Premature Ejaculation (band)
Encyclopedia
Premature Ejaculation was an experimental music
group from Pomona, California
in the United States. It briefly existed in 1981, and was reformed in 1987 by Rozz Williams
of Christian Death
fame and Chuck Collison.
. Unlike the deathrock
band Christian Death, Premature Ejaculation did not use standard "rock band" instruments, instead sound was created using various objects and lo-fi devices. They made two recordings 'Premature Ejaculation Part 1 and Premature Ejaculation part 2. These were never released, only distributed copies were sent to friends. However reissue of both cassettes will be in 2010.
Williams' group Christian Death had broken up during this year and he started this project; they played very few live performances, because clubs began refusing to book them, and some of their stage theatrics were deemed controversial. One of the acts included Athey eating a dead cat (the animal was roadkill
), documentation of which can be seen in the book Hardcore California. Christian Death was reformed in the summer of 81, and Premature Ejaculation was put on ice.
left Christian Death. He was joined by Lee Wilds, and then Chuck Collison and Kris Fuller. The group's themes remained avant-garde
throughout and focused on the bizarre and taboo
, they would use sound clips from crying babies to chainsaws and film clips. In their early live shows, the duo would sometimes throw meat and eyeballs into the crowd.
Collison played a big part in the re-formed group, especially in regards to higher quality electronic gear and better recording facilities which he brought. Collison started his own record label The Happiest Place On Earth to release the groups recordings. Its name was soon changed to The Happiest Tapes On Earth, in order to avoid potential legal problems which may arise from Disney. Collison was on the majority of Premature Ejaculation's material and as a result should be considered the second member.
The first two full length records were released via their own record label, at first these were only available on cassette
format. Death Cultures was the first to be released in 1987, and was followed up by Blood Told in Spine and then Assertive Discipline in successive years. In total the reformed group released seven recordings, Anesthesia is the most "well known" of which, this was released on the more professional German label Dark Vinyl Records. They also released on the Cleopatra and Triple XXX labels.
Premature Ejaculation, although not always Williams' most well-known project of the 1990s (see; Shadow Project
with Eva O
) remained active in some form or another right up until his death in 1998, they were very prolific with a massive back catalogue of releases, the last record 'Wound of Exit' by the group been released posthumously. In 2009 it has been announced several lost Premature Ejaculation recordings will be reissued officially in 2010, these include the early Premature Ejaculation cassettes, Premature Ejaculation parts 1 & 2, Dead Horse Riddles, Not the Real Criminal and many more.
Experimental music
Experimental music refers, in the English-language literature, to a compositional tradition which arose in the mid-20th century, applied particularly in North America to music composed in such a way that its outcome is unforeseeable. Its most famous and influential exponent was John Cage...
group from Pomona, California
Pomona, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Pomona had a population of 149,058, a slight decline from the 2000 census population. The population density was 6,491.2 people per square mile...
in the United States. It briefly existed in 1981, and was reformed in 1987 by Rozz Williams
Rozz Williams
Rozz Williams was an American vocalist and musician of several varieties, most famous for fronting the band Christian Death, then later Shadow Project with musician Eva O, though his main project throughout his career was the industrial, Premature Ejaculation...
of Christian Death
Christian Death
Christian Death is an American deathrock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1979. The band was founded and fronted by Rozz Williams. Christian Death is most notable for their first album Only Theatre of Pain....
fame and Chuck Collison.
History
Premature Ejaculation was formed originally in 1981, by Rozz Williams and his live-in boyfriend, performance artist Ron AtheyRon Athey
Ron Athey is an American performance artist associated with body art and with extreme performance art. He has performed in the U.S. and internationally . Athey's work explores challenging subjects like the relationships between desire, sexuality, and traumatic experience...
. Unlike the deathrock
Deathrock
Deathrock is a term used to identify a sub-genre of punk rock incorporating horror elements and spooky atmospherics, that emerged on the West Coast of the United States in 1979.-Characteristics:...
band Christian Death, Premature Ejaculation did not use standard "rock band" instruments, instead sound was created using various objects and lo-fi devices. They made two recordings 'Premature Ejaculation Part 1 and Premature Ejaculation part 2. These were never released, only distributed copies were sent to friends. However reissue of both cassettes will be in 2010.
Williams' group Christian Death had broken up during this year and he started this project; they played very few live performances, because clubs began refusing to book them, and some of their stage theatrics were deemed controversial. One of the acts included Athey eating a dead cat (the animal was roadkill
Roadkill
Roadkill is an animal or animals that have been struck and killed by motor vehicles. In the United States of America, removal and disposal of animals struck by motor vehicles is usually the responsibility of the state's state trooper association or department of transportation.-History:During the...
), documentation of which can be seen in the book Hardcore California. Christian Death was reformed in the summer of 81, and Premature Ejaculation was put on ice.
