Pentagram (band)
Encyclopedia
Pentagram is a American heavy metal
band from Virginia
, most famous as one of the pioneers of doom metal
. The band was prolific in the underground scene of the 1970s, producing many demos and rehearsal tapes, but did not release a full-length album until reforming in the early 1980s with an almost completely new lineup. Throughout the band's history the only constant member has been vocalist Bobby Liebling. The revolving lineup of Pentagram has featured many well respected musicians in the local doom metal scene, with members spending time in other acts such as Raven
, The Obsessed
, Place of Skulls, Internal Void
, Spirit Caravan
, among many others.
, Black Sabbath
, Uriah Heep
and Sir Lord Baltimore
. At Liebling’s suggestion, the group was named Pentagram, a sinister moniker that reflected the gloomy subject matter of their material. Although the band would change its name several times during 1971 and 1972 (Virgin Death, Macabre, and Wicked Angel were all considered during this period), they would eventually (and permanently) return to their initial moniker.
Also, contrary to popular belief, they were never called Stonebunny; this was the name given to Space Meat when Bobby Liebling joined them briefly.
During their 5-year career, they would have 7 different managers, including Gordon Fletcher, a Washington D.C. rock journalist who wrote for magazines such as Rolling Stone
, Creem
and Circus
. The others were Steve Lorber, Phillip Knudsen, Skip Groff, Bob Fowler, Tim Kidwell and Tom McGuire.
After a month of rehearsals, Space Meat alumni John Jennings joined to create Pentagram's dual-guitar "Mark II" lineup. It soon became clear, however, that Steve Martin's jazz-influenced drumming did not fit Pentagram's hard-rocking style, and so he was asked to leave the group. His position on the drum stool was dutifully filled by guitarist Geof O'Keefe, reprising the role of drummer he had previously enjoyed in Space Meat.
This "Mark III" lineup of Pentagram was a strong one, and at the time, it seemed like Pentagram had found a permanent lineup. However, after this lineup's first rehearsal, Jennings called O'Keefe to tell him that he was leaving the group, citing a lack of interest in heavy music as his reason for departure. After a few rehearsals without a guitarist, bassist Vincent McAllister picked up a guitar and proceeded to shock and amaze Liebling and O'Keefe with his frenzied, feedback-laden soloing. Prior to this revelatory moment, O'Keefe and Liebling could not have possibly anticipated that their humble bassist would go on to become Pentagram's resident guitar god for the next five years. McAllister would later leave for California (1980) to attend classes at the Guitar Institute of Technology
(G.I.T.) and Jennings would subsequently collaborate with Mary Chapin Carpenter
during the 1980s and into the 1990s as her primary guitarist.
Thanks to manager Gordon Fletcher's industry connections, the group had several "close calls" in the following years with regard to a recording contract. On April 29, 1975, Fletcher persuaded Sandy Pearlman
and Murray Krugman (producers and managers for the legendary Blue Öyster Cult
) to see them rehearse. Impressed, the two arranged a demo session at Columbia Studios in New York in September. Unfortunately, the session went sour after a conflict between Liebling and Krugman over a point of production, and the group's major label hopes were dashed. The group would also rehearse in front of Kiss
members Gene Simmons
and Paul Stanley
in December 1975, but the Kiss camp was unimpressed by the group's lack of image and the group remained unsigned.
in Alexandria, Virginia
, due to the fact that both Geof and Bobby lived in high-rise apartments. Geof’s father, George, was an executive at American Mailing. Geof had used this location for many of his previous musical projects, whether on his own or with Space Meat. At the warehouse, the group was able to have a good practice room to store their equipment and play loudly without the worry of complaining neighbors. Many of these early rehearsals were recorded onto Geof's reel-to-reel tape recorder. Many of these rehearsal tapes are now traded amongst Pentagram fans and offer recordings of the many early lineups the group went through in the early 70's. When American Mailing moved locations, Pentagram eventually moved to rehearse at Greg's house, which he was renting with an old friend and locally renowned keyboardist Knox Cockrell.
" by the Rolling Stones and The Yardbirds
’ version of "Little Games."
Demos that they recorded include:
Many of these songs would appear on the semi-authorized 1972–1979 compilation, the bootleg
followup 1972–1979 (Vol. 2) and the hard-to-find (albeit official) Human Hurricane
compilation. In 2001, Relapse Records
issued an authorized compilation of twelve early tracks, three of which were live rehearsal recordings. The release was entitled First Daze Here (The Vintage Collection)
. Following the compilation's success, Relapse released First Daze Here Too
in 2006, a 2-disc, 22-track compilation of unreleased material.
On Halloween 1978, Liebling bumped into his friend Joe Hasselvander
at Louie's Rock City while seeing Sex, a band featuring both ex-members of both Pentagram and The Boyz (Hasselvander's previous band). Hasselvander was playing in a singer-less group consisting of himself (drums), Richard Kueht (guitar), Paul Trowbridge (guitar), and Marty Swaney (bass). Liebling soon joined the group, and in less than a week they would take on the Pentagram moniker and begin performing Liebling's material from the previous Pentagram line-up. This configuration played several shows and released a 7" single in 1979, but personal problems caused this line-up to dissolve later that year. It is generally referred to as the High Voltage Era of Pentagram.
doom metal
band named Death Row. Shortly thereafter, drummer Joe Hasselvander joined, and the group recruited Bobby Liebling on vocals. Former member Martin Swaney soon replaced Lee Abney on bass and the classic Death Row line up was forged. Following two demos in 1982 and 1983, Hasselvander left the band in 1984. Stuart Rose was picked as his replacement, and the band soon assumed the Pentagram mantle. The 1982 demo, 'All Your Sins', was then prepared for remix to be released as the first album, 'Pentagram', in 1985.
