Paul's godhead Page

My write-up for Dragon*Con 2001, including quite a few Godhead pics and some commentary, is located here.

Godhead, Nov. 7th, 2000, at the Tabernacle -- Here's my write-up. I never quite finished the write-up. :) Here are links to the four pics I got from the evening (wish I could have gotten more. :))

• Mickey, Mike Miller and me :)
• The band and me (a bit dark)
• Godhead's first tour bus -- first of many
• A Christian protestor across the street from the Tabernacle (you can see the cross, anyway; it was geting too late to use a flash :))

Ed had been told by their record label that they would be playing at the gaming convention Origins the following weekend, which he was attending. After tracking down the tiny conference room they were shoehorned into (its location was posted only at the White Wolf booth, where the band hung out during the day -- and shifted twice both in time and place). Even under the adverse conditions (they had -- one -- stage light for the whole band), he was sold just three songs into their set. So Ed decided to have them play Dragon*Con. Now, set the way-back machine for Dragon*Con in the summer of 1998. Godhead goes onstage Saturday night, with the schedule running a bit behind and a very restive Misfits crowd getting uglier as time goes by. But they play a great set, even while being booed by about 20 overzealous Misfits fans ("it was the first time I've ever been booed on stage," lead singer Jason Miller told us, "and it was not a lot of fun.") But they persevered, and I saw a lot of people toward the back of the room who were visibly impressed by their set.

I bought a copy of their CD Power Tool Stigmata from them at the con (in fact, their CD and the Changelings' new one were the only purchases I made all weekend!). It's an excellent goth/industrial/techno CD.

Now set the time machine for later....I think it was late fall -- maybe early winter -- of 1998 when they played the 513 Club here with local bands Oneflesh (excellent death-metal; now called Abwhore) and Fusebox (a good heavy industrial band). Ed and I and a few others went down for the show, which was quite good -- all three bands were good for their respective genres. I finally really met the band, although we didn't really become close friends at this time. Alas, since it was the 513 Club, there was almost no-one there besides us, but Godhead still put on an energetic set. Their audience -did- include two girls who'd driven all the way from Las Cruces, New Mexico, to see them (!)

Part Two: Second Contact and Friendships Made

Well, during the course of the weekend and their excellent set I befriended godhead and their small two-man support crew, and something clicked. Not sure how it happened -- you can never predict these things -- but it was sometime around their show, or maybe afterward, during a hasty ride down to the Masquerade to see a friends' band who'd opened for local heroes Stuck Mojo that Saturday night.

Godhead are all cool guys, so now it's time to meet them individually, as of c. 1998:

• Jason Miller -- lead singer and rhythm guitar, age 27. Terrific voice, "mesmerizing vocals" according to the Atlanta Constitution. Extremely cool chap and into a lot of things I like. "Wow, I have this Rodney Matthews poster, too! Elric! And Galaxy Express 999, too!" (Jason's reaction to some of the posters on my bedroom walls....) Amazing stage presence, especially with the theatrical performance during "Penetrate." Very striking appearance, too, with his huge bald pate and makeup.
• The Method. Age 21, youngest in the band but among the most important; it's his brilliant keyboard and synthesizer programming that gels the band together. Tall and slender, so you'd never think he's youngest, with never-twice-the-same-appearance hair. He has the neetest onstage wardrobe, too, with fishnets, black vinyl, mesh, etc., rouge and black face-paint. He plays bass at live gigs and sets up the synthesizer programming between songs.
• Mike Miller -- no relation to Jason except, of course, that they're both cool. Lead guitarist, age 22. Really easy fella to talk to. Generally wears his hair braided or otherwise oddly. :) He was really impressed by my CD collection ("Wow, Faster Pussycat! I know someone in that band!") and he likes Dream Theater's guitarist, John Petrucci, so he's automagically kewl. :)
• James O'Connor -- formerly on drums, age at the time 22. James has since been replaced on drums, and although he's gone, he is not forgotten. James looked like the youngster of the band, even though he's a bit older than Meth. Almost always "up" and excited. He walked into our apartment, spied our "video wall" and made a beeline for our videotapes. [tick] [tick] "OhmyGod! A Mike Portnoy drum clinic video!" --And promptly popped it into the VCR. :) Extremely cool, and he tends to collect a lot of female (and some male) fans. He also hates cheese. This fact figures prominently later in this story. :)
• Although not part of this particular visit, Tom Z. has since replaced James on drums. An extremely nice guy, he's also an excellent drummer who's played for Bile and EyeKandy.

