Nico B, who has previously worked with Williams, brings a unique perspective to the project, combining personal anecdotes with a vast array of interviews from those who stood by Williams throughout his career. This untitled documentary aims not just to chart the history of a musician but to capture the essence of a cultural icon whose influence transcends his music.

Set against the iconic backdrop of the Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, a place as storied and rich in history as Williams’ own legacy, a special fundraiser event on March 15th will support the final stages of the documentary’s editing and post-production. Hollywood Forever, the resting place of numerous legends, provides a fitting venue to honor Rozz Williams (whose ashes are interred there), offering a bridge between past and present artistic luminaries.

The event promises an intimate glimpse into Williams’ world, featuring performances from those who shared his journey, including Gitane Demone, Paul Roessler, and Eva O, each bringing their own connection to Williams’ life and work to the stage. The inclusion of special guest Vincent Price from Body Count adds an exciting layer, blending genres and generations in a tribute to Williams’ diverse artistic reach.

For fans and newcomers alike, the event offers a range of experiences. The VIP experience, limited to 20 attendees, provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to tour Rozz Williams’ memorial site, offering a tangible connection to his legacy. This, along with the chance to meet and greet band members and secure autographs, makes for an unforgettable experience. General admission opens the door to a wider audience, inviting all to partake in this unique celebration of Williams’ life and artistry.

The evening’s schedule is meticulously crafted, featuring a screening of “PIG,” a film by Williams and Nico B, followed by performances that promise to immerse attendees in the world Williams created. The event not only serves as a tribute but as a vital step in ensuring the documentary reaches completion, with proceeds going towards this goal.

The documentary, enriched by interviews with 23 collaborators and friends, including Eva O, Gitane Demone, and Rikk Agnew, aims to paint a comprehensive portrait of Williams. Coupled with a treasure trove of music, photographs, art, and video works, it’s set to be a definitive account of Williams’ life and influence.

As the event approaches, fans are encouraged to remember Rozz Williams, not just as a musician but also as an artist who pushed boundaries and left an indelible mark on the world. Through the documentary and tribute, his legacy continues to inspire, reminding us of the power of art to transcend time and space.

For more information and to support this important project, please visit the Hollywood Forever website. Join us in celebrating the life and legacy of Rozz Williams, ensuring his artistic spirit continues to resonate with generations to come.

The Rozz Williams tribute and fundraiser will be held on March 15th at the Masonic Lodge of Hollywood Forever.

Here is the schedule:

• 6:00 PM VIP EXPERIENCE
• 7:00 PM GA DOORS OPEN
• 7:30 PM SCREENING OF PIG
• 8:00 PM GITANE DEMONE & PAUL ROESSLER
• 9:00 PM SYMBOLISM
• 10:00 PM EVA O

Special guest guitarist: Vincent Price (Body Count) is joining Christian Death’s Rikk and James’ new deathrock supergroup Symbolism.

Get advance tickets here.

The post Celebrating the Legacy of Rozz Williams: A Tribute at Hollywood Forever Cemetery appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

Darker Waves promises a day filled with both 1980s classics and 21st-century discoveries. This riveting sonic voyage, which is stacked with various artists from synthpop, darkwave, post-punk, and deathrock genres, is set to begin on November 18th at the scenic City Beach in Huntington Beach, California. The lineup is brimming with old-school luminaries such as Soft Cell, The Psychedelic Furs, The Human League, OMD, Violent Femmes, X, The English Beat, Clan of Xymox, The Chameleons, T.S.O.L., 45 Grave, Christian Death, and Skeletal Family.

But Darker Waves isn’t just looking in the rearview mirror; the festival will also spotlight some of the most dynamic names in the contemporary darkwave scene with trailblazers like Molchat Doma, Twin Tribes, Cold Cave, Mareux, Drab Majesty, and more!

If this sounds like your kind of jam, act fast. Tickets are priced from a reasonable $199 to a more opulent VIP package at $1,750, with pre-sales firing up at 10 a.m. PT on Friday, June 23.

Sign up for a presale code at darkerwavesfest.com.

Check out the full lineup below:

• New Order
• Tears For Fears
• The B-52s
• Echo & The Bunnymen
• Devo
• Soft Cell
• The Psychedelic Furs
• The Human League
• OMD
• Violent Femmes
• She Wants Revenge
• The Cardigans
• Molchat Doma
• X
• The English Beat
• Crosses
• Kavinsky
• London After Midnight
• Clan of Xymox
• The Chameleons
• T.S.O.L.
• Death in Vegas
• Cold Cave
• Blossoms
• Mareux
• Drab Majesty
• Depresion Sopnora
• Twin Tribes
• 45 Grave
• Christian Death
• Skeletal Family
• Glass Spells
• Urban Heat

The post Darker Waves Festival Announced with New Order, Tears For Fears, Echo & The Bunnymen, OMD, The Human League, and more! appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

The Rose Bowl in Pasadena has long been a hallowed ground in the goth mythos, owing to its status as the setting for the legendary Depeche Mode 101 concert back in 1988. Now, 35 years later, the second edition of the Cruel World Festival has conjured a new and magical experience at the very same location. This festival, a blend of nostalgia and innovation, manages to unite generations of sunscreen-slathered, parasol-toting goths on the not-so-flat field of southern California.

The festival kicked off with an outstanding performance by Aurat, who are perhaps one of the most unique darkwave groups in the scene internationally, blending dark post-punk, synthpunk, and EBM, with vocals sung in Urdu. Azeka’s fiery, Siouxsie-esque vocals come blazing with such a mind-melting tempo, peppered with yelps, shrieks, and thrilling synthwave psychedelia. This was followed by a memorable set from Riki. The latter artist unveiled material likely from her forthcoming third studio album, accompanied by a synth player and two backing vocalists, and even picked up a guitar herself. The live performance of her single “Marigold” was a rare treat, having only been performed twice before.