The 1983 demo, along with several live recordings from 1982 and 1983, and the bands first jam from 1981, were collected and released via Black Widow in 2009 as the double CD Alive In Death.
due to it being given the name when it was reissued by Peaceville Records
. The album contains a mix of new songs and 70s era songs, as will all the Pentagram albums to follow. After recording their second album, Day of Reckoning
, the band folded yet again, and in 1989 Greg Mayne and Randy Palmer rejoined Liebling with the addition of Ted Feldman on guitar and Jon Cook on drums. The band was working towards recording the third LP, but shortly after their first performance in Maryland, the band split up. The previous lineup then reformed in 1993 and Peaceville Records reissued the first two albums. During this same time, Peace Records released the semi-legitimate 1972–1979. This was the first time many of the 70s songs were released. In 1994 they released their third full-length album, Be Forewarned
. The band split up again and emerged as a duo, with Liebling retaining vocal duties and Joe Hasselvander taking care of all instrumentation. In 1998, Downtime Records released a number of early recordings on a compilation album entitled Human Hurricane
. Liebling and Hasselvander recorded both 1999's Review Your Choices
and 2001's Sub-Basement
as a duo. A bootleg
follow up to 1972–1979, 1972–1979 (Vol. 2), was released in 1999 by Peace Records. Shortly after Sub-Basement Hasselvander split with Liebling, who soon recruited guitarist Kelly Carmichael, bassist Adam Heinzmann, and drummer Mike Smail, all members of Frederick, Maryland
based doom
act Internal Void
. The new lineup recorded Show 'em How
in 2004. This album in particular has seven re-recorded 70s era Pentagram songs and three originals.
Hank Williams III
has included a rendition of the classic versions of Pentagram's "Be Forewarned" and "Forever My Queen" in his live set. During his set at Washington D.C.'s Black Cat club in 2006, Liebling joined Williams onstage and performed the songs himself. Also in 2006, Liebling joined Witchcraft
onstage at their DC show to sing Pentagram covers "When the Screams Come" and "Yes I Do".
In July 2000, former members Griffin and Abney formed Place of Skulls following their departure from Pentagram. The band's music is akin to Pentagram's more recent sound. The band briefly featured doom metal
legend Scott "Wino" Weinrich
on their 2003 With Vision album, though he has since left to concentrate on The Hidden Hand. Abney left in 2002 but returned in 2007.
Randy Palmer died in 2002 from injuries suffered in a car crash, while Vincent McAllister died in May 2006 from cancer.
Bobby Liebling announced on his MySpace page (now the official page for Pentagram and all things related) that he is currently negotiating with an unnamed record label for a new Pentagram studio album entitled Last Rites, which will include "many guest musicians" including original members from the '71-'76 First Daze Here era. Also slated for release is an authorized DVD autobiography produced by 914 Pictures entitled "Last Rites: The Fall and Rise of Bobby Liebling." A teaser is currently available at 914pictures.com.
Joe Hasselvander has started a solo project called The Hounds of Hasselvander who released an album in 2007. For live performances he has recruited Kayt Vigil on bass and one-time Pentagram drummer and Maryland doom mainstay, Gary Isom on drums. Hasselvander also contributed to Blue Cheer
's latest album, What Doesn't Kill You (2007).
On August 23, 2008, Pentagram's then new lineup was announced, which featured Bobby Liebling being joined by Russ Strahan (Guitar), ex-live only member from the mid-90s, Gary Isom (Drums) and Mark Ammen (Bass). The line up was named after a forthcoming new album, "Last Rites".
In 2009, the band played two triumphant shows entitled "Last Rites Live" in New York City and Baltimore, MD. The NYC show was filmed for the upcoming documentary film, "Last Rites: The Fall & Rise of Bobby Liebling" set to be released via sometime in late 2010. Due to the success of these shows, the band did a 7 date mini-tour which included two sold out shows in Chicago, plus dates in Seattle, Portland, San Francisco's DNA Lounge
, Hollywood's House of Blues and Austin, TX.
On March 14, 2010, Russ Strahan abruptly left the band exactly one day before a spring tour was to begin. Scrambling to find a guitarist, Liebling contacted Johnny "Wretched" Koutsioukis of Wretched
fame to replace Strahan on lead guitar. Russ had this to say about his departure:
With a tour starting within a day, Wretched had limited time to learn songs and for the first few shows the set list was cut short. Currently it is unknown as to whether or not Strahan was fired or quit. Wretched has since departed from the band.
On their May tour which ended at the Maryland Death Fest, Victor Griffin played guitar and Greg Turley played bass as a touring professional. Additionally, Greg and Victor played some June shows with the band. After this tour ended June 24, the band entered a hiatus.
In February 2011, Metal Blade Records announced that Pentagram would be playing South By South-West (SXSW) in March 2011 and would follow up with a European Tour to begin on April 14, 2011 at Roadburn Festival in the Netherlands. Additionally the band announced members would include Greg Turley on bass and Albert Born of Virginia as their new drummer.
issued First Daze Here (The Vintage Collection)
. It consisted of unreleased material from the 70s. In 2002, Peaceville Records
released a compilation of songs from the first three albums titled Turn to Stone
. Peaceville re-released the first three albums on CD in digipak
format in 2005. In 2006, Relapse released a second compilation of unreleased 70s material under the name First Daze Here Too
. These reissues allowed Pentagram's early material and albums to finally be widely available.
and Demian Fenton
from 9.14 Pictures who are best known for their acclaimed documentaries, "Rock School" and "The Art of the Steal". Sundance Selects, a sister company of the Independent Film Channel, purchased the film with plans to release it theatrically as well as OnDemand in the Winter of 2012.
In 2011, the documentary toured the Film Festival circuit with a debut at the prestigious SXSW Film Festival as well as the Independent Film Festival Boston where it won the Grand Jury Prize. Other festival cities include Chicago, Sarasota -FL, Columbia - MO, as well as stops in Canada, Sweden, Denmark and Australia. At the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam 2011 it won the prize for Best Music Documentary.
Many songs from the Bedemon sessions were released on various bootlegs throughout the years, but were never officially released until 2005, when Black Widow Records
released Child of Darkness.
In 2002, Randy Palmer, Mike Matthews and Geof O'Keefe got back together to record nine new original Bedemon songs. A few months after the studio quality basic tracks were recorded, Bedemon leader Randy Palmer was killed in a tragic automobile accident. Geof and Mike, along with vocalist Craig Junghandel whom Randy had selected to do the vocals prior to his accident, completed and mastered the songs in 2010. The new material will be released in late 2011 or early 2012 on vinyl.
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...
band from Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, most famous as one of the pioneers of doom metal
Doom metal
Doom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres...
. The band was prolific in the underground scene of the 1970s, producing many demos and rehearsal tapes, but did not release a full-length album until reforming in the early 1980s with an almost completely new lineup. Throughout the band's history the only constant member has been vocalist Bobby Liebling. The revolving lineup of Pentagram has featured many well respected musicians in the local doom metal scene, with members spending time in other acts such as Raven
Raven (band)
Raven are an English heavy metal band associated with the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. They had a hit with the single "On and On", and refer to their music as "athletic rock".-Formation:...
