Lȧȧz Rockit
Lȧȧz Rockit | |
|---|---|
| Years active | 1982-1992, 2005-present |
| Members | Aaron Jellum - Guitars Phil Kettner - Guitars Michael Coons - Vocals Willy Lange - Bass Victor Agnello - Drums Scott Sargeant - Guitars Scott Dominguez - Bass Dave Chavarri - Drums |
Lääz Rockit are a thrash/power metal band formed in San Francisco, California in 1982. Although one of the lesser-known groups of the Bay Area thrash metal scene, each album in their history has received high critical marks.
The band broke up in the early 1990s but made some concert appearances in 2005, including a local benefit concert and 2 shows in the Netherlands and Japan. According to the group, there will never be another studio album; however, a DVD titled "Live Untold" was released in August 2006. [1]
Current or former members have also played in Heathen, Angel Witch, Vicious Rumors, Slough Feg, Pro-Pain, Skinlab, Soulfly, Ill Niño and M.O.D.
The group takes its name from the finale of the 1976 Clint Eastwood movie, The Enforcer.
History
Founded in the bay area hills of Berkeley, California in 1982, vocalist Michael Coons and guitarist Aaron Jellum began forming the heavy metal band that would come to be known as Lääz Rockit. These guys were young (Coons, at 17, was just finishing high school and Jellum, 18, was busy attending college and riding motorcycles), but they both knew the musical direction they wanted to pursue. After doing a few shows with various members in the burgeoning bay area metal scene, Coons and Jellum came across guitarist Phil Kettner and drummer Victor Agnello in late 1982 and early 1983. Bassist Willy Lange completed the true classic original line up later in 1983 that would record 4 albums and tour across the United States and Europe for the next 6 years.
San Francisco produced many of the golden-era metal acts (most notably Metallica, Testament, Exodus) and provided Lääz with a rabid fanbase that caught the record industry's attention in America in 1983. Lääz Rockit signed with Target Entertainment (the label that released RATT's original EP) that year and recorded their first album, City's Gonna Burn (still considered a classic) and released it in the spring of 1984. The album received great reviews and the tour in support of City's Gonna Burn established Lääz Rockit's live show reputation as one of the most energetic of the metal genre.
In 1985, Lääz released their second album No Stranger To Danger and in 1986 made their first appearances in Europe supporting Motörhead. This experience helped forge a new, heavier musical direction for the band and formed a unique relationship with European fans that has become legendary and still exists today.
The heavier direction proved to be genuine with 1987's release of Lääz's third album, Know Your Enemy. This record is widely considered the band's best, by both fans and critics. It was the band's first worldwide release and songs like "Last Breath", "Euroshima", and "The Most Dangerous Game" showed the expanding musical direction and maturity.
1989 brought about many changes for the band. They released the powerful Annihilation Principle, a stellar follow-up to Know Your Enemy, featuring mosh-pit crushers like "Bad Blood", "Chasin' Charlie" and the intense first track, "Fire In the Hole", that provided the band’s first video which was featured on MTV's Headbanger’s Ball.
But 1989 also brought an end to the original line up that had spent 6 years together as brothers. Willy Lange, Phil Kettner, and Vic Agnello left for various reasons and only singer Michael Coons and guitarist Aaron Jellum remained.
The two founding members kept the band alive for 3 more years and recorded 2 more albums and a single/video track "Leatherface" for the movie The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III. After tours of the United States and Europe in 1991 and 1992, Lääz Rockit's first appearance in Japan in 1992 would prove to be their last live appearances, even though the Japanese tour was a huge success.
After a 13 year absence, Lääz Rockit returned in its original line up to play the prestigious Dynamo Open Air Festival in May of 2005. Lääz returned to their Bay Area stomping ground as they joined forces with many veteran bands for the benefit concert Thrash Against Cancer in San Francisco on July 9, 2005. This was a chance for their longtime faithful to see them once again after many years of absence. Next, they returned to Japan in September 2005 for the first time with the original lineup and put on an explosive show.
The recently released "Live Untold" DVD (available through Old School Metal Records or from the official website) captures Lääz Rockit during the 2005 shows as well as historic footage and interviews.
See also
- Heavy metal umlaut
- M72 LAW light antitank weapon
Discography
LP
- City's Gonna Burn (1984)
- No Stranger to Danger (1985)
- Know Your Enemy (1987)
- Annihilation Principle (1989)
- Nothing'$ $acred (1991)
- Taste of Rebellion Live in Citta (1992)
Demos, Singles, Videos
- Prelude to Death (1983) (demo)
- Rock Forever (1983) (demo)
- European Meltdown (1988) (VHS/Live)
- Holiday In Cambodia (1989) (single)
- Leatherface (1989) (single)
- Taste of Rebellion: Live in Citta (1992) (VHS/Live)
- Live Untold (2006) (DVD)