Gvllows stood out with their cover of “Deathwish,” performed with Christian Death’s Gitane Demone and Rikk Agnew. Modern English then demonstrated their significant musical prowess, deftly blending artistic post-punk with pop new wave, much to the delight of the dancing sea of goths before them. The anthemic guitar creep of “16 Days” and “Gathering Dust” led triumphantly into “Someone’s Calling.”

Twin Tribes, always a crowd favorite, represented the best of modern darkwave, serving as one of the standout modern acts in the genre. The band played hits like “Shadows” and “Phantasmas,” as well as a cover of  La Union’s “Lobo Hombre en París.”

Molchat Doma, the Belarusian post-punk trio, also gave an unforgettable performance, somehow bringing to life that viral dancing bat meme with real live goths. (As I write this, they, as well as Twin Tribes, were just recognized by The Grammys for their contributions to the modern darkwave scene.)

The Soft Moon, better than ever on the live stage, gave a performance that will go down in festival history. They brilliantly demonstrated the connection between krautrock, post-punk, and industrial, with a visceral energy that was both electrifying and deeply moving with classic songs such as “Parallels” and “Die Life,” as well as top-notch material from their latest Exister, such as “Become the Lies.”

Gang of Four delivered a dream-come-true post-punk performance, with founding members Jon King and Hugo Burnham, joined by the phenomenal Sara Lee from the “Songs of the Free” era. The late Andy Gill was deeply missed, but David Pajo’s heartfelt guitar playing did justice to the band’s legacy. In a masterstroke of audacious performance art, frontman Jon King took to the stage, brandishing a brazen air of sardonic wit, and then for kicks, he hurled a microwave into the pit. Occasionally he’d rest, gathering the panther-like strength to prowl around the stage during “I Love a Man in a Uniform,” “Anthrax,” “To Hell With Poverty,” and a particularly passionate delivery of “At Home He’s a Tourist” kept the audience’s adrenaline in full tilt. Imbuing the performance with powerful visuals, a large backdrop of various political flags made a resounding declaration of unity, emblazoned with the phrases “Woman Life Freedom” and “Black Lives Matter.”

Squeeze also delivered a dazzling 55-minute spectacle, igniting their set with the classic “Take Me I’m Yours.” Stepping into the shoes of Adam Ant, who made a sudden exit mere days before the 2023 edition of the Cruel World Festival due to unspecified predicaments.

Boy Harsher, as well, delivered an impeccable performance. The dynamic duo of Gus Muller and Jae Matthews once again proved the undeniable bond between dance music and goth, giving the crowd a set that was as rhythmically engaging as it was darkly mesmerizing, capped off with a brilliant rendition of a “Modulations” from Lesser Man EP.

I’ve seen Echo and the Bunnymen quite a few times, and this was one of their best performances in recent years. After last year’s cancellation, I was glad to see them on the lineup again. Hopefully, this will be the case next year with Adam Ant, who, like the Bunnymen, had to cancel last minute. It is a shame that the band’s performance lacked the dynamic visual element of video projection, with instead, in its place, a static bunnyman on the moon. This visibility issue in such a large-capacity outdoor venue meant that the view was restricted to only those at the forefront. Nevertheless, Ian McCulloch beautifully delivered the heavy hitters: “Bring on the Dancing Horses,” The Killing Moon, and “Lips Like Sugar.”

Billy Idol was undoubtedly a festival highlight, celebrating his granddaughter’s birthday on stage and assuring the crowd during “Rebel Yell” that he was feeling “all right.” Steve Stevens’ guitar playing was as flawless as ever, even playing the Top Gun theme to roaring applause. It was heartwarming to see Billy Idol’s fandom’s effusive affection spiking. While a lengthier set would have paved the way for more of his Generation X-era music, Idol’s exuberant performance of “100 Punks Rule” emerged as a triumphant high point in the day’s lineup. “White Wedding” and “Eyes Without a Face” also resonated powerfully. In a poignant moment, Idol expressed his gratitude to the sea of faces before him, exclaiming, “I just want to thank you for making my life so f***ing great.” The profundity of these words was moving, demonstrating the depth of love accumulated over the years for his music.

Love and Rockets delivered a trippy set of alternative rock classics, their psychedelic visuals and shimmering red suits, underscored a stark contrast to Bauhaus’ Blood Moon swan song performance at last year’s festival. They kick-started the show with the melancholic echoes of “I Feel Speed,” followed by the raw, unyielding pulse of “No Big Deal,” from their seminal self-titled record of 1989. However, their adrenaline-fueled rendition of “Kundalini Express” was mind-blowing, as the stage was bathed in intricate designs and patterns.

Iggy Pop’s Saturday set was abruptly cut short by a little boy’s rain dance during “The Passenger,” as a lightning strike led to a festival-wide evacuation. Rumors swirled that Siouxsie had failed to show up, but as it turned out, she was merely in her trailer, catching up with old friends and waiting for her moment to make a regal entrance. All in all, the festival handled the situation admirably, and by 2 am, following the evacuation, the makeup performances were already set up for Sunday evening.

The Human League’s set was also, unfortunately, cut short due to the evacuation, and they were unable to return for the makeup performances the following night. On the bright side, Gary Numan gave an incredible encore performance, followed by Iggy completing his set, with Noveller’s shredding guitar complementing the shirtless stooge’s proto-punk classics.

On Sunday, May 21st, over 20,000 people returned to see Siouxsie perform. For those unable to return, partial refunds were offered. Siouxsie took to the stage and jokingly commented that she had wanted to tell the fire department not to shut down the festival the night before, as the lightning was simply part of her light show. With her signature charisma, Siouxsie reminded the audience that after a hiatus of 15 years stateside, she wouldn’t make them wait another year for her return, “Nah ah.” This was a performance that could not wait.

