The Deadlines
Encyclopedia
The Deadlines were a rock band that formed in 1998 and disbanded in 2002. Their musical style started as horror punk
and later evolved toward glam rock
. They were signed to Tooth & Nail Records
.
, The Damned or The Misfits. Because their sound had changed significantly, the band members decided to change the band's name to The Deadlines.
During their years as a horror punk band, the members of The Deadlines used stage names rather than their given names. The first lineup consisted of Sundholm, whose then-stage name was Shaun Coffin, on vocals and guitar; Jeremy Abbott, who went by Jerry Attrick, on drums; and Brian "Spencer Spooks" Jones bass. The newly re-christened Deadlines began playing shows in the Portland, Oregon
, area and soon caught the eye of a local start-up record label, Royal Star Music, and Astoria, Oregon
, native Sam Waisanen. Not long after, Sam joined the band as Sammy Lugosi; and they were in a make-shift basement studio, recording their first album for the fledgling label. After the release the band began playing more and more shows, attracting the attention of fellow Astorian, Brent Salo, who quickly signed on to play keyboards under the guise of The Creature From the Brent Lagoon. Not three months later and the band was scheduled to play the growing Christian indie festival TomFest
and were attracting the attention of several more well established independent record labels.
After their performance at TomFest, audience members expressed that they wanted the band to be signed, chanting "Somebody sign these guys!". Almost immediately, they were offered a recording contract by Tooth & Nail Records
and became the first, and (as of 2006) only horror punk band in the label's history. Two months later, the band recorded their debut album for Tooth & Nail, The Death and Life of..., at the Robert Lang Studios
, which had become well-known in the 1990s as the place where Nirvana
had made their last studio album. Soon after recording their first album, Jones left the band and was replaced by Thomas Demise. The album had not yet been released when Jones left, so Demise was listed as the band's bassist on the full-length; Jones was given credit (as Spencer Spooks) in the album's liner notes. Meanwhile, the band started touring more and more of the United States.
The band's lyrics mixed topics regarding death, gore and general horror movie fare with a basis in Christian themes. In live performances and photos, the band members wore old suits and pale makeup, intending to appear that they had recently escaped from coffin
s. The band's live shows featured blood spitting, fire breathing, and knife wielding extras, which set them apart from other bands in the Pacific Northwest.
's first full-length, Plastic Soul Impalement.) The album met with some additional controversy in Christian circles, due to its lyrics that dwelt on death, vampires, and drug use, among other topics. The band eventually agreed to included a card inside the "Christian market" CD case that explained the lyrics to each song.
Following the release of the album, The Deadlines hired 2nd guitarist Carlos Colón
(aka Carlos Cadaver) to take over the lead guitar as Shaun Coffin assumed full time vocal duties. The tour that followed would consist of over the top theatrics including spitting blood, lighting their equipment on fire, and on occasion Sundholm's brother juggling knives.
and Squad Five-O
, when Sammy Lugosi, Brent Salo (aka The Creature), Carlos Cadaver and Thomas Demise left the band. Carlos Cadaver moved back to Los Angeles, and then Waisanen, Salo, and Demise went on to start a new project, The Red Sect. http://artfortheears.8k.com/news7.htm After a period of disillusionment, lead singer Shaun, began writing new songs, although in a completely different vein, and once again called on Jerry Attrick to help him flesh the new tunes out. Playing through the new material with Attrick led to the maturation of the new songs from a '60s garage rock to more glam '70s sound. Not wanting to discontinue a still relatively new band, Sundholm and Abbott recruited several new members, namely Joshua Griffith (also known as Shorty Valentine), who had played in Tragedy Ann, and Tim Eurich, of The Killaways. The new incarnation of The Deadlines decided to completely drop the horror schtick, instead favoring a more straightforward sound that blended blues
-based rock 'n' roll with glam rock
and punk
influences. The Deadlines immediately started work on their new album, which was originally called Out on the Streets and was released in November 2001 with the title Fashion Over Function. Soon after, Abbott left the band to start a family and was replaced by Travis Waldie; The Deadlines also added Gerrit Lovesick, who had played with Eurich and Griffith in The Killaways.
