THE CORPSE GRINDERS - Valley of fear

THE CORPSE GRINDERS Valley of fear lp 1984 New Rose 320 kbps

Forgot to take my baby / Valley of fear / Anything goes / Guessing games / Please go home / She's changed / Stay / Judge of love / Turn away / Miss Amanda Jones / Child of the 4 th reich.

Produced by R. Rivet & A.C. Doback.

The Corpse Grinders : Rick Rivets : Guitars, bass, vocals / Ray Jalbert : vocals, harmonica, percussion / Tongue Blaccard : drums, percussion / Bob Casper : piano, synthesizer, effects.

In Spring 1977 , Rick Rivets and Arthur Kane decided it was time to join forces once more time. Stu Wylder was getting itchy to hit the stage. The demise of his previous group, Age, was in 1975. What a poor boy to do … He was brought in on vocals and harmonica. Jimmy Criss (ex-Teenage Lust) became the group’s maniacally laughing drummer in October. The band was named after a low budget blood/guts/horror film, “The Corpse Grinders”. The band’s first appearance was on a Manhattan cable TV show in early October 1977 lip-synching two songs “Take What I Can” and “Bulldog”. Both of these tracks had been recorded in September with the aid of Bob Casper on piano, Mark Polott on bass and Stix Nickson on drums. An interview followed during which Arthur was asked what his mother thought of his green hair. His answer: “Like, wow!” The first live Corpse Grinders performance took place at Great Gildersleeves, New York City on Halloween 1977. The band was plagued with sound problems, but the energy was overpowering. They played numerous New York clubs and monthly dates at Connecticut’s only punk haven, The Shandy Gaff in Devon. They soon had a loyal following that included Dead Boy Cheetah Chrome. In fact, The Corpse Grinders were the only band to play two nights at CBGB’s Johnny Blitz Benefit. In January 1978 Stu and Rick along with Bob Casper (bass) and Joe Natale (drums) recorded three rough demos on a stereo reel-to-reel tape deck – the original versions of “Mental Moron” and “Child Of The 4th Reich” plus perhaps the rawest version of “Gloria” ever unleashed. A couple of months later, four songs were recorded at Backstreet Studios in The Bronx: “Rites, 4 Whites”, “Mental Moron”, “Pretty Baby”, and “Diamond Head”. Out of this session, “Rites, 4 Whites” and “Mental Moron” were released as a single on Whiplash Records complete with a bizarre sex/death picture sleeve. Kane left the band in July 1978. He later joined The Idols along with another ex-Doll, Jerry Nolan. Kane’s replacement was Bill Spence another high school friend. Bill’s previous band was Cat’s Ass from Boston who had been produced by Moulty of the 60s garage band, The Barbarians. Jimmy roared his last mental moron laugh in September 1978. The drummer’s position was filled by Rock Glitter (who later changed his name to Tongue Blaccard then Paul Blaccard). The Corpse Grinders were laid to rest in November 1978 … but in the tradition of most Hollywood horror hits – there’s a sequel! The Corpse Grinders were exhumed and resurrected by the interest shown by New Rose Records of France. Rick hadn’t played live since the break up of The Slugs in 1981. Stu’s absence from the scene was even longer – a 1979 one off semi-reunion gig with Rivets and Blaccard performing at a wedding as The Fleet!!! The only one still banging away was Tongue who was drumming for The Fats Deacon Band. The group was completed by Bob Casper whose last band, The Shapes (a Merseybeat/pop outfit), expired in 1981. So the Summer of 1983 saw the French release of The Legend Of The Corpse Grinders LP. The album was made up of the Whiplash singles session (collectors take note that “Rites, 4 Whites” and “Mental Moron” are different mixes), other unreleased stuff, and three new recordings. The new material was some of the band’s crowd pleasers from their live sets – “City Rocker”, “Frozen Alive”, and Del Shannon’s “Runaway”. Unfortunately, Stu Wylder disappeared from the scene after the album’s release. He had not been seen or heard from until recently – 18 years later. We had feared that he met an untimely end but are now relieved to know Stu is still alive and well. New Rose wanted a second LP. It was bad timing. No singer. Bob Cataldi (ex-Shapes) sang on a demo version of “Frozen Alive” with some of his own offbeat lyrics. But things fell apart and he went on to form Da Willows. Casper and Cataldi were later to form the 60ish rocking Zip Gun Angels. Rivets managed to coax Ray Jalbert (ex-Slugs) into coming out of retirement. The two of them did some demos in Rick’s home in December 1983. They sounded promising, so recording time was booked at Backstreet Studios for December 1983 through March 1984. A total of 5 sessions. As I said, bad timing. Most of the recording dates were scheduled at times that Tongue could not