OiZone are a Oi band from the Reading area jokingly named after popular boy band BoyZone.

They have released three singles and one album (all on DG) and appeared on the compilation double single ‘The New Wave Of The Close Shave’. They played occasionally in the London area in the late 90’s and in 2000. When they played it was always a bit special, they used to turn up, get as drunk as possible and go on and attempt to do 4 songs. At the height of their popularity Steve Lamacq was playing their version of ‘You’re Gorgeous’ (which originally appeared on a Snakebite City compilation CD) and they were playing a festival in Bracknall, after they had finished murdering 4 songs they piled offstage to be greeted by a journalist from Kerrang who loved it and wanted to do a quick interview, they were all heard sputtering out the word ‘FUCK OFF’, another press coup for Damaged Goods!!

Anyway all is quiet on the Oizone front but you never know they may well be back for more sometime in the future….I for one do hope so.

The track on ‘New Wave of the Close Shave’ (Damgood 0111 Double 7”) is ‘Wannabe’ – there’s 7 spoof bands on this celebration of the joy of Oi, including Hard Skin, Oi-Vey, Shitter, Oi-asis, Union Jock and Ficko.