CATCHING UP WITH NITRO

Nitro 1989, left to right: T.J. Racer, Jim Gillette, Michael Angelo Batio, Bobby Rock

In case you've never had the pleasure of hearing it, Nitro's 1989 album, "O.F.R." is a truly amazing, singular piece of heavy metal history. Observe the video on yesterday's post (below) for proof. Vocalist Jim Gillette had a searing falsetto that could literally shatter crystal (he often did it as a gimmick at concerts), and guitarist Michael Angelo Batio's work with Nitro established him as one of the fastest, craziest shredders of all time. I decided to do a little research on what the members of Nitro are up to TODAY, 20 years after the release of the magnificent "O.F.R.". They released another album in '91 with a couple lineup changes, but for the sake of brevity, I figured I'd keep it to Nitro Mark I, the classic lineup found on the classic album.


-JIM GILLETTE (Vocals)



Above: Jim prepares to totally shatter a mega-expensive crystal goblet. Because he CAN.

Gillette caused a minor stir on the internet awhile back with this 8-second video of him exercising his 4 octave range (he has claimed up to 6 in the past). Observe:



Before Nitro, L.A. native Jim sang in the glam-metal acts Slut and Tuff, followed by an eponymous solo project where, in 1987, he met future Nitro axeman Michael Angelo Batio. The two remained the only constant members of Nitro until their breakup in 1993. After Nitro, Gillette realized the ultimate 80's rocker fantasy by marrying heavy metal wankmistress Lita Ford. They are married to this day and have two kids.

In 2001, Jim released the album "Ultra Violent" with his band Organ Donor. I've never heard it. Honestly, I hope I NEVER hear it. No offense, Jim. He also began mixed martial arts training with the famous Gracie family in recent years, and got TOTALLY FUCKING YOKED using Scott Sonnon's Circular Weight Training System. I hope he didn't stretch out his tattoos too much!



Above: Modern day Jim Gillette, hella TORQUED and ready to thrown down UFC style.


-T.J. RACER (Bass)

Milwaukee native T.J. (real name Tony Brehmer) is a bit of an enigma. Last anyone heard, he was giving bass lessons in the Los Angeles area, but I tracked down two Hollywood-area bands with a "T.J. Racer" on bass. The first, Kenny James and The Gang, is an awful alternative pop-metal band with no website or Myspace page. All I found was this video on Youtube, although the bass player seems a bit too young and scrawny to be an awesome 80's rocker:





Right: Is it him?


The second band is a "psychedelic funk" project called The Circle. They are truly terrible. Pictures of the band feature the douchey singer prominently, but the only picture I could find of the bass player is all hair (and out of focus). But I'm pretty sure it's him. It seems like if you had any common sense, you would capitalize on the fact that you have a dude from Nitro in your band, possibly even to the point of calling it The T.J. Racer From Nitro Band. Whatever.

Check out awful band The Circle here.







Left: The singer for The Circle poses with his awesome mohawk and Lamborghini. Please note personalized "CIRCLE" license plate.












-BOBBY ROCK (Drums)

Bobby Rock is a self-proclaimed Renaissance Man. Born in Livermore, CA, he eventually attended the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston before joining the Vinnie Vincent Invasion. Next was his brief stint in Nitro before he moved on to work with Nelson, Brunette and Hardline. He also toured with Slaughter.

Mr. Rock has turned himself into a mystical vegan fitness guru in the last few years, touting his wares on his website, Bobby Rock's Cyber Universe.

Currently, Bobby plays drums for virtuoso shreddificator Gary Hoey and a band called Carnival of Souls. He also performs a touring drum clinic, teaching aspiring rockers to jam down Nitro style from coast to coast. His drumset is fucking ridiculous (right).





Curiously enough, he is also a "prolific" author (his words), penning five books, at least one of which being on the subject of "hypothetical erotica". If you feel the need to learn more about this concept, click here. He also claims to be working on a pilot for a cable TV show on the subject.

Below: Renaissance Man Bobby Rock




-MICHAEL ANGELO BATIO (Guitar)



Possibly the best-known member of Nitro, Michael Angelo (MAB to his fans) has built an empire on instructional videos, capitalizing on his fame as one of the top shredders of all time. The ambidextrous axe-ripper started his career in Chicago as a jazz musician, farming out his talents to companies such as KFC, McDonald's, Burger King, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell.