, The Obsessed
The Obsessed
The Obsessed is a doom metal band from Maryland led by Scott "Wino" Weinrich, who also fronted Saint Vitus, Spirit Caravan, Place of Skulls, The Hidden Hand and W.I.N.O.. Formed in 1976, they first split up in 1986 when Wino Saint Vitus, but reformed four years later...
, Place of Skulls, Internal Void
Internal Void
-Biography:Internal Void came together in 1987 after Kelly Carmichael, Eric Little and Adam Heinzmann attended a Saint Vitus concert. The band later recruited J.D. Williams as a vocalist and put out two demo recordings in the late 80s/early 90s...
, Spirit Caravan
Spirit Caravan
Spirit Caravan was a Maryland doom/stoner metal band featuring the guitarist and vocalist Scott Weinrich.-Biography:Scott "Wino" Weinrich formed Spirit Caravan after the breakup of The Obsessed. The remainder of the band consisted of Dave Shermann on bass and vocals; and Gary Isom on drums...
, among many others.
The 70s
In the fall of 1971, Bobby Liebling and Geof O’Keefe decided to leave their previous bands (Shades of Darkness and Space Meat, respectively) to form a new band that reflected their interest in emerging metal acts such as UFOUFO (band)
UFO are an English heavy metal and hard rock band, who were formed in 1969. UFO became a transitional group between early hard rock and heavy metal and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal...
, 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...
, Uriah Heep
Uriah Heep (band)
Uriah Heep are an English rock band formed in London in 1969 and regarded as a seminal classic hard rock act of the 1970s. Uriah Heep's progressive/art rock/heavy metal fusion's distinctive features have always been massive keyboards sound, strong vocal harmonies and David Byron's operatic vocals...
and Sir Lord Baltimore
Sir Lord Baltimore
Sir Lord Baltimore is a pioneering American heavy metal band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 1968 by lead vocalist/drummer John Garner, guitarist Louis Dambra, and bass player Gary Justin. They are notable for the fact that a 1971 review of their debut record, Kingdom Come, contained the first...
. At Liebling’s suggestion, the group was named Pentagram, a sinister moniker that reflected the gloomy subject matter of their material. Although the band would change its name several times during 1971 and 1972 (Virgin Death, Macabre, and Wicked Angel were all considered during this period), they would eventually (and permanently) return to their initial moniker.
Also, contrary to popular belief, they were never called Stonebunny; this was the name given to Space Meat when Bobby Liebling joined them briefly.
During their 5-year career, they would have 7 different managers, including Gordon Fletcher, a Washington D.C. rock journalist who wrote for magazines such as Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
, Creem
Creem
Creem , "America's Only Rock 'n' Roll Magazine," was a monthly rock 'n' roll publication first published in March 1969 by Barry Kramer and founding editor Tony Reay. It suspended production in 1989 but received a short-lived renaissance in the early 1990s as a glossy tabloid...
and Circus
Circus (magazine)
Circus was a monthly American magazine devoted to rock music. It was published from 1966 to 2006. In its heyday the magazine had a full-time editorial staff that included some of the biggest names in rock journalism, including Paul Nelson, David Fricke, and Kurt Loder, and rivaled Rolling Stone in...
. The others were Steve Lorber, Phillip Knudsen, Skip Groff, Bob Fowler, Tim Kidwell and Tom McGuire.
Early line-ups
The initial Pentagram lineup consisted of Bobby Liebling (vocals) Geof O'Keefe (guitar), Vincent McAllister (bass), and Steve Martin (drums). Early practices included the long-time standard "Livin' in a Ram's Head", along with several other long-lasting Pentagram stalwarts.After a month of rehearsals, Space Meat alumni John Jennings joined to create Pentagram's dual-guitar "Mark II" lineup. It soon became clear, however, that Steve Martin's jazz-influenced drumming did not fit Pentagram's hard-rocking style, and so he was asked to leave the group. His position on the drum stool was dutifully filled by guitarist Geof O'Keefe, reprising the role of drummer he had previously enjoyed in Space Meat.
This "Mark III" lineup of Pentagram was a strong one, and at the time, it seemed like Pentagram had found a permanent lineup. However, after this lineup's first rehearsal, Jennings called O'Keefe to tell him that he was leaving the group, citing a lack of interest in heavy music as his reason for departure. After a few rehearsals without a guitarist, bassist Vincent McAllister picked up a guitar and proceeded to shock and amaze Liebling and O'Keefe with his frenzied, feedback-laden soloing. Prior to this revelatory moment, O'Keefe and Liebling could not have possibly anticipated that their humble bassist would go on to become Pentagram's resident guitar god for the next five years. McAllister would later leave for California (1980) to attend classes at the Guitar Institute of Technology
Musicians Institute
Musicians Institute is a privately owned for-profit music vocational school located in Hollywood, California. Although not a regionally accredited school, the school offers a variety of unaccredited Bachelor Degree, Associate Degree and Certificate programs in fields including contemporary music...
(G.I.T.) and Jennings would subsequently collaborate with Mary Chapin Carpenter
Mary Chapin Carpenter
Mary Chapin Carpenter is an American folk and country music artist. Carpenter spent several years singing in Washington, D.C. clubs before signing in the late 1980s with Columbia Records, who marketed her as a country singer...
during the 1980s and into the 1990s as her primary guitarist.
Classic line-up
On Christmas Day 1971, this "classic" Pentagram lineup began rehearsing, with Bobby Liebling singing, Vincent McAllister on guitar, Greg Mayne (formerly of Space Meat) playing bass, and Geof O’Keefe on drums. In mid-1974, rhythm guitarist Randy Palmer joined the "Ram Family", as the group was known, but left in January 1975 due to drug problems and the group once again continued on as a four-piece.Thanks to manager Gordon Fletcher's industry connections, the group had several "close calls" in the following years with regard to a recording contract. On April 29, 1975, Fletcher persuaded Sandy Pearlman
Sandy Pearlman
Sandy Pearlman is an American music producer, artist manager, professor, poet, songwriter, and once was a record company executive...
and Murray Krugman (producers and managers for the legendary Blue Öyster Cult
Blue Öyster Cult
Blue Öyster Cult, often abbreviated BÖC, is an American rock band, most of whose members first came together in Long Island, NY in 1967 as the band Soft White Underbelly...
