Meet La Mort and The Shadows
03/11/1985
For a short time in 1985, ex-Mechanics Scott, Sandy, Mike and myself got together, recorded with Brian Webster, and did what turned out to be our last show together at Joshua's Parlour in Westminster.
The guitar is a little smooshy for my liking (my fault, only time ever I used a Hiwatt and a god-awful Dean Flying V), but this is pretty nifty. Scott's great on it, and we don't sound half bad for not playing together in so long.
03/11/1985
Minor key tune, lack of a click-track means it speeds up, but it still came out nice. Brian Webster lends some unknown piano skills to the mix. Try finding another rock song besides The New Radicals with a Maj7 chord and I'll buy you a Starbucks :-)
We never actually had a name, but we did have a song called (Book of) Shadows, so we used that short notice when someone scored the Joshua's show. No offense meant to Hank Marvin of the real Shadows ;-)
03/11/1985
Love Scott's singing on this. A great 'Live at Leeds' Roger Daltrey scream after the solo.
03/03/1985
Last show ever. Lots of old friends came out of the woodwork, and it was a nice way to go out.
SET LIST: Brian Webster Intro, First Things First, Loves an Oasis, Black Mind, Guzuta (Sandy Drum Solo), Hearts of Fire, Streets Alive, One Voice, Chalet Time 2:02, Love Will, MRTG, City of Night, Annasten, Devotion
1982
La Mort were again 4-ex Mechanics, Scott, Sandy, Eric, and your's truly. From 1981-1983 we did a lot of shows (clubs, and every Friday night for 2 years hosted house parties in Eric's big old place in Santa Ana), and didn't record much. Only a few lo-grade rehearsals and a shambolic Casbah/Chaz Ramirez session for a Metal Massacre comp (we'd split up, got a call 3 months later reminding us we'd signed on, went in with no rehearsal and winged it - it sounds like it :-) We were a lot better live than what's represented here.
This is the same song we did on the Metal Massacre III comp (with Slayer and Bitch, no less!), but a Brian Webster rehearsal version that's faster with a better solo. Cool Scott vocal climb at the end.
1982
M.R.T.G. is yet another, 'Dennis trying to be A La Carte again' riff :-) Future Was Yesterday is an Eric tune with some cool chord changes and a nifty solo.
1982
The most simple riff I ever wrote (trying to do a groove thing, ala A La Carte), but this is my favorite Scott vocal ever. Brian Webster told him to go for it, and he nailed it.
1982
Eric tune featuring more nifty chord progressions.
1982
Another Eric tune, cool break towards the end.
1982
Years after the fact, Brian Webster was making me copies of these songs and unearthed this gem. The tune is something we'd jam on that never had a vocal line, and we dumped it for sounding too poppy and gratuitously like Hot Blooded. It's a drunken Sandy improvising lyrics after everyone had gone home, and it's just awesome. Brian yelling, "Sandy!" and the laughing on the fadeout is priceless...
