Band History of Diana Death

RAZOR NIGHTS November 2017-November 2021 a classic punk rock n roll band with me + Mario "Moonrunner" Gomez as the core member songwriters. We draw most of our inspiration from the 1970s: schlock and exploitation movies, The Ramones, and Thin Lizzy. Highlights include gigs opening for TSOL, Brant Bjork, and Amyl & The Sniffers with Rick Blair on bass and Matt Franco on drums. Released a full length LP called "Come Without Warning" Sept 2019 and a digital only album "Last Days" in 2021

LOS FANTASMAS - 2016 a band that played obscure ‘60s covers in Spanish with an all-Chicano lineup: me on lead guitar/lead vocals, Bart Mendoza on rhythm guitar, Vino Martinez on bass, and Carlos Mendez on drums. We lasted long enough to play our one and only gig 12/21/16 at The Casbah

THE DINETTES 2017-2019 after being spotted doing a Chinese Rocks gig at Tower Bar by keyboardist Sue Delguidice, she and lead singer Doriot Dinette asked if I would play lead guitar in their reunited band. I quickly learned their repertoire, and we added original rhythm guitarist Joyce Rook and other new recruits on bass and drums. We recorded a 4-song EP at Earthling Studios but ended up releasing only one song. We played a bunch of local gigs and solidified the lineup with Shannon Sabin on bass and Ed Masi (the only male Dinette), but decided to let the band fall by the wayside after our last gig together on 01/18/19. "Take Take Take" appears on a CD compilation called Staring at the Sun, released in 2021.

THE CRAMP’D 2012-present I impersonate Poison Ivy Rorschach in this tribute to The Cramps with Gary Shuffler as Lux Interior, Gary “3rd Degree Burns” as Bryan Gregory, and Declan Halloran as Nick Knox. We usually play around Halloween, but have also played the summertime Tiki Oasis fest.

THE ROSALYNS 2012-2014 an all-female 60s cover band, I played guitar and sang lead vocals on songs by The Pleasure Seekers, The What Four, Liverbirds, and The The Belles. Other members: Lety Beers on drums, Birdy Bardot on keyboard, Anja Stax on bass, Amy Gore on 2nd guitar. I stayed long enough to do one short tour and release a 45 called “Hide and Seek” before quitting the group.

THE LITTLE RICHARDS - 08/22/13-01/05/18 formed by Robert "El Vez" Lopez with the same personnel as the Punk Rock Revue and a revolving lineup of bassists. The group was put together to commemorate the first anniversary of vintage boutique The Girl Can’t Help It, named after a song by Little Richard. Toured Spain + Italy in 2015, where i met my true love Alessandro. Main venues: The Casbah, Bar Pink, on the sidewalk outside of The Girl Can’t Help It. Recorded an LP and 7” single of "The Girl Can't Help It" on the Sympathy For The Record Industry. i quit the band + played my last gig with them at the Casbah’s anniversary 01/05/18, and as far as i know the entire group dissolved after my departure.

ERLEEN NADA 2011-2012 I composed beats and songs on my ‘80s Casio + ‘90s Yamaha keyboards for this attempt at being a minimalist synth + vocalist duo like Suicide or Sparks. The collaboration didn’t last beyond several goth-themed gigs + a few YouTube videos, which have since been deleted by Erleen.

THE VERY 2010-2012 I played bass guitar in this new wave style quartet made of 2 girls + 2 guys: Lex Pratt on keyboard/vocals, Gigo Marquez on drums, and Philip Inzunza on guitar/vocals. We filmed one video “A-OK” and released an album “The Discovery” on the short-lived label Aural Gravy Records. After our drummer let the band, we replaced him with an electronic drum machine and changed the name of the band to MARCO POLO. We released a demo and played a handful of gigs as an electronic trio before permanently disbanding.

CHINESE ROCKS - 2011 to present, impersonating Johnny Thunders. After the Deep Ones debacle I immersed myself in Thunders’ music, fashion, and stage presence. I consider it a spiritual act more than a rock gig, helping to keep his songs heard and not forgotten. I feel especially connected, because the last gig Thunders ever played was in Okinawa on April 8th, 1991: my birthday. Highlights include opening for Heartbreaker bassist Billy Rath, Walter Lure’s Waldos, and Slaughter + the Dogs. We usually play around April 23, Thunders' deathdate, and July 15, his birthdate.