) to see them rehearse. Impressed, the two arranged a demo session at Columbia Studios in New York in September. Unfortunately, the session went sour after a conflict between Liebling and Krugman over a point of production, and the group's major label hopes were dashed. The group would also rehearse in front of Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
members Gene Simmons
Gene Simmons
Gene Simmons is an Israeli-American entrepreneur, singer-songwriter, actor, and rock bassist. Known as "The Demon", he is the bassist/vocalist of Kiss, a hard rock band he co-founded in the early 1970s.-Early life:...
and Paul Stanley
Paul Stanley
Stanley Harvey Eisen , better known by his stage name Paul Stanley, is an American hard rock guitarist, singer, musician, painter and songwriter best known for being the rhythm guitarist and primary lead vocalist of the rock band Kiss. He is the writer or co-writer of many of the band's...
in December 1975, but the Kiss camp was unimpressed by the group's lack of image and the group remained unsigned.
Initial breakup
On December 16, 1975, Bobby Liebling and his girlfriend were arrested, leading to the other members of the band meeting on New Year's Eve to discuss their status. The decision was made that the rest of the band would quit Pentagram, because Liebling owned the rights for the name "Pentagram", and they could not continue under that name without him. The remaining members unsuccessfully auditioned singers during much of 1976 before recruiting Marty Iverson as a second guitarist in the summer of 1976 and deciding to give Liebling a second chance. However, after beginning a recording session at Underground Sound, the band split from Liebling again, leaving the sessions unfinished and unmixed.Warehouse recordings
For much of their career, Pentagram rehearsed at the American Mailing warehouseWarehouse
A warehouse is a commercial building for storage of goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial areas of cities and towns. They usually have loading docks to load and unload...
in Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
, due to the fact that both Geof and Bobby lived in high-rise apartments. Geof’s father, George, was an executive at American Mailing. Geof had used this location for many of his previous musical projects, whether on his own or with Space Meat. At the warehouse, the group was able to have a good practice room to store their equipment and play loudly without the worry of complaining neighbors. Many of these early rehearsals were recorded onto Geof's reel-to-reel tape recorder. Many of these rehearsal tapes are now traded amongst Pentagram fans and offer recordings of the many early lineups the group went through in the early 70's. When American Mailing moved locations, Pentagram eventually moved to rehearse at Greg's house, which he was renting with an old friend and locally renowned keyboardist Knox Cockrell.
Early releases
Pentagram’s first 7 inch was released under the name Macabre, entitled "Be Forewarned" and included "Be Forewarned" and "Lazy Lady." The record was produced by Phillip Knudsen and released on Intermedia (TBSM 003). This recording ended up being one of the band's only proper releases, although a promotional 7 inch of the song "Hurricane" (Boffo Socko R13859) was also released during that time. A large number of demo and rehearsal recordings, as well as 22 unreleased studio recordings exist from this time period. Despite the handful of recorded material, Pentagram’s repertoire reportedly consisted of nearly 80 original songs, written or co-written by Bobby Liebling, as well as covers such as "Under My ThumbUnder My Thumb
"Under My Thumb" is a song written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards for The Rolling Stones. Its first appearance was as an album track on 1966's Aftermath...
" by the Rolling Stones and The Yardbirds
The Yardbirds
- Current :* Chris Dreja - rhythm guitar, backing vocals * Jim McCarty - drums, backing vocals * Ben King - lead guitar * David Smale - bass, backing vocals...
’ version of "Little Games."
Demos that they recorded include:
- A 3-track demo recorded at Columbia Studios on 20 September 1975 (featuring "Run My Course", "When the Screams Come" and "Wheel of Fortune")
- A 12-track demo recorded at the American Mailing Warehouse, Alexandria, VA, in December 1972 and on 2 February 1973 (featuring "Virgin Death", "Yes I Do", "Ask No More", "Man", "Be Forewarned", "Catwalk", "Die in Your Sleep", "Forever My Queen", "Review Your Choices", "Walk in the Blue Light" and "Downhill Slope").
- A 5-track demo recorded at Underground Sound, Largo, MD, on 4th, 12th and 23 September 1976 (featuring "Smokescreen", "Teaser", "Much Too Young to Know", "Little Games" and "Starlady").
Many of these songs would appear on the semi-authorized 1972–1979 compilation, the bootleg
Bootleg recording
A bootleg recording is an audio or video recording of a performance that was not officially released by the artist or under other legal authority. The process of making and distributing such recordings is known as bootlegging...
followup 1972–1979 (Vol. 2) and the hard-to-find (albeit official) Human Hurricane
Human Hurricane
Human Hurricane is one of many compilations that Pentagram have released that feature 70s material. It was released by Downtime Records in 1998 and is now hard to find. An LP version was reelased in 2011 via High Roller Records featuring Tracks 2,3,4,6,8,9,10,12,15, and 17...
compilation. In 2001, Relapse Records
Relapse Records
Relapse Records is an independent record label based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990.-History:The label was started by Matthew F. Jacobson in August, 1990 in his parents' basement in Aurora, Colorado...
issued an authorized compilation of twelve early tracks, three of which were live rehearsal recordings. The release was entitled First Daze Here (The Vintage Collection)
First Daze Here (The Vintage Collection)
First Daze Here is the first of two compilations that Pentagram have released through Relapse Records that feature 70s material. It was released by 2001 and followed by First Daze Here Too in 2006. This release is the first time these early Pentagram recordings were released with a worldwide...
. Following the compilation's success, Relapse released First Daze Here Too
First Daze Here Too
First Daze Here Too is the second of two compilations that Pentagram have released through Relapse Records that feature 1970s material. It was released by 2006 and followed First Daze Here , released in 2001.-Disc 1:...
in 2006, a 2-disc, 22-track compilation of unreleased material.
