Gravity Kills

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

For the album by this group, see Gravity Kills (album).
Gravity Kills
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Genres
Years active1994–2003, 2005–2012, 2023
LabelsTVT, Sanctuary
MembersJeff Scheel
Matt Dudenhoffer
Douglas Firley
Kurt Kerns
Past membersGreg Miller
Brad Booker

Gravity Kills is an American

One Thing" (from Superstarved) both achieved minor radio success. Their music was described by one critic as "a blending of eerie industrial rock with a pop-infused melodic chorus and a bit of hard-core head banging."[3]
Due to the lack of tour support from their record label, they were unable to complete a tour for Superstarved and broke up in 2003. From 2005 to 2012, Gravity Kills reunited for occasional one-off festivals and shows. The band reunited in 2023 as they reissued their self-titled debut album and announced a singular show in St. Louis that same year.

Gravity Kills' songs have been featured on soundtracks for a variety of media, such as

Test Drive franchise.[4] They have toured with such bands as Sex Pistols, Sevendust, Local H, Flaw, Sister Machine Gun, and Pigface
.

History

Formation, name, and self-titled debut album (1994–1996)

As the band was forming in 1994, keyboardist Doug Firley was reading an article where he misread what he thought said "like the Gravity Kills." He went back through the article and could not find what he thought he had read. Firley told drummer Kurt Kerns and guitarist Matt Dudenhoeffer about it and thought that Gravity Kills would be a great name for the band. Kerns and Dudenhoeffer really made sense of the name when comparing what they were doing with music (deconstructing samples and noise) to an architect they were both into named Lebbeus Woods and his theories regarding deconstruction and ultimately reconstruction. In response to a contest from St. Louis area radio station KPNT for a compilation CD of local artists, the trio brought in vocalist Jeff Scheel (Kerns' cousin) to record and mix a track in one week during the summer of 1994.[5] The resulting song, "Guilty", was given heavy airplay and quickly became the most requested song at the station.[5] The band continued to write and record songs throughout 1995.[6][7]

Although nearly an entire year had passed since "Guilty" was first released, Gravity Kills finally played their first live show in November 1995 at a soldout venue in St. Louis. Later that month, the band officially signed a record deal with

Escape From L.A.. The band had re-recorded the song "Blame" for the Escape From L.A. soundtrack, and it was released as an individual single.[8]

Gravity Kills toured in the summer of 1996 with the Sex Pistols and embarked on a solo tour that fall.[9] With the success of the first album, the band quickly established itself on the rock scene as one of the most promising young bands in the industrial music scene.[7] Gravity Kills' album was also released worldwide with chart success in England, Germany, and France.

Manipulated, live tours, and Perversion (1997–2000)

In 1997, TVT Records released a remix compilation album called

tribute album Random, "Poetry and Power". Gravity Kills also briefly collaborated with the musician Moby on a song titled "Suffocating". It was meant to be included on the soundtrack to the film Spawn; however, Moby disliked the outcome, and instead worked with Butthole Surfers for the soundtrack. The outtake was later released online.[10]

On April 19, 1998, Scheel suffered a whiplash when he got overexcited during a warm-up gig at the University Wellness & Activities in

Junkie XL leader Tom Holkenborg injured his back in an onstage accident; ironically, Junkie XL and Gravity Kills were scheduled to join British band Pitchshifter
on a U.S. tour on June 3.

The band released their second studio album in June 1998, titled

Lazer 103 FM. This was a familiar phrase to the July 2, 1997, Summerfest. The station's DJ tried to get the crowd to stop, but he was having mic problems and the crowd ignored him. In August 1999, drummer Kerns had left the band, reasons for leaving as a chance for him to spend time with his family and to return to practicing architecture.[12] He was initially replaced by Greg Miller (who played with another St. Louis band, Radio Iodine). After a handful of shows in 2000, Brad Booker (former drummer for the band Stir
) joined on drums.