THE DEEP ONES - 2009-2010 I was given some shitty advice that my career wouldn't develop any further if I kept using the name "Diana Death Band", because the word "death" was too off-putting for anyone to take me seriously. I foolishly relented, took inspiration from H.P. Lovecraft story "The Shadow Over Innsmouth", and changed the name of the DD band after its misanthropic, hybrid humanoid race. It proved to be a mistake, as nothing improved for the band. We never completed any recordings nor planned any tour; I became so depressed that I completely broke up the project because I didn't even want to play my own music, anymore. This led me to think of an escape plan and form Chinese Rocks.

DIANA DEATH BAND - 2003-2009, various incarnations of me trying desperately to break through as a solo artist with a batch of new songs after The Gory Details disbanded in 1999. Moved to Hollywood in 2001, playing the Knitting Factory, Martini Lounge, and The Garage, but nothing really panned out with a full band. Wrote and recorded "Long Lashes" for a movie soundtrack called Average Man that never got released. Moved back to San Diego and kept it going as Diana Death Band until 2009, when I followed terrible advice by changing the name to:

DEADBOLT - ages 21 to present. “The Scariest Band in the World”. I play guest guitars during live performances, sing backups on the Voodoo Trucker album, wrote + recorded a song called "The Hearse" for the Hobo Babylon album, and play Farfisa organ on "Go Ask Alice" on Haight Street Hippie Massacre. It all started when I went to the Tiki House in PB with some friends, arriving already drunk off my first time trying Jager + Red Bull. At first I was dancing on the side of the stage with a plastic skull in one hand, but eventually singer/guitarist Harley Davidson strapped his guitar onto me for shits n giggles, not even knowing that I was already a guitarist familiar with their music. I competently busted out with "You Don't Scare Me", and the rest is history. <

THE GORY DETAILS - age 20, 1997-present. guitar/vocals/songwriting. I became obsessed with gory movies, serial killers, and the concept of death, so all the songs were about ghoulish things. Lineup: “Hellbound” Heather Dobson on drums + Damean Alexander on bass for live gigs. The only cover we played was "Dope Money" by GG Allin. Broke up in 1999, 5-song 7-inch EP recorded in 2018 and released on Reanimator Records in 2000. Reunited with all-original lineup, playing 06/06/16 at the Casbah and recorded an album yet to be released.

VAMP AND THE RATS - age 19, 1996. bass guitar. gothic/deathrock band based in Chula Vista; we were 3 guys and 2 girls, all of us Mexican-Americans. Nacho on drums, Richie Soberanes on guitar, Aurora Celiceo on lead vocals and her bf at the time Chris also on vocals. I wrote and sang a song called "God Save Me From Your Followers". Played the Che Cafe and a hardcore straightedge house party, then broke up but I can't remember why. Unfortunately, we never made any recordings.

THE VENDETTAS - age 17, 1994. Very first attempt at leading a band with songs written completely by me. Look and sound inspired by the year 1977, which had by then become an obsession. All my bandmates were fellow students at San Diego School of Creative + Performing Arts: Ben Johnson on bass, Kevin Laird on drums, Paul Stepahin on keyboard. Main venues: Soul Kitchen + the Oblivion, all ages hangouts. Band dissolved when I graduated high school. Unfortunately, I don't have any flyers, setlists,recordings, or lyric sheets from this period.

THE CONSTRICTORS - age 16, summer of 1993, second guitar and backup vocals. Chad Hemus on lead vocals with Travis “Jack Shit” on drums, Kevin Jones on bass, and Malvina on guitar. 1977 style punk, mostly originals + a cover of “One Chord Wonders” by the Adverts. Highlight was playing the Che Cafe opening for Blanks '77 the month GG Allin died.

THE LAMES - age 16, 1993 first time being lead guitarist of a band. It was 60s garage-inspired original songs written by lead singer Rory Eifert, Jason Pepper on rhythm guitar, and Travis "Jack Shit" on drums. Everyone in the band except for me developed a drug problem, and the band quickly evaporated, but not before recording and releasing vinyl shortly after my departure, d'oh!

THE POLITICALLY INCORRECT -1992, my very first attempt at a band, age 15. I played guitar and sang with Kevin Jones on bass, Andrea Church on vocals, can’t remember the drummer’s name. We covered X Ray Spex, The Avengers, and The Bags, but never ventured out of our rehearsal room at Sweetwater Studios and out to an actual gig.