Debbie Abono

Debbie Abono (August 31, 1929 ^[1] – May 16, 2010) was an American manager of death metal and thrash metal bands during the 1980s and 1990s.

Biography

Abono was born in Oakland, California as Deborah Ann Downer, a granddaughter to E.M. Downer, who founded Bay Area financial institution Mechanics Bank. She had served on the Board of Directors for the bank at one time. ^[2]

Her career as a heavy metal manager began in her mid-fifties when the members of Possessed, one of the first death metal bands, asked her to manage the group. After they assured her there was "nothing to it ... all you gotta do is get us shows," she agreed and even let them practice at her house. A grandmother at that time,^[3][4] Abono had no connections to heavy metal music other than through one of her daughters, who was dating Possessed's then-guitarist Larry LaLonde.^[5] According to author David Konow, Abono was unaware of the sometimes blasphemous themes of heavy metal, and was offended after reading the lyrics to Seven Churches, the band's debut album.^[6] Nevertheless, she agreed to continue managing Possessed on the condition that LaLonde and vocalist Jeff Becerra finished high school.^[7] Because Possessed suffered from internal conflicts, Abono would go on to manage additional bands in the Bay Area metal scene like Exodus, Vio-Lence and Forbidden, as well as death metal bands like Chicago's Broken Hope and Florida's Cynic and Obituary.^[8] Other bands that she managed include Brazilian outfit Sepultura and American band Skinlab.

Abono died on Sunday, May 16, 2010 at approximately 9:59 a.m. PST after a battle with cancer. She was 80 years old.^[9]

In honour of Debbie Abono and Ronnie James Dio, Machine Head's Robb Flynn recorded and released for free online a cover of Black Sabbath's Die Young.^[10] Abono managed Flynn and Machine Head guitarist Phil Demmel when they were members of Vio-lence.^[11]

References

1. ^ http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/contracostatimes/obituary.aspx?n=deborah-abono&pid=143218854
2. ^ http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/contracostatimes/obituary.aspx?n=deborah-abono&pid=143218854
3. ^ Konow, David (2002). Bang Your Head: The Rise and Fall of Heavy Metal (page 233). Three Rivers Press. ISBN 0609807323. 
4. ^ Ian Christe (2004). Sound of the Beast: The Complete Headbanging History of Heavy Metal (page 113). Harper Paperbacks. ISBN 0380811278. 
5. ^ Ian Christe (2004). Sound of the Beast: The Complete Headbanging History of Heavy Metal (page 113). Harper Paperbacks. ISBN 0380811278. 
6. ^ Konow, David (2002). Bang Your Head: The Rise and Fall of Heavy Metal (page 234). Three Rivers Press. ISBN 0609807323. 
7. ^ Konow, David (2002). Bang Your Head: The Rise and Fall of Heavy Metal (page 234). Three Rivers Press. ISBN 0609807323. 
8. ^ OBITUARY interview - John Tardy
9. ^ Blabbermouth.Net Bay Area Metal Legend DEBBIE ABONO Dies
10. ^ http://www.machinehead1.com/news.html
11. ^ http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=140200

Persondata
Name	Abono, Debbie
Alternative names
Short description	Manager
Date of birth	August 31, 1929
Place of birth
Date of death	16 May 2010
Place of death	Salisbury, Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom