Crash Worship
Encyclopedia
Crash Worship or ADRV was a San Diego
based experimental-aktionist-industrial-noise performance group formed in 1986. Most renowned for its live shows in which three stand-up percussionists hammered out concussive poly-rhythms to abstract mutated guitar, synthesizers, effects and dualling vocalists. Audience members were showered in various substances such as blood, wine and honey while band members ignited combustibles and fire within the performance area. Crash Worship also released several albums and singles of both live and studio-recorded music. Mostly self produced (unusually packaged and laboriously handcrafted) works in visually stunning screen printed metal splattered with paint, urine, blood and other esoteria. Although they toured playing their recorded material, the celebratory nature of these events left each show open to spontaneity & improvisation.
, Crash Worship followed suit with two full European tours in the mid-90s. It was also around this time the band was deemed "unmanageable" by many labels, booking agencies and clubs which proved difficult to tour much afterward. Although at the height of notoriety, Crash Worship had been banned from countless cities across the United States
making it almost impossible touring there or abroad.
In late 1999, the last Crash Worship performances were held in California, three being with the Master Musicians of Jajouka, at the Aztlan Theatre (abandoned Los Angeles County Jail), and also to a female only audience in San Francisco. The final Crash Worship performance was held in San Diego, California on October 24, 1999, with Physics
and Tarantula Hawk
as openers. Members are now scattered around the U.S. in New Orleans, Portland
, New York City
, San Diego and the Bay Area, active with their own solo and side projects.
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
based experimental-aktionist-industrial-noise performance group formed in 1986. Most renowned for its live shows in which three stand-up percussionists hammered out concussive poly-rhythms to abstract mutated guitar, synthesizers, effects and dualling vocalists. Audience members were showered in various substances such as blood, wine and honey while band members ignited combustibles and fire within the performance area. Crash Worship also released several albums and singles of both live and studio-recorded music. Mostly self produced (unusually packaged and laboriously handcrafted) works in visually stunning screen printed metal splattered with paint, urine, blood and other esoteria. Although they toured playing their recorded material, the celebratory nature of these events left each show open to spontaneity & improvisation.
Biography
Initially starting as a studio project, Crash Worship soon learned the power of a live audience. During performances, the band's members (or often provocateurs) would manipulate the crowd, involving them more deeply into the show, ultimately eliminating any boundaries between spectator and performer. The musicians would also mobilize their instruments on and off the stage into the middle of the audience (or outside), lighting explosives and hosing down the crowd with various liquids creating an atmosphere of celebratory abandon and mirth. Epileptic strobing lights, nudity, mysterious liquids, sex and smoke filled rooms (at next to zero visibility) were all a part of the average show. The chaos of these events often invited unwanted attention from police who would later forcibly shut down a large percentage of the band's performances.BLOOD & FIRE
After much successful touring of the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Crash Worship followed suit with two full European tours in the mid-90s. It was also around this time the band was deemed "unmanageable" by many labels, booking agencies and clubs which proved difficult to tour much afterward. Although at the height of notoriety, Crash Worship had been banned from countless cities across the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
making it almost impossible touring there or abroad.
In late 1999, the last Crash Worship performances were held in California, three being with the Master Musicians of Jajouka, at the Aztlan Theatre (abandoned Los Angeles County Jail), and also to a female only audience in San Francisco. The final Crash Worship performance was held in San Diego, California on October 24, 1999, with Physics
Physics (band)
Physics was an instrumental band from San Diego, California, USA that had featured a rotating cast of musicians, but was mainly composed of Jeff Coad on synths, Rob Crow on guitars, Jason Soares on guitars, brothers Will Goff and John Goff on guitars/synths, and Cameron Jones on drums...
and Tarantula Hawk
Tarantula Hawk (band)
Tarantula Hawk is a psychedelic progressive metal band from San Diego, California.- Members :* Braden Diotte – bass guitar, electronics* Dylan Scharf – keyboards, guitar* Dave Warshaw – drums, guitar, sampler* Rob Morrison – bass, sampler...
as openers. Members are now scattered around the U.S. in New Orleans, Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, San Diego and the Bay Area, active with their own solo and side projects.
Studio albums
- This (1987), AlarmaAlarma RecordsAlarma Records is a sublabel of Frontline Records.Alarma! Records and Tapes was originally formed in 1983 by the band Daniel Amos, with musician Tom Howard, for the release of their Doppelgänger album...
- The Science of Ecstasy (1989), Rocco Fresco
- ¡Espontáneo! (1991), CharnelCharnel MusicCharnel Music is an independent record label devoted to putting out strange and improvisational music. The label was formed in 1988 by Mason Jones as "Charnel House" and had initially released works by his band Trance. The label's name later changed to "Charnel Music," and went on to release music...
- Asesinos (1992), Cold SpringCold Spring (label)Cold Spring is an independent record label based in Northamptonshire, England, specialising in "all forms of extreme media, but particularly: black/dark Ambient, Neo-classical/Neo-folk, Orchestral, Power Electronics/Noise, Japanese Noise, Minimal, Death Industrial, Dark Soundtracks, Experimental,...
(re-released on ROIRROIRROIR , or Reach Out International Records, is a New York City-based record label founded in 1979 by Neil Cooper.ROIR was founded the same year that the Sony Walkman launched, and initially, the label exclusively distributed its releases in cassette format...
) - Triple Mania IITriple Mania IITriple Mania II is the final full length album from Crash Worship, released on October 25, 1994 by Charnel Music. Originally released in elaborately folded chipboard packaging and screen printed copper covers...
(1994), Charnel
EPs
- What So Ever Thy Hand Findeth - Do It with All Thine Might (1989), Alarma
- Flow (1989), Rocco Fresco
- Pillar of Fire (1990), Alamut
Singles
- Pyru (1994), Charnel
- In the Labyrinth of the Master (1996), Vinyl Communications
Videos
- Inflammatorio (1991), Alarma
- Euro Promo (1994), Alarma
- Japan Promo (1997), Alarma
Members (in alphabetical order by last name)
- Dreiky Caprice – percussion
- Simon Cheffins – percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, tapes, effects - Steve Griffins - drums
- Ryan Jencks - guitar, bass, electronics, tapes, effects
- JXL – vocals, Moog synthesizerMoog synthesizerMoog synthesizer may refer to any number of analog synthesizers designed by Dr. Robert Moog or manufactured by Moog Music, and is commonly used as a generic term for older-generation analog music synthesizers. The Moog company pioneered the commercial manufacture of modular voltage-controlled...
, tape manipulation - Jeff Mattson – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, Megalyra, horns, effects - "Fat" Jack Torino – vocals, Moog synthesizerMoog synthesizerMoog synthesizer may refer to any number of analog synthesizers designed by Dr. Robert Moog or manufactured by Moog Music, and is commonly used as a generic term for older-generation analog music synthesizers. The Moog company pioneered the commercial manufacture of modular voltage-controlled...
, tape manipulation - Trudy Truelove - vocals
- Markus WolffMarkus WolffMarkus Wolff is a German born American artist, musician and writer.An original member of Crash Worship, Pure, and collaborator with A Minority Of One, Blood Axis, L'Acéphale and several others, Wolff has produced works of art, sculptures, graphic design and music since the late 80's.As a writer, he...
– percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration... - Zoli Zombory - synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...