Radio Werewolf

Radio Werewolf was a California, Los Angeles based 1980s Deathrock/Gothic rock band. The original line-up included Nikolas Schreck (Vocals), Evil Wilhelm (Percussion), James "Filth" Collord (Bass) and Nathan Pino (Hammond Organ), later replaced by Paul F. Antonelli ("Lycanthropicord"). The name was taken from Radio Werwolf, a post-WWII Nazi propaganda radio station.

History

The first incarnation of the group existed from 1984-1988. During that time, only the track "Buried Alive" appeared on the compilation "Krypt's American Gothic" (1988). A 24-track-tape was recorded but never released in 1986, including "Buried Alive", "The Night" (which would appear in a different version on the 1989 album "The Fiery Summons"), "Koko the Clown" (a tribute to John Wayne Gacy) and "1960 Cadillac Hearse". Other songs played at live performances were called "Charlie's Girls", "The Golden Age of Horror", "The Final Curtain", "Triumph of the Will" and "Radio Werewolf Indoctrination".

The concerts of Radio Werewolf were often presented as rallies of a supposed "Radio Werewolf Youth Party", using controversial imagery such as Swastika flags on stage, which occasionally provoked riots. Evil Wilhelm left the group in 1988 due to "political reasons", who felt his work being "misunderstood" by a "sea of skinheads" attending the gigs. This lead to the groups' split-up. Evil Wilhelm and James "Filth" Collord continued to collaborate as "Symphony of Terror". After moving to Europe, Radio Werewolf was reconceived in 1989 both in musical style and content by Nikolas and Zeena Schreck ("Alpha Male and Female"), characterized either by fans or the Schrecks themselves as "a long range experiment in the use of sound and symbol as magical influence on the human psyche." The concept aimed to go beyond the limitations of a mere music group and was regarded by its founders as "an occult broad-casting network, a transmitter of hidden and forbidden frequencies into the airwaves of thought, it is intended to conjure ancient and forbidden forces of the past into the future utilizing the awesome power of modern technology on a vacant, media-saturated culture, thus tapping into the darkest hermetic regions of the mind." Their last album was released in 1992, and the group has stopped activity ever since.

Media appearances

Among Radio Werewolf's media appearances was a bit part as themselves in the horror spoof "Mortuary Academy" (1988). The producers of the movie became aware of the group through an article published in the magazine "The Music Connection" called "Who Needs A Record Deal When You Are Busy Taking Over The World". The film also featured the song "1960 Cadillac Hearse", besides "Buried Alive" the only other available recording of that era.

Another notable appearance occurred in 1987 on Tom Metzger's "Race and Reason" public-access television program, in which Nikolas Schreck and Evil Wilhelm spoke at length with an often nonplussed Metzger about the band, the "mortals" to whom Radio Werewolf's members were vastly superior, and the fact that the band did not constitute, nor had any involvement with, a church of any kind (as the baffled Metzger repeatedly suggested). Nicholas Schreck also appeared on Wally George's cable-access television show in 1983 as a proponent of Charles Manson, advocating Manson's release from prison as a political figure. This appearance was prompted by a video released by Schreck named "Charles Manson Superstar" which features personal footage of Charles Manson taken at the prison he was housed in circa 1989. Rumor has it that the footage was taken by Schreck with a smuggled in video camera. The cover featured a painting of Manson by Joe Coleman.

Members and Collaborators

*Nikolas Schreck
*Zeena (ex LaVey) Schreck
*Evil Wilhelm
*James "Filth" Collord
*Paul Antonelli
*Nathan Pino
*Velge Naturlig
*Stanton LaVey
*John Aes-Nihil
*Kirby

Discography

*"American Gothic" (LP) 1988
*"The Lightning And The Sun" (LP)
*"The Fiery Summons" (LP) 1989
*"Bring Me The Head Of Geraldo Rivera!" (12") 1990
*"Boots / Witchcraft" (12") 1991
*"Songs For The End Of The World" (CD) 1991
*"The Fiery Summons" (CD) 1991
*"Love Conquers All" (CD) 1992

Videography

*"Charles Manson Superstar" documentary directed by Nikolas Schreck (Music Video Distribu, DVD Release Date: 2002)

External links

* [http://www.myspace.com/realradiowerewolf]
* [http://www.atakra.com/radiowerewolf.htm Radio Werewolf Tribute Page]
* [http://www.myspace.com/radiowerewolftribute]
* [http://www.discogs.com/artist/Radio+Werewolf Radio Werewolf at Discogs]
* [http://zinnober.net/pdf/EvilWilhelm.pdf Evil Wilhelm Interview by german magazine Zinnober (german language only)]