The Deadlines started 2002 with an album release party, and they were gaining attention and appearing on the covers on local alternative newspapers. At the same time, sales for the second album were not as high as expected; Tooth & Nail was growing more distant, afraid of upsetting the label's Christian market fan-base, and tried to deal the band to several labels both independent and major. Nothing came of the wheeling and dealing and the stress began to wear on Sundholm, who at that point was the only original member left in the band. Tooth & Nail refused to let the Deadlines change their name. In February 2002, Tooth & Nail dropped The Deadlines after they failed to find a new home for the band. The Deadlines continued to tour for several more months but announced in July 2002 that they were disbanding. http://www.cmcentral.com/news/482.html
Thomas Demise is playing with The Bullies, which are a straight forward Punk Rock band based in Portland, Oregon
. Sam Waisanen has been seen playing last with The Escaped a more aggressive Punk Rock band based in Portland, Oregon
. He is now working on a solo project called Diamondback
which is more of an acoustic driven rock band. Jeremy Abbott
is happily married with 2 children currently not playing music. Brenton Salo is a well known photographer in the Portland
. He currently works on musical projects in between other aspirations. He has published 2 books of photographs of bikes called Rain City Fix and Rose city Fix. go to www.brentonsalo.com to see what he is up to. Carlos Colón
(aka Cadaver) lives in Hollywood, California and is currently working on various projects.
Horror punk
Horror punk is a music genre that mixes Gothic and punk rock sounds with morbid imagery and lyrics, which are often influenced by horror films...
and later evolved toward glam rock
Glam rock
Glam rock is a style of rock and pop music that developed in the UK in the early 1970s, which was performed by singers and musicians who wore outrageous clothes, makeup and hairstyles, particularly platform-soled boots and glitter...
. They were signed to Tooth & Nail Records
Tooth & Nail Records
Tooth & Nail Records is a record label founded by Brandon Ebel in the U.S. state of California in November 1993. The label later moved to Seattle, Washington, where it is situated today...
.
History
Shaun Sundholm founded the Deadlines in 1998 with drummer Jeremy Abbott as the evolution of their punk rock band, The Oblivious Kids, who had also been known as The Chosen Few and The Pinheads, among other names. The band originally started in 1996 under the aforementioned monikers and settled as the Pinheads in late 1996; Jared Beddingfield had joined the band as their bass guitarist. After two shows, the Pinheads broke up. Jeremy and Shaun kept playing together and eventually changed their name to the Oblivious Kids when they added Brian Jones on bass. The band recorded a four-song demo cassette and played a handful of shows. Around 1998, the band began taking on a darker, more horror-punk / rock n' roll sound akin to Murder City DevilsMurder City Devils
-History:The band's original lineup, consisting of Spencer Moody, Dann Gallucci, Derek Fudesco, Coady Willis, and Nate Manny formed in Seattle, Washington in 1996. Gabe Kerbrat was their permanent roadie, and considered a member...
, The Damned or The Misfits. Because their sound had changed significantly, the band members decided to change the band's name to The Deadlines.
During their years as a horror punk band, the members of The Deadlines used stage names rather than their given names. The first lineup consisted of Sundholm, whose then-stage name was Shaun Coffin, on vocals and guitar; Jeremy Abbott, who went by Jerry Attrick, on drums; and Brian "Spencer Spooks" Jones bass. The newly re-christened Deadlines began playing shows in the Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, area and soon caught the eye of a local start-up record label, Royal Star Music, and Astoria, Oregon
Astoria, Oregon
Astoria is the county seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Situated near the mouth of the Columbia River, the city was named after the American investor John Jacob Astor. His American Fur Company founded Fort Astoria at the site in 1811...
, native Sam Waisanen. Not long after, Sam joined the band as Sammy Lugosi; and they were in a make-shift basement studio, recording their first album for the fledgling label. After the release the band began playing more and more shows, attracting the attention of fellow Astorian, Brent Salo, who quickly signed on to play keyboards under the guise of The Creature From the Brent Lagoon. Not three months later and the band was scheduled to play the growing Christian indie festival TomFest
Tomfest
TOMfest was an annual Christian music festival held in Camas, WA, USA.TOMfest was a Christian indie and alternative music festival founded in 1995. Showcasing established and up-and-coming Christian bands, TOMfest presented an alternative to secular music festivals and provided a venue for...
and were attracting the attention of several more well established independent record labels.
After their performance at TomFest, audience members expressed that they wanted the band to be signed, chanting "Somebody sign these guys!". Almost immediately, they were offered a recording contract by Tooth & Nail Records
Tooth & Nail Records
Tooth & Nail Records is a record label founded by Brandon Ebel in the U.S. state of California in November 1993. The label later moved to Seattle, Washington, where it is situated today...
and became the first, and (as of 2006) only horror punk band in the label's history. Two months later, the band recorded their debut album for Tooth & Nail, The Death and Life of..., at the Robert Lang Studios
Robert Lang Studios
Robert Lang Studios is a recording studio in Shoreline, Washington, United States, just north of Seattle. Numerous bands have recorded at Robert Lang Studios including Alice in Chains, Candlebox and Bush. Perhaps the most famous recording session at Robert Lang Studio was in late January 1994 when...
, which had become well-known in the 1990s as the place where Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
had made their last studio album. Soon after recording their first album, Jones left the band and was replaced by Thomas Demise. The album had not yet been released when Jones left, so Demise was listed as the band's bassist on the full-length; Jones was given credit (as Spencer Spooks) in the album's liner notes. Meanwhile, the band started touring more and more of the United States.