Cloaked in a silvery shroud and shadows, Siouxsie emerged, opening her extended set with “Night Shift,” a standout track from her 1981 Banshees album, Juju. Her selection of songs was a tapestry spanning her illustrious career, weaving in deep cuts such as “Lands End” from Tinderbox, alongside iconic classics like “Christine” and “Happy House” from Kaleidoscope. Fans were also treated to a sultry selection of songs from her sole solo album Manta Ray. One of the most touching moments of the evening came when Siouxsie dedicated both “Kiss Them For Me” and “Israel” to Joseph Brooks of the legendary Los Angeles record store Vinyl Fetish. In fact, when her set concluded with the surprise performance of “Israel,” she noted that the song was not originally part of the intended setlist but added in as per the suggestion of her long-time friend Joseph, who reminded her of the song.

 

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As the dust settled on this year’s Cruel World Festival, the joy and thrill of the event lingered on. I, for one, am eagerly looking forward to seeing Siouxsie again and am already dreaming about the lineup for next year’s festival. This year’s festival was a testament to the enduring appeal and vitality of goth and darkwave music, uniting generations of fans in a celebration of the genre’s past, present, and future. The Cruel World Festival has now firmly established itself as a major player in the global goth scene, and I can’t wait to see what they have in store for us next year.

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For the uninitiated, American deathrock outfit Christian Death was formed in Pomona, California, in 1979 by Rozz Williams. Williams was eventually joined by guitarist Rikk Agnew of the band Adolescents, James McGearty on bass guitar, and George Belanger on drums. This line-up was responsible for producing the band’s best-known work: their 1982 debut album Only Theatre of Pain, which was highly influential in the development of deathrock, as well as on the American gothic scene.

During a six-month period between late 1981 and early 1982, legendary LA punk rock photographer Edward Colver befriended Christian Death, and photographed a dozen of the band’s concerts in the Los Angeles area. He also conducted a portrait shoot with the band at Rozz’s family home, which was later used for the album the US back cover of Only Theatre of Pain. These photos are highlighted, as well as a session of now-iconic images at a cemetery in their hometown.

Cult Epics founder Nico B produced an oversized hardcover book of Colver’s photos capturing those rare and never before seen moments, as well as the story of early Christian Death through exclusive interviews with Edward Colver and surviving band members for the 40th-anniversary release of Only Theatre of Pain. Colver’s book is also called Only Theatre of Pain, documenting the dark magic of Rozz Williams in the band’s original incarnation.

Not since the release of the Rozz Williams Artbook, also by Cult Epics, has there been such an essential piece of deathrock history available for fans to enjoy.

Measuring 12×12 inches, the hardcover book boasts over 300 images and text in over 200 pages. It is a pleasure to pour over each of its glossy pages, immersing yourself in a hi-resolution time machine capturing the magic of Rozz Williams and Christian Death, and one of the most creative periods of the California underground music scene.

Gazing upon Rozz’s commanding peacock visage in decaying furs and wedding dresses, holding a microphone like a tamed serpent is captured across many stunning photographs snapped by Colver, and it is nearly overwhelming to visually feast upon each image, whether it be an iconic moment on stage, at home, or lounging in a cemetery. The delightful sacrilege of Rozz and Christian Death is displayed elegantly in its depravity.

Accompanying the captivating photos are the exclusive interviews in the book, which serve as a rare and essential insight and communion that ensnares the reader into the beautiful chaos of the period. This is more than just a coffee table book or a prized collector’s item; this is an immersing world-building work of art that will deepen fans’ devotion to one of the most provocative frontmen and bands ever to walk the face of Earth.

Special editions of the book also include and stunning pressing of the album Only Theatre of Pain and are worth the extra investment or perhaps selling your soul to eternal damnation to obtain.

The Christian Death Only Theatre of Pain 40th Anniversary Book Featuring Photography by Edward Colver is out now!

Order Here in North America

and Here for Europe

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The Bellwether Syndicate’s William Faith, who also played in these bands, broke the tragic news via his Facebook:

“Sad to learn of the untimely passing of friend and colleague Johann Schumann last month. Johann and I were bass players for the same 3 bands (Christian Death, Mephisto Walz, and Shadow Project), and he was a genuine, sweet and kind soul. R.I.P. Johann. You will be missed.”

Schumann was also a founding member of Deathrock revival band Scarlet’s Remains, remaining off and on with the group, along with Guitarist Bari Bari (who would record the band in his Los Angeles studio) until 2006.

We wish to raise a toast to Schumann’s immense talent and showcase some of his numerous musical contributions across the realm of gothic rock over the last four decades.

First up is a single from 1983 from a band he played bass for The Web: Walk on Glass, (followed up by the 1985 ep EP Promising Me Nothing.) According to the liner notes, he is not credited for playing on this track, which was the only one we could find, but former bandmate Andi Hayes has many photos of Schumann in her collection.

After the departure of Rozz Williams, Schumann would play bass with Christian Death on 1985’s Wind Kissed Pictures EP, and 1986’s full-length studio album Atrocities. Following the release of the album, Schumann would leave Christian Death along with guitarist Bari Galvin to form Mephisto Waltz.

Listen to “The Wind Kissed Pictures”:

and the iconic “Tales of Innocence”:

Plus watch a full concert with the 1985 lineup of Christian Death below:

Although a founding member of Mephisto Waltz, (a name he suggested), Schumann would be absent from the band for some years before returning to play bass in 1992 for the albums Eternal Deep, Terra-Regina, and Thalia.

