Shadow Project

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Shadow Project
Shadow Project Inner Sleeve.jpg
Band shot from Shadow Project 's inner sleeve
Background information
Origin San Francisco, California, U.S.
Genres
Years active1987–1993, 1997–1998, 2019
Labels
  • Triple X
  • Hollows Hill Sound
  • Alice in Wetzlarer
Past members

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.[ citation needed ]

Contents

History

Formation

The band was named after a study of the effects of nuclear bombs in Hiroshima. [3] Centered around Rozz Williams and Eva O, Shadow Project gave its first performance in San Francisco in 1987, but did not maintain much of a profile until Williams and Eva O returned to Los Angeles in 1990. Once there, they recruited keyboardist Paris Sadonis, Super Heroines bassist Jill Emery, and drummer Tom Morgan, formerly from Los Angeles punk band the Flesh Eaters. After touring the city's club circuit – including the legendary Whisky a Go Go – they signed with Triple X Records, responsible for launching Jane's Addiction's successful career.

Triple X years

The early, scrawled form of Shadow Project's logotype Shadow Project Logo.jpg
The early, scrawled form of Shadow Project's logotype

The band's self-titled first album was released in 1991. AllMusic described Shadow Project's debut as a unique and adventurous "blend of goth, punk and glam", a challenging record that would ultimately prove satisfying after several spins. [4] With Peter Tomlinson replacing Morgan, the group completed a follow-up, Dreams for the Dying , recorded during the 1992 Los Angeles riots. [5] Jill Emery left to concentrate on her Hole duties. After Emery's departure they recruited former Kathedral bassist Donato Canzonieri who finished recording Dreams for the Dying (uncredited). Donato can be seen on the album cover with Eva O. and would also go on to record on Rozz Williams spoken word album Every King A Bastard Son. The following year Shadow Project participated on Triple X's Alice Cooper tribute Welcome to Our Nightmare with a "Dead Babies/Killer" medley. [6] The band personnel for this recording featured yet another line-up change, with Aaron Schwartz now on bass and Chuck Collison handling the track's samples. [6] Shadow Project then toured the United States in the summer, [7] and after that had plans to tour Europe in the Fall, namely France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and the United Kingdom. [8]

During their 1993 tour in support for Dreams for the Dying 's release, Shadow Project recorded a concert held in Fullerton, California on June 20, later to be released as the In Tuned Out live album. [9] Alongside tracks culled from their two studio albums, the record features an Alice Cooper medley, a David Bowie cover ("Panic in Detroit") and two unreleased songs. [3] : 5  A Christian Death original, "Still Born/Still Life" [10] – dedicated to serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer [11] – was also included in the set.

Split

After the American tour, Eva O and Paris left the band to focus on Eva O Halo Experience CD Demons Fall for an Angel's Kiss . This effectively ended Shadow Project. [7] For his part, Williams declared that Shadow Project went as far it could. "Eva wanted to go in one direction and I in another", he justified; he then went on to pursue his own musical interests. [12] The German leg of their European tour had already been booked by then, so Rozz Williams went to tour with another band in place, Daucus Karota.

Final days

After Shadow Project split, Rozz Williams and Eva O. divorced (but remained friendly) and Williams' heroin addiction increased. In 1997 they would once again reunite to record the final Shadow Project release, From the Heart . [13] The album included band material from previous records stripped down to just acoustic guitar and vocal duets. [14] Nathan Van Hala of Christian metal group Saviour Machine was drafted to fill in the keyboard duties. [13] But before From Heart came out Shadow Project's career was again cut short, this time by Rozz Williams' suicide. The singer hanged himself on April Fool's Day, leaving no suicide note. His former Christian Death bandmate, Valor Kand, said that beside suffering from bipolar disorder, Williams battled alcohol and heroin abuse all his life. [15]

Style and influences

In Terrorizer magazine's accessement, Shadow Project "seamlessly blended" all of Rozz Williams' talents: art, music and poetry. [16] In that sense the group had a wide range of influences, raging from glam rock icons David Bowie and T. Rex, West Coast punk bands The Germs and The Alley Cats, [17] to symbolist poet Arthur Rimbaud, "Theatre of Cruelty" creator Antonin Artaud and the cut-up technique of Beat writer William S. Burroughs. [18] Rozz also held pioneer hard rock and heavy metal groups such as Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Kiss and Alice Cooper in great esteem. [11]

Eva O described Shadow Project's music as "a strange mixture of metallic death rock and punk". [19] For his part, Williams stated that Shadow Project's music wasn't "Gothic-Rock"; in fact, the music of Shadow Project was "beyond labeling". [20]

Rozz Williams felt frustrated that he couldn't quite steer from "goth" tag due to the legendary status of his former band, Christian Death. [21] Williams didn't consider himself part of the gothic scene anymore, stating that:

