Mailbag
I've received literally thousands, too many to post them all. This is
just a sampling. Some of these messages have been edited to save bandwidth.
From: Brian Russ
Date: Wed, 12 Feb 1997 14:43:08 -0800 (PST)
Good work. My next update will have a link from my Possessed
page to yours. One very minor correction -- you mentioned LaLonde
joining Blind Illusion -- they were a San Francisco band, not an
LA band. I know, very nitpicky :-)
Date: Sat, 12 Jul 1997 18:49:37 +0100
From: Chad Paulson
Subject: you rule
My endless quest for POSSESSED has left me feeling like a relic.Thanks
for the restored hope! I'll keep an eye on your page.
Date: Sun, 27 Jul 1997 02:26:01 -0400
From: ChorazaiM
Subject: ...
Just had to say - Great fucking page! There's a total lack of pages
on early 80s death/thrash bands, and I was happy to find yours. I'm
currently in the process of making a "80s black thrash/death" page, and
I should be getting around to scanning a lot of my old zines and whatnot
- when I do, I'll drop you a line and you can pillage the graphics and
whatnot. Keep up the great work on your site....
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 1997 16:17:47 -0500
From: Colin Carmichael
Subject: Possessed Reunion info
This is Colin Carmichael. I played in a version of Possessed from August
1990 through December 1990. Our line up at the time was Mike Torrao on
Guitar, Bob Yost on Bass, Myself on Drums, and Duane Connley on Guitar.
Both Myself and Duane quit in December of 1990 to pursue our other band,
Sanguinary (A San Francisco band that gigged around a lot in 1991-92.) I
have a copy of the demo from 1991 (Possessed) if you're interested in a
copy, return my message. Cool page!
Date: Sat, 14 Jun 1997 00:10:26 -0400
From: Conspiracy
Subject: Hey...
I love the band Possessed... Seven Churches was one of the first death
metal albums I ever heard, and I got the tape about 5 years ago for free
from a record shop that was going out of business... The tape broke
(from excessive playing) a few years ago, and I haven't been able to
find any CDs anywhere for Possessed... You say Roadrunner re-released
Seven Churches? Do you know where I could get some info on how to order
some Possessed albums?
From: CDugay@aol.com
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 1997 13:06:19 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: ay there
Great site on Possessed!!!! I'am glad to see something on them, it seems
very few Death/Extreme Metal fans that I have met don't know of them. I wish
I could add to your site but for now I can't, but if I can I would with out a
doubt. Do you know if there are any shirts still being made related to
Possessed? Probably not, but if there is a possibility, can you find me
someone to contact to create "Eyes of Horror" all over print of the cover?
Once again great job on the site and best of luck to you and Becerra.
Chris D.
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 1997 09:37:43 -0400 (EDT)
From: CDugay@aol.com
Subject: Re: ay there
Chris here of Virginia, responding to your reply of my first letter. I found
your site by looking for Possessed alone, your site from what I have done
search wise is the best of the sites I have seen so far. . .
Date: Fri, 1 Aug 1997 01:51:09 -0700 (PDT)
From: mailorder@blackmetal.com
Subject: Checked out your great site!
Hail Vic! Ave Rampage!
I did check out your site, & was thoroughly impressed! It's one of the
best sites on the web! I'm getting on Debbie's case to forward a banner to
you & we'll definitely add you to our links page! *(Just be sure to remind
Debbie if you don't see it in our site in a week or two-- she's always
lagging!)
Man, that Possessed page is the fvcking greatest!
Okay, keep up the good work! Metal!
Elden M (Cheers!)
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 1997 23:49:36 -0200
From: Fabricio de Oliveira Grellet
Subject: Greetings!
Dear Friend:
I'm really impressed with your home page dedicated to Possessed. I'm
real fan of the band, since I was younger!
Here in Brazil the band's not well known... but I bought every one of
the records.
Then, came the CD era! I sold my albums to buy the compact-discs... that
I never saw! (So, I don't have any Possessed album here anymore!).
At least, your page was helpful... and made me happy again!!
Thanks, buddy!
Fabrício Grellet - Sao Jose dos Campos/SP - BRAZIL.
Date: Thu, 27 Mar 1997 23:25:32 +0000
From: Travis Lorden <"drohmpath@cyberportal.net"@cyberportal.net>
Organization: desolatepath/drohm
Subject: fucking metal!!!
Travis from Drohm/Desolate Path 'zine here...checked out your
web page, it's fucking great!! Loved the Possessed and Burzum
sites. How about something on the Californian speed metal band
Holy Terror? Also, how could I get my band on there? Please reply!