• Dan, roadie/tech/merch guy -- really cool older guy, sometimes the voice of reason for the rest of the kids. Has really helped godhead out and I respect him mightily for that.
• "Ajax," or Ron, roadie/tech -- dyed-red hair which he'd sometimes put up in two "Raggedy-Ann" braids. On anyone else it might look silly, but on Ron it just looks really cool. Short and wiry, with an easy, infectious laugh. Lotsa fun, especially when he's not kept awake all night. :)

Part Three: Welcome to the Peachwood Hilton

They'd mentioned they might come down a day or so early if they had a place to crash, so we weren't sure when to expect them. All day Thursday we were on tenter-hooks. I cancelled my online radio show to keep the phone line clear in case they called. The tension built. Every time the phone rang we'd be like "Is it them!? Is it them!?" (Can you tell they'd already made quite a favorable impression on us? :))
Then, at about 10:30, the phone rings, and Tim answers. It's Jason, and they're up in Commerce, Georgia, about an hour away. "Uh, would it be okay for us to crash there tonight? We don't want to impose....." "Well, sure, you can crash here." (Not only yea, but fuck yea. :)) We give them directions to the exit and tell them to call when they in so we can go meet them and escort them in. About an hour later they call from the corner convenience store and we go to lead them home, van, equipment trailer and all. Where to park it? Well.... Wherever it would fit. :)

And so, worn out and weary from a loong day on the road, the band retired quickly to their sleeping bags-- Not! Most of 'em weren't tired, so we popped in some videos. Urotsukidoji: Legend of the Overfiend was first (some of the most twisted Japanime' you'll ever see, definitely NOT for kids), and then my roommate's bootleg copy of Rush Hour. I was working madly on the Dragon*Con website (I'm the Webmaster), and from time to time one of the guys would slip back to my room to watch, way in the back of our big 3-bedroom apartment. Mike was especially amazed at the size and diversity of my CD collection, while Jason really "clicked" with many of my posters and artwork (Galaxy Express 999, Starblazers, Elric paintings, etc.) Eventually -- like around 4 am -- the guys began dropping off quietly to sleep in their sleeping bags. Friday was show-day, plus Ed had hoped to do some promo photography during the day at a cemetary in town, with the band in full stage regalia, so we knew we had a long day in store.

Part Four: Friday -- Show Day

Some of the guys wanted to visit Little Five Points, Atlanta's counterculture enclave (a little like Greenwich Village, but about one twentieth the size), so we loaded up and headed down toward L5P, which is pretty close to the Masquerade. We all ate at The Vortex, one of the better eateries in L5P; we got glacial service that day, alas, which kept us from really exploring the neet shops that inhabit the L5P district. It was here that James' deep-rooted distaste for cheese became apparent. :) Load-in time approached rapidly, and it was time to head down to the Masquerade.

Part Five -- The Masquerade

Anyway, being an old club, the dressing rooms are also a bit...quaint. Behind the stage to the left is the dressing room for the headlining band, a two-level affair with a shower downstairs and more room upstairs. Not huge, but not bad. To the right are two rooms, one tiny antechamber that on this particular day is already home to some disused musical instruments, and an old couch, and a larger room that serves as the openers' dressing room.

