We almost named this band Christ on the Bus. This Machine Kills is the first band I ever played in. I believe it was 1998. Brett (Not for the Lack of Trying, Stephen Hero) and I began playing together, then Steve (Dim Mak, the Fire Next Time, DJ Kid Millionaire or something, etc.) soon joined up on bass and vocals. A few months later we recorded six songs and put out this demo tape. Two songs from it went straight on to the split 7″ with Bury Me Standing (we played our first show with them, a little before recording this, and they totally liked us). We played lots of shows in Santa Barbara and Goleta, some in Los Angeles and San Diego, and a couple in Arizona. I was in the band for about eight months before I quit. We played these six songs at every single show. After I quit, there were some member changes/adds, and they released more splits, some comp songs, and an lp, and they toured all over the place.
I made the covers for the demo tape, but, um, I don’t think I have any left. It was pretty ghetto, though – just photocopied photos with lyrics pasted over. One time I made lyric sheets and handed them out at a show, and I’m sure I have those somewhere… Anyway, it was fun to be in a band, playing shows and making things. And I don’t think I did too bad on drums, considering that I really wasn’t all that good or experienced. My ideal recording for the drums on this would feature more cymbals and snare, and less hi-hat.
I don’t have any photos. Sorry. I remember seeing one once, and it showed me playing drums right-handed. It was backwards.
This Machine Kills – demo tape
Also, while I’m not playing in any bands right now, I do play pinball in a pinball gang called the Crazy Flipper Fingers. And, this Saturday the 10th (tomorrow), at 2pm, the National Public Radio show Weekend America will probably feature a segment on us. So check it out, if you can. The website will probably archive it later. I don’t have any mic time, though. They came to a meeting, which are always rowdy and loud (us playing pinball at a bar), and I didn’t bother going on the record. But I should have – I mean, when else will I get a chance to be on NPR? Oh well. My gang name is ROM.
Update: The segment got pushed back to I don’t know when.
Comments
I actually have that demo! (artwork and all)
Thanks! As always great posts.
ROM’s in reference to part of the inner workings of a machine - the Read-Only Memory. We all have gang names based off of pin components. I just made member profile pages for all of us, so you can check out the other names and stuff.
The NPR thing ended up getting pushed back. I don’t think it will air for another week or so. bogus.
After I joined, a friend showed me the ROM comic. I’ll have to check it out.
hey ryan sorry i haven’t had a chance to send you the hundred years war lp yet, but i will get on that either this week or next. interested to check out this demo, also that your a pinball fanatic. i’m a bit of a ms. pac man fanatic myself, a bit different play scheme but tried and true classic nonetheless. i was curious though, ROM isn’t a reference to the comic of the same name is it?