In desolation...
Travis
Date: Tue, 26 Aug 1997 20:10:18 -0300
From: Ghirotti
Subject: Possessed posses!!
Hi there!!
Just would like to thank you for your great possessed page. I've been
listening to possessed since seven churches was released, and believe
me, their records are pretty hard to find here (i live in Brasil).
I don't know if you like Sepultura, but they were heavily influenced by
possessed when tehy started (1984). We all used to hang out together
(the metal scene here in Brasil was so small that everyone knew each
other, all the bands hung around with their fans, nobody knew that
Sepultura would one day be that big!!!) we always talked with Max and
Igor, and they loved possessed!! Check out Sepultura's first two album's
(Morbid visions/bestial devastation) they are total death metal
possessed like!.
Those albums (Bestail and morbid) were released in 1985/86. I remeber
that Igor even corresponded with Chuck form Death even before death had
released "scream bloody gore"...(he's wearing a death t-shirt that he
bought directly form chuck on the back cover of "morbid")the underground
was so strong!!
As for Mike Torrao..i hope he goes on with his new band, and i hope that
it is as brutal and extreme as possessed was!!!!
Do you still get in touch with Jeff? I had read that he was shot on "a
drug deal gone bad" (which obviously implies that he was shot while
buying..or at least dealing with drugs) But since you got in touch with
him..i hope it is not true (that he was buying drugs, that is!!)
Well, thanks for the great page!!!
get in touch...
Joaquim, Brasil
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 1997 21:32:02 -0400
From: "Gigantor,the Space age robot"
Subject: Possessed albums
Love the page,man. Possessed in my opinion is the greatest death metal
band ever and one of the few that really mattered. Anyway,I have an idea
about the Possessed re-issues. You might encourage people to write to
the major metal labels(Roadrunner,Metal blade,Century Media)and tell
them to reissue the albums to prove that there is a demand. I don't know
if it works or not but it's at least worth a shot.
Date: Wed, 26 Feb 1997 10:56:58 -0500 (EST)
From: GORTICIAN@aol.com
Subject: Re: you rule
I'm with you, Seven Chruches, the whole album, rules. We may eventually cover
'Burning in Hell' or 'Swing of the Axe' in the future. When I was about 13 or
14, and just getting into Slayer and Exodus, I went to a Motley Crue concert
(my mom did promotions). I bought a fake hit of acid on a sugar cube, and
went to the Record Gallery. The tapes were next to the counter, and above my
head, but I somehow stole a tape: Seven Churches. The next day I tried to
listen. At first, it sounded like static. After about 2 listens, suddenly I
could understand what the singer was saying. What a mindfuck! They were
gnarlier than Destruction! I think Possessed practically invented Death
Metal.
Jason
GORTICIAN
From: "Power Thrashing Death"
Subject: Re: Metal
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 1997 20:48:29 -0500
Thanks for the email. Cool page! I've linked your Possessed page to Pure
Fucking Metal. Thanks for the link too. I don't have a special graphic at
the moment, but I'm working on one.
Thrash on!!!
--Aaron
From: Hairyfella@aol.com
Date: Sun, 15 Jun 1997 01:21:39 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: great
Your site is excellent!!!!
I work at NECROPOLIS RECORDS, we specialize in black metal etc.
POSSESSED is in the sterio at least 3 times a week.
Do you knoe where to get them on cd? I have all the vinyle but np luck on
disc.
Let me know if you have any info, and keep up the great work!!!!
Thanx
Corey
From: mufwompus@webtv.net (henry earle)
Date: Thu, 1 May 1997 08:51:16 -0400
Subject: Possessed
possessed is the greatest fucking old satan-metal band!!! E-mailme at
THAL666@HotMail.com
Date: Sat, 26 Jul 1997 23:41:20 -0300
From: Tanya Hawboldt
Subject: your Possessed page
Hey, I really liked your Possessed page. It rocks. There was a lot of
shit I was wondering and your page filled me in.
Thanks for putting up the cool page on Possessed. Later.
Jason MacKenzie
email:tanya@north.nsis.com
Please check out my bands site-SPUR:http://www.nsis.com/~tanya
Date: Fri, 25 Jul 1997 23:15:47 -0800
From: "Jeff B. B."
Organization: Possessed
Subject: POSSESSED
Hey Vic, This is Jeff Becerra. Cool updates on the page!!
Just finished summer school, got 3 weeks off. Party time!
Your friend Jeff Benjamin Becerra.
Date: Thu, 31 Jul 1997 22:23:07 -0800
From: "Jeff B. B."