That's right. "Openers" plural. No bathroom, no privacy, not much room, no mirrors--

--Rut roh. No mirrors. Mirrors are kinda important in a dressing room, huh? After determining that godhead's backup mirrors are in Virginia, where they're safe from entering this little story, the guys are fretting. They have makeup to apply, etc. "We can go up the hill to the hardware store and see what they have," I observe.
"Let's go!" says Jason, and off we went.
Happily the hardware store is within a long block and they have 12-by-12 mirrors.
"Uh, twelve feet by twelve feet?"
"Wow, the Masquerade better fuckin' appreciate this!"
--No, 12 inch by 12 inch squares, whew -- six for $10. Jason scoops up six mirrors and mounting hardware for two of them and we head back to the Masquerade with redecorating in our minds. :)

Two mirrors are promptly installed on the walls while two more are passed across the hall to the Genitorturers, who were also lacking mirrors. At about this time the crew from Sins of Lust begin arriving..... --And this is quite a crew! Besides the c. six people in the band, males and females although it's often hard to tell which, they've also given out laminates to all and sundry, and the dressing room gets crowded real quick. After some initial reservations we're all pretty comfortable, and there are worse things for the eyes than watching the youngsters in Sins of Lust prepare for their show. :)

Then it's time for doors to open. A guy from the Masquerade arrives at the dressing room and does a double-take when he sees the newly-installed mirrors. "Uh, did y'all--"
"Yep!"
"Uh, okay, cool!"
After the usual time alloted to get people in the door and have them visit the bar, Sins of Lust take the stage. Not a bad show for a relatively new band, with some S&M stage theatrics appropriate for a Genitorturers gig; more of a mooody goth sound than an intense one. Back in the dressing room, I change into something a little less comfortable but more fitting; my black latex jeans, chrome ringed belt, etc.

Jason comes over to me and my friend Chris Graham, who'd been hanging out with us, while they're setting up on the stage. "We'll need your help getting stuff off the stage after the show. Can we count on you?"
Of course, General Miller! The mission shall not fail!
Then, right before their set is supposed to begin, a problem is noticed: no water on the stage! Tim had supposedly gone to get some for the band, but hadn't returned yet, so armed with Mike Miller's request and my hastily-applied crew pass, I ran back to the bar and got a pitcher of water and some cups for the side of the stage. I had become............a roadie. :)

Then it was time for lights-out and the start of their set. The crowd was packed in surprisingly tight right in front of the stage, so I settled for watching from about 5 "rows" back, dead-center. As the house lights went down Tim brought up some red lights, dimly, and "Headache Symphony" came crisp and clean over the PA. This is a kewl all-instrumental track written entirely by Meth, and a perfect way to start the show, as the guys gradually flow onto the darkened stage and pick up their instruments.....

Then they launch into "Lies," the heaviest song on Power Tool Stigmata. When the hard, crunchy part of the song hits, this guy wearing a Genitorturers shirt right in front of me, perhaps feeling a bit left-out after Sins of Lust's more moody set, yelled "Yeeeeeahhhhhhhhhh!!!" That was when I started thinking "hey, this might work out after all!"

I wish I'd thought to take home their setlist. They did most of the songs on PTS (excepting, I think, "Laura's Theme" and "Afterthoughts"). Jason did his remarkable theatrical/performance thingie during "Penetrate." The second to last song was "Eleanor Rigby" -- crowd liked it -- and they finished off with "Pride." The audience, most of whom were there for Genitorturers and didn't have a clue about godhead, either loved the show or at least didn't hate it, which is pretty much the battle won if you're opening for someone. :)

Time to play at being a roadie again. :) Now it's just a matter of getting our stuff off the stage and clearing it for Genitorturers. No finesse, just pile it in the back hallway. In retrospect we should have piled it on the hoist and lowered it down to the parking lot, but this was the band's first time playing the Masquerade. Oh, well....
While I was up by the front of the stage, grabbing busted-up mannequins (part of their stage props) and still tricked out in Godhead long-sleeve shirt, black latex jeans, boots etc., this big Genitorturers fan in the front row yells "Hey!"
I turn around, fearing the worst.
"Great show, man!" he says.
"Thanks!" Then I appended, "I'm just a local helping them out; they're too poor to afford a full crew. They're crashing at our apartment!"
"Wow, cool!"
THAT pretty much made my entire night; everything else would be gravy. :)

So, conscious of the time, and the 6-hour drive to Jacksonville for their show there the next night, we all busted ass getting the gear down the hoist and into the trailer--
--Nope! Tired and excited after a good show, we all crowded back into the dressing room, which was already packed full with Sins of Lust and their huge retinue. To make enough room for changing, etc., that retinue had to be evicted, unfortunate but a definite necessity in that cramped space (Sins of Lust themselves could stay). During this time we should have been getting the gear and props downstairs before Genitorturers took the stage (and the hoist became unusable), but some downtime was needed and taken.

