Pompeii 99

Last updated

Pompeii 99
Origin Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres Post-punk
Years active1981 (1981)–1983
LabelsNostradamus Records
Spinoffs Christian Death
Past members

Pompeii 99 was an American post-punk band formed in Los Angeles in 1981. They released one single and one album before the core members of the band (Valor Kand, Gitane DeMone and David Glass) joined Rozz Williams for a new version of Christian Death in 1983, and eventually continued with the Christian Death name after all the original members had left the group. Aside from Kand, the main songwriter during this period was Cram Netod (Marc Doten), who later went on to perform with Double Naught Spy Car. [1]

Contents

History

The group began in 1981 [2] in Los Angeles when guitarist/vocalist Kand responded to an ad for "female vocalist available" in Los Angeles newspaper The Recycler , placed by singer Demone. A subsequent ad in this paper yielded drummer Glass (aka David Parkinson), who introduced Kand to bassist Netod, who in turn introduced keyboardist Poli-Sci (Polly Klemmer).

After the release of the bands' 1982 debut album, Look at Yourself (1982), [3] on their own Nostradamus label, they began to receive radio airplay in California and notoriety in the Los Angeles press. Until this time they had only played shows in local clubs, including support slots for visiting UK bands including Public Image Ltd, New Order and Angelic Upstarts. Their second release on Nostradamus, later in 1982, was the Ignorance Is the Control 7-inch EP. At the final stages of an imminent record deal with A&M Records, A&R rep Aaron Jacoves was fired and the deal was canceled.

Kand and Glass later began talks with Rozz Williams, the singer of the then-defunct Christian Death, and Williams joined Pompeii 99 in August 1983. The band was offered a record deal with French label L'Invitation Au Suicide, whose president, Yann Farcy, persuaded the band to change their name from Pompeii 99 to Christian Death. After reluctantly agreeing to the name change, Pompeii 99 ceased.

Members

Discography

Studio albums
EPs

Related Research Articles

<i>Atrocities</i> (album) 1986 studio album by Christian Death

Atrocities is the fourth studio album by American rock band Christian Death, released in 1986 through record label Normal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christian Death</span> American gothic rock band

Christian Death is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles County, California, in 1979 by Rozz Williams. With major line-up changes over the years, Christian Death has retained "a relentlessly confrontational stand against organized religion and conventional morality".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rozz Williams</span> American singer (1963–1998)

Rozz Williams was an American singer and songwriter known for his work with the bands Christian Death, Shadow Project, and the industrial project Premature Ejaculation. Christian Death is cited by some as a pioneer of the American gothic rock scene as well as deathrock, and is considered to be one of the most influential figures of the scene. However, Williams disliked the "goth" label and actively worked to shed it during the 1980s and 1990s by focusing on punk rock, hard rock, cabaret, and spoken word music. Williams was also involved with his groups Daucus Karota, Heltir, EXP, Bloodflag, and his own version of Christian Death, along with recording a handful of solo albums. In addition to music, Williams was also an avid painter, poet, and collage artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eva O</span> American musician

Eva Ortiz, better known as Eva O, is a music artist most notable for her previous works in Christian Death and a band she formed with her then-husband Rozz Williams called Shadow Project. Regarded as a veteran and "one of the most striking figures of the American Gothic scene," Eva O has had a significant influence on the emerging death rock movement, which garnered her the "Queen of Darkness" title from the press and audience. She is known for her heavy guitar playing style and dramatic, authoritative vocals.

The Super Heroines were an American deathrock trio formed in Los Angeles during the early 1980s. However, unlike other early deathrock bands such as Christian Death and 45 Grave, Super Heroines did not carry on a traditional goth sound, instead a more punk style metal inspired by the Runaways.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shadow Project</span> American deathrock band

Shadow Project was a rock band formed in 1987 featuring former members of Los Angeles deathrock groups Christian Death and Super Heroines. After recording two LPs the group experienced a three-year hiatus, reconvening for a third and final album. Shadow Project definitively folded after vocalist Rozz Williams committed suicide on April 1, 1998. The band briefly returned in 2019 under the moniker "Shadow Project 1334" for 13 shows only, vowing to never perform again together after that.

<i>Only Theatre of Pain</i> 1982 studio album by Christian Death

Only Theatre of Pain is the debut studio album by the American rock band Christian Death, released on March 24, 1982, by the Frontier record label.

