Shotgun Messiah

Shotgun Messiah was a Swedish glam metal band originally from Skövde formed by guitarist Harry Cody, bassist Tim Skold, and drummer Stixx Galore. Cody and Skold were the mainstays of the band, and along with various personnel released three albums—Shotgun Messiah, Second Coming and Violent New Breed.

Shotgun Messiah
Background information
Also known asKingpin (1985–1989)
OriginSkövde, Sweden
Hollywood, California, US
Genres
Years active1985–1993
LabelsCombat/Relativity
Past membersTim Skold
Harry Cody
Bobby Lycon
Zinny J. Zan
Stixx Galore

Shotgun Messiah disbanded in 1993.

History

First era: 1985–1991

In 1985, the band formed in Skövde, Sweden, as Kingpin[3] with the lineup of local musicians Tim Skold (going by "Tim Tim") (bass), Harry Cody (going by Harry K. Cody) (guitar) and Pekka "Stixx Galore" (later simply "Stixx") Ollinen (drums), and original singer J.K. Knox (Jukka Kemppainen). The band recorded the album Welcome to Bop City released by CMM Records in 1988, which yielded a No. 1 single in Sweden called "Shout It Out."[4] In the US, the song rose to the top 100 of the Billboard Album Chart.[5] During the recording of Welcome To Bop City, Knox was replaced by Easy Action singer Zinny J. Zan (vocals), after the latter auditioned.[6]

The band secured a record deal with Relativity Records. They discovered that a San Francisco band had a copyright on the name Kingpin, so when the group relocated to Hollywood, they changed their name to Shotgun Messiah.[7] The band remixed Welcome To Bop City and it was released in September 1989 as Shotgun Messiah.[7] Shotgun Messiah embarked on their first North American solo tour to support the album.

The Washington Post called their music "cocky, loud and rough"[8]

Second era: 1991–1993

Frontman Zinny J. Zan departed the band in 1990 and Tim Skold took over vocal duties. Shotgun Messiah drafted an American bassist, Bobby Lycon, to fill Skold's former position. Cody dropped the K. from his professional name. In 1991, the band's follow up album Second Coming was released,[9] including their most recognizable hit "Heartbreak Blvd".[5] Stylistically, the band's music evolved into a hybrid of metal, rap, pop, and classical.[10]

Shotgun Messiah released I Want More, an EP featuring cover versions of songs by the Ramones, The Stooges, and the New York Dolls in 1992.[11]

Third era: 1993

By 1993, Cody and Skold were the only remaining members of Shotgun Messiah. In the studio, they created what would be the last Shotgun Messiah album, Violent New Breed.[12] This album was significantly different from the previous efforts as it focused heavily on an industrial metal and punk style.[13]

The duo embarked on the "Violent New Breed" tour to support the album. After the tour, Shotgun Messiah disbanded when their label, Relativity began to focus on rap music.[14]

Post-Shotgun Messiah

After Shotgun Messiah disbanded, Skold released a solo album entitled Skold. He then joined bands KMFDM and MDFMK, collaborating with the former on the album, Skold vs. KMFDM. From 2002 to 2008, Skold was with Marilyn Manson, creating two albums, and replacing Twiggy Ramirez.[15] He was also a member of supergroup Doctor Midnight and the Mercy Cult (DMTMC), formed in 2009, which released the album I Declare: Treason (2011).[16]

Skold released three more solo albums – Anomie (2011), The Undoing (2016),[15] and Never is Now (2019).[17]

Cody joined the band Coma with Saigon Kick singer Matt Kramer in 1994, but the project was short-lived.[18] In 1996, he teamed up with Rhino Bucket singer Georg Dolivo to form Das Cabal. The band recorded "What Do You Want" for the Boogie Boy movie soundtrack in 1998.[19]

Cody collaborated with Tom Waits, performing guitar and banjo on Waits' Real Gone (2004) album[20] and Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards (2006) boxset compilation.[21]

In 2005, Cody composed the score for the film Wassup Rockers.[22]