High Voltage Era
After O'Keefe, McAllister, and Mayne split from Liebling, a new lineup consisting of Liebling (vocals), Randy Palmer (guitar), John Ossea (drums), and Rick Marinari (bass) began rehearsing in the basement of a dentist's office. However, this lineup folded after only a couple of months and Liebling was once again bandless.On Halloween 1978, Liebling bumped into his friend Joe Hasselvander
Joe Hasselvander
Joe Hasselvander is a musician who has been playing professionally since the age of 9 years old in 1966. He was self-taught, playing the violin and later the drums. He has been the drummer of Raven since 1987.-Career:...
at Louie's Rock City while seeing Sex, a band featuring both ex-members of both Pentagram and The Boyz (Hasselvander's previous band). Hasselvander was playing in a singer-less group consisting of himself (drums), Richard Kueht (guitar), Paul Trowbridge (guitar), and Marty Swaney (bass). Liebling soon joined the group, and in less than a week they would take on the Pentagram moniker and begin performing Liebling's material from the previous Pentagram line-up. This configuration played several shows and released a 7" single in 1979, but personal problems caused this line-up to dissolve later that year. It is generally referred to as the High Voltage Era of Pentagram.
Death Row
In 1980, bassist Lee Abney and guitarist Victor Griffin formed a Northern VirginiaNorthern Virginia
Northern Virginia consists of several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia, in a widespread region generally radiating southerly and westward from Washington, D.C...
doom metal
Doom metal
Doom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres...
band named Death Row. Shortly thereafter, drummer Joe Hasselvander joined, and the group recruited Bobby Liebling on vocals. Former member Martin Swaney soon replaced Lee Abney on bass and the classic Death Row line up was forged. Following two demos in 1982 and 1983, Hasselvander left the band in 1984. Stuart Rose was picked as his replacement, and the band soon assumed the Pentagram mantle. The 1982 demo, 'All Your Sins', was then prepared for remix to be released as the first album, 'Pentagram', in 1985.
The 1983 demo, along with several live recordings from 1982 and 1983, and the bands first jam from 1981, were collected and released via Black Widow in 2009 as the double CD Alive In Death.
Pentagram reformed
In 1985 the band released the first full-length studio album. Initially self-titled, the album is often referred to as RelentlessRelentless (Pentagram album)
Relentless is the debut album from Pentagram. It was initially self-released in 1985 as Pentagram but was re-issued by Peaceville Records in 1993 with the new moniker and a new track listing. It was released as a 2CD split with Day of Reckoning in 1996 and then re-released again in 2005 as a digipak...
due to it being given the name when it was reissued by Peaceville Records
Peaceville Records
Peaceville Records is a British independent metal-oriented record label. The label was founded by Paul "Hammy" Halmshaw in 1987, in Dewsbury, England...
. The album contains a mix of new songs and 70s era songs, as will all the Pentagram albums to follow. After recording their second album, Day of Reckoning
Day of Reckoning (Pentagram album)
Day of Reckoning is the second album by Pentagram. It was released in 1987 by Napalm Records. It was re-released by Peaceville Records in 1993, as part of a 2CD split with Relentless in 1996, and then again in 2005 as a digipak. Joe Hasselvander originally played drums on only one track, "Burning...
, the band folded yet again, and in 1989 Greg Mayne and Randy Palmer rejoined Liebling with the addition of Ted Feldman on guitar and Jon Cook on drums. The band was working towards recording the third LP, but shortly after their first performance in Maryland, the band split up. The previous lineup then reformed in 1993 and Peaceville Records reissued the first two albums. During this same time, Peace Records released the semi-legitimate 1972–1979. This was the first time many of the 70s songs were released. In 1994 they released their third full-length album, Be Forewarned
Be Forewarned
Be Forewarned is the third album by Pentagram. It was released in 1994 by Peaceville Records. It was re-released in 2005 as a digipak and in 2010 as a double vinyl by Svart Records.-Track listing:...
. The band split up again and emerged as a duo, with Liebling retaining vocal duties and Joe Hasselvander taking care of all instrumentation. In 1998, Downtime Records released a number of early recordings on a compilation album entitled Human Hurricane
Human Hurricane
Human Hurricane is one of many compilations that Pentagram have released that feature 70s material. It was released by Downtime Records in 1998 and is now hard to find. An LP version was reelased in 2011 via High Roller Records featuring Tracks 2,3,4,6,8,9,10,12,15, and 17...
. Liebling and Hasselvander recorded both 1999's Review Your Choices
Review Your Choices
Review Your Choices is the fourth album by Pentagram. It was released in 1999 by Black Widow Records out of Italy. Joe Hasselvander plays all the instruments while Bobby Liebling provides all lead and backing vocals...
and 2001's Sub-Basement
Sub-Basement
Sub-Basement is the fifth album by Pentagram. It was released in 2001 by Black Widow Records out of Italy. Joe Hasselvander plays all the instruments while Bobby Liebling provides all lead and backing vocals...
as a duo. A bootleg
Bootleg recording
A bootleg recording is an audio or video recording of a performance that was not officially released by the artist or under other legal authority. The process of making and distributing such recordings is known as bootlegging...
follow up to 1972–1979, 1972–1979 (Vol. 2), was released in 1999 by Peace Records. Shortly after Sub-Basement Hasselvander split with Liebling, who soon recruited guitarist Kelly Carmichael, bassist Adam Heinzmann, and drummer Mike Smail, all members of Frederick, Maryland
Frederick, Maryland
Frederick is a city in north-central Maryland. It is the county seat of Frederick County, the largest county by area in the state of Maryland. Frederick is an outlying community of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of a greater...
based doom
Doom metal
Doom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres...
act Internal Void
Internal Void
-Biography:Internal Void came together in 1987 after Kelly Carmichael, Eric Little and Adam Heinzmann attended a Saint Vitus concert. The band later recruited J.D. Williams as a vocalist and put out two demo recordings in the late 80s/early 90s...
. The new lineup recorded Show 'em How
Show 'em How
Show 'em How is the sixth album by Pentagram. It was released in 2004 by Black Widow Records out of Italy. This album features Bobby Liebling on vocals backed up by three members of Internal Void...
in 2004. This album in particular has seven re-recorded 70s era Pentagram songs and three originals.
Recent activity
After Show 'em How, the band has been somewhat in limbo due to Liebling's unstable behavior, including collapsing in the intro to an important show at the Black Cat Club in Washington, DC, forcing the band to recruit Hasselvander and others from the audience to perform in his stead.Hank Williams III
Hank Williams III
Shelton Hank Williams, known as Hank 3 , is a neotraditional country and punk metal singer, drummer, bassist, and guitarist. In addition to his honky tonk recordings, Williams' style alternates among country, punk and metal...
has included a rendition of the classic versions of Pentagram's "Be Forewarned" and "Forever My Queen" in his live set. During his set at Washington D.C.'s Black Cat club in 2006, Liebling joined Williams onstage and performed the songs himself. Also in 2006, Liebling joined Witchcraft
Witchcraft (band)
Witchcraft is a Swedish hard rock band founded in 2000.-History:Magnus Pelander formed Witchcraft in 2000 in order to record a tribute to Pentagram's Bobby Liebling and Roky Erickson. The "No Angel or Demon" single was released in 2002 by Primitive Art Records which caught the ear of Lee Dorrian's...
onstage at their DC show to sing Pentagram covers "When the Screams Come" and "Yes I Do".
