September 1999
Weird Science


Formed by Cher's son and clad in daft costumes, DEADSY's master plan is a suitably deranged one: to mix sick death metal with Duran Duran...

In ‘Mansion World’, a stand-out track on ‘Commencement’, the forthcoming album from LA's Deadsy, singer/guitarist P Exeter Blue tells of the perils of unimaginable wealth. Blue knows what he's talking about: he lives in a palatial Malibu mansion belonging to his mother, Cher.

With Mom off headlining the enormodomes of the world, Blue -- real name Elijah Blue Allman (his father is erstwhile Allman Brothers frontman Gregg Allman) -- is sprawled out in the stately living room, alongside Deadsy keyboardist Dr Nner (alias Renn Hawkey). The two -- who have known each other since they were 15, having attended a private boarding school together -- admit having grandiose aspirations. "We're aiming as high as we possibly can, and our new album is just the starting point," Elijah modestly begins. "We're trying to create this American superlative that infiltrates the entire sound and vision of pop culture. I set out to this when I was 19. I told myself that I've got to go out and do something with my life. I've been an incredibly blessed human being, and I think that I'm doing what I should be doing."

Deadsy's startling fusion of techno-pop and metal has been the toast of the LA rock underground for three years. Coal Chamber and Orgy (whose singer, Jay Gordon, was Elijah's one-time bassist) have both lavished praise on Deadsy, with Elijah performing on their respective ‘Chamber Music’ and ‘Candyass’ albums.

As could be expected of someone who was given his first guitar by Kiss' Gene Simmons (his Mom's boyfriend at the time), Elijah's band consists of four costumed characters: The Earnest Professor (Elijah), the Dandy Of Leisure (drummer Alec Puro), the Great Beast (bassist Craig Riker) and the Good Doctor (Renn). Their self-titled debut album appeared with little fanfare in 1997, but Deadsy have since let it go out of print. ‘Commencement’, which Elijah insists is their first proper album is released in the U.S. this month.

Despite employing what Elijah describes as “the world's heaviest, sickest death metal chords”, Deadsy's sound also blatantly harks back to the early '80s new romanticism of Japan and Duran Duran. The prospective first single ‘She Likes Big Words’, in particular, sounds more like a previously undiscovered Duran track than a mere tribute. Ex-Duran bassist John Taylor appears on the [track], while Elijah claims that Duran keyboardist Nick Rhodes loves the song.

"What better era is there to take from?!" exclaims Elijah. "I love that shit."