GEHENNA interview

Gehenna's Mike Rhoades was interviewed for Blood Book Issue #4 (Winter 1995/1996) - a 'zine done by Dwid (Integrity). This issue was limited to 666 and included a 7" version of the Ringworm demo.

BB: What does "Gehenna" mean?
Mike: A lake of fire, in a part of hell which is pretty much on earth right now.
BB: What releases do you guys have out?
Mike: We have a demo and a split 7" with Apt. 213.
BB: Do you have aspirations for an upcoming full length record?
Mike: It's all up in the air right now. We may do something on our own or maybe something with Earache.
BB: Earache?
Mike: Yeah. We have been talking to this guy who works for them. He used to be in Heresy! He's totally cool. I hope everything works out. They put out a ton of awesome stuff. Entombed "Left Hand Path"... you know?
BB: So, what are your feelings on the fallen hardcore movement at present?
Mike: It's pretty pitiful. There's just a bunch of fucked up kids. Followers. There's too many cliques. And whatever is thought to be "cool" in the city you're in, well then that's what you're supposed to be into. And if you don't fit into the trendy style that they like, then you get ostracized. We're not even recognized as a band from our old home town. We were outlawed in San Diego. That's one of the reasons we move around so much.
BB: Yeah, we saw a flyer for your band with pictures of you and Mike Cheese on it, saying that you were banned from the scene! How fucking ridiculous. Who did that stupid shit and why?
Mike: A bunch of kids that look like Spock from Star Trek did it. They all have that stupid haircut like him. They're supposed to be like all the "cool" kids that everyone wants to be tight with, and we know that these kids are full of shit so they all hate us, they made flyers with our pictures on them stating that we were "kicked out of the scene". They were like wanted posters.
BB: Judging from your live performances and your approach to this interview, have any of you ever been institutionalized?
Mike: Not recently. Maybe once a long time ago in the bowels of a worm.
BB: Let's try something easy. What are some of your favorite bands?
Mike: Voivod, G.I.S.M., Integrity, Mobb Deep, Wu Tang.
BB: I know you are into collecting records, and you are the only guy I know that has at least a dozen Project X e.p.'s, but what records are you looking for?
Mike: Snukythe
BB: What are your religious affiliations?
Mike: I'm not sure I believe in anything.
BB: You seem rather calm today. Is there something wrong?
Mike: I'd like to do a split 7" with a river. (??!!!)
BB: How do you feel about the newly formed Holy Terror movement?
Mike: It's good that you turn your back on all that candy ass hardcore stuff. Now there will finally be a genre where we "fit in".
BB: Didn't your old room-mate shoot your girlfriend in the head with an AK-47?
Mike: Yeah, he did. The dumb ass was f**king around with it and didn't know it was loaded. She was just sitting on the floor and he shot her in the neck. She didn't die though, she bled all over the place.
BB: Have you guys been touring?
Mike: We did a small tour with Integrity last summer, and this summer we're going to tour across the country with this band called Fall Silent from Reno.
BB: Final words?
Mike: Gehenna killer bees are swarming.

WORKSHED RECORDS

Workshed Records existed from 1988 into the early 90's. It was run by Dan O'Mahoney (No For An Answer, 411, God Forgot, Carry Nation, Speak 714). Here's a somewhat accurate Workshed Discography:

Hard Stance - Face Reality 7" (WSR #1, 1988)
1st Press - Blue Vinyl (1000)
2nd Press - Red Vinyl (1000)
3rd Press - Green Vinyl (1000)
4th Press - Black Vinyl (1000)
5th Press - Clear Vinyl (1000)

Headfirst - Back In Control 7" (WSR #2, 1989)
Clear
Purple
Black

Carry Nation - Face The Nation 7" (WSR #3, 1989)
Clear
Black

Shocking Truth - Acquaintance 7" (WSR #4)
Yellow
Black

Voicebox - Silence Lies 7" (WSR #5, 1990)
Blue
Black

Headfirst - The Enemy LP/CD (WSR #6, 1991)
White
Black

411 - This Isn't Me LP (WSR #7, 1991)
Maroon
Black

Mission Impossible - s/t 7" (WSR #8)
Purple
Black

Blackspot - Check Out The Helmet 7" (WSR #8)
Pink - 1
Green - 1
Purple - 2
Orange - 50-100 (?)
Clear - 300 (?)
Black

Triggerman - Dead Like Me LP/CD (WSR #9, 1992)
Black

Note: Blackspot 7" and Mission Impossible 7" are both Workshed Records #8. I've been told this was due to an argument over whose record would come out first, thus the label listed them both as #8.

