goths in the sunlight was the order for the day for the annual
ROZZ WILLIAMS SKELEBRATION
hosted by MICHELLE JEAN RUSSO AKA CHRISTINA DEATH
@ HOLLYWOOD FOREVER CEMETERY.
poetry and memories dedicated to our late/great goth icon.
it was a very sweet remembrance, perfect for "KEISTER."
~ A SKELEBRATION OF HIS LIFE~ HONORING 17 YEARS OF ROZZ'S LIFE AND LEGACY ~
POETRY, SPOKEN WORD PERFORMANCE, ART, COLLAGES & GUEST SPEAKERS
CHRISTINA DEATH
GENE EVANS
CLAUS LARSEN
ARTWORKS BY SHAM IBRAHIM
ON DISPLAY~ ROZZS ARTIFACTS FROM PRIVATE COLLECTIONS
rozz williams took his own life on april 1st, 1998.
for those of you too young to know~
rozz williams was a pioneer, an original artist and original thinker. roz was a futurist, way ahead of his time. along with los angeles bands~ THE CASTRATION SQUAD, CATHOLIC DISCIPLINE, roz single~handedly created goth/death rock way back in 1979. a true los angelino, roz created a genre,( which he never got to see) that became a mainstay in music/arts/fashion.
RIP~ DEAR ICON~ RIP
photos courtesy~ ricardo carranza, retouched by rick castro, & john paul proper
Rozz Williams ( November 6, 1963~ April 1, 1998) was an American vocalist and musician most known for his work with the bands Christian Death, Shadow Project (with musician Eva O), and with the industrial project Premature Ejaculation. Christian Death is cited by some as a pioneer of the American gothic rock scene as well as deathrock. Williams was also involved with Daucus Karota, Heltir, and EXP; he also recorded several solo albums.
On November 6, 1963, Rozz Williams was born Roger Alan Painter in Pomona, California, and was raised in a strict Southern Baptist family with his three older siblings (one sister, two brothers, with Larry being the oldest).
As a child, he was a fan of David Bowie, Roxy Music, T. Rex, Alice Cooper, Iggy Pop and the New York Dolls. When he reached adolescence in the late 1970s, he became attracted to the punk rock music scene.
By the age of 16 he began performing in bands. He took the name of Rozz Williams from a gravestone he found in a Pomona cemetery.
His first bands were called The Crawlers, No, then later The Upsetters. He sang and played the guitar, though the band never performed on stage. He then went on to form The Asexuals. In addition to being the lead vocalist, he played the organ and guitar, with Jill Emery also contributing vocals as well as playing bass, and Steve Darrow on drums. Their performances were limited to a few parties.
He then sang in a band called Daucus Karota with Mary Torciva on percussion and Jay (John) Albert on guitar. Albert and Williams then went on to form Christian Death in October 1979, with James McGearty and George Belanger. The name "Christian Death" was a play on words of the fashion designer Christian Dior. The band broke up temporarily in 1981, and Williams formed Premature Ejaculation with performance artist Ron Athey, with whom he had been living. After only a few live performances, including one which involved Athey eating a crucified road-kill cat, clubs began refusing to book them.
Williams then restarted Christian Death in the summer of 1981 with McGearty and Belanger, who also brought in guitarist Rikk Agnew, who had previously been with The Adolescents.
Agnew and Belanger left the group in 1982, with guitarist Eva Ortiz and drummer Rod "China" Figueroa stepping in as replacements for live performances. By the end of the year the band had broken up once again due to drug problems.
In addition to his musical activities, Williams had a keen interest in painting, along with collaging, and several of his pieces have been exhibited. He also co-directed and scored
Pig, a 1998 experimental psychological horror silent short film with underground film maker Nico B.
The film stars Rozz Williams and James Hollan and was produced by Nico B. Pig was the last work Williams did.
On April 1, 1998, Rozz Williams hung himself in his West Hollywood apartment. His body was discovered by Ryan Wildstar, a friend and roommate of seven years. Williams was 34.
A memorial was held at the El Rey Theatre shortly after his death, and a small gathering of family and friends offered his ashes to the earth at Runyon Canyon Parkin the Hollywood Hills.
Rozz Williams' ashes are located in a niche on the second floor of the resurrection mausoleum in the Hollywood Forever cemetery. The cabinet in which he hanged himself as well as a few pieces of original artwork are on display at the Hollywood Museum of Death.
rick castro- top level- karene~ bottom level
edward stapleton~ nervous gender~ rick castro~ karene
the niche of lana clarkson~ murdered by phil spector on february 3rd, 2003
rick castro in front of the niche of TOMATA DU PLENTY
photos courtesy~ ricardo carranza, retouched by rick castro ,
paul rangel & john paul proper
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