Zan and Stixx (going only by his first name) reunited in 2012 as Shotgun. They wanted to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Welcome to Bop City, the original debut album from the band's first incarnation as Kingpin before changing their name to Shotgun Messiah. They released a live album under the Shotgun moniker. Their line-up at this point included Zan (lead vocals), Rob Marcello (guitar and backing vocals), Chris Laney (bass and backing vocals), Stixx (drums and backing vocals), and Jonas Beijer (keyboards).[23]

Lineups

Shotgun Messiah

Second Coming
  • Tim Skold – lead vocals
  • Harry Cody – guitars, backing vocals
  • Bobby Lycon – bass, backing vocals
  • Stixx Galore – drums, backing vocals

Violent New Breed

Discography
Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales
US
[24]
Shotgun Messiah
  • Released: 12 September 1989
  • Label: Relativity Records
  • Formats: CD, CD, LP
 99
  • US: 490,000
Second Coming
  • Released: 22 October 1991
  • Label: Relativity Records
  • Formats: CD, CD, LP
 199
I Want More (EP)
  • Released: 17 November 1992
  • Label: Relativity Records
  • Formats: CD, CS
 —
Violent New Breed
  • Released: 28 September 1993
  • Label: Relativity Records
  • Formats: CD, CS
 —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Singles
Year Single
1989 "Shout It Out"
"Don't Care About Nothin'"
1991 "Heartbreak Blvd."
1992 "Living Without You"
1993 "Violent New Breed"

References
  1. "Shotgun Messiah Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  2. "Shotgun Messiah - Violent New Breed Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  3. "Metal Into the '90s". Musician. December 1989.
  4. "Harry Cody Shotgun Messiah Exploring His Potential". Guitar. June 1990. p. 90.
  5. Larsen, Dave (25 June 1992). "DESPITE HITS, FORTUNE FAILS SHOTGUN MESSIAH". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  6. Colin Larkin, ed. (1995). The Guinness Who's Who of Heavy Metal (Second ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 323/4. ISBN 0-85112-656-1.
  7. "New Faces Shotgun Messiah". Rolling Stone. 8 February 1990.
  8. "MORE MEAT ON THE BASS". The Washington Post. 7 January 1990.
  9. "Shotgun Messiah Second Coming". Transworld Skateboarding. March 1992.
  10. "Well, shoot! Shotgun fans know all the words!". Chicago Sun-Times. 27 March 1992.
  11. McPadden, Mike (23 September 2015). "The Hair Metal 100: Ranking the '80s Greatest Glam Bands, Part 3". vh1.com. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  12. "Shotgun Messiah Violent New Breed". ALLMUSIC.
  13. "SHOTGUN MESSIAH Violent New Breed". Alternative. February 1994.
  14. Crigler, Peter (December 2015). "From Indie To Metal To Rap Their Fast Times". furious.com. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  15. Dyroff1, Denny (17 November 2016). "On Stage: Tim Sköld brings the post industrial". Unionville Times. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  16. Carman, Keith (7 June 2011). "Doctor Midnight & the Mercy Cult I Declare: Treason". exclaim!. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  17. Moyer, Matthew (16 July 2019). "Marilyn Manson and KMFDM collaborator Skold to play in Orlando this weekend". Orlando Weekly. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  18. Schulman, Sandra (10 June 1994). "COMA TO BRING GUT-WRENCHING". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  19. "Boogie Boy (1998) Soundtracks". imdb.com. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  20. Dansby, Andrew (29 April 2004). "Waits "Gone" in Mississippi". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  21. "Tom Waits Orphans (Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards)". ALLMUSIC. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  22. "Wassup Rockers (2005)". imdb.com. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  23. "SHOTGUN 26 JULI 2013". Sweden Rock. 26 July 2013. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  24. "Shotgun Messiah Billboard Albums". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 June 2010.
  25. "Sludge Scan for September 8, 1999 | Metal Sludge". 12 September 2014. Archived from the original on 12 September 2014. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
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