Listen to a 1990s Goth staple with the German language track “Alle in Asche”:

Schumann would also perform with Shadow Project in its original Lineup, recording the band’s first demos in 1988:

Listen to the demo of “Holy Hell” below

You will be missed, Johann…

The post Johann Schumann of Mephisto Walz, Shadow Project, and Christian Death has Passed Away appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

During this time legendary LA punk rock photographer Edward Colver befriended the band and followed them around and photographed Christian Death at a dozen of the band’s concerts in the Los Angeles area during a 6 month period late 1981 and early 1982, as well a shoot at Rozz his family home with the band which was later used for the album US back cover of Only Theatre of Pain, plus a session of now-iconic images at a cemetery in Pomona.

Cult Epics founder and friend of Rozz Williams, Nico B wants to produce an oversized Hardcover book of Ed’s photos capturing those rare and never before seen moments, as well tell the story of early Christian Death thru exclusive interviews with Edward Colver and surviving band members for the 40th Anniversary release of Only Theatre of Pain.

To celebrate the upcoming 40th Anniversary of CHRISTIAN DEATH: ONLY THEATRE OF PAIN, Cult Epics want to produce a Hardcover book of the Photography of Edward Colver, and they need your support with the INDIEGOGO Campaign to get this book printed.

Indiegogo Campaign:

CHRISTIAN DEATH: ONLY THEATRE OF PAIN Photography by Edward Colver
New Hardcover book, approx. 208 pages, over 300 images and text, 12×12 inches, edited by Nico B. Sign up now and get the news when you can pre-order, limited editions available, and more. Early Bird Discount.

Note: The book has Euro drop friendly shipping for European Christian Death fans.

Invitation to sign up here

Photos copyright © Edward Colver

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Here are five newer deathrock bands you should be listening to. (Of course, there are more than five bands that could be included below, and perhaps there’ll be a “Part Two” for this article some time soon!) This brief list is not exhaustive; it’s meant as a springboard for your own discoveries. It’s worth mentioning that some of these bands may, in fact, not even consider themselves “deathrock” at all—or, at least, not purely deathrock. “Our sound is a mix of punk, deathrock, post-punk, and goth,” Stan Wright of Arctic Flowers has said, for example. “Aggressive, but at times danceable and melodic.” (And along those lines it’s also worth remembering Sisters of Mercy will not concede that they are a gothic rock band, either—and yet … they are, regardless of what Mr. Eldritch thinks.)

On that note — enjoy!

1) DETOXI — First Flesh LP (2019)

Detoxi, like the classic acts of the deathrock scene, hail from Southern California. (Ventura in this case, to be exact.) Featuring members of early 2010s deathrock act Catholic Spit, and The Ancestors, as well as punk band Stalag-13, Detoxi’s songs marry traditional punk political concerns with deathrock gloominess. Musically, there is much of the old, circa-1983 UK “positive punk” (early goth rock) vibe circulating through the band’s blood. Detoxi vocalist Derek Jennings even sometimes sounds like UK Decay‘s Steve Abbott, and sometimes perhaps a bit like Rudimentary Peni‘s Nick Blinko. Detoxi’s first and so far only LP, First Flesh, is highly recommended. A real bright spot for folks into the original roots of gothic rock in the UK and the West Coast of the US. Detoxi have a Bandcamp page here.

Detoxi’s video for “Death of a Nation”

2) ROSEGARDEN FUNERAL PARTY — “At the Stake” EP (2020)

“What if I never come back from this? / Forever part of my eternal darkness / My hands feel stained — I can’t find the place / Between salvation and saving face,” Rosegarden Funeral Party sing on their new EP, “At the Stake.” The Dallas, Texas band have come a long way since their “Horror Rock” and “Blitzkrieg in Holland” releases in 2017 and 2018, respectively. “Siouxsie and the Banshees are definitely a huge influence on us,” singer Leah Lane mentioned in an interview I did with Rosegarden on this website last year. “Obviously, we love Bauhaus and The Cure… We’re also big fans of Pink Turns Blue, Flowers for Agatha, Human Tetris, 45 Grave, Skeletal Family, Boy Harsher, and The Birthday Party.” In fact, Lane’s meticulously crafted lyrics and moody, Siouxsie-like vocals provide much of the band’s gravitas. Rosegarden Funeral Party’s new EP is a darkly melodic entry in the genre, and is highly recommended. Super songwriting, vocals, and musicianship guide the band to new heights. The “At the Stake” EP comes out June 18th on Germany’s Young and Cold Records. One of the current bands to keep an eye on. Rosegarden Funeral Party have a Bandcamp page here.

Rosegarden Funeral Party continue to make waves out of Texas

3) VUELTAS — Self-titled demo (2019)

Vueltas are one of the more exciting purist deathrock acts to come forward in recent years. The PDX power trio can count Max Avila, who has drummed for the Chromatics, Soft Kill, Antioch Arrow, and Atriarch, among their ranks, lending to this group’s powerful rhythm section. All lyrics are in Spanish. The vocals occasionally remind of the witchy power of early Eva O’s vocals for LA’s The Superheroines, and there is a dirgey, gritty, garagey vibe to all of Vueltas excellent songs. Vueltas play doomy deathrock for exorcisms; or, perhaps, for the opposite — demonic conjurations. Looking forward to catching this great dark band live again sometime in the future. Vueltas have a Bandcamp page here.

