Mark Biagio’s work with The Fismits sits at a compelling crossroads in South African music. It is both deeply personal and historically resonant, rooted in the early 1990s Durban scene, shaped by the long creative partnership with Bruce Barrett, and carried forward through a body of work that has moved from trio to solo vehicle without losing its independent spirit. With the 2026 rollout of “Scars”, “Independence”, “When” and the EP Falling Joy, Biagio is not simply releasing new music. He is reopening songs that have lived through different eras, different line-ups, and different versions of himself. Alongside that, the 2025 song “Halen” stands as a tribute to Live Jimi Presley and Marc “Presley” Feltham, reminding listeners that The Fismits’ story is also part of a wider South African rock lineage, one built on friendship, loss, memory, and a refusal to let important songs disappear.
Watch the official premiere of “Independence” by The Fismits:
To begin with, how would you describe The Fismits today: as a band, a solo project, or something more like a living archive of ideas that have taken decades to fully reveal themselves?
In terms of writing and recording, the last two releases were a solo project, more out of circumstance than intention. However, the “solo” is once again becoming a band, with some shows lining up and new members joining the fray. Due to age and experience, there is a relatively large archive, but there are also many new ideas being hatched.
When you look back to the early 1990s and your work in The Mind Theatre with Bruce Barrett, what did that period give you creatively that still runs through The Fismits now?
Quiet self-belief and determination. It also extends beyond The Fismits into other aspects of what runs through me.
A lot of the new material on Falling Joy comes from songs that were written a long time ago but were only properly recorded in 2024 and 2025. What made now the right time to return to them?
“Scars”, off the EP, was never left behind. I carried it with me through various projects and bands after The Mind Theatre. It became a case of finally reaching a recorded version of “Scars” that I felt was complete and then considering how to package it. The idea of including a few of its ‘mates’ from back in the day to complete the story followed naturally.
“Honestly, it is just a great track. It is unique in many ways yet still feels familiar.”
“Scars” feels like a central statement on the EP. What made you believe it was worth carrying forward for so many years until the version we hear now finally emerged?
Honestly, it is just a great track. It is unique in many ways yet still feels familiar.
“I think when you bang your head against a wall, you eventually realise it is not working. I probably did that for longer than I should have.”
You have spoken about needing the right key, phrasing, and vocal approach before “Scars” truly worked. What changed for you as a singer and producer that allowed the song to click into place?
I think when you bang your head against a wall, you eventually realise it is not working. I probably did that for longer than I should have. It was not my song originally, and there was nothing wrong with the original, so I was not inclined to change it. In the end, it took time and struggle to get to the point where I was willing to mess with what felt like perfection. So rather than the song changing, I think I changed through that process.
“Independence” sounds like a deliberate break from expectation, with electronic textures, looping rhythms, and that bold, off-centre atmosphere. What were you trying to express musically when you approached the song that way?
When it was written in the 90s, we always wanted it to have a loopy, electronic element. We were very much into the British indie scene at the time. So, I started there and experimented with 80s new wave and post-punk sounds.
“When” has the urgency of a song that still feels alive, but it also carries the perspective of someone looking back. How did you balance preserving its original emotional force with bringing it into the present?
Job done then. This one was a struggle to find the balance. The only reason it never made it into a Fismits set was that it felt like a ‘con’ to me when playing it. I completely agreed with the song at 26, almost to the point of it being an anthem. Now, I would say to the 26-year-old: ‘I understand your position; however, you are wrong, you just do not know it yet’. So, it was a challenge to adjust aspects of the song in a way that kept the original energy and determination but allowed it to come across as a little wiser.
“Falling Joy and The Fismits have played their part in a story, but for that story to be completed, it will require another actor or two.”
The title track “Falling Joy” is only forty-one seconds long, yet it seems to hold the thematic centre of the whole EP. Why did that small piece feel important enough to name the record after?
“Falling Joy” is really part of another song from the archives. That track, however, I feel does not need to be redone or finished under The Fismits banner, but should rather stand alone. Who knows what the future holds. For now, “Falling Joy” and The Fismits have played their part in a story, but for that story to be completed, it will require another actor or two.
“Too Small A Word” closes the EP in a raw and reflective way. Was it important to end with something stripped back and emotionally exposed rather than with a bigger statement?
I think it was important to end with something honest. This was a much bigger song back in the day, or at least that is where it would have gone if it had been recorded then. By ‘bigger’, I mean a classic building production with layered guitars, soaring vocals, and a massive guitar solo. I chose to go in the opposite direction from the moment I started jamming it, drawing on what I learned from “Scars”.
The title Falling Joy comes from another Bruce Barrett lyric. What did that phrase allow you to say about memory, loss, and acceptance without making the record feel nostalgic?
I do not think I went that deep. To me, those two words wrapped the EP into a package that connected to a time, certain songs, and certain people. For Bruce, the same two words will conjure up different connections. For the listener, it can mean whatever they want it to mean. As Falling Joy has been discussed more, I have realised just how many ways those two words can be interpreted, and I really like that.
“Halen” was not just another release, but a tribute to Live Jimi Presley and to Marc “Presley” Feltham. What did that song mean to you personally, and why was it important to complete and release it as a tribute?
It was another song that had been left behind, but one I always wanted to be remembered. Marc’s passing pushed me to finally finish what I had started in 2017.
“Ultimately, I think I write and craft songs the way I do because of time and evolution.”
You have worked as a musician and producer with a wide range of South African artists and have been close to some of the country’s important underground and alternative scenes. How has that wider experience shaped the way you write, arrange, and finish songs for The Fismits?
It has not consciously shaped the way I approach songwriting. That said, there may well be influences that have filtered through without me even realising it. Ultimately, I think I write and craft songs the way I do because of time and evolution, rather than any specific scene or collaboration.
The Fismits began as a three-piece and eventually became your main creative outlet. What did you gain from that shift, and what do you lose or leave behind when a project becomes more solitary?
I gained independence. I lost soulmates to share the journey with.
For listeners encountering The Fismits now through these new singles and the EP Falling Joy, what do you most want them to understand about your journey, your influences, and the emotional weight behind this music?
I hope they enjoy the songs and take the time to listen. If the backstory adds a bit of intrigue that draws them in, I am happy. If it helps bring the music closer, I am also happy.
Stream “Scars” – https://hypeddit.com/fismits/single-scars
Watch “Scars” – https://youtu.be/OmSLuY7tS_A
Stream “Independence” from 8 May – https://hypeddit.com/fismits/single-independence
Stream “Falling Joy” from 26 June – https://hypeddit.com/fismits/ep-fallingjoy
All Links – https://linktr.ee/fismits