Rebirth
The band was reformed in 1987, two years after vocalist and songwriter Rozz WilliamsRozz Williams
Rozz Williams was an American vocalist and musician of several varieties, most famous for fronting the band Christian Death, then later Shadow Project with musician Eva O, though his main project throughout his career was the industrial, Premature Ejaculation...
left Christian Death. He was joined by Lee Wilds, and then Chuck Collison and Kris Fuller. The group's themes remained avant-garde
Avant-garde
Avant-garde means "advance guard" or "vanguard". The adjective form is used in English to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics....
throughout and focused on the bizarre and taboo
Taboo
A taboo is a strong social prohibition relating to any area of human activity or social custom that is sacred and or forbidden based on moral judgment, religious beliefs and or scientific consensus. Breaking the taboo is usually considered objectionable or abhorrent by society...
, they would use sound clips from crying babies to chainsaws and film clips. In their early live shows, the duo would sometimes throw meat and eyeballs into the crowd.
Collison played a big part in the re-formed group, especially in regards to higher quality electronic gear and better recording facilities which he brought. Collison started his own record label The Happiest Place On Earth to release the groups recordings. Its name was soon changed to The Happiest Tapes On Earth, in order to avoid potential legal problems which may arise from Disney. Collison was on the majority of Premature Ejaculation's material and as a result should be considered the second member.
The first two full length records were released via their own record label, at first these were only available on cassette
Compact Cassette
The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel...
format. Death Cultures was the first to be released in 1987, and was followed up by Blood Told in Spine and then Assertive Discipline in successive years. In total the reformed group released seven recordings, Anesthesia is the most "well known" of which, this was released on the more professional German label Dark Vinyl Records. They also released on the Cleopatra and Triple XXX labels.
Premature Ejaculation, although not always Williams' most well-known project of the 1990s (see; Shadow Project
Shadow Project
Shadow Project were a deathrock band formed in the early 1990s with Rozz Williams, Eva O and Paris Sadonis. The band's first album included bassist Jill Emery and drummer Thomas Morgan....
with Eva O
Eva O
Eva Ortiz better known as Eva O is a music artist most notable for her previous works in Christian Death and a band she formed with her then husband Rozz Williams called Shadow Project...
) remained active in some form or another right up until his death in 1998, they were very prolific with a massive back catalogue of releases, the last record 'Wound of Exit' by the group been released posthumously. In 2009 it has been announced several lost Premature Ejaculation recordings will be reissued officially in 2010, these include the early Premature Ejaculation cassettes, Premature Ejaculation parts 1 & 2, Dead Horse Riddles, Not the Real Criminal and many more.
Project members
- Rozz WilliamsRozz WilliamsRozz Williams was an American vocalist and musician of several varieties, most famous for fronting the band Christian Death, then later Shadow Project with musician Eva O, though his main project throughout his career was the industrial, Premature Ejaculation...
- Ron AtheyRon AtheyRon Athey is an American performance artist associated with body art and with extreme performance art. He has performed in the U.S. and internationally . Athey's work explores challenging subjects like the relationships between desire, sexuality, and traumatic experience...
(1981) - Chuck Collison (1987–1998)
- Lee Wildes
- Kris Fuller
- Paris Sadonis
- Ryan Wildstar
- Erik Christides
Discography
- PE - Pt.1 (Happiest Tapes on Earth) Cassette 1981, (Malaise Music) double CD 2010
- PE - Pt.2 (Happiest Tapes on Earth) Cassette 1981, (Malaise Music) double CD 2010
- A Little Hard to Swallow (Malaise Music) double CD 2010
- Living Monstrocities / Descent (Malaise Music) double CD 2010
- Body of a Crow (Happiest Tapes on Earth) Cassette 1986
- Death Cultures (Happiest Tapes on Earth) Cassette 1987, Cassette 1989
- Assertive Discipline (Happiest Tapes on Earth) Cassette 1988, (Baader-Meinhof) LP 1989, (Dark Vinyl Records) CD 1994, (Dark Vinyl Records, Hollows Ill Sound Recordings) CD 2003
- Death Cultures III (Happiest Tapes on Earth) Cassette 1988
- Night Sweats (Happiest Tapes on Earth) Cassette 1988
- Blood Told in Spine (Happiest Tapes on Earth) Cassette 1988, (Gymnastic Records) LP 1991
- Blue Honey / Pigface Show & Tell (Happiest Tapes on Earth) Cassette 1988
- Anesthesia (Dark Vinyl Records) CD 1992
- Necessary Discomforts (Cleopatra) Cassette, CD 1993
- Estimating the Time of Death (Triple X) CD 1994
- Dead Horse Riddles (Malaise Music) Cassette 1994
- Wound of Exit (Hollows Hill Sound Recordings) double CD 1998
- 6 (RozzNet.com) CD 2001
Filmography
- Death Cultures III (Happiest Tapes on Earth) Video 1988
- Not the Real Criminal (Happiest Tapes on Earth) Video 1989
- The End is Here (Happiest Tapes on Earth) Video 1989
External links
- Article on PE and Heltir
- Happiest Tapes on myspace
- Dark Vinyl, distributors of the new CDs
- Happiest Tapes on Vampirefreaks.com
- Malaise Music who are releasing the series