4) NEW SKELETAL FACES — “Celestial Disease” EP (2019)

According to California deathrock band New Skeletal Faces’ Bandcamp page, their “Celestial Disease” EP was released on Halloween of 2019. Fitting! The dark power trio recall a side of the deathrock and old goth scene that is perhaps not in as much focus these days—the side that counted rocker acts like Lords of the New Church and Fields of the Nephilim as among their sonic peers instead of the more synthy, new wave-tinged stuff. NSF’s burly EP might even have some crust elements in the mix, a la Deathcharge. The track below, “Celestial Disease” reminds, at times, of 13th Chime (especially that band’s song “Fire”). Whatever the case, NSF deliver big-hair-and-leather-jacket style, rock-influenced deathrock, a great soundtrack to a midnight beer and whiskey-fueled funeral party. New Skeletal faces have a Bandcamp page here.

New Skeletal Faces’ video for “Skeleton Structure”

5) MYSTIC PRIESTESS — PTP Sessions EP (2020)

With their new “Part Time Punks Sessions” EP, Oakland’s Mystic Priestess have unveiled a classic, powerful deathrocker of a release. Some sonic points of reference for this exciting band may be helpful: Many songs recall the innovative strength of 80s UK groups like Blood and Roses or Brigandage, pioneers of the old British “positive punk” movement that led to the creation of gothic rock in the 80s. As well, lead track “Smoke and Mirrors” brings to mind the style of music played by Northern California colleagues in Crimson Scarlet: Driving and to-the-point, but with enough unsettling atmosphere to please fans of classic/trad gothic rock. Mystic Priestess announce that much of their music concerns “facing the shadows of chaos in the world and revealing the facade of inauthenticity that creates self-doubt and division that keeps us following the herdsman and our own demise.” Mystic Priestess’s spectral, guitar-driven sounds also incorporate some of the political feelings of the zeitgeist, giving voice to LGBTQ and feminist issues that instill the band’s music with a compelling and modern urgency, marrying the gothic-punk tradition to political concerns sometimes not commonly found in the darkwave scene. The vital “PTP Sessions” EP is a great example of Mystic Priestess’s top-shelf, witchy gothic punk rock.

Stay tuned for “5 More Deathrock Bands You Should Also Be Listening To,” some time soon.

—Oliver Sheppard

The post Five Current Deathrock Bands You Should Definitely Be Listening To appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

Last January, I got a rather large package in the mail from England. Inside was a proof copy of Mikey Bean’s long-awaited Bible of deathrock, Phantoms: The Rise of Deathrock from the LA Punk Scene. It’s out now. At 630 pages, the impressive tome is the size of a University textbook or the phone book of a mid-sized American city (anyone remember phone books?). Mikey Bean’s Phantoms is a staggeringly thorough exploration of the history of deathrock. It is an essential document of American underground music of the latter part of the 20th century, and it’s a brilliant sourcebook about the music that would later become better known under the general term “goth,” exploring much of that larger musical phenomenon’s West Coast roots. Below, I interview Mikey about the book’s contents and the research he put into it.

Deathrock was itself, of course, the dark punk and postpunk music phenomenon of the 80s (and beyond) that was primarily local to Southern California (with some important exceptions), and it has generated much recent interest. Caleb Braaten’s Sacred Bones label, for example, put out the two-volume Killed by Deathrock compilations a few years ago; these comps took an expansive view of the “deathrock” genre tag. But strange as it may seem, up until now deathrock has had no exclusive book-length treatment. And so along comes Mikey Bean’s much-needed, absolute beast of a document — a goth genre devotee’s wet dream come to life.

Don Bolles (of the Germs and 45 Grave, among others) provides the foreword for the book, and it was he who suggested Mikey pen Phantoms about 12 years ago. Mikey has assembled a large cast of characters here—well over 150 interviewees, as far as I can count, documented oral historian style. In Phantoms, the stories of deathrock’s constituent bands are relayed via interviews that have been cut up and arranged into easy-to-read, conversational chapters.

Starting on page one, Phantoms (which is named after the 45 Grave song) charts an ambitious course, beginning with the days of the Southern California punk scene in the late 1970s and the death of Darby Crash and the Germs, key figures in the development of everything that would happen in the LA music underground of the 1980s. The arrival of deathrock on the West Coast existed in parallel with the new, dark post-punk scene that was happening over in the UK (viz. Siouxsie and the Banshees, Joy Division, Bauhaus) and also with the nascent hardcore punk scene of Southern California (Adolescents, Black Flag); elements of both musical movements were reflected in the California deathrock phenomenon. I’ve written several article-length treatments of deathrock before, and one of my favorite quotes about deathrock is from Dinah Cancer, the singer of 45 Grave and one of the scene’s principal figures, who gave this statement several years ago to Alice Bag:

“The first prowlings of deathrock came in the early ’80s before we were labeled as our other counterparts—the gothic movement. There were no Goths. The deathrockers were splintered off from the punk/hardcore scene that was going on at the time. We played punk rock but we loved Halloween and we looked like vampires. So the phrase ‘deathrock’ was born. […] At the time when I was performing with 45 Grave, we were just playing music and we didn’t consider ourselves a pioneering movement. We were playing with bands like Christian Death, Black Flag, and TSOL, to name a few. And it wasn’t until later that we were named as part of the pioneers of the deathrock culture.” — Dinah Cancer, singer of 45 Grave

As Mikey’s book makes clear, deathrock was indeed different from the hardcore and punk scenes alongside which it grew (although there were significant areas of overlap). Whereas hardcore punk tried to boil down 1970s-style punk into its rawest and most aggressive forms, deathrock took a different tack and absorbed some of the experimentation of acts like Throbbing Gristle and PIL, the imagery of groups like The Damned and Alice Cooper—as well as old horror movies filmed in the Hollywood area. “You had the thrift stores selling old decaying Hollywood memorabilia [in the LA area]. Plus stuff like Vampira, Monster zines, the Munsters and Addams Family, even Disneyland,” Mikey notes below. “It all started getting not just ‘spookier’ but ‘artier’ at the same time.”

