Malhavoc
I was determined to still make the Malhavoc thing happen.
A Halloween show was planned for 1990, late October.
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| Deadbolt; 1990/10/26; Credit: Dianna DiNoble |
Opening the Malhavoc show in Peterborough was an industrial group from Lindsay called Deadbolt. They had introduced themselves to me at one of Elizabeth 'Libs' Humfries 'Boys & Girls' shows earlier that year. I wish my memory could recall who was in the band.
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| 1990/10/26; Credit: Dianna DiNoble |
Libs Elliot [Crawl / Child]
"...Deadbolt were Kyle Sim; Jason Budd and Brayden Campbell [pictured] (I think that's all the members)..."
The one thing I sort of remember is that Deadbolt had a porno playing on the screen behind them when they performed. Or perhaps it was another long forgotten opening act that was never listed on the flyer.
Libs Elliot [Crawl / Child]
"...I don't remember if there was porn playing in the background... It doesn't sound like something they'd [Deadbolt] do, but I could be wrong..."
Kyle Sim [Deadbolt]
"...Ha, ha yeah we thought we could be edgy and that's all we had!..."
The porno video seemed to be some sort of mash up of Traci Lords footage. For those who don't know: Traci Lords was the number one porn star in the world until it was exposed that she was a minor during the filming of all but the very last of her many films. I was working the door that night and was barely paying much attention to what was going on.
I didn't get much of a chance to see the sex video or the opening band as I had just stepped outside the Union Theatre to deal with the local Peterborough police who had just shown up.
It seemed these monthly metal and punk shows of mine were becoming somewhat of a nuisance for the local business in the area. The police had come by and were harassing me hard that night. It seems that they had been receiving complaints that the parking lot was full of smashed glass from beer bottles every time bands would play in the space. The conversation went something like this...
Police: "...There are empty beer bottles all over the parking lot, and we can charge you for that..."
Me: "...I think they might have been here when we all arrived... If you look you will see that there is absolutely no alcohol inside the space or on The Union property so I don't think they would have come from us..."
Police: "...Well, if it wasn't for your event the bottles wouldn't be here in the parking lot..."
Me: "...No! If it wasn't for the liquor & beer store selling to underage kids those bottles wouldn't be here. Go down to the L.C.B.O. and fucking charge them..."
The argument between me and the cops went on for quite some time. Once they realized that the event was alcohol free and they couldn't lay any charges they then switched the topic. Basically the cops told me that if I wanted to do any further events in Peterborough without any more police harassment that I would have to hire them as off-duty security. I remember thinking that it felt like some sort of extortion thing that they were trying out on me. I told them that they wouldn't see a fucking penny from me. I called them out on the corruption of their goals to obtain revenue. Our voices were getting louder and louder as the conversation started to get somewhat uncomfortable and confrontational.
It was at this point that some of the latecomers to the show started to stand around us. "...The cops are here, the cops are here..." I could hear people just inside the door yell out. A crowd of people ended up coming outside and surrounded the cops as we were verbally sparring. Some people were tripping on acid and were giggling and making jokes. They started saying things like, "...Why don't we just take their guns and kill them!..." and "...Yeah, Yeah. Let's fucking do that..." The one cop had a radio on his shoulder and quickly called in for some back-up. A couple of vans and a bunch of cruisers showed up. It was getting heated very fast.
The police told me that I had to shut down the event. I stood my ground with them and said "...No fuckin' way that is going to happen..." Truth was I didn't have the heart to tell the guys in Malhavoc that there would be no show. "...If you want to shut it down then you go inside and you grab the microphone and you shut it down..."
I basically stated my case that we were just a bunch of young folks trying to have some fun in a dead city with nothing ever to do. I told them that at this moment they know exactly where all the kids are. "...Let 'em just listen to the bands and then go home all tired and sweaty from slam dancing. Or go in and shut it down and that crowd will be all pissed off and spread out all over town..."
The police ended up going in the space, looked around a bit then left. The cops would often come by my shows and threaten but they never, ever shut them down. They knew if they did, that they would just have a bunch of kids throwing crap at them! And a pissed off crowd in the parking lot. There were always noise complaints. Hell if I had a show and someone didn't complain then I felt I wasn't doing my job. It was always too loud and that's the way we liked it. After a short time the police would leave. The show always went on...
Inside the space Deadbolt had just finished showing the Traci Lords porno. It ended just as the cops had walked in. I remember Malhavoc was being helped out by Toronto area punk promoter Jill Heath. Jill was managing tours. At the time I believe she was also helping Henry Rollins formerly of Black Flag with some dates. I remember Jill coming up to me and saying, "...Tony, you are so damn lucky. Do you know what the charge would have been for that..." At first I didn't really comprehend what she was talking about. It didn't take long before it hit me. I quickly imagined the very large biker guy in the prison cell next to me. "...Hey, what are you in for?..." My nervous response: "...Oh nothing really..., just showing some child pornography to some underage kids..." For some reason I don't think that whole situation would have gone over all that well. Jill was correct. I was very lucky.