I dont go out to the clubs, so I don't really see it much unless I'm doing a show, and then sometimes it seems a wee bit superficial, you know. It's just funny seeing the whole image and dress and style and everything, which can be really great, but it seems like for a lot of the people, thats their main concern. They dont have many questions behind what they're doing. [22]

Themes

Rozz Williams' favorite subject matter revolved around death, religion and violence. [23] Regarding the latter, the singer was obsessed with serial killers – especially Charles Manson – and dedicated a song ("Still Born/Still Life") to Jeffrey Dahmer. He explained that, to him, "they've crossed a barrier that... well, obviously, you're not supposed to and you're not allowed to, supposedly. It's kind of a fascination with that". [11]

Discography

Related Research Articles

Gothic rock is a style of rock music that emerged from post-punk in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s. The first post-punk bands which shifted toward dark music with gothic overtones include Siouxsie and the Banshees, Joy Division, Bauhaus, and the Cure.

Deathrock is a rock music subgenre incorporating horror elements and gothic theatrics. It emerged from punk rock on the West Coast of the United States in the early 1980s and overlaps with the gothic rock and horror punk genres. Notable deathrock acts include Christian Death, Kommunity FK, 45 Grave, and Super Heroines.

<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.

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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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Premature Ejaculation (band)</span> Musical artist

Premature Ejaculation is an industrial, experimental, and performance art band from Pomona, California formed in 1981 by Rozz Williams and Ron Athey. They dissolved in less than one year. Premature Ejaculation was reformed in 1986 by Williams with new members. The group disbanded completely after Rozz Williams' death in 1998. Active again since 2023 with Chuck Collison once again at the helm.

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<i>Shadow Project</i> (album) 1991 studio album by Shadow Project

Shadow Project is the debut album of American deathrock band Shadow Project, released in 1991 by Triple X Records.

<i>Dreams for the Dying</i> 1992 studio album by Shadow Project

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<i>From the Heart</i> (Shadow Project album) 1998 studio album by Shadow Project

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

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

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References

  1. ↑ "Christian Death's Rozz Williams' Tortured Soul Is Still Worthy of Tribute". OC Weekly . March 27, 2014. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Johann Schumann of Mephisto Walz, Shadow Project, and Christian Death has Passed Away". Post-Punk.com. December 6, 2020. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
  3. 1 2 Thompson, Dave (1994). Shadow Project Liner Notes (CD booklet). Shadow Project. Triple X Records.
  4. ↑ Henderson, Alex. "Shadow Project – Shadow Project". AllMusic . Retrieved December 28, 2015.
  5. ↑ Walker, Johnny (1997). "Rozz Williams Talks Till He's Whorse". Vibe. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  6. 1 2 1 Shadow Project Dead Babies/Killer (CD booklet). Shadow Project. Triple X Records. 1993. p. 04.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. 1 2 "Biography". Rozznet – The Official Rozz Williams Website. Retrieved December 30, 2015.
  8. ↑ John Begley & Marco Boudreau (1993). "Shadow Project". Deathrock.com. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Projects". Rozznet – The Official Rozz Williams Website. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
  10. ↑ Bush, John. "The Rage of Angels – Christian Death". AllMusic . Retrieved January 20, 2016.
  11. 1 2 3 Corson, Andrew (1996). "Two Shimmering Sides of a Euphonious Sword". Carpe Noctem, 1(3). Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  12. ↑ Roger de Wormhout & Nath de Bézouce (1995). "Rozz Williams Interview". Le Scatopode. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  13. 1 2 Moyer, Matthew. "Shadow Project – Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
  14. ↑ Huey, Steve (May 1, 2013). "Forget Me Not: Rozz Williams". Library Journal Reviews. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
  15. ↑ Layne, Anni (April 9, 1998). "Goth Pioneer Rozz Williams Hangs Himself". Rolling Stone . Retrieved February 14, 2016.
  16. ↑ Yardley, Miranda (May 17, 2012). "Hieroglyphics: The greatest logos in goth rock/industrial". Terrorizer . Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  17. ↑ Dean, Mopa (February 1994). "Rozz Williams interview". ?*@# exclaim!. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  18. ↑ "Rozz Williams interview". Seconds, 27. 1994. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Eva O". Yeretika. Archived from the original on October 3, 2011. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
  20. ↑ factory_peasant (July 6, 2006). "Shadow Project". Antocularis. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  21. ↑ Christopher Labussière & Carole Jay (February 1995). "Rozz Williams Interview". Premonition, 18. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
  22. ↑ Corson, Andrew (1996). "Two Shimmering Sides of a Euphonious Sword". Carpe Noctem, 1(3). Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  23. ↑ Fasolino, Greg; Yeske, Katherine; Ferguson, Scott. "TrouserPress :: Christian Death". Trouser Press . Retrieved February 21, 2016.

Bibliography

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