He went pro in 1984 when he joined ex-Steppenwolf vocalist Tommy Holland's band, Holland, but found his calling years later, tearing up double- and quadruple-necked guitars in Nitro. After 1993, he began his successful solo career, releasing several albums and DVDs. Check out a glimpse of MAB's instructional shreddery below:



In addition to his CDs and DVDs, MAB is also a guitar teacher to the stars, giving lessons to douchewands like Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine and Mark Tremonti of shitty Christian alterna-rockers Creed. Rumor has it he is releasing a new DVD, entitled "The Neoclassical Power Approach", sometime in early 2009. I can hardly contain myself.



Below: New, custom Batio guitar by Dean. For some reason it only has one neck.




Bonus: Get this shit NOW!!!

NITRO - O.F.R. (1989)



(It stands for "Out-Fucking-Rageous")

Download HERE

WWRJDD?

If you've never seen Dio's 1984 video for "Last In Line", please take a moment to enlighten yourself. You won't be sorry.



Ah Hell, here's four more of my favorite metal videos from the 80's. Fuck it.

NITRO - "FREIGHT TRAIN" (1989)



IRON MAIDEN - "NUMBER OF THE BEAST" (1982)



JUDAS PRIEST - "TURBO LOVER" (1986): Awesome animation!!!



Let's make it a big ol' Dio sandwich:

DIO - "HOLY DIVER" (1983)

DISCORDANCE AXIS - THE INALIENABLE DREAMLESS (2001)

This is a freaking awesome treasure of an album. "The Inalienable Dreamless" was D.A.'s last proper release before they split, their crowning achievement after a 10-year reign as grindcore's most intense, original, and experimental band. The song structures are absolutely amazing, the vocals are completely over-the-top, and the riffs are angular, discordant, and brutal. Apparently, these guys broke up because their guitarist's amp was giving him seizures (true story), but they managed to tour Japan (their only tour) and play a landmark gig at CBGB's with a stand-in guitarist before they called it a day. Crazy story, crazy band, CRAZY FUCKING JAMS.

Download HERE

BUTTHOLE SURFERS - WIDOWERMAKER E.P. (1989)

Here's an old 4-song EP from everyone's favorite acid casualties, the Butthole Surfers. Although their back catalog is huge, and I can by no means claim to have heard ALL of it, these are some of my favorites from what I HAVE heard, especially the last song, "Booze, Tobacco, Dope, Pussy, Cars" (which is 2 minutes and 19 seconds of sweet punk rock with the title shouted over it repeatedly). The Buttholes played two nights at the Fillmore last week, and I'm ashamed to say that I missed both of them. Again, my Pose has been Exposed. Boooooooo.

For proof that the Butthole Surfers are the greatest thing that ever happened to American psychedelic music, check out this video.


Download HERE

REPKA VS. SEAGRAVE

Ed Repka and Dan Seagrave are two of the best-known Heavy Metal album cover artists of all time. Although both were in their heyday in the late 80's and early 90's, their styles were very different. Repka focused more on realistic figures and musculature set in shocking neons, while Seagrave's dark landscapes were seething with teeth, flesh, and blood. Below are several examples of what I consider to be their finest work, with brief profiles of each artist.




Right: Ed Repka


Born: New Jersey

Currently resides: New Jersey (possibly with parents)

Known for: Thrash Metal album covers in the late 80's to mid 90's, current "retro-thrash" stuff, also worked as a designer on the 'Hellraiser' series.

Themes: Mutation, War, Gore

Past clients: Death, Possessed, Atheist, Solstice, Merciless Death, 3 Inches Of Blood, Massacre (see previous post)

Repka has also worked outside the metal genre with bands like NOFX ("S&M Airlines") and drew (but didn't design) Megadeth's spokesman Vic Rattlehead.



Above: Attention to detail and flawless texturing are the name of Ed's game.
Below: See the line up the middle of this one? The LP was an awesome gatefold that opened up to expose even more Repka radness (couldn't find a picture online).





