BAY AREA CRUNCH

It was 1988, Baloff’s Hell House on San Pablo was in full effect, four floors of skidly, debautchery. Exodus’s Pleasures of the Flesh had been out for barely a year, Metallica’s Garage Day’s Re-Visited was months old and they had just finished …and Justice For All, Faith No More (Cliff Burton doing his best to turn us on to them) was soon to have Mike Patton, Chuck Billy ditched his cut up spandex in Guilt (or Diamond?)and dawned all black, a new vocalist to Testament. Mordred was emerging from the SF scene, Sacrilege B.C. and Possessed were defining the heavier side of the Bay. Blind Illusion was like the Bay Area version of Rush from which Les Claypool, Brian Kehoe, & David White Godfrey would go on to make their marks in the music world. Everyone had Mercyful Fates, Melissa in their tape player. Eddie Van Halen and George Lynch guitar tones ruled rock and Hetfield’s signature rhythm crunch was cherished by metal guitarists. The SF Bay Area was in full effect.

All we cared about was partying hard, jamming and girls. Ego’s and guitar tone set the standard. Speed, weed and alcohol were more common than food. Unknowing newcomers would lose cameras, microphones, purses etc. to the house to further ones sustainance. It was a band urban survival compound. Dealers had the clout, but dare pass out, they would wake up without their precious stash. It was like the heavy metal version of Lord of the Flies. Hetfield, Jim Martin, Jason Newsted and a like would always hang out and jam. Ruthie’s Inn in Berkeley where Slayer had debuted in make-up and Suicidal Tendencies made their Bay Area impact was winding down, but The Stone in S.F. and The Omni in Oakland were big parties. If it was a glam show or a metal show, there were always five hundred to one thousand people in attendance. Nice. These were times of our lives.

This whole East Bay scene was such a hot spot for metal with Metallica, Exodus, Laaz Rockit, Ruffians, Death Angel, Testament, Forbidden, & Ulysess Siren. Interestingly enough I had gone to El Cerrito High school with Paul Baloff (never saw him), Headbanger Richard Burch, Mark Whittaker, who had co produced Metallica’s first two releases, Laaz Rockit’s Aaron Jellum, and East Bay guitar wizard Brian Kehoe (Mirv, Jerry Cantrell, Kehoe Nation, did my first ever gig with him as well). I bought my first bass amp from Les Claypool as he graduated from Blind Illusion to Primus. Greenday were kids only miles away getting ready to take the world by surprise. Work defining punk bands like Attitude Adjustment were kicking ass, pumping out multiple vinyl releases. Must be something in the water in the East Bay…crank?

I had already moved on from Heathen, and was jamming with some cool dudes from Brazil (one dude Eddie who became Sepultura’s road manager for a while) and was living with Rob McKillop the bass player of Exodus in Berkeley. I started playing with Piranha after I noticed their bass player at a Testament show at the Stone was struggling. After checking them out at the Berkeley Hell House rehearsal. I realized their bass player Al Voltage was actually a very good guitarist… I talked to the band, auditioned and did well securing my spot. I was very Iron Maiden influenced at the time. In fact after the photo shoot by Tony Mottram which is the main photo here, I took Tony, Bruce Dickinson and a couple others out for a ride in my firebird. Bruce took us to sushi in S.F. and gave me 20 guest spots at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View. I assured Bruce I would bring lots of girls… Man what memories…

Paul Baloff: 1960-2002 Vocals…this is the most comprehensive most accurate record of Paul’s life www.voicesfromthedarkside.de/interviews/baloff.htm

Al Voltage: 1965-2000? Lead Guitar. Al Voltage (Alan Breed) had left the East Coast, stealing his rich dads credit card to “make it in the Bay Area metal scene.” He stopped by Florida to surf for a week, then headed out to the Bay Area where he took small jobs as a cashier, till tapping to supply his party habit. Al did take a few lessons from Joe Satriani. Working in Piranha introduced him to Spastik Children where he did a few gigs on bass. He was a talented nice guy that succumbed to heavy drug use and everthing that goes with it. We did go on together to work in Laughing Dead for at least 6 years…Al passed away in AZ trying to clean up his life…RIP brotha…I know you are happier now..

Ron Shipes: Rhythm Guitar. Originally from Pacifica, relocated to the East Bay Ron was a truly mellow nice person with a quirky original rhythm style. Ron was the main song writer. After Piranha he played in Contempt, Two Bit Thief, and Fueled. I worked at an electronics store with him for 3 years. He also roadied for some big local bands. Ron has recently guitar teched for Slayer and has steady guitar tech work.

Fred “Rotten” Cotton: Drums. The alpha male of the group, Fred was always making funny noises and clowning around. He was really good friends with Hetfield then. That was how we got hooked up with James producing our demo back then.

Eric Wong: Bass. www.myspace.com/theunjustone. I am writing all of this just to help remember those wonderful party days. I will blog the recording experience with James Hetfield, and the demise of this line-up of Piranha with all our equipment being stolen at gunpoint, band members taken hostage tied up and all…one day

There were many line-ups of Piranha, but this was the most high profile one. I will be blogging more experiences…one day

Cheers, e