Shadow Project
For the Suffolk based post-rock band see The Shadow Project
Formed in the early 1990s in Los Angeles, CA, United States by vocalist Rozz Williams, guitarist Eva O and keyboardist Paris. Their name comes from the atomic bomb testing project that left only ashes of people in shapes of what looked like their shadows.
The history of Shadow Project is much intertwined with that of Christian Death Rozz Williams earlier band, particularly as the same lie up recorded albums under both bands names.
In 1987 Rozz and Eva moved to San Francisco and were married. It was here that they started a new band that they called Shadow Project. The line up included Barry Galvin, David Glass and Johann Schumann (bass) and the band played at the Cover Wagon in San Francisco and The Club with No Name in Los Angeles. The name, Shadow Project, was taken from the tests in Hiroshima following the nuclear bomb, which left impressions or ‘shadows’, but no bodies. The band recorded a demo of 6 tracks although by this time Barry Galvin had departed leaving just the four of Rozz, Eva, Johann and David. This managed to find it's way out to some fans and became semi legendary. It would later see an official release almost 20 years later under the title 'The Original Shadow Project'. The recordings are much rawer and with less emphasis on a clean production as well as lacking the keyboards that graced the debut album.
Rumors had been circulating about Rozz's death or his being detained in a mental asylum and, in 1988, to help stop the rumors; he reformed Christian Death and reclaimed what he believed was rightfully his - his band. The Christian Death reunion shows carried on in 1989 and into the beginning of 1990. The line-up consisted of Rozz, Eva O, Rikk Agnew, Casey (bass) and Cujo (drums).
After the reunion tour Rozz and Eva moved back to Los Angeles and joined up with Jill Emery (bass) and Tom Morgan (drums) to complete a new look and direction for Shadow Project and play a few clubs in California. Later, Paris was added as keyboardist and their first, self-titled album was recorded. Rozz was, at the time, becoming increasingly influenced by Charles Manson.
Jill Emery left the band early in 1992 to concentrate her duties on Hole, and Aaron Schwartz was brought in to record 'Dead Babies/Killer' for the Welcome to Our Nightmare compilation CD consisting of cover versions of Alice Cooper songs. Chuck Collison also contributed samples to these tracks.
Rozz, Eva, Listo (bass) and David Melford (drums) started recording new versions of classic Christian Death songs for The Iron Mask album in February 1992. The album was made, in part, to finance the Shadow Project European tour of February and March 1992, when they were supported by Mephisto Walz. Peter Tomlinson had replaced Tom Morgan on drums for this tour.
To escape from the chaos of life in Los Angeles Rozz and Eva decided to move to Las Vegas. They lived quietly in a house in the desert near the mountains. However, this was not enough to keep their marriage together.
Later in 1992 Rozz, Eva, Jill, Tom and Paris were joined in Hollywood by Ace Farren Ford on saxophone and mussette to record the Dreams for the Dying album. It was recorded during the 1992 riots in Los Angeles. They toured America in October 1992 with William Faith (bass) replacing Jill and Stevyn Grey (drums) replacing Peter Tomlinson.
Shadow Project then recorded 2 new Christian Death studio albums entitled The Path of Sorrows and The Rage of Angels. Rozz had been quoted as saying; "The Path of Sorrows is probably my favorite Christian Death album." One song on The Rage of Angels was written for Jeffrey Dahmer, the American serial killer and for whom Rozz had a major fascination.
In the summer of 1993, Shadow Project toured America. The band consisted of Rozz, Eva, Paris, Mark Barone (bass) and Christian Omar Madrigal Izzo (drums). After this American tour, Eva O and Paris left the band to work on the Eva O Halo Experience CD 'Demons Fall for an Angels Kiss'. Shadow Project had come to an end, however a German tour for October had already been booked. Although all tickets, flyers and publicity for this tour would show Shadow Project, Rozz had decided that the band name should change to Daucus Karota. Rozz sang on the tour, Brian Butler was the guitarist, Mark Barone played bass and Christian Omar Madrigal Izzo was on drums.
In 1997 Rozz and Eva collaborated again under the name Shadow project on a stripped down largely acoustic album entitled From The Heart that whilst noticeably different from previous albums still managed to retain the essence of the band.
Sadly Rozz would be found hanged in his Hollywood apartment on April 1st 1998 leaving no suicide note. His ashes were spread at Runyon Canyon Park, Los Angeles. On April 1st, 2001, the three-year anniversary of his death, there was a public memorial at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in West Hollywood, California. The memorial drew family, friends, and fans from around the world. There is now a permanent memorial niche in the columbarium section of Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
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