Infectious Grooves. By dictionary definitions a disease inducing long, narrow depression and that they are. The disease is funk (with a capital FUN) and the depression is what's left when the bass drops. But don't let the name explain it to ya, there is so much more to be known.

Playing to sold out shows across the country S.T.I.G. (Suicidal Tendencies Infectious Grooves) began in the latter part of 1991 when Mike Muir and Robert Trujillo (both of S.T.) had the idea of putting together a group where the songs were concentrated around the bass.

Searching high and low, far and wide, they brought together Adam Siegal and Dean Pleasants (you should know) put their diverse guitar styles side by side and viola- Infectious Grooves was born.

Their first album The Plague That Makes Your Booty Move has already sold a couple a hundred thousand, and their MTV award winning "Break Through Video" features hilarious animation and the clever hand of Bill Stobaugh as he visually interprets "You Lie... and Yo Breath Stank."

They were the prom band in Pauley Shore's Encino Man and it was my infectaphilious fortune to hook up with 'em on the road to pry within their deep and demented minds. Their sound is funk, as the LA Time's puts it, "the heaviest music that you can actually dance to." As I put it "driven, bassy, foot fast-forwarding, down home, move your booty or lose it music."

As a group S.T.I.G. definitely has it together. They've locked onto a killer sound and you'd better know it. They key to their success would probably be the fact that they all come from really diverse backgrounds, infused with a funky, hard jazzy combination tastier than the Colonel's secret recipe.

And even though the group's beginning was born in the mind of S.T. front man Mike Muir, the sound that Adam & Dean got down, down, down, is a sound that has been given free reign to express itself. The result: catchy, groovin' and infectious, hence the name.

They were the opening act for Ozzy's Theatre of Madness tour, but they sound nothing like Ozzy, more like Bootsy with their dropped bass style. They play for the groove. As Dean laid it on me: "Infectious is more of a funk party, celebrating the positive vibe thing." Our music is free form an extension of jazz, but freakier."

And this is plainly evident backstage before the show. Mike began his dialogue from the bathroom stall, a little ditty that was reminiscent of an Irish drinking song. Drumming a stack of magazines, the percussionist of the moment contemplates the acoustically sound nature of our magazine.

I ask Adam about his roots (punk rock) and his influences. "Oh, Prince, George Clinton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Neil Young." Neil Young?

"Oh yeah! He sings from the heart in everything he sings about. He might not have the greatest voice, or the greatest technique but he always sings from the heart." Mike, still humming and hacking in the bathroom responds for them when I ask 'em where they're headed after this show.

"We're going to Disneyland!" Laughter takes over as he comes out in disco sunglasses straight off the Love Boat and Adam gets his chance to respond. "We're gonna play some more back yard parties."

"Hey, don't say that now, he's from the press." cautions Mike in Dean's astrology inspired lounge suit coat.

Just a few minutes later this madness was carried on-stage, brewing up and boiling over in one wild stage presence that shook the foundations and got the booties bustin'. Sharing the stage with S.T.I.G. was that infamous infectophibian himself, Sarsippius in all of his pimp mac daddy glory, spreading the Infectious Grooves from Sea to shining Sea.

S.T.I.G. is currently on their nationwide "These Freaks Are Here to Party" tour and if they come to your town you'd better be there like they were handing out food stamp. If not, check out their limited release B.H.G. Musick/Epic feature Sarsippius' Ark. But really, you just gotta see' em live"...?

This article was published in Sin Magazine