The Skull (band)

Last updated

The Skull
Origin Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Genres Doom metal
Years active2012–present
MembersRon Holzner
Lothar Keller
Rob Wrong
Henry Vasquez
Past members Eric Wagner
Kevin Tarpey
Michael Carpenter
Jeff "Oly" Olson
Chuck Robinson
Matt Goldsborough
Sean Saley
Brian Dixon

The Skull is an American doom metal band founded by three former members of Trouble, vocalist Eric Wagner, bassist Ron Holzner, and drummer Jeff "Oly" Olson. It was founded in 2012 in Chicago, Illinois. The band's name is derived from Trouble's second studio album, The Skull.

Contents

History

Asked in February 2012 why the three former members of Trouble decided to form The Skull, bassist Ron Holzner replied, "The Trouble set at last year's Days of the Doomed Fest [in Kenosha, Wisconsin] was the catalyst for this whole thing. Eric and Oly hadn't had the chance to talk much before [the festival], and then when I got there the next day and we all got to hang out and talk... it was really nice! Playing "End of My Daze" with the whole f---ing crowd singing... that's what it's all about! We all looked at each other on stage and simply went, 'Wow!'"

In May 2012, Olson departed from The Skull due to his desire to "wait for a real Trouble reunion with original members or not play Trouble's music at all." On August 19, 2013, Olson rejoined The Skull stating, "I want to rock again." [1] The Skull performs a large portion of Trouble's first two pioneering doom metal albums, Psalm 9 (1984) and self-titled The Skull (1985), and perform a large catalogue of other Trouble material. [2]

The Skull headlined the Hell's Pleasure festival in Pößneck, Germany in July 2012 alongside NWOBHM band Angel Witch. In late August and early September 2012, The Skull completed a tour of the US east coast and finished that trek by headlining the SHOD Fest (Stoner Hand Of Doom) in New London, Connecticut. The Skull toured Europe in late 2012, including co-headlining the Hammer of Doom festival with the band Pentagram. This European tour also included performances in Germany, Netherlands, Austria, and Sweden, among others.

The Skull have been writing and performing new original material and have scheduled a West coast tour of the US for late 2013. Part of this tour will be headlining the Denver Doom Fest. [3]

On March 5, 2014, former Trouble bassist Chuck Robinson joined the band as the guitarist. [4] Over a month later, it was announced that Robinson had exited the band in order to focus on "his demanding professional career", and former Pentagram guitarist Matt Goldsborough would be his replacement. [5] In 2014, The Skull released their first single, "Sometime Yesterday Mourning," which also had a cover of Trouble's song "The Last Judgment" from the band's 1983 Demo as a b-side.

On August 24, 2014, the band announced that their debut album, titled For Those Which Are Asleep, would be released on November 4 through Tee Pee Records. [6] "A New Generation" was released as a single.

On January 16, 2015, it was announced that drummer Jeff "Oly" Olson departed the band for a second time. [7]

On November 24, 2015, it was announced that guitarist Matt Goldsborough left the band and Witch Mountain guitarist Rob Wrong joined The Skull. The band, with the new lineup, returned to Gunpoint Recording on December 4, 2015, to begin production on the follow-up to For Those Which Are Asleep, to be released through Tee Pee Records. [8] In 2016, The Skull released a five-song self-titled extended play which consisted of studio recordings of "The Longing", "A New Generation," and a re-recording of the Trouble song "The Skull," as well as live recordings of Trouble's "Assassin" and The Skull's "Till the Sun Turns Black."

In September 2018, The Skull released The Endless Road Turns Dark, their second studio album, on Tee Pee Records. Former Cathedral drummer Brian Dixon, who began his tenure with the band after the departure of founding drummer Jeff Olson, can be heard playing on the album. Two singles from The Endless Road Turns Dark, the title track and "Ravenswood," were released during the same year. The Skull released a music video for "The Longing" in 2019. [9]

On August 23, 2021, it was announced that Eric Wagner died of COVID-19 pneumonia. [10] [11]

Band members

Current members

Former members

Live musicians

Timeline

The Skull (band)

Discography

The Skull discography
Studio albums2
Music videos1
EPs1
Singles5

Studio albums

Extended plays

Singles

Music videos

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Candlemass (band)</span> Swedish doom metal band