make. Rivets had recently bought a drum machine, and he was in love with his new toy. He thought it sounded great. He was wrong. The Valley Of Fear album thus was recorded. Blaccard drumming only on one session. Casper couldn’t make any of the early sessions either, so Rivets played bass. Casper’s only contribution was some keyboards and synthesizer at the last session. Things started to look up in the Spring of 1984. Bob Adams joined on bass and former Slugs Lenny Lazerz was added on rhythm guitar. The band played various dates in New York and Connecticut. They only made one studio recording, “The Price Of Meat”, which was done for New Rose’s La Vie En Rose compilation box set. A track by Bob Casper’s new band, Ludovico’s Technique also appeared on this compilation. The Corpse Grinders died their second death in early 1985. The Grinders rose out of the ashes. This was the name that was taken by the new band – a band without Rivets and Adams. In addition to Jalbert, Blaccard, and Lazerz, Kenny Lewitt (ex-Slugs) was brought in on lead guitar and Mike Chieffo (from the 1979 gig as The Fleet) on bass. This line-up lasted into 1987 and made quite a number of studio recordings. From the time of the 1985 break up, Rick kept busy making home recordings. In the Summer of 1987 Rivets, Blaccard, and Adams tried to get a new Corpse Grinders out of the grave. But it fell apart after a few practices. The rest of the group later became The Sporting Bachelors. Summer 1989. Blaccard had a party that was attended by former Corpse Grinders and Slugs. There was some jamming on old Stones songs. Everybody loved each other, again. The idea for a Corpse Grinders reunion was brought up, and everyone said, “Yes!” Now the new version of The Corpse Grinders had three guitarists – Rivets, Lazerz, and Lewitt. Jalbert was still singing, Blaccard drumming, and Adams on bass. Within a month they were playing a variety of clubs in Manhattan and Long Island. In March 1990, fourteen songs were recorded at an 8-track studio in Queens. The songs were recorded live in a three-hour session. They had a nice raw sound. However, they were later re-recorded and re-mixed into rather lame, tame tunes. The energy was poured on at Northlake Sound, a 24-track studio in White Plains, NY, that was engineered by Eddie Solan. The band hammered out seven songs: five originals and two covers of the Stones and Dolls. All of the originals were written in the days of The Slugs. Indeed, this was virtually a Slugs reunion since Lazerz played bass on these tracks. Several weeks after this session, Bob Adams quit. Lazerz went back to playing bass. The band was in its death throes; finally expiring in early 1991. Don’t cry, kids, cause they’re back!!! There are more sequels to this band than there are Friday The 13th movies! And again this new group was the product of yet another of Tongue’s parties! The new Corpse Grinders consisted of Rivets, Blaccard, Jim Hendren (guitar), Scorpio Columbia (vocals) and Jay Nola (bass). They sprang into existence in June 1991. Columbia and Hendren re-vitalized the band with their arsenal of original songs. The name was soon changed to In Cold Blood. They recorded a four-song demo at Northlake Studios with Eddie Solan once again in the engineer’s chair. In Cold Blood called it quits after a year. They played a number of gigs, recorded some great demos, and even appeared on a Long Island radio show. Blaccard married in the Summer of 1993 and moved to Florida. He still lives there operating his transmission business and puttering about in his home recording studio. Rivets managed to stay busy musically. In addition to his home recordings, he played a few very interesting dates over the years – several shows with Twink (ex-Fairies, Tomorrow, Pretty Things, Pink Fairies, Rings, etc) and a couple of shows with Hilton Valentine (ex-Animals, now with Animals II). The band backing Twink was Rivets, Geo (ex-Steam, Scout House) on drums, and Dana Place (bass) – both in The Center Street Band. The band backing Valentine was again Rivets, Geo, Place, John Young (keyboards, also Center Street Band), and Bob Cataldi (ex-Shapes) on vocals. From this core of musicians, another version of The Corpse Grinders sprang to life in the early 1998. The new band was Rivets, Geo, Cataldi, and former Scout House, George Bush on bass. They recorded five songs in May and June 1998 at Paul Opalach’s studio in Shelton, Connecticut. All of the songs were old Slugs gems. John Young also added keyboards to several tracks. Alas, they never played live. The band did back Hilton Valentine at one last show though. They broke up in the Fall of 1998. Is it over? As of this writing, there is talk of getting a new band together for a recording. Cheetah Chrome’s name has been mentioned as a possible candidate