In July 2000, former members Griffin and Abney formed Place of Skulls following their departure from Pentagram. The band's music is akin to Pentagram's more recent sound. The band briefly featured doom metal
Doom metal
Doom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres...
legend Scott "Wino" Weinrich
Scott Weinrich
Robert Scott "Wino" Weinrich is a doom metal guitarist and vocalist. Active since 1976, when he started his first band War Horse, Weinrich is best known for being the frontman and guitarist of the doom metal bands The Obsessed and Saint Vitus...
on their 2003 With Vision album, though he has since left to concentrate on The Hidden Hand. Abney left in 2002 but returned in 2007.
Randy Palmer died in 2002 from injuries suffered in a car crash, while Vincent McAllister died in May 2006 from cancer.
Bobby Liebling announced on his MySpace page (now the official page for Pentagram and all things related) that he is currently negotiating with an unnamed record label for a new Pentagram studio album entitled Last Rites, which will include "many guest musicians" including original members from the '71-'76 First Daze Here era. Also slated for release is an authorized DVD autobiography produced by 914 Pictures entitled "Last Rites: The Fall and Rise of Bobby Liebling." A teaser is currently available at 914pictures.com.
Joe Hasselvander has started a solo project called The Hounds of Hasselvander who released an album in 2007. For live performances he has recruited Kayt Vigil on bass and one-time Pentagram drummer and Maryland doom mainstay, Gary Isom on drums. Hasselvander also contributed to Blue Cheer
Blue Cheer
Blue Cheer was an American psychedelic blues-rock band that initially performed and recorded in the late 1960s and early 1970s and was sporadically active until 2009...
's latest album, What Doesn't Kill You (2007).
On August 23, 2008, Pentagram's then new lineup was announced, which featured Bobby Liebling being joined by Russ Strahan (Guitar), ex-live only member from the mid-90s, Gary Isom (Drums) and Mark Ammen (Bass). The line up was named after a forthcoming new album, "Last Rites".
In 2009, the band played two triumphant shows entitled "Last Rites Live" in New York City and Baltimore, MD. The NYC show was filmed for the upcoming documentary film, "Last Rites: The Fall & Rise of Bobby Liebling" set to be released via sometime in late 2010. Due to the success of these shows, the band did a 7 date mini-tour which included two sold out shows in Chicago, plus dates in Seattle, Portland, San Francisco's DNA Lounge
DNA Lounge
DNA Lounge is a late-night, all ages nightclub in the SoMa district of San Francisco owned by Jamie Zawinski, a former Netscape programmer and open-source software hacker. The club features DJ dancing, live music, burlesque performances, and occasionally conferences, private parties, and film...
, Hollywood's House of Blues and Austin, TX.
On March 14, 2010, Russ Strahan abruptly left the band exactly one day before a spring tour was to begin. Scrambling to find a guitarist, Liebling contacted Johnny "Wretched" Koutsioukis of Wretched
Wretched (doom band)
Wretched were a doom metal band from Maryland during the 1990s.-Biography:Wretched was one of many Maryland doom bands to be picked up by Hellhound Records in the early 90s. The band put out three albums on Hellhound before disbanding. Singer Dave Sherman would go on to play bass in Spirit Caravan...
fame to replace Strahan on lead guitar. Russ had this to say about his departure:
With a tour starting within a day, Wretched had limited time to learn songs and for the first few shows the set list was cut short. Currently it is unknown as to whether or not Strahan was fired or quit. Wretched has since departed from the band.
On their May tour which ended at the Maryland Death Fest, Victor Griffin played guitar and Greg Turley played bass as a touring professional. Additionally, Greg and Victor played some June shows with the band. After this tour ended June 24, the band entered a hiatus.
In February 2011, Metal Blade Records announced that Pentagram would be playing South By South-West (SXSW) in March 2011 and would follow up with a European Tour to begin on April 14, 2011 at Roadburn Festival in the Netherlands. Additionally the band announced members would include Greg Turley on bass and Albert Born of Virginia as their new drummer.
Reissued
In 2001, Relapse RecordsRelapse Records
Relapse Records is an independent record label based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990.-History:The label was started by Matthew F. Jacobson in August, 1990 in his parents' basement in Aurora, Colorado...
issued First Daze Here (The Vintage Collection)
First Daze Here (The Vintage Collection)
First Daze Here is the first of two compilations that Pentagram have released through Relapse Records that feature 70s material. It was released by 2001 and followed by First Daze Here Too in 2006. This release is the first time these early Pentagram recordings were released with a worldwide...
. It consisted of unreleased material from the 70s. In 2002, Peaceville Records
Peaceville Records
Peaceville Records is a British independent metal-oriented record label. The label was founded by Paul "Hammy" Halmshaw in 1987, in Dewsbury, England...
released a compilation of songs from the first three albums titled Turn to Stone
Turn to Stone (album)
Turn to Stone is a compilation album by Pentagram comprising songs from their first three albums: Relentless, Day of Reckoning and Be Forewarned...
. Peaceville re-released the first three albums on CD in digipak
Digipak
Digipak is a patented style of CD, DVD or BD packaging, and is a registered trademark of AGI World Ltd., an Atlas Holdings company.-Features:...
format in 2005. In 2006, Relapse released a second compilation of unreleased 70s material under the name First Daze Here Too
First Daze Here Too
First Daze Here Too is the second of two compilations that Pentagram have released through Relapse Records that feature 1970s material. It was released by 2006 and followed First Daze Here , released in 2001.-Disc 1:...
. These reissues allowed Pentagram's early material and albums to finally be widely available.
Albums
- PentagramRelentless (Pentagram album)Relentless is the debut album from Pentagram. It was initially self-released in 1985 as Pentagram but was re-issued by Peaceville Records in 1993 with the new moniker and a new track listing. It was released as a 2CD split with Day of Reckoning in 1996 and then re-released again in 2005 as a digipak...