Candlemass is a Swedish epic doom metal band established in Stockholm in 1984 by bassist, songwriter and bandleader Leif Edling and drummer Matz Ekström. The band had a defining influence on doom metal, and the genre itself is named after their debut album Epicus Doomicus Metallicus. Along with Pentagram, Saint Vitus and Trouble, Candlemass has been referred to as one of the "big four of doom metal".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jess Margera</span> American drummer (born 1978)

Jesse Margera is an American musician. He is best known as the drummer of the rock band CKY, which he co-founded in 1997. Prior to CKY, Margera performed in the band Foreign Objects with former CKY vocalist and guitarist Deron Miller, and he has since worked with Gnarkill, Viking Skull, The Company Band and Fuckface Unstoppable. Margera has also appeared in the CKY video series and the Viva La Bam and Jackass television series alongside his brother Bam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spirit Caravan</span> American doom metal / stoner rock band

Spirit Caravan was an American doom metal / stoner rock band featuring guitarist and vocalist Scott "Wino" Weinrich.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saint Vitus (band)</span> American doom metal band

Saint Vitus is an American doom metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1979. They are considered to be one of the first doom metal bands, and have been labeled as one of the "big four" of that genre, along with Candlemass, Pentagram and Trouble. Having released nine studio albums to date, Saint Vitus never achieved a popular breakthrough, but have exerted great influence on the development of doom metal, sludge metal, and stoner rock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vinny Appice</span> American drummer

Vincent Samson Appice is an American rock drummer best known for his work with the bands Dio, Black Sabbath, and Heaven & Hell. Of Italian descent, he is the younger brother of drummer Carmine Appice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trouble (band)</span> American doom metal band

Trouble is an American doom metal band from Aurora, Illinois, formed in 1979. They are often considered one of the pioneers of doom metal, and have been referred to as one of the genre's "big four" alongside Candlemass, Pentagram and Saint Vitus. The band created a distinct style, taking influences of the British heavy metal bands Black Sabbath and Judas Priest, and psychedelic rock of the 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yob (band)</span> American doom metal band

Yob is an American doom metal band from Eugene, Oregon, composed of singer/guitarist Mike Scheidt, bassist Aaron Rieseberg, and drummer Travis Foster. Their most recent studio album Our Raw Heart was released in June 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pentagram (band)</span> American heavy metal band

Pentagram is an American heavy metal band from Alexandria, Virginia, most famous as one of the pioneers of heavy metal, and the subgenre of doom metal in particular. As such, they are considered one of the "big four of doom metal", alongside Candlemass, Saint Vitus and Trouble. The band was prolific in the underground scene of the 1970s, producing many demos and rehearsal tapes, but did not release a full-length album until reforming in the early 1980s with an almost completely new line-up. Throughout the band's history the only constant member has been vocalist Bobby Liebling. The revolving line-up of Pentagram has featured many well-respected musicians in the local doom metal scene, with members spending time in other acts such as the Obsessed, Place of Skulls, Internal Void, Spirit Caravan, among many others. The band's current line-up consists of Liebling (vocals), Matt Goldsborough (guitar), Greg Turley (bass) and "Minnesota" Pete Campbell (drums).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Viking Skull</span> English rock band

Viking Skull are an English hard rock band originally from Corby, Northamptonshire. Formed in 2002, the band currently features vocalist and guitarist Roddy Stone, guitarists Frank Regan and Dom Wallace, bassist Kevin "Waldie" James and drummer Jess Margera. Founded by Stone, Regan and Waldie with guitarist Darren Smith and drummer Gordon Morrison, the group were initially intended as a semi-comedic support band for Raging Speedhorn, which featured some of Viking Skull's members.

<i>The Skull</i> (album) 1985 studio album by Trouble

The Skull is the second studio album by American doom metal band Trouble, released by Metal Blade Records in March 1985.

<i>Run to the Light</i> 1987 studio album by Trouble

Run to the Light is the third studio album by American doom metal band Trouble, released by Metal Blade Records on July 15, 1987, being the band's last release on that label. It was the band's first album to have Ron Holzner on bass guitar and the only Trouble album with Dennis Lesh on drums. A music video was made for the title track.