Some deathrock acts were also a conscious reaction to what was felt to be the overly-confining and formulaic constraints of the burgeoning thrash and hardcore scenes (not to mention the chest-pounding machismo often attendant therein). But there were as many different takes on “deathrock” as there were bands participating in the movement—and there were indeed a lot of bands, as Phantoms makes clear. Mikey admits, “Not all the bands that I feature, or projects they created, can be classed as purely ‘deathrock.’ Some were musical projects, some were performance-based, and some were film projects, but they all played their part.” The main bands are all in Phantoms: 45 Grave, Kommunity FK, Christian Death, Superheroines, Voodoo Church, and more. Additionally, there are chapters devoted to other bands that are (undeservedly) not as well known as the big guns: Nervous Gender, Red Wedding, Aphotic Culture, Die Schlaflosen, Radio Werewolf, Screams for Tina, Fade to Black, and many more. And there are the “fellow travelers,” too: Gun Club, Tex and the Horseheads, Flesheaters, and the like. Indeed, any one of the bands in Phantoms could command their own lengthy book. “I think one of my favorite quotes,” Mikey notes, “was from someone in the book who mentioned that it’s almost as if ‘every band was a scene.'”

Phantoms is supplemented with an incredible amount of flyer material, photographs, and zine imagery. Mikey has taken pains to ensure that his survey of deathrock includes not just the musicians, but club owners, promoters, ‘zine-makers, poets, filmmakers, and indeed the whole of the community that made the deathrock movement possible, including some of those responsible for the unique fashion the scene would have (Ron Athey and Shannon Wilhelm, among many others).

Author Mikey Bean was interviewed by Oliver Sheppard for Post-punk.com.

Mikey, I just got the proof of PHANTOMS: THE RISE OF DEATHROCK FROM THE LA PUNK SCENE in the mail and it’s a massive, wonderful tome! I’ve spent the past few days poring over it and trying to absorb as much as I can. How has the publishing process been so far?

Mikey Bean: I had the proof copies published myself, and when they came through it was so great seeing it in book format finally, instead of just reading it all on a screen. And I have to admit that even I was kind of shocked by the size of the book at first. But the amount of information in there could not have been put into a smaller book.

A couple of proofs went to publishers who have expressed interest, so we’ll have to wait and see what comes from that. That said, I was impressed enough with the quality of the proofs that print-to-order online is still a viable option. The book is now available via Lulu.com here.

Are there any misnomers about deathrock, about your book, or any questions you frequently get asked that you want to set the record straight on right away?

Mikey: Yes—an important thing to note is that the deathrock scene in the 80s didn’t revolve around any one particular person. Yes, some musicians and figures did leave a bigger impression than others did, but all participants were as relevant as the next. And as anyone who knows me will tell you, I’m a huge fan of the guy’s work—and I need to be careful how I phrase this so as not to offend, lol!—but the scene did NOT revolve around Rozz Williams. He was one of a few key people on the scene who made it what it was, but there are so many others of equal merit who are forgotten in his wake.

Also, the deathrock scene was incredibly incestuous and an ever-revolving bunch of relationships formed between different people. Whether it was simple friendship, romantic involvement, sexual or drug-related, each relationship played its own creative and sometimes destructive role within the scene, but it all drove the scene along. Not all the bands that I feature, or projects they created, can be classed as “deathrock.” Some were musical projects, some were performance-based, and some were film projects, but they all played their part.

There are so many threads of relationships between musicians, overlapping bands… I think one of my favorite quotes was from someone in the book who mentioned that it’s almost as if “every band was a scene.”

Based on all the interviews you’ve done, how would you define “deathrock”? How does it fit in with what’s now called “postpunk” and “goth”?

Mikey: There is a clear (…ish) lineage linking those three; many punk bands inspired by the likes of Joy Division became postpunk. Darker, “horror” influences caused the terms “gloom” or “horror punk” to be used early in the deathrock scene’s beginnings; that soon morphed into “death rock.” UK Batcave influences morphed it into “gothic,” then “goth.” So really, although they are all a very different styles, there was a progression from one through to the next.

I like the format you chose; it’s like a Studs Terkel book of oral history. What inspired this particular interview/oral historian format?

Mikey: I’d read Legs McNeil’s Please Kill Me, John Gruen’s Keith Haring biography, and Brendan Mullen’s We Got The Neutron Bomb, all of which are in this oral historian style. It makes more sense for the people who were there to tell the story themselves. My own personal spin on it was that most oral histories use paragraphs by each person, whereas I chose to break it down further. It made for much more work but reads like everyone is in the room together chatting.

As it was, there was nothing already out there about deathrock that was book-length when I started. The punk market has been flooded with books, which is not a bad thing. When I began Phantoms I had a rough idea of what I wanted from it—it was from a fan’s point of view. But in the time I’ve spent on it, I’ve actually learned tons more myself that I was never aware of, bands I never knew existed. I’d like to think that there are others out there who are in a similar situation to me.

Who are some of the bands and performers you think are all too often overlooked in articles or histories of deathrock?

Mikey: I would say that the first true LA deathrock band would be Castration Squad, who don’t get the influential credit they deserve. Shannon Wilhelm’s style and image certainly helped pave the way. Fortunately some live performances still exist. Eva O and Ron Athey don’t get the credit they deserve on the scene. Bands like Aphotic Culture and Die Schlaflosen are totally overlooked due to lack of recordings. Few people I interviewed recalled Aphotic Culture until I mentioned Lucy Amaro on electric violin; suddenly high praise was given by most. I learnt a lot about bands and performers that I was unaware of when I started the project. There definitely are some lost gems out there.

