Jackson Phibes (Blinddeadghostgalleon Geetar, Organ, Yowling), HP Lovesauce (Electric Bassoon, Eye Rolls, Double Chin), P.T. Bonham (Grapeshot, flintlock, black powder muzzleloader).
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Forbidden Dimension started out in 1988, just as Jackson Phibes's (aka Aleister Hexxx) previous combo, Color Me Psycho, was calling it quits. Thematically, it was (and remains) dedicated to illustrating a world where Coffin Joe and Julian Karswell run a Rest Home for the Terminally Bewildered in the Old Dark House on Spider Baby Hill. After 20 years of slogging it out on the Western Canada dive bar/punk club circuit and leaving a small trail of cryptic (yet, as they say in the business, "rockin'") recordings with various line-ups, labels, etc., Phibes blindly figures there still ain't no end in sight. BEVARE!
Mockingbird Lane first appeared on the music scene in early 2002. Founder/frontman Christophe enlisted the help of his friends from Therogy shortly after the band's demise to play some gigs. The band centers around Christophe, but over the years has featured many musicians from the Oklahoma area.
The band first went into the studio in early 2003 to record the "Taken Under" cd single. They recorded the song for inclusion in the Stephen King Dollar baby "I Know What You...>>
Mockingbird Lane first appeared on the music scene in early 2002. Founder/frontman Christophe enlisted the help of his friends from therogy shortly after the band's demise to play some gigs. The band centers around Christophe, but over the years has featured many musicians from the Oklahoma area.
The band first went into the studio in early 2003 to record the "taken under" cd single. They recorded the song for inclusion in the Stephen King Dollar baby "I Know What You Need". The cd also included bonus tracks including Christophe's electronic side-project, xtoph.
Next the band hit the studio again in mid-2003 to record for a Misfits tribute album, "too much horror business-1977-1983-a tribute to the misfits". While there they went ahead and recorded some other demo's and released the "2003 demo". This included two of the version's of "Taken Under" from the earlier single release, thier cover of The Misfits "She", and two new songs, "I... Vampire" and "Wolfshead".
In late 2004 BJ, an old friend and writing partner of Christophe's, got out of prison and jammed with the band. A rare live version of the Mockingbird Lane standard "Dead Girl's Don't Say No" was recorded the day after he was released with BJ on lead vocals and guitar, Christophe on bass and Blizzard on drums. This was released in 2005 on the compilation."The harder, the better: volume 8".
Other compilations released in 2005 with Mockingbird Lane songs were"random infliction volume 2", a goth/industrial compilation cd/zine that featured the song "Taken Under", "the horror of it all", a compilation of horror-rock bands from The World Horror Network that featured an early demo of "Dead Girls Don't Say No", and Blood And Guts Records horrorpunk compilation vol.2: the resurrection another horror-rock compilation that features the songs "I... Vampire" & "Wolfshead".
In late 1995 three immortal beings, outcast from their divine purposes, formed an unholy artistic union on the material plane. Their manifestation first appeared in the frozen Western Canadian wastelends around the vicinity of a secluded city known as Saskatoon.
This alliance of poets, musicians and warlords would eventually expand it’s membership over the years and come to be known as THE NEW JACOBIN CLUB.
For the first three years, the group plotted and planned. With a still developing theme and sound reminiscent of early 80’s death rock greats (45 Grave, The Damned, Misfits,..), the NJC made sporadic live appearances around Saskatoon and recorded a multitude of demos that now enjoy a certain local notoriety. After several aborted attempts at maintaining a permanent band line-up, the NJC emerged strong and stable in 1998.
Axemeister, lead vocalist and founding fiend XerXes Praetorius Horde with bassist Lord Une and drummer Elvis Hellfire took to stage & studio around Saskatoon and neighbouring Canadian provinces. The release of the NJC’s studio debut (“A Lesson in Mortality”) on American splatter-core label Transparent Records was a small but significant victory. The band everybody loved to hate was now on limited edition red vinyl distributed all over...from the U.S. to continental Europe.
Their popularity with a newfound audience swelled and the NJC began to get mentions in independent music press and appearances on compilations. Most notable was their contribution to the Accused tribute album, a two record set that reportedly was the reason the legendary horror-thrash outfit re-united after nearly 12 years. Fresh off of successful concerts on the road, the trio enlisted extra help in late 2000 and expanded to a group of seven to record their first full-length cd. The resulting 13 track self-titled epic featured trash-rock sing-a-longs, metal chugs, eerie instrumentals, and electro-goth ambience courtesy of keyboard/synth collaborator Continuum Flux. It was a decidedly more decadent approach than the modest and minimalistic reverb-drenched creep-rock of their 1998 recordings.
The release of the self-titled album on their own Manticore Music Group label/promo company in the summer of 2001 caused a necessary re-structuring of personnel. Lord Une broke union with the group before the album even went to press, and it was The Swarm who picked up the bass for the band’s first shows after the cd’s release. Lead guitarist Vlad the Inhaler, a contributor on the newly pressed cd, joined the band full time to fill the second guitar spot at live shows. Vlad quickly became The Horde’s right hand man, providing the band with a new songwriter as well as a second lead vocalist (who can be heard on three tracks of the NJC’s 2003 album “Retake the Throne”). The 2001 line up was completed with a filthy creature called Eclipse on drums. Shortly thereafter, Lady Annabel Arkham stepped in to become the NJC’s first full-time keyboard player. Her organ, piano and string synth arrangements and accompaniments have since become an immediately distinguishable part of the NJC sound.
