Premature Ejaculation | |
|---|---|
) Left to right: Ron Athey, Rozz Williams | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Los Angeles, United States |
| Genres | Industrial, dark ambient |
| Years active | 1981, 1986–1998 |
| Labels | Happiest Tapes on Earth, Dark Vinyl, Baader Meinhoff, Gymnastic, Triple XXX, Cleopatra, Malaise Music |
| Associated acts | Christian Death, Shadow Project, Heltir, EXP |
Premature Ejaculation was an American experimental band from Pomona, California formed in 1981 by Rozz Williams and Ron Athey. They dissolved in less than one year. Premature Ejaculation was reformed in 1986 by Williams and all new members. The group disbanded completely after Rozz Williams' death in 1998.
History
Formation
Premature Ejaculation was one of Rozz Williams' many musical projects. Unlike his deathrock band Christian Death, Premature Ejaculation did not use standard "rock band" instruments. Instead, their sound was created using various objects, instruments and lo-fi devices. Early Premature Ejaculation recordings are rare. Much of their original work was only shared among friends.
Premature Ejaculation played few live performances, mostly because clubs refused to book them due to their controversial stage theatrics. One of their older acts included Athey eating a dead cat (the animal was roadkill), documented in the book Hardcore California.[1]
Rebirth
When the band reformed in 1986, Williams was joined by Chuck Collison, and temporarily Lee Wildes and Kris Fuller (both deceased). Gene Evans and Steve Messer began producing their live performances. The group's theme remained avant-garde throughout and focused on the bizarre and taboo. They used sound clips such as crying babies and chainsaws, and other unexpected sounds and noises to create intense soundscapes. Their refined and overwhelmingly dark use of multimedia often left their fans astonished, and sometimes sickened.
Chuck Collison played a major role in the reformed group, especially with regard to their higher quality sound. Collison started his own label 'The Happiest Place on Earth' to release Premature Ejaculation's recordings. The name was soon changed to 'The Happiest Tapes on Earth' in order to avoid potential legal problems with Disney.
The first two full-length recordings were released via Chuck Collison's label. Releases were only available in the cassette format until later releases on vinyl and compact disc. Death Cultures was the first to be released followed by Blood Told in Spine and Assertive Discipline. The reformed group released multiple recordings on other labels, with Anesthesia on Dark Vinyl Records from Germany being among their most popular. The group also released recordings on Cleopatra Records, Triple XXX, and numerous other labels.
Premature Ejaculation was not Rozz Williams' most well-known project. Christian Death remains his most famous group (also see Shadow Project with Eva O). Although not his most famous work, Williams often cited Premature Ejaculation as his favorite musical venture. The group left behind a prolific back catalog including Wound of Exit, released posthumously.
Members
- Rozz Williams (1981-1998)
- Ron Athey (1981-1982)
- Chuck Collison (1986-1998)
- Gene Evans (1986-1998)
- Stephen Messer (1986-1998)
- Lee Wildes (1986-1987)
- Kris Fuller (1986-1989)
- Paris Sadonis
- Ryan Wildstar
- Erik Christides
Discography
- PE – Pt.1 (1981)
- PE – Pt.2 (1981)
- A Little Hard to Swallow
- Living Monstrocities / Descent
- Body of a Crow (1986)
- Death Cultures (1987)
- Assertive Discipline (1988)
- Death Cultures III (1988)
- Night Sweats (1988)
- Blood Told in Spine (1991)
- Blue Honey / Pigface Show & Tell (1988)
- Anesthesia (1992)
- Necessary Discomforts (1993)
- Estimating the Time of Death (1994)
- Dead Horse Riddles (1994)
- Wound of Exit (1998)
- 6 (2001)
- Video releases
- Death Cultures III (1988)
- Not the Real Criminal (1989)
- The End is Here (1989)
References
- ^ Belsito, Peter; David, Bob (2004). Hardcore California. Los Angeles: Last Gasp.