to join Rivets and Blaccard. It is time for a resurrection… Do I hear the sounds of a shovel scrapping the dirt from the top of a buried coffin? Is that creaking the sound of the casket opening? YES! It’s ALIVE!!! Pier of Rave Up Records (Italy) has unearthed a treasure of Corpse Grinders goodies – some you’ve heard, some you haven’t – for release on his label in December 2001. Released and unreleased studio tracks, live and demo material – from 1977 to 1998. A must have. . Stu Wylder was getting itchy to hit the stage. The demise of his previous group, Age, was in 1975. What a poor boy to do … He was brought in on vocals and harmonica. Jimmy Criss (ex-Teenage Lust) became the group’s maniacally laughing drummer in October. The band was named after a low budget blood/guts/horror film, “The Corpse Grinders”. The band’s first appearance was on a Manhattan cable TV show in early October 1977 lip-synching two songs “Take What I Can” and “Bulldog”. Both of these tracks had been recorded in September with the aid of Bob Casper on piano, Mark Polott on bass and Stix Nickson on drums. An interview followed during which Arthur was asked what his mother thought of his green hair. His answer: “Like, wow!” The first live Corpse Grinders performance took place at Great Gildersleeves, New York City on Halloween 1977. The band was plagued with sound problems, but the energy was overpowering. They played numerous New York clubs and monthly dates at Connecticut’s only punk haven, The Shandy Gaff in Devon. They soon had a loyal following that included Dead Boy Cheetah Chrome. In fact, The Corpse Grinders were the only band to play two nights at CBGB’s Johnny Blitz Benefit. In January 1978 Stu and Rick along with Bob Casper (bass) and Joe Natale (drums) recorded three rough demos on a stereo reel-to-reel tape deck – the original versions of “Mental Moron” and “Child Of The 4th Reich” plus perhaps the rawest version of “Gloria” ever unleashed. A couple of months later, four songs were recorded at Backstreet Studios in The Bronx: “Rites, 4 Whites”, “Mental Moron”, “Pretty Baby”, and “Diamond Head”. Out of this session, “Rites, 4 Whites” and “Mental Moron” were released as a single on Whiplash Records complete with a bizarre sex/death picture sleeve. Kane left the band in July 1978. He later joined The Idols along with another ex-Doll, Jerry Nolan. Kane’s replacement was Bill Spence another high school friend. Bill’s previous band was Cat’s Ass from Boston who had been produced by Moulty of the 60s garage band, The Barbarians. Jimmy roared his last mental moron laugh in September 1978. The drummer’s position was filled by Rock Glitter (who later changed his name to Tongue Blaccard then Paul Blaccard). The Corpse Grinders were laid to rest in November 1978 … but in the tradition of most Hollywood horror hits – there’s a sequel! The Corpse Grinders were exhumed and resurrected by the interest shown by New Rose Records of France. Rick hadn’t played live since the break up of The Slugs in 1981. Stu’s absence from the scene was even longer – a 1979 one off semi-reunion gig with Rivets and Blaccard performing at a wedding as The Fleet!!! The only one still banging away was Tongue who was drumming for The Fats Deacon Band. The group was completed by Bob Casper whose last band, The Shapes (a Merseybeat/pop outfit), expired in 1981. So the Summer of 1983 saw the French release of The Legend Of The Corpse Grinders LP. The album was made up of the Whiplash singles session (collectors take note that “Rites, 4 Whites” and “Mental Moron” are different mixes), other unreleased stuff, and three new recordings. The new material was some of the band’s crowd pleasers from their live sets – “City Rocker”, “Frozen Alive”, and Del Shannon’s “Runaway”. Unfortunately, Stu Wylder disappeared from the scene after the album’s release. He had not been seen or heard from until recently – 18 years later. We had feared that he met an untimely end but are now relieved to know Stu is still alive and well. New Rose wanted a second LP. It was bad timing. No singer. Bob Cataldi (ex-Shapes) sang on a demo version of “Frozen Alive” with some of his own offbeat lyrics. But things fell apart and he went on to form Da Willows. Casper and Cataldi were later to form the 60ish rocking Zip Gun Angels. Rivets managed to coax Ray Jalbert (ex-Slugs) into coming out of retirement. The two of them did some demos in Rick’s home in December 1983. They sounded promising, so recording time was booked at Backstreet Studios for December 1983 through March 1984. A total of 5 sessions. As I said, bad timing. Most of the recording dates were scheduled at times that Tongue could not make. Rivets had recently bought a drum machine, and he was in love with his new toy. He thought it sounded great. He was wrong.

