Born in 1996 under the name Acrylic, Syringe exploded out of Hamilton, Ontario with best friends David Lashmar (aka Zeptae) on vocals/guitar/keyboards and Roger Vallve on bass. After writing ten raw, urgent tracks, they brought in drummer Chris de Baseggio and hit the stage hard—until a name clash forced a rebrand. Syringe was officially injected into the scene.

Their debut album Green Baby dropped in 1997—an 11-track blast of chaos and beauty, recorded at Blue Tilt Studios and wrapped in disturbing, unforgettable artwork by Katherine Racho and Janet Bailey. Guest players included Jamie Shea (guitar), TJ Manners (backing vocals), and Terry Duggan (sax). That same year, Joe Scaduto replaced Chris on drums and brought in filmmaker Frank Doria to shoot the band’s first video, “Free.”

By 1999, Syringe was tearing up a tribute album for punk legends The Forgotten Rebels, recording feral covers of “Fuck Me Dead,” “Elvis Is Dead,” and “Surfin’ on Heroin.” These tracks are rare—if you’ve got them, you’re in a secret club.

In 2000, they unleashed the Superstar Explosion EP, recorded at Grant Avenue Studios, featuring the title track, “Red Melody,” and “New Oasis,” with Nara Farrell on backing vocals. Around the same time, Syringe tracked a brutal version of Daniel Lanois’ “Whole Lotta Love to Give” for a tribute CD—it didn’t make the final cut, but it’s out there if you dig deep enough.

For the next two years, Syringe hit small clubs, festivals, and live radio with their signature mix of wired energy and strange beauty. By late 2002, they called it quits—but the noise still echoes. David, Roger, and Joe remain close, and the spirit of Syringe lives on in other projects, rare recordings, and fuzzed-out memories.