<i>Trouble</i> (Trouble album) 1990 studio album by Trouble

Trouble is the fourth studio album by American doom metal band Trouble, released on Def American on February 13, 1990. It was the first Trouble album to have Barry Stern on drums. Music videos were made for "At the End of My Daze," "Psychotic Reaction," "R.I.P.," and "The Misery Shows ;" the music videos were released on the Videos DVD by the band's Trouble, Inc. label in 2007. The album was reissued and remastered by Hammerheart Records, cooperating alongside Trouble, Inc., on November 27, 2020.

<i>Plastic Green Head</i> 1995 studio album by Trouble

Plastic Green Head is the sixth studio album by the American doom metal band Trouble. It was first released on the Music for Nations label in Europe in 1995 and later distributed in the United States by Century Media Records with a bonus track in 1996. The album marked the return of original Trouble drummer Jeff Olson, who left the band in 1986 and returned in 1993. The album contains covers of The Monkees' 1968 track "Porpoise Song" and The Beatles' 1966 song "Tomorrow Never Knows". A promotional disc was released in 1995 with "The Eye," "Plastic Green Head," and "Hear the Earth" in 1995. Following the release of Plastic Green Head, Trouble went on an extended hiatus after their European tour was canceled. The album was reissued and remastered by Escapi Music in 2006 with a bonus DVD containing concert footage of the band in 1996 in Hamburg, Germany. It was reissued and remastered by Hammerheart Records in 2022.

<i>Simple Mind Condition</i> 2007 studio album by Trouble

Simple Mind Condition is the seventh studio album by American doom metal band Trouble. It was the band's first full-length studio release in twelve years, the longest gap between Trouble's studio albums to date; the band's previous album, Plastic Green Head, was released in 1995. The album is dedicated to former drummer Barry Stern, who died in 2005. To date, this is Trouble's last release with vocalist Eric Wagner and drummer Jeff Olson, who both left in 2008. Wagner died in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bruce Franklin (guitarist)</span> Musical artist

Bruce Franklin is an American musician. He is a founding member and guitarist for doom metal band Trouble. In 1979, he formed the band with his hometown friends Eric Wagner, Rick Wartell, Jeff Olson, and Ian Brown. After touring the Midwest and gaining popularity, Trouble was signed to Metal Blade Records in 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Place of Skulls (band)</span> American doom metal band

Place of Skulls is an American doom metal band from Knoxville, Tennessee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Wagner</span> American heavy metal singer (1959–2021)

Eric Wagner was an American heavy metal singer, best known for his work with doom metal band Trouble.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Olson (musician)</span> American drummer

Jeff Olson is an American musician and the original drummer for the doom metal band Trouble. He is also the founding member of Retro Grave, keyboardist for Victor Griffin's In~Graved, proprietor of Upland Recording, and former drummer for The Skull.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earthen Grave</span>

Earthen Grave was an American thrash/doom metal band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 2008, featuring violinist Rachel Barton Pine.

Rob Wrong is an American rock guitarist known for playing in Witch Mountain and The Skull. He was described by Premier Guitar as creating "titanic guitar sludge".

References

  1. "Original TROUBLE Drummer JEFF OLSON Rejoins THE SKULL". Blabbermouth.net. August 19, 2013. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  2. [ permanent dead link ]
  3. "Original TROUBLE Members Form THE SKULL". Blabbermouth.net. Archived from the original on September 9, 2012.
  4. "THE SKULL Joined By Former TROUBLE Bassist-Turned-Guitarist CHUCK ROBINSON". BlabberMouth. March 5, 2014.
  5. "THE SKULL Joined By Former PENTAGRAM Guitarist MATT GOLSDSBOROUGH". BlabberMouth. April 13, 2014.
  6. "THE SKULL Featuring Former TROUBLE Members: 'For Those Which Are Asleep' Debut Due In November". Blabbermouth.net. August 24, 2014.
  7. "Original TROUBLE Drummer JEFF 'OLY' OLSON Quits THE SKULL". Blabbermouth.net. January 16, 2015.
  8. "THE SKULL: New Guitarist, Start Record New LP". Metalkaoz.com.
  9. "The Skull - "The Longing" (( Official Video ))". YouTube. April 12, 2019. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
  10. NextMosh Staff (August 23, 2021). "Eric Wagner (Trouble, The Skull) has died at 62". NextMosh. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  11. Reeder (August 23, 2021). "ERIC WAGNER (Ex-TROUBLE, THE SKULL) Has Died After Being Hospitalized With COVID Pneumonia | Metal Addicts". metaladdicts.com/. Retrieved August 23, 2021.