The "Valley Of Fear" album thus was recorded. Blaccard drumming only on one session. Casper couldn’t make any of the early sessions either, so Rivets played bass. Casper’s only contribution was some keyboards and synthesizer at the last session. Things started to look up in the Spring of 1984. Bob Adams joined on bass and former Slugs Lenny Lazerz was added on rhythm guitar. The band played various dates in New York and Connecticut. They only made one studio recording, “The Price Of Meat”, which was done for New Rose’s La Vie En Rose compilation box set. A track by Bob Casper’s new band, Ludovico’s Technique also appeared on this compilation. The Corpse Grinders died their second death in early 1985. The Grinders rose out of the ashes. This was the name that was taken by the new band – a band without Rivets and Adams. In addition to Jalbert, Blaccard, and Lazerz, Kenny Lewitt (ex-Slugs) was brought in on lead guitar and Mike Chieffo (from the 1979 gig as The Fleet) on bass. This line-up lasted into 1987 and made quite a number of studio recordings. From the time of the 1985 break up, Rick kept busy making home recordings. In the Summer of 1987 Rivets, Blaccard, and Adams tried to get a new Corpse Grinders out of the grave. But it fell apart after a few practices. The rest of the group later became The Sporting Bachelors. Summer 1989. Blaccard had a party that was attended by former Corpse Grinders and Slugs. There was some jamming on old Stones songs. Everybody loved each other, again. The idea for a Corpse Grinders reunion was brought up, and everyone said, “Yes!” Now the new version of The Corpse Grinders had three guitarists – Rivets, Lazerz, and Lewitt. Jalbert was still singing, Blaccard drumming, and Adams on bass. Within a month they were playing a variety of clubs in Manhattan and Long Island. In March 1990, fourteen songs were recorded at an 8-track studio in Queens. The songs were recorded live in a three-hour session. They had a nice raw sound. However, they were later re-recorded and re-mixed into rather lame, tame tunes. The energy was poured on at Northlake Sound, a 24-track studio in White Plains, NY, that was engineered by Eddie Solan. The band hammered out seven songs: five originals and two covers of the Stones and Dolls. All of the originals were written in the days of The Slugs. Indeed, this was virtually a Slugs reunion since Lazerz played bass on these tracks. Several weeks after this session, Bob Adams quit. Lazerz went back to playing bass. The band was in its death throes; finally expiring in early 1991. Don’t cry, kids, cause they’re back!!! There are more sequels to this band than there are Friday The 13th movies! And again this new group was the product of yet another of Tongue’s parties! The new Corpse Grinders consisted of Rivets, Blaccard, Jim Hendren (guitar), Scorpio Columbia (vocals) and Jay Nola (bass). They sprang into existence in June 1991. Columbia and Hendren re-vitalized the band with their arsenal of original songs. The name was soon changed to In Cold Blood. They recorded a four-song demo at Northlake Studios with Eddie Solan once again in the engineer’s chair. In Cold Blood called it quits after a year. They played a number of gigs, recorded some great demos, and even appeared on a Long Island radio show. Blaccard married in the Summer of 1993 and moved to Florida. He still lives there operating his transmission business and puttering about in his home recording studio. Rivets managed to stay busy musically. In addition to his home recordings, he played a few very interesting dates over the years – several shows with Twink (ex-Fairies, Tomorrow, Pretty Things, Pink Fairies, Rings, etc) and a couple of shows with Hilton Valentine (ex-Animals, now with Animals II). The band backing Twink was Rivets, Geo (ex-Steam, Scout House) on drums, and Dana Place (bass) – both in The Center Street Band. The band backing Valentine was again Rivets, Geo, Place, John Young (keyboards, also Center Street Band), and Bob Cataldi (ex-Shapes) on vocals. From this core of musicians, another version of The Corpse Grinders sprang to life in the early 1998. The new band was Rivets, Geo, Cataldi, and former Scout House, George Bush on bass. They recorded five songs in May and June 1998 at Paul Opalach’s studio in Shelton, Connecticut. All of the songs were old Slugs gems. John Young also added keyboards to several tracks. Alas, they never played live. The band did back Hilton Valentine at one last show though. They broke up in the Fall of 1998. Is it over? As of this writing, there is talk of getting a new band together for a recording. Cheetah Chrome’s name has been mentioned as a possible candidate to join Rivets and Blaccard. It is time for a resurrection… Do I hear the sounds of a shovel scrapping the dirt from the top of a buried coffin? Is that creaking the sound of the casket opening? YES! It’s ALIVE!!! Pier of Rave Up Records (Italy) has unearthed a treasure of Corpse Grinders goodies – some you’ve heard, some you haven’t – for release on his label in December 2001. Released and unreleased studio tracks, live and demo material – from 1977 to 1998. A must have. Myspace

cd covers by Max !