Violent Feedback

Hardcore noise outfit featuring pioneering death metal lyrics coupled with hardcore thrash and Link Wray riffing courtesy of Jeff Warble (Jeff Kerr). Songs include "John Gacy," "Sharon Tate," and also anthemic blasts like "1986." Tom Papanicholas-Guitar Vince Thompson-guitar Christian Albrecht-guitar Babs Novak-Guitar John Malley-Guitar Eric Sladek-guitar Loren St.Clair-bass Lou Plesha - Vocals, Jeff (Warble) Kerr - Guitar, drums - Peter Zervakis/Paul Jeschke. 1979 - ? Paul also picked up the bass when he was not doing a double drum set opposite Pete.

Over a period of at least five years, a number of players were involved with the Violent Feedback project. The most standardized set was in the later period where Tom Papanicholas developed a song list and organized the recording of the cassette only release of "A Cure to Sanity". Dean Hacker of the band SMOKE TAIL did the cover layout and Artwork, which featured a clandestine photo of an execution in an electric chair.Large parts of this release were recorded by Jack Hammond at Fatal Beauty studios in Lombard Illinois in the early eighties. A remixed version which included early material from the Zervakis basement studios was released in limit amounts by Tom in 1998. I would draw parallels to the Band PIGFACE who always featured different musicians on their albums and at their live shows. There were three main performances by VF outside of the studio. Once at the Glen Ellyn "Battle of the Bands" and another gig played at the Cubby Bear Lounge across from Wrigley Field in Chicago.And a third chaotic set played at a private party in South Glen Ellyn. This was around the period of 1982-1983.Neither set was very good, due to the difficulties of mixing and balancing in an unfamiliar environment.Plus the band performed without a sound mixer, making the adjustment of sound levels very difficult and subject to the acoustics of the performance area. Early jams were heavily influenced by Marijuana, alcohol (especially Jim Beam whiskey)and a prescription respiratory drug called MARAX. Musical influences included everything from Alice Cooper to English Oi bands. Killing Joke, The Lewd, Dead Kennedys "This is Boston Not LA" "Punk and Disorderly" Midwest Hardcore compilations such as "Lung Cookies" and "The Middle of America" Sex Gang Children, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Bauhaus, Joy Division and others. The remaining members of Violent Feedback formed a new group around 1984 called "Scarred for Life" with Vince Thompson taking on guitar. They bought an old mixer for the first time from Babs and were heavily influenced by the California band "The adolescents" covering at least two of their songs. Several songs from this period just before the formation of "Scarred for Life" appear on the later expanded version of "A cure to Sanity".