Organization: Possessed
Subject: Jeff B's WWW
Hey Vic, this is Jeff Becerra. I don't care if you tell people how to
get in touch with me. Here is my world wide web site address (it's kind
of lame because I just started construction)
http://www.netwizards.net/~w1zj/
From: Jeremy1973@webtv.net (Jeremy Hummel)
Date: Wed, 20 Aug 1997 17:41:03 -0400
Subject: possessed was the first death metal
band. all the bands from S.f. area like
metallica,exodus,slayer where just thrashy
ironmaden laced bands.its a shame if
possessed would have stayed with it
they could have went far.mabey the first
death metal band to play stadiums. or play
the awards like metalica. its a real fucking shame
Date: Fri, 25 Jul 1997 10:37:28 -0600
From: jlesanche@poohbah.lscorp.com (John LeSanche)
Subject: great site...
Possessed was my first death metal experience back in grammar school (10+
yrs. ago) and to this day I think their music is absolutely awesome. They
are what true death metal is all about!
I really enjoyed your site!
10,000 years...
John LeSanche
jlesanche@lscorp.com
Date: Fri, 7 Mar 1997 16:03:38 -0300
From: José de Sá Neto
Subject: Possessed
Hello.
This is José Felipe,from Brazil.First of all,I'd like to congratulate nd
thank you for the Possessed.It is one of the first(if not the first) and
most influent Death/Black Metal bands,and simply they don't get the coverage
they deserve.I would like to know if there is any way to contact the
band.Can you help me?
Thanks anyway.
Date: Thu, 24 Apr 1997 13:29:37 -0400
From: Linda Flynn
Subject: Possessed Web-page
Hi!
My name is Justin. I just wanted to email you to let you know your
page is great!!! I've been into deathmetal for about 4 years now, and
lately I've been seeking out info on the "older" bands. Possessed is one
of them. Your page let me know everything I needed to know. So, I just
wanted to say keep up the good work!
ALL HAIL THE TRUE METAL OF DEATH!!!
Justin Flynn
Date: Wed, 13 Aug 1997 20:45:09 +0200
From: Kurt Christiaens
Organization: astroworld
Subject: POSSESSED
Well Vic,
Ok, there's also a reissue in the Roadracer pricekiller collection, its
a reissue of 7churches. I dont know if it is a euro-only release.
I have also the original inner sleeve of the 7 chuches album completely
covered with photo's. Do you have it? If no, say yes and I do a scan.
Ther were also I think official band photo's in the pre 7churches period
on wich the band posed before a grafitti covered wall and they looked
like down from hell. They just blew me away with the agressive outlook
covered with nails-leather and satanic symbols. Well, the younger kids
will think that black metal and it's symbolism is something new. WRONG,
bands like Possessed, Celtic Frost, Destruction, Sodom just invented it
15 years ago. It's a great world.
Also looking for live video/audio.
Where to start my search?
KURT
From: MANTAS1395@aol.com
Date: Sat, 15 Mar 1997 00:23:27 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Possessed
YOU RULE for making a Possessed page!!!!! If possible, it would be great to
see some pictures from the Seven Churches album. I have the Roadracer issued
CD, but it has no pictures, which sucks!!! I know the original vinyl on
Combat did, and it would be great to see them again!! Anyway, GREAT page,
thanks and keep up the good work!!
MANTAS@aol.com
From: u1012857@warwick.net
Date: Sat, 19 Jul 1997 03:30:15 -0700
Subject: Possessed home page
Great job on the Possessed home page. Very informative and well written.
I'm a big fan of the band from way back ('85 to be exact) and it was
great to see such a well done page devoted to this staggeringly
important band on the web.
Keep banging,
Mike Grefski
Date: Sun, 22 Jun 1997 15:25:11 +0200
From: Mikolaj Waszczuk
Subject: possessed
Hi... i see your page... its great... i like possessed and others death
metal bands as dark angel, death, nasty savage... huh... I like too thrash
metal: assassin, sodom, destruction, coroner, sdi...
greetz, mike
Date: Fri, 25 Apr 1997 01:35:39 -0700
From: raz
Subject: hello from TR
Good Job!
Funny the more things change the more they stay the same. I visited your
Possessed site and it brough back some cool memories.
I saw Possessed several time in NY. Once with Kreator, At War, and Voi-
Vod. Slayer came on as guests to play a cut from the then to be released
Reign in Blood album. Pretty sick.