LP (1985 Pentagram Records) (later reissued under the name Relentless) - Day of ReckoningDay of Reckoning (Pentagram album)Day of Reckoning is the second album by Pentagram. It was released in 1987 by Napalm Records. It was re-released by Peaceville Records in 1993, as part of a 2CD split with Relentless in 1996, and then again in 2005 as a digipak. Joe Hasselvander originally played drums on only one track, "Burning...
LP (1987 Napalm Records) - Be ForewarnedBe ForewarnedBe Forewarned is the third album by Pentagram. It was released in 1994 by Peaceville Records. It was re-released in 2005 as a digipak and in 2010 as a double vinyl by Svart Records.-Track listing:...
CD/LP (1994 Peaceville RecordsPeaceville RecordsPeaceville Records is a British independent metal-oriented record label. The label was founded by Paul "Hammy" Halmshaw in 1987, in Dewsbury, England...
) - Review Your ChoicesReview Your ChoicesReview Your Choices is the fourth album by Pentagram. It was released in 1999 by Black Widow Records out of Italy. Joe Hasselvander plays all the instruments while Bobby Liebling provides all lead and backing vocals...
CD/LP (1999 Black Widow Records) - Sub-BasementSub-BasementSub-Basement is the fifth album by Pentagram. It was released in 2001 by Black Widow Records out of Italy. Joe Hasselvander plays all the instruments while Bobby Liebling provides all lead and backing vocals...
CD/LP (2001 Black Widow Records) - Show 'em HowShow 'em HowShow 'em How is the sixth album by Pentagram. It was released in 2004 by Black Widow Records out of Italy. This album features Bobby Liebling on vocals backed up by three members of Internal Void...
CD/LP (2004 Black Widow Records) - Last RitesLast Rites (album)Last Rites is Virginia doom metal band Pentagram's seventh studio album. It is the first album since the band's third album, Be Forewarned, to feature guitarist Victor Griffin.- Track listing :# Treat Me Right - 2:32...
(2011 Metal Blade Records)
Singles
- "Be Forewarned"/"Lazy Lady" 7" (1972 Intermedia Productions) (as Macabre) Limited to 1000 (Repress included with vinyl copy of First Daze Here (The Vintage Collection)First Daze Here (The Vintage Collection)First Daze Here is the first of two compilations that Pentagram have released through Relapse Records that feature 70s material. It was released by 2001 and followed by First Daze Here Too in 2006. This release is the first time these early Pentagram recordings were released with a worldwide...
) - "Hurricane"/"Earth Flight" 7" (1973 Buffo Socko Records)
- "Under My Thumb"/"When the Screams Come" 7" (1973 Gemini Records) rumored to be 100 pressed
- "Livin' in a Ram's Head"/"When the Screams Come" 7" (1979 High Voltage Records) (Re-released on A Keg Full of DynamiteA Keg Full of DynamiteA Keg Full of Dynamite is a live album by Pentagram released by Black Widow Records in 2003. It was recorded at The Keg in 1978. Bobby Liebling stated that this is the "first authorized representation of Pentagram during what has come to be known as the High Voltage Era." The final two tracks,...
) - "Relentless"/"Day of Reckoning" 7" (1993 Peaceville RecordsPeaceville RecordsPeaceville Records is a British independent metal-oriented record label. The label was founded by Paul "Hammy" Halmshaw in 1987, in Dewsbury, England...
)
Live albums
- A Keg Full of DynamiteA Keg Full of DynamiteA Keg Full of Dynamite is a live album by Pentagram released by Black Widow Records in 2003. It was recorded at The Keg in 1978. Bobby Liebling stated that this is the "first authorized representation of Pentagram during what has come to be known as the High Voltage Era." The final two tracks,...
CD/LP (2003 Black Widow Records) - Live Rites 2LP (2011 Svart Records)
Compilations/reissues
- RelentlessRelentless (Pentagram album)Relentless is the debut album from Pentagram. It was initially self-released in 1985 as Pentagram but was re-issued by Peaceville Records in 1993 with the new moniker and a new track listing. It was released as a 2CD split with Day of Reckoning in 1996 and then re-released again in 2005 as a digipak...
CD (1993 Peaceville RecordsPeaceville RecordsPeaceville Records is a British independent metal-oriented record label. The label was founded by Paul "Hammy" Halmshaw in 1987, in Dewsbury, England...
) (Reissue of debut LP) - Day of ReckoningDay of Reckoning (Pentagram album)Day of Reckoning is the second album by Pentagram. It was released in 1987 by Napalm Records. It was re-released by Peaceville Records in 1993, as part of a 2CD split with Relentless in 1996, and then again in 2005 as a digipak. Joe Hasselvander originally played drums on only one track, "Burning...
CD (1993 Peaceville RecordsPeaceville RecordsPeaceville Records is a British independent metal-oriented record label. The label was founded by Paul "Hammy" Halmshaw in 1987, in Dewsbury, England...
) - 1972–1979 CD/LP (1993 Peace Records)
- RelentlessRelentless (Pentagram album)Relentless is the debut album from Pentagram. It was initially self-released in 1985 as Pentagram but was re-issued by Peaceville Records in 1993 with the new moniker and a new track listing. It was released as a 2CD split with Day of Reckoning in 1996 and then re-released again in 2005 as a digipak...
/Day of ReckoningDay of Reckoning (Pentagram album)Day of Reckoning is the second album by Pentagram. It was released in 1987 by Napalm Records. It was re-released by Peaceville Records in 1993, as part of a 2CD split with Relentless in 1996, and then again in 2005 as a digipak. Joe Hasselvander originally played drums on only one track, "Burning...
2CD (1996 Peaceville RecordsPeaceville RecordsPeaceville Records is a British independent metal-oriented record label. The label was founded by Paul "Hammy" Halmshaw in 1987, in Dewsbury, England...
) - Human HurricaneHuman HurricaneHuman Hurricane is one of many compilations that Pentagram have released that feature 70s material. It was released by Downtime Records in 1998 and is now hard to find. An LP version was reelased in 2011 via High Roller Records featuring Tracks 2,3,4,6,8,9,10,12,15, and 17...
CD (1998 Downtime Recordings) - 1972–1979 (Vol. 2) CD/LP (1999 Peace Records)
- First Daze Here (The Vintage Collection)First Daze Here (The Vintage Collection)First Daze Here is the first of two compilations that Pentagram have released through Relapse Records that feature 70s material. It was released by 2001 and followed by First Daze Here Too in 2006. This release is the first time these early Pentagram recordings were released with a worldwide...
