Mephiskapheles
| Mephiskapheles | |
|---|---|
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| Background information | |
| Origin | New York City, New York, United States |
| Genres | Ska, Ska punk |
| Years active | 1990–2001, 2012– |
| Labels | Pass The Virgin, Moon Ska, Koch Records, Jump Up Records |
| Associated acts | The Shaved Pigs, SKAndalous All-Stars, Skull-A-Ball, Burn Guitars, Tirade |
| Website | www.mephiskapheles.com |
| Members | Andre A. Worrell Brian Martin Dave Hahn Michael Bitz Wayne Dunton Greg Robinson Neil Johnson |
| Past members | Brendan Tween Mikal Reich Alexander McCabe Osho Endo Vattel Cherry Victor Rice Bill McKinney Bourbon Zeigler, Jr. Dan Jeselsohn Michael McDermott Ian Hendrickson-Smith Gardner Dunn Nathan Breedlove Jerica Rosenblum Rick Sanford Dave Doris Gina Latessa Stu Klinger Ray (last name unknown) James Morris |
Mephiskapheles is a ska band based in New York City. Their name is a portmanteau of "ska" and "Mephistopheles", of the Faust legend. As their name suggests, their lyrics are often playfully satanic in nature.
The band began when New York hardcore band The Shaved Pigs split up, and guitarist Brendan Tween and his roommate Mikal Reich, both residents of New York City's East Village, decided to start a ska band. After recruiting several friends, including keyboardist Brian "Underpants" Martin, the band was formed under the name Skatterbrains. It was changed to Mephiskapheles once the band realized that another band had already taken the name.
On January 3, 1991, the band played its first show at Yugo's, a bar in Valley Stream, Long Island. After a lineup shuffle that saw Andre A. Worrell (as The Nubian Nightmare) emerge as lead singer and frontman, the band recorded its demo tape titled The DEMOn. In summer 1991, trombonist Greg Robinson joined alto saxophonist Alexander McCabe and trumpeter Osho Endo in the horn section, completing the lineup known as The Satanic Horns. The band continued to play live, winning the Brooklyn Lager Band Search in the World Beat category, in 1992, and building a devoted fan base throughout the Northeast.
In 1993, bass player Michael Bitz joined, replacing Vattel Cherry, who had taken over from original bassist Victor Rice soon after Mephiskapheles got started, in early 1991. Cherry left to tour with avant-garde saxophonist Charles Gayle. In late 1994, Mephiskapheles released its debut album, God Bless Satan, produced by Bill Laswell and Robert Musso. Originally released on the band's own label Pass The Virgin, it saw wider release after being licensed by Moon Ska Records starting in 1995. A video the band produced for the song "Doomsday" began receiving airplay on MTV around this time. Earlier, in its demo form, the song had been widely heard on television in New York as the soundtrack to a fitness-center commercial. Mephiskapheles was among the bands that regularly attracted capacity crowds to Wetlands during the New York City nightclub's golden era in the mid-1990s. Other New York City clubs where Mephiskapheles headlined, during its 1990s rise, included S.O.B.'s, New Frontier, New Music Café, The Cooler, Tramps, Palladium, Bond Street, Cat Club, Lone Star Café, West End Gate, Pyramid Club, Kenny's Castaways, Café Wha?, Nightengales, and Tilt.
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