Above and below: Examples of his more recent work. "Advance And Vanquish" is one of my favorite album covers of the last 10 years, and the Merciless Death cover just flat-out RULES. The lady seems only mildly concerned that a large chunk has been bitten out of her wrist, though. Odd.





Above and below: Simple, straightforward imagery presented in classic Repka style.



Below: Some more recent stuff. Horrible band, great cover.



+20 Cool Points to Repka for painting the cover for Death's seminal classic, "Scream Bloody Gore".



Below: Dan Seagrave



Born: Ravenshead, Nottingham, UK, 1971

Currently resides: Toronto, Canada

Known for: Death Metal album covers in the late 80's to mid 90's, also works outside the 'album cover' genre. Self-taught.

Themes: Organic, abstract landscapes, Science Fiction, Fantasy

Past clients: Sepultura, Suffocation, Malevolent Creation, Entombed, Monstrosity, Lawnmower Deth, Carnage

Seagrave took home 3 out of 5 on my list of best Death Metal album covers ever and also provided us with the first-ever documented case of "mantlers" (see below). That's also one of his pieces at the bottom of the Illogical Contraption page.



Below: That's just some BADASS shit right there. Dan did some really great stuff for Malevolent Creation.



Seagrave, when working outside the album cover medium has a fantastical, almost Dr. Seuss-esque style. Observe the following two pieces:







Above: More killer M.C. artwork, this one seems to be some sort of rotting brain made out of bugs being flushed down a toilet. Rad.
Below: I love this one. I'm actually wearing this shirt right now.





Above: Seagrave flexes the Giger muscle a bit.
Below: Classic example of one of his dark, twisted landscapes.



In conclusion, I'm going to have to say it's a draw on artwork, but the edge goes to Seagrave for keeping better company.

Good stuff, guys.

SATURDAY MORNING DOUBLE FEATURE: "FROM BEYOND"

MASSACRE - FROM BEYOND (1991)



Massacre was part of the late-80's/early 90's Floridian thrash/death/prog movement that produced such high-profile acts as Death, Cynic, Atheist, and Pestilence. Top-of-the line, early DM from an awesome, short-lived band. There are lots of bands called Massacre. THIS is the one that matters. Extra points for the creepy Ed Repka cover, which came in blue for boys and pink for girls.



Alternate version of awesome cover art. >>>





Download HERE







RICHARD BAND - 'FROM BEYOND' SOUNDTRACK (1986)



Richard Band teamed up with director Stuart Gordon on this adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's story, which was proven a winning combination a couple years earlier with "Re-Animator". "From Beyond' is a dark, dissonant masterpiece, and won the award for Best Original Soundtrack at the Catalonian International Film Festival in Sitges, Spain. But you already knew that.
Extra points to Mr. Band for also working on music for "Walker: Texas Ranger" at one point.

Download HERE



PS: This movie freakin' RULES!!!

METAL IN THE MOVIES: AN EPILOGUE

Of course no article on metal in the movies would be complete without mention of Cannibal Corpse's legendary appearance in the 1994 comedy "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective". So here's 2 clips of that, followed by something completely unrelated. Bon appetit!

Clip 1 (in French or something):



Clip 2:



???:

SPAWN OF POSSESSION - CABINET (2002)

Swedish metallers Spawn Of Possession's curiously titled label debut is one heck of a brutal listen. But why 'Cabinet'? Cabinets aren't very metal (see also: "Mantlers"). Maybe they keep their metal supplies in an evil cabinet? I dunno.
Their second release, 'Noctambulant' (2006) is another relentless beating ("noctambulant" refers to sleepwalking. Kind of metal, I guess...?), proving that these guys have major chops, and they're not afraid to use them. This is technical death metal done right, heavy on the weird and face-meltingly grindy.

Download HERE



Above: Sleepwalking Swedish cupboard-makers Spawn Of Possession. Below: Less intimidating cabinetry.

A GOOD, OLD-FASHIONED ASS KICKING

Friday, January 23rd. Annie's Social Club.

STORMCROW.
IRON LUNG.
EXTORTION.
LACK OF INTEREST.
CRETACEOUS.