notoriety he soon found the band at the center of his life.Suicidal Tendencies had a rough start that included being voted "Worst Band/Biggest Assholes" in
Flipside in 1982.