The band's lyrics mixed topics regarding death, gore and general horror movie fare with a basis in Christian themes. In live performances and photos, the band members wore old suits and pale makeup, intending to appear that they had recently escaped from coffin
Coffin
A coffin is a funerary box used in the display and containment of dead people – either for burial or cremation.Contemporary North American English makes a distinction between "coffin", which is generally understood to denote a funerary box having six sides in plan view, and "casket", which...
s. The band's live shows featured blood spitting, fire breathing, and knife wielding extras, which set them apart from other bands in the Pacific Northwest.
Death and life of....
After releasing The Deadlines' song "Go, Go to the Graveyard" on one of their compilations, Tooth & Nail released The Deadlines' next album, The Death & Life Of..., in March 2000. Tooth & Nail was planning for some controversy regarding the album, and they released it with different album covers for the Christian and secular markets. (Earlier, Tooth & Nail had taken the same approach when releasing Training for UtopiaTraining for Utopia
Training for Utopia was a metalcore band which existed from 1996–2000. The band first signed with Tooth & Nail Records and was later moved to Solid State Records, the Tooth & Nail sublabel which promotes heavy Christian music...
's first full-length, Plastic Soul Impalement.) The album met with some additional controversy in Christian circles, due to its lyrics that dwelt on death, vampires, and drug use, among other topics. The band eventually agreed to included a card inside the "Christian market" CD case that explained the lyrics to each song.
Following the release of the album, The Deadlines hired 2nd guitarist Carlos Colón
Carlos Colón
Carlos Colón may refer to:*Carlos Colón, Sr., wrestler*Carly Colón, wrestler whose real name is Carlos Colón, son of the above*The Deadlines' lead guitarist, Carlos Colón...
(aka Carlos Cadaver) to take over the lead guitar as Shaun Coffin assumed full time vocal duties. The tour that followed would consist of over the top theatrics including spitting blood, lighting their equipment on fire, and on occasion Sundholm's brother juggling knives.
Fashion Over Function
The Deadlines underwent a major overhaul in October 2000 after their three-month United States tour with The HuntingtonsThe Huntingtons
The Huntingtons are a punk band from Baltimore, Maryland which formed in 1993-1994 in the Maryland/Delaware area by Cliff Powell , Mike Holt and Mike Pierce . The band is heavily influenced by The Ramones.-1993-2005:The Huntingtons debut album Sweet Sixteen was released in 1996 by Flying Tart...
and Squad Five-O
Squad Five-O
Before being signed, there was a demo released, titled: "Cop Rock Demo". This is a highly sought after recording, which included a track titled "Pair of Dice City"....
, when Sammy Lugosi, Brent Salo (aka The Creature), Carlos Cadaver and Thomas Demise left the band. Carlos Cadaver moved back to Los Angeles, and then Waisanen, Salo, and Demise went on to start a new project, The Red Sect. http://artfortheears.8k.com/news7.htm After a period of disillusionment, lead singer Shaun, began writing new songs, although in a completely different vein, and once again called on Jerry Attrick to help him flesh the new tunes out. Playing through the new material with Attrick led to the maturation of the new songs from a '60s garage rock to more glam '70s sound. Not wanting to discontinue a still relatively new band, Sundholm and Abbott recruited several new members, namely Joshua Griffith (also known as Shorty Valentine), who had played in Tragedy Ann, and Tim Eurich, of The Killaways. The new incarnation of The Deadlines decided to completely drop the horror schtick, instead favoring a more straightforward sound that blended blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
-based rock 'n' roll with glam rock
Glam rock
Glam rock is a style of rock and pop music that developed in the UK in the early 1970s, which was performed by singers and musicians who wore outrageous clothes, makeup and hairstyles, particularly platform-soled boots and glitter...
and punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
influences. The Deadlines immediately started work on their new album, which was originally called Out on the Streets and was released in November 2001 with the title Fashion Over Function. Soon after, Abbott left the band to start a family and was replaced by Travis Waldie; The Deadlines also added Gerrit Lovesick, who had played with Eurich and Griffith in The Killaways.