Kyle Sim [Deadbolt]
"...I totally remember the cops showing up and I thought it was because of the video and was a bit worried. But I think they were there just because of a noise complaint or whatever..."
For a few weeks after the Malhavoc show legal artist contracts were discussed at Union collective meetings. In the end Ian McLachlan and I had a good talk about the whole situation and how charges could have been laid. Many of the punks and metalheads at the time didn't know it, but behind the scenes at the Union there were many older, more established artists that were helping to keep the space alive. Ian McLachlan being one of the those prominent figures in the arts and culture of Peterborough. I remember Ian strongly opposing the idea of contracts saying, "...don't worry about it, at the end of the day it's my name on the lease..." He seemed pretty cool about the whole situation. I think he secretly liked that this new generation of artists were out causing some shit in town.
I'm pretty sure it was Dianna DiNoble who booked the second act Masochistic Religion. Her and I were working on this show together as we were dating at the time. I think the date of the 26th was chosen as it was somewhat close to Dianna's birthday? She was a big help with the logistics to making this event such a huge success. She and Kristan Mackintosh even took Malhavoc down to Trent Radio that night and took over my 'Mellow Hour' radio show while I was busy at the Union. Might have even done the radio show for some time after that if I recall correctly.
Kristan Mackintosh
"...that whole night at the radio station was just awesome to me. I felt cooler than I was, just tagging along..."
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| Malhavoc - Trent Radio; 1990/10/26; Credit: Dianna DiNoble |
Dianna DiNoble
"...They [Masochistic Religion] are still my favourite band ever. I saw their last show in '99 (?). Mitch moved to Montreal. I see Martine [Mathews] around Toronto sometimes..."
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| Masochistic Religion; 1990/10/26; Credit: Dianna DiNoble |
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| Masochistic Religion; 1990/10/26; Credit: Dianna DiNoble |
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| Masochistic Religion; 1990/10/26; Credit: Dianna DiNoble |
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| Masochistic Religion; 1990/10/26; Credit: Dianna DiNoble |
Masochistic Religion was more of a goth group than industrial or metal. Over the years the band has had many members with the only consistent member being its founder, Mitchell D. Krol. In the early 1990s Krol "...was doing a lot of drugs, getting heavily into the S&M scene and spending a lot of time with... friend Malissa X... this concept of Masochistic Religion, a sort of dark S&M theatre done to music. All the lyrics were about sex, death, religion, pleasure and pain, and the show was heavy, real and probably illegal..."
Gregory Snutch Knowles
"...Masochist Religion was a killer show. I still have their cassette I bought from that show..."
Candice Mitchell Krol [Masochistic Religion]
"...that was a fun night, our truck died and at the last minute I got my Dad to drive us lol. It was hilarious, my dad is cool, but it was funny to see my dad's reaction to seeing kids stage dive lol..."
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| 1990/10/26; Credit: Dianna DiNoble |
At the time of this show Masochistic Religion was shopping around a demo for their later 'Sonic Revolution Evolve' CD. It contained an amazing slow goth version of Neil Young's heroin inspired 'Needle & The Damage Done'. I loved that song and would give it lots of airplay on the radio show.
Mitchell D. Krol later moved to Montreal. Now known as Candace Kroll. "...Candi is an interdisciplinary trans feminine artist. Her work combines performance, music, photography and spoken word with experimental film and video..." [artist bio]
The early 1990s was an exciting time for experimental and industrial metal crossover in Canada. Malhavoc was one of the acts leading that charge. Malhavoc is the brainchild of James Cavalluzo (aka: Jimi LaMort) with various other musicians added for recording and touring. In its early incarnation the music had an extreme death metal sound similar to the avantgarde work of Celtic Frost. As the years went on James included more industrial; ambient and electronics to the music. It was always exciting to see how far the label of heavy metal was going to be pushed by him.
Malhavoc began perfectly blending heavy metal with the noise and influences of groups like Throbbing Gristle as well as adding their controversial topics to the metal scene. It was a trip that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Much of this world was explored in-depth by Malhavoc.
"...Cavalluzzo and co. first drew attention to themselves because of their penchant for shocking on stage antics, whereupon band members and associated guests would infamously indulge in everything from theatrical displays of S&M and nudity, to role-playing violence and real self-mutilation..." [ Eduardo Rivadavia].
To this day James Cavalluzzo is a dark electronic, cyber punk, musical genius. Spending countless hours in his studio surrounded by computers and other electronic music equipment that I'll never understand in ten lifetimes. A vast collection of horror and music CD's surrounding for inspiration. Hopefully this post pandemic world will bring about great things in the Malhavoc universe..
