When Lance Ozanix unleashed Skitzo on Sonoma County in 1981, the Bay Area thrash metal scene was gaining speed. But the band, led by Ozanix, had ambitions beyond playing faster and louder. From the start, Skitzo embraced a theatrical strain of heavy metal, building a reputation for outrageous stage shows, shifting lineups and a frontman whose signature trick — projectile-vomiting bright green slime — became part of the band’s underground legend.
Now, 45 years and 21 full-length albums later, Skitzo is preparing to unleash that madness with a Nov. 14 anniversary concert at Petaluma’s Phoenix Theater. The show will bring together generations of former and current members for what Ozanix promises will be an elaborate production, with multiple drum kits, towering stage sets, and a return of the band’s most notorious special effect.
Through decades of shifting musical tastes and lineup changes, Ozanix, now 60, has remained at the center of Skitzo. The band has shared stages with heavy metal mainstays including W.A.S.P., the Misfits, Venom and Tool, and continues to tour the West Coast. Last year, it played the Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles alongside Kings of Thrash, a group featuring former members of Megadeth…