I also saw them in a dive out on Long Island with Dark Angel. They we're
pretty pissed since there was about 15 people at the show. Mike was
staying in the van being anti-social. I got to know Debbie who was there
manager at the time, she went on to manage Violence.
I continued my Death, Speed, and Thrash metal career at WUSB 90.1 in NY
where I did the Powersurge and then moved into music forming GRAVEYARD.
Did alot of cool hanging with the then young evil Chuck, Snake, Keith
Dean (Holy Terror), Suffocation, Max, you name it. Oh yea, Schmier.
The reason I'm writing. I can seem to find anything on Destruction on
the net. Can you help me out?
LAST BUT NOT LEAST - are you going to Einhoven for Dynamo?
Take care and keep metal alive!!!
RAz
From: satai@videotron.ca
Date: Tue, 15 Jul 1997 23:55:53 +0000
Organization: THE GREY COUNCIL
Subject: Finally someone who remembers!!!
I'm glad you did a page on Possessed! This is my favorite band of all
times, and I even asked Jeff Becerra to join my band when possessed
split up, but I asked about a month before his fatal accident, so he
never joined officially, but he was on his way, dammit I should have
contacted him earlier, maybe this would never have happened!
My name is Yvan Ratelle and I live near Montreal, Canada, and I'm a
guitar player looking for musiciens, I have many songs in
stock(originals) and I still appreciate my Possessed albums as if they
were new! Unfortunately, I can't find the CD's so I'm stuck with tapes I
recorded from the original albums.
I wish I could find the 3 albums but every store in montreal I went to
tells me the same thing; the distributor has those titles no more!
By the way, where are you from? Are those albums available somewhere
near you? My last resourse was to take the original vinyl on dump it on
a CD, like you said on your page, but anyway, if you found something,
PLEASE let me know.
If you want to know more about the story about Jeff joining my band,
let me know, it'll be a pleasure. Even the "ex" manager of Possessed was
surprised to meet me at a Spudmonster concert in Montreal, But I was
even more surprised to know that Jeff had told his manager he wanted to
join my band and that Jeff even had his manager listen to those tapes I
sent him!
Well, I hope to hear from you soon, and long live their music in our
lives!
Your pal Yvan
From: Savdog99@aol.com
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 1997 00:11:39 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: POSSESSED
Hello- just came across your Possessed site. Looks great! I wanted to let
you know that I have the Under One Flag Cd with Beyond The Gates and The Eyes
Of Horror on one CD, so yes it does exist. They did a lot better job than
Combat on the inlay booklet, which has lyrics and pictures in it. Keep up
the good work.
Jeff
Date: Sat, 05 Apr 1997 23:19:42 -0800
From: Skip Thompson
Organization: Black Sunshine
Subject: J.B.
Thanks for updating the info about Jeff. I met him after I broke my
neck in a motorcycle accident. He'd been in a chair for awhile and
helped me a lot.
He is what you might call 'one HELL of a guy.'
Skip
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 1997 10:31:01 -0800
From: Sol Boyce
Organization: Healtheon Corporation
Subject: I never would have known...
That Larry Lalonde
of PRIMUS was in a death metal band. I love the rhythm/lead style he
possesses in the band in wuch he is 5 albums strong ( besides any recent
side projects ). What is up with the rest of those heads (excluding
Jeff, poor fella). let me know if you wish.
SOLOMON XAVIER BOYCE
DESTINATIONZERO
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 1997 20:29:45 -0500
From: Terry Parr
Subject: Possessed
Cool page. I was starting to think I was the only one who even new of
Possessed. Do you know where to get the cds?
Terry
afawcett@luminet.net
Date: Sun, 07 Sep 1997 14:20:03 +0200
From: Tomas Andersson
Subject: POSSESSED HOMEPAGE
HELLO!
Im really happy to see a official homepage of POSSESSED...
They are the best DEATH/THRASH band and will always be....
Just wanted to tell you i really enjoy this page... I will put a link to
it on my page..
WAR MASTERS PAGE at http://home1.swipnet.se/~w-12892/ check it out....
Stay Heavy!!!
From: WEEDCORE@aol.com
Date: Fri, 5 Sep 1997 20:56:45 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: AWESOME
hey, i really like your possessed page! are you into such bands as
Hellbastard? candlemass?
anyways- that Panterrible page is about the best thing I've seen on the
internet in a long time. Too bad there isnt one about koRn as well.
here is my page.....HERE
I am going to link your page to mine very soon!
take it easy bro
From: "Rob Stanfield"
Subject: Great!
Date: Sat, 24 Jan 1998 16:34:57 -0800
Thanks for the info on Possessed! I remember listening to them in high school.
