Second Coming (band)
Encyclopedia
Second Coming was an American rock band
formed in Los Angeles
, California
in 1990. They relocated to Seattle, Washington around 1992 and released their debut album L.O.V.Evil
in 1994. This band underwent several lineup changes throughout its existence with drummer James Bergstrom
being the sole constant member. He and bassist Johnny Bacolas
were ostensibly the nucleus of the band as they were only members who appeared on every album. The two of them have been friends since childhood and they had also formed the rhythm section in an early incarnation of Alice in Chains
that also consisted of vocalist Layne Staley
and guitarist Nick Pollock
; they called themselves Alice N' Chains.
Initially, this band was led by singer-guitarist Jesse Holt, nicknamed Maxi, who was the main songwriter for L.O.V.Evil. After 1995, however, Bacolas and Bergstrom reemerged with a different lineup that included vocalist Travis Bracht
from Peace and Silence and guitarist Dudley Taft
from Sweet Water
. In 1998, they released the eponymous Second Coming
, which garnered much attention.
band in 1990 in Los Angeles, California. Founding members, Maxi (Jesse Holt) (vocals, guitar and keyboards) and Junkeye (Ron Holt) (bass guitar, vocals, keyboards) recruited James Bergstrom
(drums) and Stamatina (keyboards) to complete the line-up. In 1992, they relocated to Seattle, Washington. Junkeye soon left the band and was replaced by bass player Johnny Bacolas
and Stamatina was replaced by percussionist and keyboard player, Davis Martin (Matktub) and Mark Nelson (The Beatniks
) was added on rhythm guitar.
through Red Rocket Records. The album was produced by Maxi and all songs were written by Maxi except for "It's Coming After" (featuring Layne Staley
) and "So Wired" written by Junkeye, and "The Great Big Burn" written by T-Roy and Maxi. Second Coming had several most-requested songs on Seattle radio station KISW, including "M.T. Your Gun," "It's Coming After," and "So Beautiful (And Everything)." There also was a music video
for the song "Afraid of Love".
and vocalist Travis Bracht
, adopting a heavier sound and immediately began work on their next album. To raise funds for this album, Second Coming moonlighted as a cover band called FTA (Funding the Album). Two years later, they independently released their eponymous album Second Coming
, which was later reissued by Capitol Records
after the band signed an exclusive recording contract with them on May 8, 1998. The band toured heavily with such as acts as Godsmack, Kid Rock, Lenny Kravitz, VAST
, Candlebox
, Fuel
, and Monster Magnet
.
In 2002, Layne Staley passed away after a long, arduous battle with drugs. A few months after this tragedy occurred, Second Coming headlined what would be the first annual tribute held in Staley’s honor around his birthday in August. This first tribute also featured the band Soulbender
whose vocalist at that time was former Alice N’ Chains guitarist Nick Pollock.
In 2003, Second Coming released their third studio album 13
along with a companion EP Acoustic on their own label Timestyle Music and distributed both through their own website, iTunes
and Amazon.com
.
that Second Coming has been put to rest.
In 2008, Bacolas and Snyder worked on another project called The Crying Spell
, which so far has released an EP title Through Hell to Heaven. This band performed with Live
vocalist Ed Kowalczyk at the 2009 Layne Staley Tribute Concert. Bacolas is currently a member of the band Lotus Crush, which put out an album in 2011 called Half Light Morning. Meanwhile, Bracht has formed another band called Post Modern Heroes with nearly every other member of his first band Peace and Silence.
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
formed in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in 1990. They relocated to Seattle, Washington around 1992 and released their debut album L.O.V.Evil
L.O.V.Evil
L.O.V.Evil is the first album release of the Seattle-based Second Coming. The songs were written and produced by Maxi except for "It's Coming After" and "So Wired" and "The Great Big Burn" T-Roy and Maxi.-Performers:...
in 1994. This band underwent several lineup changes throughout its existence with drummer James Bergstrom
James Bergstrom
James Bergstrom is an American musician best known for his work in the bands Alice N' Chains, a precursor to Alice in Chains, and Second Coming.-Alice N' Chains:...
being the sole constant member. He and bassist Johnny Bacolas
Johnny Bacolas
Johnny Bacolas born March 3, 1969, in Seattle, Washington, is a composer, musician, producer, and videographer. He is best known for his work with the post-grunge band Second Coming...
were ostensibly the nucleus of the band as they were only members who appeared on every album. The two of them have been friends since childhood and they had also formed the rhythm section in an early incarnation of Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley. The initial lineup was rounded out by drummer Sean Kinney, and bassist Mike Starr...
that also consisted of vocalist Layne Staley
Layne Staley
Layne Thomas Staley was an American musician who served as the lead singer and co-lyricist of the rock group Alice in Chains, which was formed in Seattle, Washington in 1987 by Staley and guitarist Jerry Cantrell. Alice in Chains rose to international fame as part of the grunge movement of the...
and guitarist Nick Pollock
Nick Pollock
Nick Pollock is a Seattle-based guitarist, singer, and songwriter best known for his work with the grunge/metal band My Sister's Machine. He has also played in various bands with other notable musicians, including Alice in Chains singer Layne Staley and Queensrÿche guitarist Michael Wilton...