Superstarved, Doug Firley's injury, and split-up (2001–2003)

After the release of Perversion, numerous recording sessions commenced for the third album between June 1999 and August 2001. An entire tracklist was completed; however, the band was dissatisfied with the mixes and returned to the studio. Gravity Kills also signed with their new label

Sanctuary Records.[13] The initial sessions would later be leaked online (by Scheel himself), which also contained six songs that had not made the final album's cut.[14]

In May 2002, Sanctuary Records released the crossover

One Thing" had charted at No. 24 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, the band's highest position to date. Just after the album's release, on May 3, 2002, keyboardist Firley sustained serious injury to his hand in Allentown, Pennsylvania
while performing in front of a sold out crowd. The injury occurred when Firley dropped the 300 pound custom-made spring-loaded steel keyboard on his hand, shattering the bones in his right ring finger during the band's performance of their single "One Thing". The band returned home to St. Louis after finishing the weekend shows in New Jersey and New York for Firley to seek treatment and had to sell off the components of the recording studio it owned, thus ending the cycle of tour dates. Firley later underwent surgery to fix his hand.

On January 4, 2003, the band officially broke up, a statement posted on the site read as follows:

[...]Your assumptions are true. Gravity Kills are (sic) no longer together and will not be producing music together under the name Gravity Kills. Each of the band members has moved on to other endeavors. The reasons for this are various and, unfortunately for legal reasons cannot be mentioned here. The band as always, appreciates all the support throughout the years and considers their fans to be the best fans in the world. Those band members still associated with the music industry hope to see you soon with their new projects.

The band members scattered to different occupations. Matt Dudenhoeffer returned to an engineering job outside of the music industry. Doug Firley went on tour with Alicia Keys as a keyboard tech and then worked as a draftsman before forming the production team Shock City Productions with Chris Loesch. Brad Booker became the new drummer for the band Apartment 26, and later reunited with his previous band Stir on multiple occasions. Jeff Scheel went to work at the Box Talent Agency as an agent for corporations, casinos, and clubs. Scheel was also the vocalist of a band called Star 13 (stylized as *13).[15][16]

Reformation, performances, and abandoned fourth studio album (2005–2012)

On October 28, 2005, Gravity Kills reunited to perform for a self-created Halloween music festival in St. Louis, Missouri entitled The Killoween Freakshow. It was initially to be an annual event, as another Killoween occurred on October 28, 2006, at Pop's Nightclub and Bar. Due to a scheduling conflict, Killoween was instead The Nightmare Before Thanksgiving on November 21, 2007. Gravity Kills confirmed rumors that had persisted over the past year on October 20, 2009, and the band announced that they were working on new music.

The band performed in Tulsa at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on May 7, 2010, and at Roberts Orpheum Theater in St. Louis, MO on June 25, 2010, as part of a benefit show.[17] The band was working on a follow-up album, as they maintained an online diary regarding their progress. They revealed a working title for one of the songs, "Again".[18]

Vinyl reissue and second reunion show (2018–present)

On December 13, 2018, Gravity Kills noted on their official Facebook page that the last time the band had performed together was on November 23, 2012, at The Pageant in St. Louis, Missouri. The band was considered to be in hiatus, but in November 2022 they previewed a vinyl reissue of their self-titled debut album. The post displayed the tentative vinyl packaging and no release date was given at that point.[19][20] The vinyl pressing of Gravity Kills was eventually given the release date of May 19, 2023; however, no other plans for the band was made public.[21] Eventually, the band announced a reunion show in St. Louis for November 11, 2023; thus, it became their first live show in 11 years.[22]

Band members

  • Jeff Scheel – vocals, occasional guitar (1994–2003, 2005–2012, 2023–present)
  • Matt Dudenhoeffer – guitar (1994–2003, 2005–2012, 2023–present)
  • Doug Firley – bass, keyboards, programming (1994–2003, 2005–2012, 2023–present)
  • Kurt Kerns – drums, vocals, bass, guitar (1994–1999, 2005–2012, 2023–present)

Former

  • Greg Miller – drums (1999–2000)
  • Brad Booker – drums (2000–2003)

Discography

Studio albums

Year Title
1996 Gravity Kills
1998 Perversion
2002 Superstarved

Remix albums/singles

Year Title
1996 Guilty (Remix Single)
1997
Manipulated

Charting albums and singles

Albums

Singles

Year Song Modern
Rock 		Mainstream
Rock 		The Billboard
100 		UK charts
[24] 		Album
1996 "Guilty" 24 39 86 77 Gravity Kills
"Enough" - - - 98
"Down" - - - -
"Blame (L.A. Remix)" - - - -
Escape From L.A. (soundtrack)
1998 "
Alive
" 		- - - - Perversion
"Falling" - 35 - -
2002 "
One Thing
" 		- 24 - - Superstarved
"Love, Sex, and Money" - - - -
2003 "Personal Jesus" - - - -
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.

