Debbie Abono
Encyclopedia
Debbie Abono was an American
manager
of death metal
and thrash metal
bands during the 1980s and 1990s.
as Deborah Ann Downer, a granddaughter to E.M. Downer, who founded Bay Area financial institution Mechanics Bank
. She had served on the Board of Directors for the bank at one time.
Her career as a heavy metal manager began in her mid-fifties when the members of Possessed
, one of the first death metal bands, asked her to manage the group. After they assured her there was "nothing to it ... all you gotta do is get us shows," she agreed and even let them practice at her house. A grandmother at that time, Abono had no connections to heavy metal music
other than through one of her daughters, who was dating Possessed's then-guitarist Larry LaLonde
. According to author David Konow, Abono was unaware of the sometimes blasphemous themes of heavy metal, and was offended after reading the lyrics to Seven Churches
, the band's debut album. Nevertheless, she agreed to continue managing Possessed on the condition that LaLonde and vocalist Jeff Becerra finished high school
. Because Possessed suffered from internal conflicts, Abono would go on to manage additional bands in the Bay Area metal
scene like Exodus
, Vio-Lence
and Forbidden
, as well as death metal bands like Chicago's Broken Hope
and Florida's Cynic
and Obituary
. Other bands that she managed include Brazilian outfit Sepultura
and American band Skinlab
.
Abono died on Sunday, May 16, 2010 at approximately 9:59 a.m. PST after a battle with cancer. She was 80 years old.
In honour of Debbie Abono and Ronnie James Dio
, Machine Head
's Robb Flynn recorded and released for free online a cover of Black Sabbath
's Die Young
. Abono managed Flynn and Machine Head guitarist Phil Demmel when they were members of Vio-lence
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
manager
Talent manager
A talent manager, also known as an artist manager or band manager, is an individual or company who guides the professional career of artists in the entertainment industry...
of death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
and thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
bands during the 1980s and 1990s.
Biography
Abono was born in Oakland, CaliforniaOakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
as Deborah Ann Downer, a granddaughter to E.M. Downer, who founded Bay Area financial institution Mechanics Bank
Mechanics Bank
Mechanics Bank is a community banking financial institution headquartered in Richmond, California. It was founded in 1905 and currently serves markets in Northern California. It operates in the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento areas. The bank has over 2.7 billion dollars in assets and over 700...
. She had served on the Board of Directors for the bank at one time.
Her career as a heavy metal manager began in her mid-fifties when the members of Possessed
Possessed (band)
Possessed is an American death metal band, originally formed in 1983. Noted for their fast style of playing and Jeff Becerra's guttural vocals, they are routinely called the first band in the death metal genre...
, one of the first death metal bands, asked her to manage the group. After they assured her there was "nothing to it ... all you gotta do is get us shows," she agreed and even let them practice at her house. A grandmother at that time, Abono had no connections to heavy metal music
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
other than through one of her daughters, who was dating Possessed's then-guitarist Larry LaLonde
Larry LaLonde
Larry "Ler" LaLonde is a guitarist who currently plays in Primus along with Les Claypool and Jay Lane...
. According to author David Konow, Abono was unaware of the sometimes blasphemous themes of heavy metal, and was offended after reading the lyrics to Seven Churches
Seven Churches (album)
- Personnel :*Jeff Becerra − Vocals, Bass*Larry LaLonde − Guitar*Mike Torrao − Guitar*Mike Sus − Drums*Randy Burns - Keyboard on Tracks 1 and 9....
, the band's debut album. Nevertheless, she agreed to continue managing Possessed on the condition that LaLonde and vocalist Jeff Becerra finished high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
. Because Possessed suffered from internal conflicts, Abono would go on to manage additional bands in the Bay Area metal
Bay Area thrash metal
Bay Area thrash metal, or "Bay Area thrash", referred to a steady following of heavy metal bands in the 1980s who formed and gained international status in the San Francisco Bay Area, California...
scene like Exodus
Exodus (band)
Exodus is an American thrash metal band formed in 1980 in Richmond, California. Spanning a career of over 30 years, Exodus has gone through numerous lineup changes, two extended hiatuses, and the deaths of two former band members. Guitarist Gary Holt remains the only constant member of the band,...