With an arsenal of newly written songs and a massive new sound, the NJC took to the road once more and left a definite impression on audiences wherever they appeared. Fresh from the excitement of successful live dates, the group again returned to the studio in early 2003 to lay down new tracks. The resulting effort is a grand collaboration of styles and sounds that at long last faithfully represented the live ferocity and attack of the five piece ensemble. The new album was to be named “Retake the Throne” after a powerful anthem of the same name appearing on the disc, and was released in July. Working with American distributors Sinbad Productions to promote the disc to a larger international audience, Canada’s gothic punk warlords are pushing onwards to achieve total conquest. Pity the survivors.
Dave (Bass, Vocals), Eric (Guitar), Justin (Guitar, Vocals), Dustin (Drums). Info:
Since 1994 they have lasted through more than 450 shows, 4 full length albums, 1 live DVD, 5 multi-week tours and dozens of appearances on compilations and videos. This has all been done on their own dime with no record deals, no signing bonuses, no booking agent and almost no support from anyone other than themselves and their fans. A lot of stuff happens in twelve years, people change, music changes, fans change, what’s ‘cool’ changes and through the ups and downs 800 Octane has stuck to their guns and still writes and plays music the way they like it - fast, loud and catchy.
Usually tagged as 'skate punk' or 'horror punk' you can definitely see the influence of bands like The Misfits, The Ramones and The Damned in their sound. The vocals and melodies have a distinct old school edge, but the music is much more dynamic with fast energetic songs and plenty of memorable hooks. Song topics range from introspective songs about growing older to songs showcasing their collective fascination with horror movies. It’s not political, it’s not life changing and it’s certainly not supposed to be.
While the albums are polished and catchy live shows give way to a raw and powerful sound as the songs are sped up, the previously catchy vocals give way to shouted anthems, and the band becomes a blur of motion and activity. Through the response from their shows 800 Octane has played with dozens of high profile national acts including Guttermouth, Face To Face, All, Saves The Day, Sum 41, Tiger Army, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, New Found Glory, UK Subs, Bigwig, GWAR, No Use For A Name, H2O, Zebrahead, The Misfits, Death By Stereo, The Queers, Strung Out and many, many more.
The 4th full length album titled 'Rise Again' was released in 2004 on New School Records. The album was recorded and produced by Conrad Uno who has also put out albums by Mudhoney, The Supersuckers, Nashville Pussy, and the Presidents Of The USA. Compared to their past releases ('The Return' in 2000, 'The Kelvis' in 1998, 'Swank' in 1996) this album showcases a slightly darker sound combined with an improved sense of melody. This album manages to contain both the catchiest songs as well as the heaviest songs the band has ever written and somehow manages to blend them together. The first pressing of 'Rise Again' will also come bundled with a DVD featuring a live set recorded on Halloween of 2003.
It maybe stubbornness, it may be ignorance, or it may be a total love of what they do, but chances are 800 Octane will be still be here doing the same thing for a long time to come.
Miembros del Grupo: Dave Grave - mouth Tommy Marseilles - guitar L. Ron Jeremy - guitar Bart Sinister - bass Stevyn Grey - drums
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In 1998-2003 FRANKENSTEIN reappeared in the studio that summer, recording Black Train Rollin’ for the Blackout A.D. compilation, with Dave Grave, Jeff F. on drums, William Faith (FAITH AND THE MUSE) on bass and FRANKENSTEIN’s original guitarist Mark Pritchard. The cut was well received internationally and the search resumed for new members. By late 2000 the monster was back in rehearsal with William on lead, L. Ron Jeremy on rhythm guitar, Bart Sinister on bass and Stevyn Grey on drums.
In March 2001 the monster took the stage at Release The Bats (Long Beach) to a capacity crowd. Word spread overnight via the internet that FRANKENSTEIN was truly back from the dead and bigger than ever. Album production began as William started booking a 24-city U.S. tour for that summer. Unfortunately, 5 weeks before the tour was to start, William was forced to pull out. The album unfinished, and the band without a suitable replacement, the tour was cancelled.
That November, the Rev Peckawood returned to California…and FRANKENSTEIN. In March 2002, a year to the day since their last appearance, the band played again to a capacity crowd, the long absence only increasing their mystique. Work on the album, appropriately entitled An Ugly Display Of Self-Preservation has resumed, and is expected to be released before year’s end. The band has received offers to play Europe in summer 2003. The FRANKENSTEIN ground swell is threatening to become a seismic wave.
At this time, the Reverend, one of Frankenstein’s earliest attachments, giving the band such pounding tunes as Lovecraft, and the live favorite, Things That’s Dead, played his last show with Frankenstein to a capacity crowd on May 24th, 2003 at The Scene in Glendale. Thanks to all who attended & apologies to those who couldn’t get in ‘cause the place was so damned packed!The ways of a serial killer may never be completely understood by us normal folk, but nonetheless, the Reverend will be sorely missed.
2003-Present:Now missing a vital organ, Frankenstein went searching and found a brand new piece of flesh in… Tommy Marseilles– Swamp Guitar King! He gained notoriety with local New Orleans punk & deathrock bands, making him a perfect limb for Frankenstein.
And now on the verge of their long overdue first release, the band has still outlasted the critics and skeptics, overcoming internal collapse and external attacks, and winning over the most jaded audiences to their cause. Whatever the future may bring, Dave Grave has had his revenge...FRANKENSTEIN lives!
(1992)-Our Martian Heritage-Shivs, Shrouds & Shrunken Heads (Demo-Cassette):
(1992)-Our Martian Heritage-Shivs, Shrouds & Shrunken Heads (Demo-Cassette):