GEHENNA

11.11.07 / Que Sera (Long Beach, CA) / Pic: OldHCdude.com.

Gehenna Discography (leave a comment with more / different info):

- Demo [Revolutionary Power Tools #1]
- Split 7" with Apartment 213 [Area 51 #3]
--- Photocopied Cover w/ 7-headed serpent on back
--- Manilla Envelope Sleeve w/ Silkscreened Acetate front
--- * Blue Ink on Insert
--- * Red Ink on Insert
- Birth of Vengeance 7" [Revolutionary Power Tools #6]
---Red Cover w/ vellum lyric sheet
---Serpent Cover
- War of the Sons of Light and the Suns of Darkness CD
- Live Split LP with Catharsis [Wicked Witch #15]
---Black Vinyl
- Negotium Perambulans In Tenebris LP [Crawlspace #3]
---Black Vinyl
- Upon The Gravehill LP [King of the Monsters #17]
---Black Vinyl
- V/A In Our Time LP [CrimethInc]
---White Marble Vinyl
---Red Marble Vinyl
- Lands of Sodom 7" [Hit The Deck]
--- Limited Cover (# / 25)

--- Regular Cover
- War of the Sons of Light and the Suns of Darkness LP
--- Orange Vinyl
--- Green Vinyl

"Birth of Vengeance" Test Pressing:

"Birth of Vengeance" Limited Cover:

Finn McKenty did an interview with Mike Cheese around 1995. I copied it from his blog (http://lightheavyweight.blogspot.com):

I interviewed Mike Cheese from Gehenna. He wasn’t very nice, but since I went to the trouble of writing him I guess I might as well print this anyway... I don’t think it turned out very well, but interviews aren’t very interesting to begin with so whatever.

What’s up in San Diego? It seems like the stereotype is that they’re all screamo Gravity type bands...

It’s really hard to say cause we all live in different parts of the West. One in San Diego, two in Orange County, and 2 in Reno, Nevada. As far as the “scene” in general everywhere in the US sucks shit pretty much. And Southern California is no different. Stupid ass people and crumby ass motherfucking chump bands everywhere you look. Fashion rules while any real threat takes a back seat. Hardcore is shit!

How would you say the band has changed since it started? The demo is pretty straightforward HC, while the split w/ Apt. 213 is more grindy.

Gehenna is a band with a sort of “revolving door” line up. Members come and go, each adding or subtracting a bit of an influence or another. But it seems to always move to a more extreme form of music every time.

How many people in the band write? (I meant write graffiti...)

None of us are illiterate. But when it comes to writing letters to friends or what not, you’d think so!

What records do you still have available?

I couldn’t help ya there. Sorry.

I heard you got in a fight or something in San Francisco when you played with Spazz and Fall Silent. What’s up with that?

I got Terrets Syndrom (sic) and sometimes shit just goes wrong and I’ll freak the fuck out and just start doing wild shit. I don’t remember exactly but you can ask the nerd who does Monkydickbite zine. He was at our show to pretend he was punk but went outside to *** off and suck some cock to get an interview or scene points for his *** ass zine. Or maybe ask the vegan Monster Crew ***, who thought he was tough and wound up layed on his sissy vegan ass. I don’t fuckin’ know though.

What bands / records / people are you into right now?

We like a ton of stuff here’s the rundown: Bands: GG Allin, The Motherfucking Titty Suckers, Avalanche Master, Fall Silent, Unruh, Apeshit, DEA, Schellar, DRI, Chain of Strength, Enewetak, the Chiefs, Catharsis, Sleep, the Police, The whole Rap-A-Lot Records family, Gehenna (us of course!), Herb Alpert and the TJ Brass, and 3 Stoned Men! Records: 7”, 12”, and misdemeanors. Felony’s (sic) are to (sic) hard to shake. People: “The 3-D’s”: Dice, Dangerfield, and el Duce.

When you hear about people in bands like Nirvana, Pennywise, etc. dying from overdoses, what’s your reaction?

I hope our band end’s (sic) up like that. I couldn’t give a flyin’ fuck. Suicide is the only answer anyway’s. (sic) Just do it. Kill everybody.

Anything you want to add / thank / talk shit about?

