Electric Hellfire Club
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| Electric Hellfire Club | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Kenosha, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Genre(s) | Industrial Metal |
| Years active | 1991–Present |
| Label(s) | Cleopatra Records |
| Associated acts | My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult |
| Members | |
| Thomas Thorn, Sabrina Satana, Ricktor Ravensbruck, Wilhelm Curse | |
The Electric Hellfire Club is an industrial metal band mixing elements of glam metal, techno, gothic rock, psychedelia and experimental noise. The band also makes use of sampling, mainly from grindhouse horror films and criminal documentaries.
Contents |
[edit] History
Based in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the Electric Hellfire Club was formed in 1991 when Thomas Thorn (aka Buck Ryder), departed the industrial/Techno band My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult.
The Electric Hellfire Club initially comprised Thorn (vocals, keyboard programming), co-founder and keyboardist Shane Lassen (aka Rev. Dr. Luv), and guitarist Ronny Valeo. After the initial string of live shows, drummer Eric Peterson (aka Janna Flail) would be added to enhance the band's live shows, thus completing the band's original lineup. Prior to recording the first album, Burn, Baby, Burn!, dancer and back-up singer Sabrina Satana would join the group, and Peterson would be replaced on drums by percussionist Richard Frost.
The EHC toured extensively throughout the early to mid 1990's, both as an opening act, and as headliners in their own right. Among the bands they toured with are: Type O Negative, Christian Death, Spahn Ranch, Penal Colony, and Genitorturers.
On January 22, 1996, Shane Lassen was killed in an automobile accident. After the death of The Rev. Dr. Luv, the band regrouped and recorded the album Calling Dr. Luv, dedicating the title track, a cover of the KISS song from which Lassen drew his stage name, in his honor.
After recording Calling Dr. Luv, the band began extensive touring again, setting out on the road with legendary noise musician Boyd Rice. Midway through this tour, drummer Richard Frost and Keyboardist Giddle "Go-Go" Partridge departed the band. Thus began a lengthy cycle of revolving band members that lasted until the band's last known activity in 2002. During this period of near-constant touring, the band toured with such acts as Type O Negative, Danzig, Coal Chamber, GWAR, Powerman 5000, Fear Factory, Godflesh, and played one-off shows with Spahn Ranch and Goth legends Alien Sex Fiend.
At some point during 1996 singer Thomas Thorn met Church of Satan founder, Anton LaVey, and was ordained a priest in the church by LaVey. Thorn later wrote a eulogy of LaVey following the latter's death in 1997, which appeared in the Church of Satan's house organ The Black Flame.
Before setting off on tour with GWAR in the summer of 1997, the band entered the studio and recorded the single "D.W.S.O.B", which appeared on the soundtrack to the 1997 film Gummo.
A fan and convicted murderer Caleb Fairley attended an Electric Hellfire Club concert on September 10, 1995 in Philadelphia, PA. The same night he killed Lisa Manderach, her baby daughter Devon, sexually assulted the mother and dumped their bodies in nearby Valley Forge National Park. At that show its is believed that Fairley asked then keyboardist for the band, Shane Lassen, if he could help him "in establishing a more personal relationship with Satan".
[edit] Extended hiatus
The Electric Hellfire Club had been inactive since early 2002, following the completion of a national tour. Drummer Klem Kthulu and Live Keyboardist Black Circle Chucky were reported to have been dismissed by Thomas Thorn after completion of this tour. Numerous rumors of new tour dates and studio material, including a DVD, have surfaced since then, but other than a cover song of Metallica's "Devil's Dance", released through the band's website in early 2004, no such activity has come forth. On the message board of its apparently now-defunct Web site, the band blamed the growth of peer-to-peer file sharing for harming its sales. Guitarist Ricktor Ravensbruck stated on the website that the band's record sales had been affected to the point that he could no longer earn a living solely from them.
Singer Thomas Thorn relocated from the band's native Wisconsin to the Florida Keys sometime in early 2005. Dancer and Bassist Sabrina Satana, also relocated to Los Angeles in late 2003 or early 2004. In mid-to-late 2005, the band's official website at electrichell.com, ran since 2002 by former keyboardist Wilhelm Curse, went offline. At this point it appeared as though the band was defunct, or at least entering a prolonged period of inactivity.
[edit] Return from hiatus
At some point in August, 2007 a new official website appeared at electrichell.net, and the band's page on the website myspace.com started being updated again. Information on the website and myspace page indicated that the band was regrouping and possibly working together again, and that Wilhelm Curse had rejoined the band, returning the EHC to a foursome. Unconfirmed rumors indicated the band was planning a reunion show for some time in late 2007, but nothing indicated that the band was working on new recorded material.
[edit] Line up
The band has undergone many changes in membership, with only frontman Thomas Thorn remaining throughout its history.
[edit] Current members
- Thomas Thorn - vocals, keyboards, samples, programs
- Ricktor Ravensbrück - guitars, effects
- Sabrina Satana - bass, vocals
- Wilhelm Curse - live keyboards, sampling
[edit] Former members
- Ronny Valeo - guitar (1991-1993)
- John Hatch aka Janna Flail, Eric Peterson, Rex Sterling - drums (1991-1992, 1996-1997, 1998)
- Shane Lassen aka The Rev. Dr. Luv - keyboards, sampling, programs (1991-1996)
- Richard Frost aka Richard Michael Willoughby - drums, programs (1992-1996)
- Otto Mattix Sound, engineering, production (1992-1996)
- Michael Moloch - guitar (1994)
- Gregor Mephisto - guitar (1994-1996)
- Giddle "Go Go" Partridge - dancer & singer (1994), live keyboards (1996)
- Lady Bathory - keyboard (1996)
- Eric Sizemore - drums (1997)
- Vernon Bradley Womack aka Vern Vitn aka Burn, Baby, VERN - drums (1997-1999)
- Adam N. Evol - guitar (1997)
- Peter Guellard - keyboard (1998)
- Lisa Lovecraft - keyboard (1998-1999)
- Todd "The Toad" Ruzicka - drums (1999)
- James "The Butcher" Casper - drums (1999)
- Dioblo Ocho - drums (1999)
- Dominic St. Charles - guitar (2000)
- Bill Hamning - drums (2000)
- Michele Mortem - bass (2000)
- Klem Kthulu - drums (2001-2002)
- Black Circle Chucky - live keyboards (1999-2002)
[edit] Discography
- Burn Baby, Burn 1993, Cleopatra Records
- Satan's Little Helpers 1994, Cleopatra Records
- Kiss the Goat 1995, Cleopatra Records (reissued 2005)
- Trick or Treat? Halloween '95 1995, Cleopatra Records (Limited pressing of 1,000 LPs on Orange Vinyl, and 500 CD copies)
- Calling Dr. Luv 1996, Cleopatra Records
- Unholy Roller 1998, Cleopatra Records
- Empathy for the Devil 2000, Cleopatra Records
- Witness The Millennium 2000, Cleopatra Records
- Electronomicon 2002, Cleopatra Records (reissued 2005)[1]
[edit] References
- ^ Discogs discography (Retrieved June 2007)