, Vio-Lence
Vio-lence
Vio-lence was a thrash metal band formed in 1985 in the San Francisco Bay Area. They released demo tapes, one EP and 3 LPs between 1985 and 1993. Their most stable line-up was Phil Demmel and Robb Flynn on guitars, Deen Dell on bass, Perry Strickland on drums and Sean Killian on vocals.- 1985 -...
and Forbidden
Forbidden (band)
Forbidden is a thrash metal band from the San Francisco Bay Area. Formed in 1985 as Forbidden Evil, the group was founded by Russ Anderson and Craig Locicero, who are both permanent members. Since their formation, Forbidden have broken up and reformed twice with numerous line-up changes...
, as well as death metal bands like Chicago's Broken Hope
Broken Hope
Broken Hope was an American death metal band that was founded in 1988. They were known as an accomplished mid-paced style death metal band with low-pitched growling vocals...
and Florida's Cynic
Cynic (band)
Cynic is an American progressive rock band, incorporating experimental music, alternative, metal and jazz fusion elements, founded in Miami, Florida and currently based in Los Angeles, California. Their first album, Focus, released on September 14, 1993, is widely regarded as a landmark release of...
and Obituary
Obituary (band)
Obituary is an American death metal band formed in 1984 in Tampa, Florida under the name Executioner, then changed the name's spelling to Xecutioner, and later changed their name to Obituary in 1988. The band comprises vocalist John Tardy, drummer Donald Tardy, guitarists Trevor Peres and Ralph...
. Other bands that she managed include Brazilian outfit Sepultura
Sepultura
Sepultura is a Brazilian heavy metal band from Belo Horizonte, formed in 1984. The band was a major force in the death metal, thrash metal and ultimately groove metal realms during the late 1980s and early 1990s, with their later experiments melding nu metal, hardcore punk and industrial.Sepultura...
and American band Skinlab
Skinlab
Skinlab is a groove metal band formed in 1994 in San Francisco, California by vocalist/bassist Steev Esquivel and guitarist Mike Roberts, now with San Francisco Bay Areas RAZE the STRAY, guitarist Gary Wendt Skinlab is a groove metal band formed in 1994 in San Francisco, California by...
.
Abono died on Sunday, May 16, 2010 at approximately 9:59 a.m. PST after a battle with cancer. She was 80 years old.
In honour of Debbie Abono and Ronnie James Dio
Ronnie James Dio
Ronald James Padavona , better known as Ronnie James Dio, was an American heavy metal vocalist and songwriter. He performed with, amongst others, Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell, and his own band Dio, which means God in Italian. Other musical projects include the collective fundraiser...
, Machine Head
Machine Head (band)
Machine Head is an American heavy metal band from Oakland, California. Formed on October 12, 1991, the group was founded by Robb Flynn and Adam Duce. There have been 4 member changes since their inception. The current lineup of the band comprises Flynn , Duce , ex-Vio-Lence guitarist Phil Demmel ,...
's Robb Flynn recorded and released for free online a cover of Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
's Die Young
Die Young
"Die Young" is a single by British heavy metal band Black Sabbath from their 1980 album, Heaven and Hell.The lyrics were written by Ronnie James Dio, and concern consumerism and the futility of life in the modern era- the song title comes from the expressed desire to 'die young'...
. Abono managed Flynn and Machine Head guitarist Phil Demmel when they were members of Vio-lence
Vio-lence
Vio-lence was a thrash metal band formed in 1985 in the San Francisco Bay Area. They released demo tapes, one EP and 3 LPs between 1985 and 1993. Their most stable line-up was Phil Demmel and Robb Flynn on guitars, Deen Dell on bass, Perry Strickland on drums and Sean Killian on vocals.- 1985 -...
.