I would like to thank: Everyone who is dead for not bothering me, the inventor of pot and the inventor of fire, the inventor of pot on fire, and all the bad words that make people mad. I would like to talk shit to: Everyone alive for bothering me. I want to add: 420 + 40oz = fucked up’ 420 + 69 = party! Shout outs: “Check me out.” “That’s what men’s do.” “Sometimes I just loose my mind when I play drums.” ‘Blow me.”

Gehenna / Box 83694 / San Diego, CA 92138-3694

SANGRAAL

SANGRAAL is Gehenna's black metal/thrash side-project. It features Cheese on bass, Rhoades on guitar/vocals, and Josh on drums. When they played the PCH Club, I took 1 picture and it turned about pretty bad:
Wicked Witch Records released an LP titled "Wolves of Armaggedon" (WWR #16). The regular version comes on black vinyl and features a gatefold sleeve (note the Seven Crowns on decapitated heads in the cover art). I've heard it's limited to 500.
There's also a limited version on maroon/black swirl vinyl, with different cover art, a pentagram drawn in real (human?) blood on the back, and hand numbered out of 48.
Shirts were made, but unfortunately, I never ordered one.

Download the SANGRAAL LP

Function

Orange County hardcore in 1992 and 1993 saw the emergence, rapid rise, and sudden demise of Huntington Beach's FUNCTION. A sort of "little brother" band to Blackspot (literally, as Function's Barry Fader was Sean Fader of Blackspot's younger sibling), they quickly garnered a rabid legion of young fans aided in part by some members association with "Kid Crew", a sort of Sloth Crew, Jr. Function, along with Neck Deep, played their last show(s) on December 10, 1993 at Club 8 1/2 in Fullerton, CA (a/k/a Club Apparition / Club 369).
The lineup: Matt Enright (Eleven Thirty-Four / Enswell / Piccolo Petes), Barry Fader (Blackspot / Eleven Thirty Four / Innaway), Chris Cechin, Zack Woods, and Jason Luparello.

They recorded 7 songs total. Six of these were released as a demo, a 7", and in a cassette version of the 7". The 7th song was a cover of Embrace's "No More Pain" which appeared on the "Land of Greed, World of Need" compilation (Trustkill / Watermark).

The "S/T" 7" is Crisis Records #7. There are Green Vinyl and Black Vinyl versions:

After the demise of Function, Matt and Barry formed Eleven Thirty Four, whose song "Step Off The Tracks" was rumored to be an unrecorded Function tune.

Flyer for Function / Blackspot Summer 1993 U.S. Tour:
Function Discography (warning: low quality rip): http://www.megaupload.com/?d=2TWI66EN

If anyone has a better quality MP3 rip, please let me know.

Looking for a Test Pressing of the 7", as well as any shirts, flyers, etc. PDRecords [at] Gmail [dot] com.

Blackspot

Cleaning up / consolidating blogs. This was posted elsewhere before, but will reside here now:

Blackspot existed from 1991 (their first show was Insted's last) until about 1998, and in that time rarely played beyond the borders of Southern California - with the notable exception of a Summer 1993 U.S. tour with Function.
Alano Club / Long Beach, CA / July '94 / Photo: Prime Directive

The original lineup featured Greg Brown, Scott Lytle, Chris Lohman (Collateral Damage / John Henry Holiday), and Sean Fader. Barry Fader (Function / Eleven Thirty Four / Innaway) & Roger Merritt replaced Lohman on guitar in the summer of 1994, but Lohman returned in the end for a 3 (!) guitar attack.

My pride and joy:Blackspot Discography:
- Demo
- "Check Out The Helmet" 7" [Workshed Records #8]
--- Pink Vinyl (1)
--- Green Vinyl (1)
--- Purple Vinyl (2)
--- Orange Vinyl
--- Clear Vinyl
--- Black Vinyl
- "Banana Split" 7" with Triceratops [Bastille Records #1]
--- Chinese Symbols Cover (10)
--- Live Cover (30)
--- Yellow Vinyl (300)
--- Black Vinyl (600+)
- V/A Guilty By Association LP [Indecision Records #5]
--- Red Vinyl (476)
--- Black Vinyl (1260)
- V/A Bringing It Back 7" [Ammunition Records]
--- White Vinyl

If anyone has more specific pressing information, please let me know. Also, if you've got anything I might want (rare 7" pressings, test pressings, SHIRTS, etc), drop me a line: PDRecords [at] Gmail [dot] com.

Blackspot Discography: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=8H6PQXIQ