<i>Catastrophe Ballet</i> 1984 studio album by Christian Death

Catastrophe Ballet is the second studio album by American rock band Christian Death. It was released in 1984, through record label Contempo.

Mephisto Walz are an American rock band formed in 1985. The band's discography includes many full-length albums spanning nearly three decades, through Cleopatra Records and other labels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rikk Agnew</span> American musician

Richard Francis "Rikk" Agnew Jr. is an American musician with a career spanning more than 40 years. He has previously been a member of some of the most influential bands of the Orange County hardcore punk genre, as well as the influential deathrock band Christian Death. During his years with the Adolescents, Agnew became known as one of the best guitarists in the Southern California hardcore punk scene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valor Kand</span> Musical artist

Valor Kand is a singer, guitarist and songwriter best known for his involvement with Christian Death, an American death rock and gothic rock band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gitane DeMone</span> American musician

Gitane DeMone is an American singer, musician and visual artist. Her career spans more than 30 years. She came to prominence in the mid-1980s as the keyboardist and backing vocalist of the influential death rock band Christian Death. In addition to her work with Christian Death, Demone was previously a member of Pompeii 99, worked with Dreadful Shadows, and has had a solo career which has included three studio albums: Am I Wrong?, Stars of Trash and The Reflecting Shadow.

<i>The Scriptures</i> (album) 1987 studio album by Christian Death

The Scriptures was Christian Death's fifth album and is seen as an essay on comparative world religions. The liner notes state that the work is "a translation of world beliefs by Valor." The album, like Atrocities, is split into two acts, though later reissues would omit these subtitles. The first 10,000 versions of the original LP record came with a free seven inch single containing two songs: "Jezebel's Tribulation" and "Wraeththu". Some CD reissues of the album feature these songs as bonus tracks. The completion of recording on The Scriptures would see David Glass leave the group and like previous members Barry Galvin and Johann Schumann, would go on to play in Mephisto Walz.

<i>Vampyrìsme...</i> 2003 studio album by Theatres des Vampires

Vampyrìsme... is the fifth studio album by Italian band Theatres des Vampires, released on September 15, 2003 by Beyond... Productions. It is a re-recorded version of the band's 1996 debut album Vampyrìsme, Nècrophilie, Nècrosadisme, Nècrophagie. The album was re-recorded entirely by Theatres des Vampires with guest appearances from former Cradle of Filth guitarist Gian Pyres and Christian Death vocalist Valor Kand. The album has also four new bonus tracks.

<i>Sex and Drugs and Jesus Christ</i> 1988 studio album by Christian Death

Sex and Drugs and Jesus Christ is the sixth album by American deathrock band Christian Death. It was released on 18 October 1988.

Discography of Christian Death, all three versions: 1) originally fronted by Rozz Williams, 2) fronted by Valor Kand, 3) parallel version formed by Rozz Williams in the late 1980s.

<i>The Wind Kissed Pictures</i> 1985 EP by Christian Death

The Wind Kissed Pictures is an EP by American deathrock band Christian Death, and is the debut release featuring Valor Kand on vocals. It was released in 1985 through Nostradamus Records and has spawned one single, "Believers of the Unpure". On the album, the band's title is made longer, calling themselves For Sin and Sacrifice Must We Die a Christian Death. Allmusic gave the album two stars out of five. However, they claimed it to be "some of the finest post-Rozz Williams work Christian Death would produce."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paris Sadonis</span> Musical artist

Paris Anthony Sadonis is a Los Angeles-based keyboardist, painter, performance artist and musician.

<i>Deathwish</i> (EP) 1984 EP by Christian Death

Deathwish is an EP by American deathrock band Christian Death. It consists of demos recorded by the band in 1981, prior to the release of Christian Death's debut album Only Theatre of Pain, but was not released until 1984 by French record label l'Invitation au Suicide.

<i>In Tuned Out – Live 93</i> 1994 live album by Shadow Project

In Tuned Out – Live '93 is a live album by alt-rock/goth metal band Shadow Project, released in early 1994 by Triple X Records.

References

  1. "Marc Doten | Discography | Discogs". Discogs .
  2. "Pompeii 99 Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
  3. "Pompeii 99 – Look At Yourself (1982, Vinyl) – Discogs". Discogs .