So what were some of the surprising areas of overlap you found while researching the book? (For me, it was finding out that Patrik Mata of Kommunity FK and Z’ev had been in an experimental project together; and many of the connections with the ’77 punk scene a la The Bags, the Go-Gos (!), and UXA, among other things, were interesting.)

Mikey: The overlapping was an eye-opener at times. For me, it was discovering connections between the likes of Alice Bag and Christian Death, or Eva O and DJ Bonebrake from X. But like I said the scene was very incestuous, and camaraderies were bound to happen within such a small scene. People with similar interests connecting at the same venues, or doing the same drugs…and a lot of it WAS drug-related.

I do think you did a good job getting folks like Alice Bag and De De Detroit (UXA), folks from the ’77 LA punk scene who perhaps bridged that scene with the 80s deathrock phenomenon, to participate. So, when do you think the ’77 punk scene in L.A. ends and deathrock begins? 

Mikey: That’s kind of covered in the earlier question in some ways. It just morphed over time. It was while reading We Got The Neutron Bomb that I started noticing the connections between the two scenes, and I wanted to hear the next phase, what happened after the ’77 punk scene in LA. It wasn’t available anywhere, so I ended up doing it myself in Phantoms. The bigger the range of people I could include, the more the connections between ’77 punk and deathrock could be told.

As I mentioned elsewhere, when it comes to how deathrock started, the end of the original LA punk scene is tied in with the death of Darby Crash. The jocks who used to beat up the punks were now becoming punks themselves. Hardcore brought in a lot of tough guys. The original punks grew tired of this and veered off in other directions: some went into the then-upcoming hip-hop scene (a logical shift when you take Malcolm McLaren into consideration). Some settled down with families, and some moved into a darker area.

Both PIL and Siouxsie and the Banshees had a couple of very influential albums released around the same time. Combine with this Throbbing Gristle’s influence, even the Screamers, the Cramps and Misfits. You had the thrift stores selling old decaying Hollywood memorabilia. Plus stuff like Vampira, Monster zines, the Munsters and Addams Family, even Disneyland…. It all started getting not just ‘spookier’ but ‘artier’ at the same time. Then the drugs started getting harder and played more of a role in the scene. Acid and heroin had a big influence on what was happening.

What do you hope that readers will learn, first and foremost, from the book?

Mikey: Each chapter of Phantoms is a self-contained story in its own right and as much of a complete timeline as possible, but because of all the overlapping I would suggest starting at Chapter 1 and learning about the whole scene and its history. Also just how intertwined it all was. The book is designed to be read from cover to cover and, although they can, I would prefer that the reader doesn’t skip straight to any particular chapter. As I’ve said, the cast is incredibly interwoven and because timelines run concurrently there is a lot of crossover between chapters that could be missed by reading just one of them.

The book truly does cover a lot of ground. You’ve been working on this since… 2007? It originally had its own MySpace page back in “the MySpace days,” right? How does it feel to FINALLY have it finished?

Mikey: The book is 12 years’ worth of work and I had to draw the line. In the end I could have included so much more, taking yet another 10 years! I reached a point where I was happy enough with what I had covered. It was time to get it out there finally.

There are some fascinating personal anecdotes in the book. Rikk Agnew says “Romeo’s Distress” was originally supposed to be an Adolescents song! And then there is the juicy insinuation in the book that Rozz Williams slept with Darby Crash? Is that true?

Mikey: I guess we’ll never know that for certain! But, yeah, there’s some interesting stuff in there…

I notice you never refer to yourself as an author in the work; you are always referred to as “the editor.” Tell me about your philosophy or vision for your own role in putting together PHANTOMS?

Mikey: As I said, the story is not mine to tell.  So, although it’s my book, it’s my “interpretation” of the story, and therefore I only edited the interviews together to form a logical timeline for each chapter. When I started I had an idea of what I wanted, but as I learned more about the scene and different inter-band connections it sort of took on a life of its own, and I’ve had to move whole chunks from one chapter to another so it flowed better. A new piece of information from somewhere has occasionally meant going back to the drawing board!

Do you think in the role of editor you had to make any painful, referee-like choices in how you presented some interviews? Reading PHANTOMS, I am struck by the fact that for many of the players in the SoCal deathrock scene, “deathrock” is not a concluded part of history. That is, many of the key players of the classic LA deathrock scene are still in bands and are making music, and many of the stories and conflicts presented in PHANTOMS are unresolved. Their lives and careers are still unfolding. There are some band stories, like that with VOODOO CHURCH, where it seems like there may be some acrimony or multiple versions of the same band, something that has happened with several bands over time in the deathrock and punk scenes of the 70s and 80s (Christian Death, Black Flag, etc). Did you ever feel you were having to tread softly to get everyone on board to tell their story?

Mikey: I realized partway through that I’m only touching the tip of the iceberg so I had to make a few executive decisions about leaving some bands out. T.S.O.L., for example, didn’t really fit in with any particular chapter and although they did touch on the deathrock side of things it was too much of a tangent and not what I was trying to tell so they only get a mention in passing. Also, I heard Jack Grisham was writing his own book and knew he could tell their story much better than I ever could. But it’s great that so many of these people are still around and some of the stuff they are doing now is superb.

As for acrimony…unfortunately people fall out with each other and time can also alter the perception of the original story. My role is trying to relay an as-accurate-as-possible, true timeline, hoping to not step on anyone’s toes while attempting to put the puzzle together. Some of it is knowing what is “off the record,” so to speak. Although I did manage to clear up a few unresolved urban myths, there are some that will never get resolved.

Another thing that struck me was how some of the folks you’ve interviewed have passed away since you started work on PHANTOMS. Again, I think of Z’EV, or Sindie Ardia of PARTY DOLL. Did you feel there was pressure to get this work out in a certain timeframe because the principal actors are, well, aging and dying off?