Music videos

Year Title Director(s)
1995 "Guilty" Rocky Morton
1996 "Blame (L.A. Remix)" Peter Christopherson
"Enough" Rocky Morton & Annabel Jankel
1997 "Down" -
2002 "Love, Sex, and Money" Marc Romero

Other appearances

Year Song Title
1995 "Guilty" Se7en film
1995 "Goodbye (Demo Version)" Mortal Kombat film / soundtrack
1996 "Blame (L.A. Remix)" Escape from L.A. film
1997 "Enough (Extrinsic Remix)" Hoax IV Brass Monkeys film
1997 "Blame" Test Drive: Off-Road video game
1997 "Enough" Test Drive: Off-Road
1997 "Guilty" Test Drive: Off-Road
1997 "Enough" Airbag film
1997 "Suffocating" Feat. Moby outtake of Spawn film soundtrack
1998 "Last" Kissing a Fool film
1998 "Guilty (Juno Reactor Remix)"
NHL '99
 video game
1998 "Falling" Test Drive 5 video game
1998 "Alive"
Test Drive: Off-Road 2
 video game
1998 "Drown" Test Drive Off-Road 2
1999 "Guilty (Juno Reactor Remix)" Beowulf film
2000 "Guilty" Vampire: Redemption video game
2000 "If" MTV Sports: Pure Ride video game
2002 "Guilty" Evil on Queen Street film written and directed by Matt Spease
2012 "Guilty" True Blood TV series season 5 promo
2019 "Enough" Treadstone TV series episode "The Berlin Proposal" closing credits[25]

References

  1. ^ "Gravity Kills - Gravity Kills | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
  2. ^ Wiederhorn, Jon (January 30, 2002). "Sevendust Kill, Gravity Kills Dusted At New York Show". MTV. Retrieved August 25, 2023. The group's brand of Nine Inch Nails-influenced melodic industrial metal went over like a fur coat salesman at a PETA meeting.
  3. Washington Times
    , January 31, 2002.
  4. ^ "Test Drive: Off-Road". GamePro. No. 101. IDG. February 1997. p. 51.
  5. ^ a b Jeff Scheel (January 12, 2011). "The White Light: The Story". Retrieved June 13, 2011.
  6. ^ a b Jeff Scheel (January 19, 2011). "The White Light: The Rest of the Story". Retrieved June 13, 2011.
  7. ^ a b Carrie Borzillo, "Gravity Kills Gives TVT Pull" Billboard, June 22, 1996.
  8. ^ Gravity Kills Credits (liner notes). Atlantic Records. PRCD6807-2. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  9. Washington Times
    , October 10, 1996.
  10. ^ "Gravity Kills' News Archive". 2002. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  11. ^ Carrie Borzillo, "BILLBOARD 200" Billboard, July 18, 1998.
  12. ^ "Press Release about Kurt Kurns leaving Gravity Kills (originally posted to gravitykills.com)". grantb.net. Retrieved June 13, 2011.
  13. ^ "Sanctuary Records announces the signing of Gravity Kills to the label (via archive.org)". Archived from the original on February 3, 2002. Retrieved June 13, 2011.
  14. ^ Gravity Kills Demos Uploaded by the Band (video). Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  15. ^ "Star 13". Facebook.com. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
  16. ^ "STAR 13 | Listen and Stream Free Music, Albums, New Releases, Photos, Videos". Myspace.com. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
  17. ^ "Gravity Kills Twitter page". Twitter.com. Retrieved June 13, 2011.
  18. ^ "Gravity Kills THE OFFICIAL STORY - One of those nights". Archived from the original on March 16, 2012. Retrieved September 18, 2011. One of those nights...
  19. ^ "Gravity Kills Facebook page". Facebook. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  20. ^ "Gravity Kills Facebook Page". Facebook.com. Archived from the original on February 26, 2022. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  21. ^ "Gravity Kills LP". Revolver Store. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
  22. ^ "Gravity Kills - The Pageant". The Pageant. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  23. Allmusic
    . Retrieved April 24, 2010.
  24. ^ "Chart Log UK: Gina G – GZA". Zobbel.
  25. user-generated source
    ]

External links

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