The day after I walked off of a pungent 12 hour Greyhound bus ride from San Fernando Valley to Oakland, exactly 10 years ago today, I was informed that I was to be moving there, renting a closet and joining a band; a dark and brooding neo-classical, experimental, wailing 3 piece called Strawberry Tripmonster. (Soon to be called Black Ice).
(Phantom Limbs at Great American Music Hall)
I had seen that synth punk/circus/black wave band The Phantom Limbs in L.A. a couple times before moving up, and knew they were getting all big and stuff, going on tours, (at 19 years old going on tour is pretty much the biggest thing EVER) and seeing as two of the 3 members of Black Ice were from PL, I thought, cool. I'm in a band. We recorded, put out albums, went on some tours, Riverdanced on stage, played with some douchey semi-famous death rockers, wore sombreros, pissed off the politically correct and ate more burritos than any other band in existence, ever. It was good times. I quit a few years ago because I'm a loser and would rather be a long hair metal rager and party in Central America than go to practice 4 times a week. WHAT A LOSER. I don't care though, as long as I'm still famous in Europe.(Phantom Limbs at Great American Music Hall)
Black Ice is more Death Rock than Hard Rock, more gloom than doom, more art metal than fancy metal. However, we had a following even with the metal scene. It never ceased to amaze me how many hair farmers would turn up to our shows; headbanging along to epic synth builds and dark bass breakdowns.
MYOPIA:DL HERE:
BUY ALL OF THESE AND MORE ON HUNGRY EYE RECORDS: HERE
SHOWS-West Coast shows starting Oct 2nd
"Before the First Light" is coming out in October, buy it on Hungry Eye Records-also responsible for putting out Saros' first full length "Five Pointed Tongue", (thanks to Dan CEO of Hungry Eye for turning me on to them) as well as a virtual army of underground Bay Area bands. Thanks Dan and Asim, you are bro amongst bros.
If you have ever done the shadow dance to Christian Death, Coil, Bauhaus, Virgin Prunes, Alien Sex Fiend (I think you get the idea) you will LOVE this band.
3 comments:
Cool. I'm quite fond of a bit of goth, so I shall check Black Ice out. Things have changed now, but I remember back in the day that goth girls were all SUPER-HOT* and goth guys ALL looked like colossal tools. That simple fact helped me get VERY laid, and often. Hehehehehe.
Incidentally, thats a cute kitty but doesn't he look a little 'jaunty' to be a goth mascot?
*all the ones that weren't the size of Belgium, swathed in s-t-r-e-t-c-h velvet anyway.
Sucks.
I could generally give a fuck about "goth" but saw BI @ the El Rio and was instantly in love with the whole band. I'm no homo but people having fun making not fun music makes the world go round as far as I'm concerned. Made me wish I still had the Batcave T-shirt I bought at Dadeland in 1985.
Post a Comment