LINEUP HISTORY1985
Jerry Birr - vocals Phil Demmel - guitar Troy Fua - guitar Eddie Billy - bass Perry Strickland - drums NOTES: This first incarnation played a few gigs under the monicker "Death Penalty", but did not record. Early 1986 Jerry Birr - vocals Phil Demmel - guitar Troy Fua - guitar Deen Dell - bass Perry Strickland - drums NOTES: This lineup recorded a rehearsal tape. Mid-1986-1987 Sean Killian - vocals Phil Demmel - guitar Troy Fua - guitar Deen Dell - bass Perry Strickland - drums NOTES: This lineup recorded the 1st & 2nd Violence demo. 1987-1991 Sean Killian - vocals Phil Demmel - guitar Robb Flynn - guitar Deen Dell - bass Perry Strickland - drums NOTES: This lineup recorded all albums & EPs. 1991-1993 Sean Killian - vocals Phil Demmel - guitar Ray Vegas - guitar Deen Dell - bass Perry Strickland - drums 1993 Sean Killian - vocals Phil Demmel - guitar Ray Vegas - guitar Deen Dell - bass Mark Hernandez - drums NOTES: This lineup recorded 1993 final demo. 2001-2003 Sean Killian - vocals Phil Demmel - guitar Troy Fua - guitar Deen Dell - bass Perry Strickland - drums |
COMPLETE BAND TIMELINE1985 - - - - -Originally formed as Death Penalty, with the lineup of: Jerry Birr (v), Phil Demmel (g), Troy Fua (g), Eddie Billy (b), Perry Strickland (d). A few shows are played under this monicker. The first gig, reportedly at a house party, included the songs Torture and Pain, Dealer of Death, Gutter Slut, Tormentor and The End.
June 1 1985 - - - - - Band plays first show as Violence (without the hyphen!). Mar 12 1986 - - - - - Recorded a 4-song rehearsal tape (Eternal Nightmare, Kill On Command, Knockin' At Death's Door, Out For Blood) which is the only recording that exists with the first Vio-lence lineup, except one live track (Gutterslut) featured on the Eastern Front:Live At Ruthie's Inn DLP Compilation. Early 1986 - - - - - Sean introduces the infamous hyphen in Vio-lence, in order to copyright the band name. July 26-28 1986 - - - - - Vio-lence records their 1st demo (Eternal Nightmare, Kill On Command, Bodies On Bodies, Paraplegic) at Prarie Sun Studios (Cotati, CA) Feb 11 1987 - - - - - Robb's first gig at The Stone (San Francisco, CA). This was the beginning of the "classic" Vio-lence lineup. Feb 1988 - - - - - Vio-lence signs to Mechanic/MCA, records their 2nd demo (Eternal Nightmare, Paraplegic, Bodies On Bodies, Kill On Command) before tracking "Eternal Nightmare". Voted best new band and best demo in 1988 Metal Forces Readers Poll. Feb-Apr 1988 - - - - - Recording sessions for Vio-lence's debut album Eternal Nightmare at the Music Grinder (Los Angeles, CA) and Alpha & Omega (San Francisco, CA). The song Torture Tactics from this recording session never makes the album, but it is recorder on this sessions (and later on Opressing The Masses) Early 1988 - - - - - Eternal Nightmare released. Enters Billboard Magazine's Top 200 Albums list. Approximately 30,000 sold.1988Tours w/ Testament, Forbidden. July-Aug 1989 - - - - - Tours w/ Voi-Vod. 1989 - - - - - Vio-lence dropped by Mechanic, signed to Megaforce/Atlantic. Dec 1989 - - - - - Recording sessions for Oppressing The Masses at the Pyramid Studios (Ithaca, NY). The songsTorture Tactics and Gutterslut from this recording session don't make the final version of the album but appear on a future EP. June 1990 - - - - - Oppressing The Masses released. 20,000 initial copies with the track Torture Tactics are destroyed by Atlantic.1990World In A World video shot at The Stone (San Francisco, CA); aired on Headbanger's Ball.1990Tours w/ Defiance, live dates with Overkill, Alien Sex Fiend. Aug 1990 - - - - - Recording sessions for Nothing To Gain at Fantasy Studios (Berkeley, CA). Two tracks from this session, Put Them In and All Good Dies, are excluded from the album (whose release is delayed almost three years). May 1991 - - - - - Recording sessions for Torture Tactics EP at Audio Voyage (Livermore, CA). Two songs (Officer Nice and Dicks Of Death) are recorded. The outtakes from the Oppressing The Masses sessions make up the rest of the EP. 1991 - - - - - Torture Tactics EP released on Caroline. Early 1992 - - - - - Robb Flynn leaves Vio-lence and forms Machine Head. Replaced by Ray Vegas from Attitude Adjustment. Early 1993 - - - - - Nothing To Gain is finally released on the Bleeding Hearts label. No tour follows however. 1993 - - - - - 3-song demo recorded (Breed, Again, Shooter). This was the last studio recording made by the band. Dec 18 1993 - - - - - Vio-lence's last gig at Wolfgang's w/ Forbidden, with final lineup: Sean Killian (v), Phil Demmel (g), Ray Vegas (g), Deen Dell (b), Mark Hernandez (d). 1994 - - - - - Phil, Ray, Deen and Mark form Torque. Aug 13 2001 - - - - - Vio-lence plays first show in 8 years, at Chuck Billy's Thrash Of The Titans (San Francisco, CA). Dec 14 2001 - - - - - Vio-lence films live DVD at Slim's (San Francisco, CA). Early 2003 - - - - - Vio-lence tours with Halford, Testament & Exhumed Apr 19 2003 - - - - - Vio-lence plays its farewell gig before Phil Demmel leaves to join Machine Head. Robb Flynn joins the band onstage to form a triple-axe attack. This is Vio-Lence's final show. Oct 2003 - - - - - "They Just Keep Killing" EP released. Limited Edition 7" compilation, 500 were autographed by the band and sold on eBay, This demo was on available on Green, Blue, Red, White and Red/White/Blue marble vinyl. SIDE A: 1. Paraplegic [1986 demo] 2. Breed Like Rats [1993 demo] SIDE B: 1. Kill on Command [1986 demo] Oct 7 2003 - - - - - Megaforce reissues "Oppressing the Masses" and "Torture Tactics" as a 2-on-1 disc release. June 28 2005 - - - - - Megaforce reissues "Eternal Nightmare" along with a bonus live disc. (Audio from the complete setlist at the Slim's - 2001)'. August 8 2006 - - - - - Megaforce issues "Blood and Dirt" DVD, with a documentary about the band and a lot of live clips (Thrash Of The Titans full set, Slim's full set, Musik Conspiracy concert in San Francisco – April 19, 2003 (Vio-Lence last show), and two songs live at The Stone '93). |