CD/LP+7" (2001 Relapse RecordsRelapse RecordsRelapse Records is an independent record label based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990.-History:The label was started by Matthew F. Jacobson in August, 1990 in his parents' basement in Aurora, Colorado...
) - Turn to StoneTurn to Stone (album)Turn to Stone is a compilation album by Pentagram comprising songs from their first three albums: Relentless, Day of Reckoning and Be Forewarned...
CD (2002 Peaceville RecordsPeaceville RecordsPeaceville Records is a British independent metal-oriented record label. The label was founded by Paul "Hammy" Halmshaw in 1987, in Dewsbury, England...
) - RelentlessRelentless (Pentagram album)Relentless is the debut album from Pentagram. It was initially self-released in 1985 as Pentagram but was re-issued by Peaceville Records in 1993 with the new moniker and a new track listing. It was released as a 2CD split with Day of Reckoning in 1996 and then re-released again in 2005 as a digipak...
DigiCD (2005 Peaceville RecordsPeaceville RecordsPeaceville Records is a British independent metal-oriented record label. The label was founded by Paul "Hammy" Halmshaw in 1987, in Dewsbury, England...
) - Day of ReckoningDay of Reckoning (Pentagram album)Day of Reckoning is the second album by Pentagram. It was released in 1987 by Napalm Records. It was re-released by Peaceville Records in 1993, as part of a 2CD split with Relentless in 1996, and then again in 2005 as a digipak. Joe Hasselvander originally played drums on only one track, "Burning...
DigiCD (2005 Peaceville RecordsPeaceville RecordsPeaceville Records is a British independent metal-oriented record label. The label was founded by Paul "Hammy" Halmshaw in 1987, in Dewsbury, England...
) - Be ForewarnedBe ForewarnedBe Forewarned is the third album by Pentagram. It was released in 1994 by Peaceville Records. It was re-released in 2005 as a digipak and in 2010 as a double vinyl by Svart Records.-Track listing:...
DigiCD (2005 Peaceville RecordsPeaceville RecordsPeaceville Records is a British independent metal-oriented record label. The label was founded by Paul "Hammy" Halmshaw in 1987, in Dewsbury, England...
) - First Daze Here TooFirst Daze Here TooFirst Daze Here Too is the second of two compilations that Pentagram have released through Relapse Records that feature 1970s material. It was released by 2006 and followed First Daze Here , released in 2001.-Disc 1:...
2CD/2LP (2006 Relapse RecordsRelapse RecordsRelapse Records is an independent record label based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990.-History:The label was started by Matthew F. Jacobson in August, 1990 in his parents' basement in Aurora, Colorado...
) - Like Black Holes in the Sky: A Tribute to Syd Barrett CD (2009 Dwell Records)
Documentary
Last Days Here is a yet unreleased documentary film featuring the daily struggles of Bobby Liebling, lead singer / co-founder of Pentagram. The film is directed by Don ArgottDon Argott
Don Argott is an American documentary filmmaker and musician originally from Pequannock, New Jersey, and currently residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Argott has directed several documentary films and has also worked as a producer and cinematographer. He co-owns the production company 9.14...
and Demian Fenton
Demian Fenton
Demian Fenton is an American filmmaker and musician originally from the Pocono Mountains region of Pennsylvania, and currently residing in Philadelphia....
from 9.14 Pictures who are best known for their acclaimed documentaries, "Rock School" and "The Art of the Steal". Sundance Selects, a sister company of the Independent Film Channel, purchased the film with plans to release it theatrically as well as OnDemand in the Winter of 2012.
In 2011, the documentary toured the Film Festival circuit with a debut at the prestigious SXSW Film Festival as well as the Independent Film Festival Boston where it won the Grand Jury Prize. Other festival cities include Chicago, Sarasota -FL, Columbia - MO, as well as stops in Canada, Sweden, Denmark and Australia. At the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam 2011 it won the prize for Best Music Documentary.
Bedemon
Bedemon was an offshoot of Pentagram in the early 70s (circa 1973). The name was chosen as a portmanteau of two earlier suggested names, Demon and Behemoth. Prior to joining Pentagram, Randy Palmer and his friend Mike Matthews along with Bobby Liebling and Geof O'Keefe (then current members of Pentagram) got together to record some of Palmer's compositions. The first session resulted in three songs: "Child of Darkness", "Serpent Venom" and "Frozen Fear". After a short time the group got together again and recorded some more tracks. When Palmer officially joined Pentagram he brought two tracks with him, "Starlady", and "Touch the Sky". After Palmer's departure from Pentagram the Bedemon got together in 1979 to record three more songs: "Time Bomb", "Nighttime Killer" and an unnamed composition by O'Keefe. A slightly different line-up (featuring former Pentagram member Greg Mayne on bass) recorded "Night of the Demon" along with some older songs in 1986.Many songs from the Bedemon sessions were released on various bootlegs throughout the years, but were never officially released until 2005, when Black Widow Records
Black Widow Records
Black Widow Records is an Italian record label founded Genoa in 1990 and taking its name from the British progressive rock act Black Widow. It was originally a rarities shop focusing on collectable records and reissues...
released Child of Darkness.
In 2002, Randy Palmer, Mike Matthews and Geof O'Keefe got back together to record nine new original Bedemon songs. A few months after the studio quality basic tracks were recorded, Bedemon leader Randy Palmer was killed in a tragic automobile accident. Geof and Mike, along with vocalist Craig Junghandel whom Randy had selected to do the vocals prior to his accident, completed and mastered the songs in 2010. The new material will be released in late 2011 or early 2012 on vinyl.
Line-up
- Randy Palmer - guitar
- Bobby Liebling - vocals
- Mike Matthews - bass, guitar
- Geof O'Keefe - drums, guitar
- Craig Junghandel - vocals
- Greg Mayne - bass (1986)
External links
- Pentagram myspace
- http://www.myspace.com/bobbydarlingpentagram
- July 2009 Interview with L.A. RecordL.A. RecordL.A. Record is an independent music magazine originally published weekly as a broadsheet poster. The poster usually depicts a local Los Angeles musicians and according to the magazine editors is meant to recreate an iconic album cover. In March 2008, it began publishing as a monthly magazine with a...
- Pentagram Live Pictures