Mikey Bean: A lot can change in 10 years, and unfortunately some interviewees are no longer with us. I’m fortunate and grateful that I was able to communicate with them, a couple of them became friends too which always makes it harder.

Was there a standard process you used to get hold of folks? There’s an incredibly ambitious assortment of voices in this book, and it couldn’t have been easy to get them all to agree. How did you do it?

Mikey: At the beginning, MySpace (and later, Facebook) were invaluable! I initially started chatting to a few people on those, then when I actually made the first trip across to LA from the UK they could see that I was serious about the project. Interviewees would suggest others, and where possible put me in touch with them. A couple of people flatly refused, which is a shame;  but most were exceptionally helpful and welcomed me into their lives. I’ve struck up some continuing friendships, too.

If you could list a “Ten Essential LPs” for beginners to check out to get a feel for what deathrock was, as covered in your book, what would those ten LPs be, and why?

Mikey: A lot of them are pretty obvious to be honest, although unfortunately too many bands either hadn’t recorded or didn’t release anything.

In no particular order, essential listening would have to be:

1. Various – Hell Comes To Your House Volume 1 (1981)
2. Nervous Gender – Music From Hell (1982)
3. Christian Death – both Only Theatre Of Pain (1982) & Catastrophe Ballet (1984)
4. Super Heroines – Cry For Help (1982)
5. Kommunity FK – The Vision And The Voice (recorded 1981, released 1983)
6. Red Wedding – 1981-1985
7. Fade To Black – Corridors Of Gender (1984)
8. UXA – Illusions Of Grandeur (1980)
9. Sleepless – Thurst EP (1985) see also Die Schlaflosen on YouTube
10. Consumers – All My Friends Are Dead (1977)

Then to hear what people are up to these days:

• Gitane DeMone Quartet – both Past The Sun (2017) and Substrata Strip (2018)
• The Crystelles – Attach And Detach (2009)
• Eva O MDX1 – Mental Mayhem (2014) and The Rise Of Eva O (2018)
• 45 Grave – Pick Your Poison (2012)
• Penis Flytrap – both Tales Of Terror (1998) and Dismemberment (2002)
• Elvorian & The Veins – Elvorian & The Veins (2017)
• The Elegant Rabies – The Elegant Rabies (2018)
• Frankenstein – An Ugly Display Of Self Preservation (2003) and Random Cuts (2017)

Also worth tracking down are Kali’s Thugs and Ravens Moreland, and new Nervous Gender recordings as yet unreleased. There’s some great stuff out there!

Mikey Bean’s Phantoms: The Rise of Deathrock From the L.A. Punk Scene can be ordered from Lulu.com here.

There is a Facebook group for the discussion of Phantoms here.

Thanks to Kuren Velez for use of flyer imagery and to Peggy Morrison for the photograph featured on the cover of Phantoms.

The post Deathrock 101: Mikey Bean’s exhaustive “Phantoms: The Rise of Deathrock from the LA Punk Scene” book is finally out! appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

“Here it is… HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

We have been honored to work posthumously with Christian Death’s Rozz Williams! Thank you to all involved and those who brought this idea to us to tackle for the people. It was a blast working this iconic vocal into a Creux Lies universe. Please have a listen. Available for purchase next week!”

Listen below:

Creux Lies are playing Absolution Fest in Tampa Florida tonight.

Here is the full lineup:

Saturday, October 5th @ The Orpheum

• Assemblage 23 – (Seattle, WA)
  
• Astari Nite – (Miami, FL)
  
• Creux Lies – (Sacramento, CA)
  
• Twin Tribes – (Brownsville, TX)
  
• Korine – (Philadelphia, PA)
  
• Wingtips – (Chicago, IL)
• Fjshwjfe – (Tampa, FL)

with support from DJs Maus & Jet

The post Listen to Creux Lies’ Christian Death “Spiritual Cramp” All Hallows Eve Crossover appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

In order to finance the release of this documentary, Lethal Amounts have partnered with Pledge Music, offering unique items and merchandise that include special edition t-shirts, art pieces and collectors items.

 To see the full list click HERE.

More info from the documentary’s press release:

“Spiritual Cramp is more than just a music bio about a death-rock band. It examines the life of Rozz Williams – a young artist coming of age during the California punk explosion of the late 70s. At the young age of 16, Rozz Williams and his friends started Christian Death in their garage as a reaction to the growing hyper-masculine, straight male dominated SoCal punk scene. Christian Death ignited a new musical genre and opened the doors to what later became known as the Goth subculture.

The name Christian Death was an act of defiance in itself, especially for Williams. He grew up in an extremely religious household, and was brought up being told that to be gay sent you straight to hell. Christian Death’s music and their existence as a band acted as a rejection of traditional modes of thought and damaging religious beliefs. Their live shows blurred the lines between art and shock. The band gained a cult-like following around the world, influencing generations of outsiders and countless boundary pushing icons such as Marilyn Manson and Trent Reznor.

Historically, Christian Death is important to the narrative of California music but what’s more, Williams is an archetype for the tortured artist. People looked up to his bravery as he fearlessly dressed in women’s clothing on and off stage in a time and a scene where that kind of self-expression could lead to arrest or even being killed.  His image was not meant to be glamorous but to be feared and avoided. Much like Ian Curtis, Amy Winehouse or Kurt Cobain, Williams shared the same dilemma – trying to strike a balance between art and overcoming personal trauma.

Williams’ lifelong battle with depression eventually defeated him in 1998. He took his own life in a way that some may interpret as a staged, elaborate April Fool’s Day “prank” art tableau.”

Support the Rozz Williams Documentary HERE

The post “Spiritual Cramp”: A Documentary on Christian Death and Rozz Williams appeared first on Post-Punk.com.