What a great band. I saw them in Long Beach, California at Fenders Grand Ballroom
just after the release of Beyond The Gates. As far as I know the club no longer
exists. Funny shit to look back on though... the fondest memory of that show is
when we were waiting in line to get into the place and across the street there were
Christians actually picketing the show! I thought, "Fuck if this ain't the funniest
shit I've ever seen!" Finally some big ass long haired mean lookin mother fucker
yells out, "LET'S JUMP 'EM!", and the whole line of leather jacket wearing metal
heads jump up and stomp a foot in their direction. Every picketing christain jumped
and all us metal heads started laughing our asses off.
Oh yea.. that's the first show I saw a girl join the mosh pit... she ran out seconds
later without a top on!
From: naples1871@webtv.net (Eloy Sosa)
Date: Fri, 23 Jan 1998 20:40:52 -0700
Subject: possessed
Hi ,Vic.Just want to say nice possessed page .I like the rest that come
to visit the possessed site do think they were a very awesome band.How i
miss that early 80's metal.I too was blown away with that seven churches
album,especially with larry's solos full speed.I hope they can re-issue
those possessed albums soon.
They were one of a kind.Thanks for the possessed site.
Date: Thu, 22 Jan 1998 23:08:14 -0800
From: npknowler
Subject: Possessed
This is the first site I have come across on Possessed. A band that
influenced me incredibly. There has NEVER been a band as incredible as this
band was. Unfortunately, like all great things they did not last nearly
long enough. Seven Churches has no comparison. I appreciate the time given
to this site. I have enjoyed it. Later.
Date: Sun, 04 Jan 1998 12:46:44 -0500
From: Mike Smith
Subject: (no subject)
Hello, this is Mike speaking from Deceased... Possessed have always
been one of my favorites. I travelled to New York to see their first
east coast show and they killed us!! The next couple of years I saw
them a couple of more times, and they always destroyed on stage. As my
best friend went to school with Mike Sus, I have all of their first
shows on tape, and many rare photo's as well. I just got my computer a
few days ago, but when I get a scanner I will send some pictures along
if your interested.
Burning in Hell!!
Mike
From: HimGrimner
Date: Wed, 17 Dec 1997 16:04:16 EST
Subject: your website
I just viewed your website and wanted to say,well done.It's A very good
page.I've been into Possessed since way back when,so nothing new to me but it
was very cool anyway.Except maybe your"where are they now"part.That was kind
of funny...funny how peaple change....Except for Torrao,I guess he's still
jealous over Larrys success.Anyway good work!
Subject: Possessed
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 1997 16:16:03 -0700
From: Ula Gehret
Organization: Century Media Records
Just saw your post on the site, and we actually have looked into buying
the rights to all their records -- unfortunately, Combat became
Relativity, and Sony bought Relativity -- so Sony owns the rights to
these damn records. We talked to someone there, but they couldn't even
be bothered for something that wouldn't make them like a half-million
dollars...we just had to give up, it's really a shame. Possessed rule.
We tried the same with some classic Dark Angel, etc., but same deal.
Let us know if you need anything further, and take care.
Ula @ Century Media Records (mail@centurymedia.com)
Date: Thu, 18 Sep 1997 03:41:49 +0200
From: "patrick denis"
Subject: About your Possessed page...
.......It TOTALLY RULES!!!
I was 13 when I stumbled across a copy of Seven Churches, and that pretty
much made me the freak I am today!!! hehe
Seriously, you did a great job at it and keep goin'!! Most of those
"oh-so-evil" black and death metal kids nowadays arent even aware of
Possessed... shame.
And about the fact that their albums are a hell to find... I still have
that old Seven Churches tape (from Banzai records, Canada). But I never,
ever, could find a copy of Beyond The Gates or The Eyes of Horror...
actually, I have a dub (of another dub!!) from the vinyl of Beyond the
Gates, with the cracklings and pops! oh well, better than nothing! I
even think it adds to the vibe of the album. Same for Eyes of Horror,
another crappy dubbed tape.... I totally freaked out when I saw your page,
cause I've never even seen the artwork for those albums!!! I also got a
live gig recorded at Ruthie's Inn in '85. BRUTAL!!!! I got it with the
Death Metal demo, pretty cool too. Still, I wish I could find Beyond The
Gates on cd..... I'm still huntin'!
Anyway, you got a very cool website about a very cool band. I'll
definately keep watchin'.
SCREAM OUT AND FRY!!!!!
Patrick Denis
Quebec, Canada
emperor@globetrotter.qc.ca