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| Malhavoc - James Cavalluzzo; 1990/10/26; Credit: Dianna DiNoble |
Patricia Jones
"...I remember standing beside the sound guy for this concert watching Malhavoc. I must have looked young and innocent, because the guy leaned over to me and said 'Just to let you know, he's gonna cut himself'. I smiled and said that I had already seen him do it at the concert in Lindsay. After he cut himself, I leaned over and said 'He didn't bleed nearly as much as he did the last time I saw them..."
Marty Mosh
"...Me, I got covered in blood from James carving the pentagram into his chest. Epic night at the Union..."
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| Malhavoc - James Cavalluzzo; 1990/10/26; Credit: Dianna DiNoble |
Jimi LaMort [Malhavoc]
"...that show was the first day we got those crazy ugly nautical shorts and shirts made. Trying to make a fashion statement with designer matching shirts and shorts. I never liked the way they turned out and that's why we made the joke about nautical wear..."
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| Malhavoc - James Cavalluzzo; 1990/10/26; Credit: Dianna DiNoble |
Christopher Park
"...I ended up getting really mad at James for dicing himself that night. I was really self righteous towards him. I told him that some idiot is probably gonna go home and do it in front of their parents or at school. ...and then he said, 'I'm not responsible for Idiots! People can take the symbolism for what it's meant to be or go and be stupid'. Which I thought was kinda smart, and made me feel like a heel. I ended up working with James at the head office of HMV for 3 years, and doing a bunch of shows with Malhavoc and Thrive [me] and D.H.I. [Death and Horror Inc.]
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| Malhavoc - James Cavalluzzo; 1990/10/26; Credit: Dianna DiNoble |
Jimi LaMort [Malhavoc]
"...I just remember really enjoying the show because when we started we went out of our way to play all ages shows. It was very important to us. Especially when we started playing we couldn't get shows because we were under age..."
This Malhavoc show at the Union Theatre in Peterborough I would say would have to be the climax to the bands that I had been booking into that space. This influential act formed in the mid 80s, and have released four full length albums and two EP's. Every album released for the most part changed in style. What better soundtrack to that plateau of chaos at the Union Theatre than the band's 1990 debut 'The Release'.
I don't recall who the other bandmates were playing that night. The album did have Dave Kiner; Rob Wright and Steve Jelliman credited. At the time of this show James would have also been working on the 1991 Punishments EP that collected several songs left over from the album as well as some remix tracks.
It was a crazy night that I don't think has been topped yet in this town. Illegal porn screenings; LSD induced death threats to cops and to top it off Malhavoc completely obliterating the eyes and ears of anyone who happened to wander into that world for the first time. James carving a bleeding pentagram into his chest, while never before heard metal industrial beats infected our minds like a Romero film. The place was hot, steamy and overcrowded. Illegal fire regulations... kind of packed.
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| 1990/10/26; Credit: Dianna DiNoble |
Unfortunately I spent a good majority of the evening watching the door and missed much of Malhavoc's set that night. I was turning so many people away that a large party in the parking lot was also beginning to take place outside the venue. I prayed the cops didn't return. There was utter insane confusion going on both inside and out.
Jimi LaMort [Malhavoc]
"...I also have a rare recollection of the chaos before we went on stage and people thinking the cops were going to shut it down..."
There was so much money in the cashbox I was getting nervous that someone was going to rob us, so I started just shoving money in all my pockets. Later when I went to pay Jill Heath I had almost forgotten that I had done that. For a moment it looked like I was trying to rip them off as I was embarrassingly finding another ten dollar bill. Then another. Not sure if she believed me but that was never my intention.
Never once did I ever make money off a show. Half of the money always went to paying for the space and then Bud's Music or Ian Osborn for the sound equipment. Whatever was left after that always went to the headlining band.
Ian Osborn
"...I did sound for Malhavoc at the Union once. Guess it might be this show. I had Laura Sturm and Alexis Gordon working with me..."
There was so much behind the scenes stuff that went into putting together these shows that people never realized. Most nights I would be breaking up fights, or arguing with people at the door. The Union also had a 'Pay What You Can' policy that I refused to honor. Them: "...But I only have two dollars, and the sign says I can pay what I want..." Me: "...Then I guess you shouldn't have bought that mickey of rum in your pocket..." Begrudgingly I would let them in and then a few minutes later a long time regular would show up and I would have to turn them away. They would be pissed off at me for weeks after.
Flicked cigarette butts in the urinal, clogging it all up... or that time someone puked in the washroom. I was cleaning that up until the early hours of the morning then going to work elsewhere the next day.
Would I do it all over again?... Fuckin' right I would. Best years of my life...
