Instant Death
Encyclopedia
Instant Death was a rock duo, with members Dave Dreiwitz
(on bass) and Scott Byrne (on drums
).
Byrne and Dreiwitz met in New Brunswick, NJ
in the fall of 1986. Shortly after their meeting, they discovered they were neighbors when Byrne was loading his drums into his apartment and Dreiwitz was walking down the street. Byrne and Jack Petruzzelli (currently with The Fab Faux
and Rufus Wainwright
) had a band named The Works, who needed a bassist. Fate would have it that Dave and Scott's paths crossed that day.
Over the years Byrne and Dreiwitz worked together not only with Petruzzelli but many other musicians. They encountered a wide range of styles, but they believed heavy rock music was missing.
Unable to find a guitarist with the correct equipment, or a suitable frontman, Dreiwitz and Byrne started jamming
as a duo in December 1991. Eventually, Dreiwitz and Byrne decided to play gigs
as a novelty act, playing 20 minute sets, under the name Instant Death (suggested by Dreiwitz).
Soon their songwriting developed and the band had enough material for three-hour shows. Over the years Instant Death played many gigs in the NY
/NJ
metropolitan area. The highlight of their live performances was opening for Ween
when they toured in 1994.
In August 2002, Instant Death released their debut record New Evil Vibe produced by Andrew Weiss
. The album is available through Chocodog Records
.
The band would play their last live show in June 2005 at the Funhouse bar in Bethlehem, PA, next to the campus of Lehigh University
.
Scott Byrne died on Sunday, July 3, 2005 at 11:30pm in the Jersey City Medical Center. He was 44 years old (dob: June 3, 1961). According to the hospital records he died of acute pulmonary edema, acute severe mitral regurgitation
and endocarditis
.
Dave is currently the bass player in Ween
and Bustle In Your Hedgerow.
Dave Dreiwitz
-Biography:Dave Dreiwitz was born on January 2, 1966 in New York City, New York to traditional jazz musician parents, Richard and Barbara Dreiwitz. In 1985 at the age of nineteen, Dave joined the Hoboken, NJ based psych rock band Tiny Lights, his first professional band out of high school...
(on bass) and Scott Byrne (on drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
).
Byrne and Dreiwitz met in New Brunswick, NJ
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
in the fall of 1986. Shortly after their meeting, they discovered they were neighbors when Byrne was loading his drums into his apartment and Dreiwitz was walking down the street. Byrne and Jack Petruzzelli (currently with The Fab Faux
The Fab Faux
The Fab Faux is a musical tribute band performing the works of The Beatles. The group was founded by Will Lee, bassist for Late Show with David Letterman, and features Jimmy Vivino, bandleader for Late Night with Conan O'Brien. Other members include Rich Pagano, Frank Agnello, and Jack Petruzzelli...
and Rufus Wainwright
Rufus Wainwright
Rufus McGarrigle Wainwright is an American-Canadian singer-songwriter. He has recorded six albums of original music, EPs, and tracks on compilations and film soundtracks.-Early years:...
) had a band named The Works, who needed a bassist. Fate would have it that Dave and Scott's paths crossed that day.
Over the years Byrne and Dreiwitz worked together not only with Petruzzelli but many other musicians. They encountered a wide range of styles, but they believed heavy rock music was missing.
Unable to find a guitarist with the correct equipment, or a suitable frontman, Dreiwitz and Byrne started jamming
Jam session
Jam sessions are often used by musicians to develop new material, find suitable arrangements, or simply as a social gathering and communal practice session. Jam sessions may be based upon existing songs or forms, may be loosely based on an agreed chord progression or chart suggested by one...
as a duo in December 1991. Eventually, Dreiwitz and Byrne decided to play gigs
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
as a novelty act, playing 20 minute sets, under the name Instant Death (suggested by Dreiwitz).
Soon their songwriting developed and the band had enough material for three-hour shows. Over the years Instant Death played many gigs in the NY
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
/NJ
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
metropolitan area. The highlight of their live performances was opening for Ween
Ween
Ween is an American alternative rock group. They formed in 1984 in New Hope, Pennsylvania when central members Aaron Freeman and Mickey Melchiondo met in an eighth grade typing class. Ween has a large cult underground fanbase despite being generally unknown in American pop music...
when they toured in 1994.
In August 2002, Instant Death released their debut record New Evil Vibe produced by Andrew Weiss
Andrew Weiss
Andrew Weiss is a bass guitarist and producer.He produced and played bass for most of the Ween albums; for Greg Ginn's post Black Flag band Gone; and for ex-Black Flag singer Henry Rollins's Rollins Band from 1987 to 1993. His distinctive bass sound on The End of Silence, an aggressive and slightly...
. The album is available through Chocodog Records
Chocodog Records
Chocodog Records was started in 2001. It was founded by Gene Ween and Dean Ween of the band Ween and run by their management company, Greg Frey Management. This company was created after their contract with their record company, Elektra Records, expired. Chocodog started with the release of Ween's...
.
The band would play their last live show in June 2005 at the Funhouse bar in Bethlehem, PA, next to the campus of Lehigh University
Lehigh University
Lehigh University is a private, co-educational university located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the United States. It was established in 1865 by Asa Packer as a four-year technical school, but has grown to include studies in a wide variety of disciplines...
.
Scott Byrne died on Sunday, July 3, 2005 at 11:30pm in the Jersey City Medical Center. He was 44 years old (dob: June 3, 1961). According to the hospital records he died of acute pulmonary edema, acute severe mitral regurgitation
Mitral regurgitation
Mitral regurgitation , mitral insufficiency or mitral incompetence is a disorder of the heart in which the mitral valve does not close properly when the heart pumps out blood. It is the abnormal leaking of blood from the left ventricle, through the mitral valve, and into the left atrium, when...
and endocarditis
Endocarditis
Endocarditis is an inflammation of the inner layer of the heart, the endocardium. It usually involves the heart valves . Other structures that may be involved include the interventricular septum, the chordae tendineae, the mural endocardium, or even on intracardiac devices...
.
Dave is currently the bass player in Ween
Ween
Ween is an American alternative rock group. They formed in 1984 in New Hope, Pennsylvania when central members Aaron Freeman and Mickey Melchiondo met in an eighth grade typing class. Ween has a large cult underground fanbase despite being generally unknown in American pop music...
and Bustle In Your Hedgerow.