Then Genitorturers started their set to an enthusiastic crowd. We watched for a while, then it was time to start packing things in road-cases for the journey down in the hoist. "Where's James? We need James to pack up all of his stuff!"

Luckily I'd seen him watching Genitorturers' set out in the audience, and I went to grab him; packing began in earnest. By this time it was getting late -- around 2am -- and godhead had to be in Jacksonville by 4pm the next day, Saturday, for load-in and soundcheck; with a six hour drive that meant they'd have to be up and out by 10am at the very latest. We still had to wait for Genitorturers' set to be finished before the hoist could be lowered, and it was well after their set was over when we finally had all the stuff downstairs and loaded into the trailer.

Part Six: After the Show

Part Seven: Home At Last

Morning came too quickly, of course; it wasn't easy but we woke everyone up and they were actually ready to leave almost by ten a.m. --Which was good, because promptly at ten a.m. the Carpet People (remember the Carpet People? They were gonna clean the carpet before the band got there....) arrive again to clean the front carpet.

Tim's going with them to run the lights for them again, in Jacksonville ('twas a very crowded van), so we said some quick goodbyes, thinking they'd be back by to drop Tim off on the way back up the coast. We'd offered them further use of our newly-cleaned living-room carpeting if they needed to crash on the way back, and so off they rolled, to Jacksonville and greater glory. But that's okay, they'd be back to drop off Tim in a day or two--

--But they weren't. Tim ended up accompanying them up the coast, staying with them in the DC area, and then running lights for them at their headlining show at Mother's, in NYC, a tiny dump of a club but a good place to record a performance video...which they did, for the song "Bleed." So, this segment of our story continues with daily updates....

March 16th:

March 18th:

March 24th:

Later in 1999

Then, of course, they played Dragon*Con in July.

Godhead at Dragon*Con

Due to the lateness of the hour (GH played at 2:20 am, GWAR followed at 3:20, due to delays in resetting the stage from the Costume Contest earlier), Godhead actually drew a larger audience than GWAR did. They also sold every CD they brought with them (would have sold more, too, if they'd had them there) and made a LOT of new fans.

Of course I had a great time hangin' with them. This time they'd brought their new soundman, Matt, plus Ajax again, and Nicole, Mike's girlfriend (and a delightful person) also attended. At one point we had to take Meth to the hospital for removal of -- something -- in his abdomen (and he's fine, now, really...but boy howdy, he was Mr. Mellow on those meds :)).

It was, overall, a very successful visit and gig for them, and hopefully they'll be back once again in 2001 for Dragon*Con in August. :)

Godhead on the Christian Death tour

Godhead Headlines the Masquerade, Nov. 10th

The Future

Our Godhead "Schwag" :)

One of James' drumheads and a beat-up drumstick. The stick was inscribed by James after their first stay at the apartment with "To the best!" (He'd wanted to add "host," but ran out of room.) As for the drumhead, hey, what can I say? James is really cool. :)

A nice-looking -- but cracked -- cymbal autographed for me by the band.

Another cracked cymbal, signed for Tim by the band. This one's kinda funny: an ongoing joke during the Gwar/Godhead tour revolved around Tim and a chicken sandwich that "had Tim's name all over it," and when Jason signed the cymbal, he liberally put Tim's name all over it.... :)

Here's a copy of the Dragon*Con setlist from 1999. Note the old song ("Killing Time") from pre-Power Tool release. :)

• Contents of Paul's CD changers
• My current favorite musical vibes
• My Favorite books
• My List of books read since Oct. 1995
• Uranium 235 (a band somewhat similar to godhead, and friends of theirs)
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