; they called themselves Alice N' Chains.
Initially, this band was led by singer-guitarist Jesse Holt, nicknamed Maxi, who was the main songwriter for L.O.V.Evil. After 1995, however, Bacolas and Bergstrom reemerged with a different lineup that included vocalist Travis Bracht
Travis Bracht
Travis Bracht is a Seattle-based singer and guitarist best known for his work with the post-grunge band Second Coming. He has also been a member of the bands Peace and Silence and Soulbender...
from Peace and Silence and guitarist Dudley Taft
Dudley Taft
Dudley S. Taft is an American musician. Taft is a blues musician that also was a songwriting member of Seattle band Sweet Water and member and chief songwriter of Seattle, Washington based rock band Second Coming....
from Sweet Water
Sweet Water (band)
Sweet Water is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington.-History:Originally known as S.G.M., the band's members met while students at The Bush School. The band lineup changed in 1990, and included Rich Credo, Adam Czeisler, Cole Peterson, Dudley Taft and Paul Uhlir...
. In 1998, they released the eponymous Second Coming
Second Coming (Second Coming album)
Second Coming is the eponymous second studio album released by the Seattle-based band Second Coming. Released on September 22, 1998, it was the follow-up to L.O.V.Evil, which featured Alice in Chains vocalist Layne Staley. This album featured a slightly different lineup than the last one with...
, which garnered much attention.
Formation (1990-1994)
Second Coming started as an industrial danceIndustrial dance
Industrial dance is an US American alternative term for EBM and Electro-industrial music. The term was used since the mid-1980s to describe the music of Cabaret Voltaire, early Die Krupps, Portion Control, The Neon Judgement, Clock DVA, Nitzer Ebb, Skinny Puppy Front Line Assembly, Front 242,...
band in 1990 in Los Angeles, California. Founding members, Maxi (Jesse Holt) (vocals, guitar and keyboards) and Junkeye (Ron Holt) (bass guitar, vocals, keyboards) recruited James Bergstrom
James Bergstrom
James Bergstrom is an American musician best known for his work in the bands Alice N' Chains, a precursor to Alice in Chains, and Second Coming.-Alice N' Chains:...
(drums) and Stamatina (keyboards) to complete the line-up. In 1992, they relocated to Seattle, Washington. Junkeye soon left the band and was replaced by bass player Johnny Bacolas
Johnny Bacolas
Johnny Bacolas born March 3, 1969, in Seattle, Washington, is a composer, musician, producer, and videographer. He is best known for his work with the post-grunge band Second Coming...
and Stamatina was replaced by percussionist and keyboard player, Davis Martin (Matktub) and Mark Nelson (The Beatniks
The Beatniks
The Beatniks are a duo formed by Yellow Magic Orchestra drummer/singer Yukihiro Takahashi and Keiichi Suzuki. The duo's debut album featured vocals mostly in English, with the rest in French.-Albums:* Exitentialism Vap...
) was added on rhythm guitar.
L.O.V.Evil (1994-1995)
In 1994 Second Coming independently released their debut CD L.O.V.EvilL.O.V.Evil
L.O.V.Evil is the first album release of the Seattle-based Second Coming. The songs were written and produced by Maxi except for "It's Coming After" and "So Wired" and "The Great Big Burn" T-Roy and Maxi.-Performers:...
through Red Rocket Records. The album was produced by Maxi and all songs were written by Maxi except for "It's Coming After" (featuring Layne Staley
Layne Staley
Layne Thomas Staley was an American musician who served as the lead singer and co-lyricist of the rock group Alice in Chains, which was formed in Seattle, Washington in 1987 by Staley and guitarist Jerry Cantrell. Alice in Chains rose to international fame as part of the grunge movement of the...
) and "So Wired" written by Junkeye, and "The Great Big Burn" written by T-Roy and Maxi. Second Coming had several most-requested songs on Seattle radio station KISW, including "M.T. Your Gun," "It's Coming After," and "So Beautiful (And Everything)." There also was a music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for the song "Afraid of Love".
Second Coming (1996-2000)
In 1996, Johnny Bacolas and James Bergstrom formed a different version of Second Coming with guitarist Dudley TaftDudley Taft
Dudley S. Taft is an American musician. Taft is a blues musician that also was a songwriting member of Seattle band Sweet Water and member and chief songwriter of Seattle, Washington based rock band Second Coming....
and vocalist Travis Bracht
Travis Bracht
Travis Bracht is a Seattle-based singer and guitarist best known for his work with the post-grunge band Second Coming. He has also been a member of the bands Peace and Silence and Soulbender...
, adopting a heavier sound and immediately began work on their next album. To raise funds for this album, Second Coming moonlighted as a cover band called FTA (Funding the Album). Two years later, they independently released their eponymous album Second Coming
Second Coming (Second Coming album)
Second Coming is the eponymous second studio album released by the Seattle-based band Second Coming. Released on September 22, 1998, it was the follow-up to L.O.V.Evil, which featured Alice in Chains vocalist Layne Staley. This album featured a slightly different lineup than the last one with...
, which was later reissued by Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
after the band signed an exclusive recording contract with them on May 8, 1998. The band toured heavily with such as acts as Godsmack, Kid Rock, Lenny Kravitz, VAST
VAST
VAST is an American industrial rock band based in Austin, Texas. The acronym VAST stands for Visual Audio Sensory Theater and is the main creation of singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jon Crosby...
, Candlebox
Candlebox
Candlebox is an American alternative rock band from Seattle, Washington. Since their debut, the group has released four studio albums, which have achieved multi-platinum and gold certification, as well as numerous charting singles, a compilation, and a CD+DVD....
, Fuel
Fuel (band)
Fuel is an American rock band formed by guitarist/songwriter Carl Bell and bassist Jeff Abercrombie in 1989. Originally known as Small the Joy, they changed the group's name to Fuel sometime in 1994...
, and Monster Magnet
Monster Magnet
Monster Magnet is an American stoner rock band. Hailing from Red Bank, New Jersey, the group was founded by Dave Wyndorf , John McBain and Tim Cronin...
.
13 and Acoustic (2000-2007)
The band parted ways with Capitol Records in 2001, not long after President Gary Gersh, who personally signed Second Coming, parted from the label. They also replaced Dudley Taft with guitarist Eric Snyder and once again began working independently on their next album.In 2002, Layne Staley passed away after a long, arduous battle with drugs. A few months after this tragedy occurred, Second Coming headlined what would be the first annual tribute held in Staley’s honor around his birthday in August. This first tribute also featured the band Soulbender
Soulbender
Soulbender is a heavy metal band formed in Seattle, Washington, by musicians hailing from both Seattle and Vancouver, including Queensrÿche guitarist Michael Wilton and My Sister's Machine vocalist Nick Pollock. Other founding members were guitarist Dave Groves and drummer Wes Hallam, both of whom...
whose vocalist at that time was former Alice N’ Chains guitarist Nick Pollock.
In 2003, Second Coming released their third studio album 13
13 (Second Coming album)
-Acoustic EP:# "Devil Boy" – 4:49# "Screamin' on the Inside" – 3:44# "When the Lights Go Down" – 4:03# "Thank You" – 4:15# "Liberty Man" – 3:24-Reception:...
along with a companion EP Acoustic on their own label Timestyle Music and distributed both through their own website, iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
and Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
.
Final Years and Post-Second Coming (2007-present)
In 2007, Bracht began pulling double duty fronting both Second Coming and Soulbender after Nick Pollock stepped down from the latter, which was purportedly working on a second album with Bracht that so far has not yet materialized. Meanwhile, Second Coming was also said to be working on another album that was due in 2009 but also has not been released. It has since been confirmed on FacebookFacebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
that Second Coming has been put to rest.
In 2008, Bacolas and Snyder worked on another project called The Crying Spell
The Crying Spell
The Crying Spell is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 2008 by vocalist Len Hotrum, guitarist Eric Snyder, drummer Chase Culp, and bassist Johnny Bacolas . Hotrum and Culp were previously in a band called Point One, Snyder and Bacolas were in Second Coming...
, which so far has released an EP title Through Hell to Heaven. This band performed with Live
Live (band)
Live is an American rock band from York, Pennsylvania, composed of Chad Taylor , Patrick Dahlheimer , and Chad Gracey . Lead singer and principal songwriter Ed Kowalczyk left the band in November 2009....
vocalist Ed Kowalczyk at the 2009 Layne Staley Tribute Concert. Bacolas is currently a member of the band Lotus Crush, which put out an album in 2011 called Half Light Morning. Meanwhile, Bracht has formed another band called Post Modern Heroes with nearly every other member of his first band Peace and Silence.
Personnel and discography
| Dates & recordings | Members & prominent instruments | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1990-1992 |
|
|
| 1992-1995 L.O.V.Evil L.O.V.Evil L.O.V.Evil is the first album release of the Seattle-based Second Coming. The songs were written and produced by Maxi except for "It's Coming After" and "So Wired" and "The Great Big Burn" T-Roy and Maxi.-Performers:... |
|
Alice in Chains singer Layne Staley sings guest vocals on "It's Coming After". |
| 1996-2001 Second Coming Second Coming (Second Coming album) Second Coming is the eponymous second studio album released by the Seattle-based band Second Coming. Released on September 22, 1998, it was the follow-up to L.O.V.Evil, which featured Alice in Chains vocalist Layne Staley. This album featured a slightly different lineup than the last one with... |
|
|
| 2001-2009 13 13 (Second Coming album) -Acoustic EP:# "Devil Boy" – 4:49# "Screamin' on the Inside" – 3:44# "When the Lights Go Down" – 4:03# "Thank You" – 4:15# "Liberty Man" – 3:24-Reception:... and Acoustic |
|
Charted songs
| Year | Title | Chart | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Mainstream Rock | |||
| 1998 | "Soft" | 16 | Second Coming |
| 1999 | "Vintage Eyes" | 16 |
External links
- [ Second Coming at the AMG]
- http://www.myspace.com/remixlab
- http://www.pointdefiance.com