The Deadlines started 2002 with an album release party, and they were gaining attention and appearing on the covers on local alternative newspapers. At the same time, sales for the second album were not as high as expected; Tooth & Nail was growing more distant, afraid of upsetting the label's Christian market fan-base, and tried to deal the band to several labels both independent and major. Nothing came of the wheeling and dealing and the stress began to wear on Sundholm, who at that point was the only original member left in the band. Tooth & Nail refused to let the Deadlines change their name. In February 2002, Tooth & Nail dropped The Deadlines after they failed to find a new home for the band. The Deadlines continued to tour for several more months but announced in July 2002 that they were disbanding. http://www.cmcentral.com/news/482.html
Breakup and other projects
Soon after, practically overlapping The Deadlines break up, most of the members (minus Waldie) started a new project called The Bang!, which had a sound similar to The Deadlines' work in Fashion Over Function but with a more raw rock and roll sound. The BANG! included new drummer Linus and was no longer signed to Tooth & Nail. The BANG! recorded a never-released 3 song demo while on tour in California; but they disbanded by mid-September 2002, announcing on their website, "The Bang! is officially over. Thanks for your interest; stay tuned for whatever's next." http://web.archive.org/web/20020917195206/http://www.thisisthebang.com/ As of 2006, the websites for both The Deadlines and The Bang! are offline.Thomas Demise is playing with The Bullies, which are a straight forward Punk Rock band based in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. Sam Waisanen has been seen playing last with The Escaped a more aggressive Punk Rock band based in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. He is now working on a solo project called Diamondback
Diamondback
Diamondback may refer to:* Diamondback Bicycles, a division of Raleigh Bicycle Company* Crotalus atrox, the western diamondback rattlesnake* Crotalus adamanteus, the eastern diamondback rattlesnake...
which is more of an acoustic driven rock band. Jeremy Abbott
Jeremy Abbott
Jeremy Abbott is an American figure skater. He is the 2008 Grand Prix Final Champion, a two-time Four Continents bronze medalist and two-time U.S. national champion. He represented the United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics, where he placed ninth.-Personal life:Jeremy Abbott was born in...
is happily married with 2 children currently not playing music. Brenton Salo is a well known photographer in the Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. He currently works on musical projects in between other aspirations. He has published 2 books of photographs of bikes called Rain City Fix and Rose city Fix. go to www.brentonsalo.com to see what he is up to. Carlos Colón
Carlos Colón
Carlos Colón may refer to:*Carlos Colón, Sr., wrestler*Carly Colón, wrestler whose real name is Carlos Colón, son of the above*The Deadlines' lead guitarist, Carlos Colón...
(aka Cadaver) lives in Hollywood, California and is currently working on various projects.
Final lineup
- Shaun Sundholm (aka Shaun Coffin) - vocals, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Tim Eurich - guitar
- Gerrit Lovesick - rhythm guitar
- Joshua Griffith (aka Shorty Valentine) - bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
on Fashion Over Function - Travis Waldie - drums
Previous members
- Brian JonesBrian JonesLewis Brian Hopkins Jones , known as Brian Jones, was an English musician and a founding member of the Rolling Stones....
(aka Spencer Spooks) - bass guitar on The Death And Life Of... - Sam Waisanen (aka Sammy Lugosi) - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and vocals on The Death And Life Of... - Thomas Demise - bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(was a member of the band by the time The Death And Life Of... was released, but was not yet a member of the band when they recorded it) - Brenton Salo (aka The Creature) - organ on The Death And Life Of...
- Jeremy AbbottJeremy AbbottJeremy Abbott is an American figure skater. He is the 2008 Grand Prix Final Champion, a two-time Four Continents bronze medalist and two-time U.S. national champion. He represented the United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics, where he placed ninth.-Personal life:Jeremy Abbott was born in...
(aka Jerry Attrick) - drums on The Death And Life Of... and Fashion Over Function - Carlos ColónCarlos ColónCarlos Colón may refer to:*Carlos Colón, Sr., wrestler*Carly Colón, wrestler whose real name is Carlos Colón, son of the above*The Deadlines' lead guitarist, Carlos Colón...
(aka Carlos Cadaver) - lead guitar on the tour supporting The Death And Life Of...
Discography
- The Deadlines (1999, Royal Star Music)
- The Death and Life Of... (2000, Tooth & Nail RecordsTooth & Nail RecordsTooth & Nail Records is a record label founded by Brandon Ebel in the U.S. state of California in November 1993. The label later moved to Seattle, Washington, where it is situated today...
) - Split 10" with Squad Five-O ([2000]), Tooth & Nail RecordsTooth & Nail RecordsTooth & Nail Records is a record label founded by Brandon Ebel in the U.S. state of California in November 1993. The label later moved to Seattle, Washington, where it is situated today...
*rumoured but never fulfilled. - Fashion Over Function (2001, Tooth & Nail RecordsTooth & Nail RecordsTooth & Nail Records is a record label founded by Brandon Ebel in the U.S. state of California in November 1993. The label later moved to Seattle, Washington, where it is situated today...
)
External links
- The Deadlines myspace page
- Archives of their official website - on the Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
's Wayback Machine - Christian Music Archive listing
- Interview with Art for the Ears
- The Bullies myspace page (feat. Thomas Demise)
- Odeum Design / Photography (feat. work by Brent Salo)