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I Killed the Prom Queen was a metalcore band from Adelaide, South Australia. Formed in 2000, the band featured prominently on the Australian live music scene and toured the USA, Japan and parts of Europe several times. The band split up in April 2007 when guitarist Jona Weinhofen joined American band Bleeding Through but played a farewell tour in mid-2008.
History
Early
The original line-up of I Killed the Prom Queen consisted of Weinhofen, drummer JJ Peters, vocalist Lee Stacy, bass guitarist Ben Engel and guitarist Simon O'Gorman. The following year, Michael Crafter joined to share the vocal duties. Leaton Rose replaced Engel soon afterward. The band then recorded a four track demo titled "Choose to Live, Love or Die". This was later re-released as an EP by Final Prayer Records, who also released a split EP in 2003 featuring two songs by I Killed the Prom Queen ("Homicide Documentaries" and "Death Certificate for a Beauty Queen") and two by Parkway Drive.
Choose To Live, Love Or Die I Killed The Prom Queen's first release was the only one with Lee Stacey vocals and the then high pitched Crafter vocals. The tracks were the old versions of those heard in You Past Comes Back To Haunt Youapart from To Be Sleeping While Still Standing,Your Not Worth Saving and Never Never Land. The CD is now very rare.
Track Listing: Choose To Love, Live Or Die, The Paint Brush Killer, Dream As Hearts Bleed, Upon A Rivers Sky
After the demo's release, O'Gorman was replaced by Kevin Cameron and Stacy left the band. Leaton Rose departed (to later join The Hot Lies) and Sean Kennedy took his place. The now familiar line-up of Crafter, Weinhofen, Peters, Kennedy and Cameron was in place and in September 2003 I Killed the Prom Queen began recording the album When Goodbye Means Forever... for Sydney hardcore label Resist Records. The album was subsequently released in the US by Eulogy Recordings on 30 March, 2004, leading to extensive touring there with bands that included Caliban, Evergreen Terrace, It Dies Today, Lamb Of God, Silverstein and Bleeding Through.
EP and changes
The group's next release was the EP "Your Past Comes Back to Haunt You" on 7 March, 2005. The recording included reworked older songs and a track by The Fall of Troy called "To Be Sleeping While Still Standing". By late that year I Killed the Prom Queen had completed recording a second album but in January 2006 Crafter was fired. Instead of releasing the album as it was, the band decided to hire a new vocalist and replace Crafter's tracks. Ed Butcher from British band The Hunt For Ida Wave was recruited and added his own lyrics, although many of the tracks remained similar. Music for The Recently Deceased was produced by Fredrik Nordstrom, whose other credits included Dimmu Borgir, Darkest Hour, At the Gates and In Flames. Blunt Magazine reviewer James Cotterell gave the record 10/10. The album was released on 31 July, 2006 by Stomp Records and became a minor hit. Shortly afterward Metal Blade released the album in the USA, co-inciding with I Killed the Prom Queen's appearance at the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival. Returning to Australia, the band toured with The Haunted and Exodus and in December featured as the headlining act at the Metal for the Brain festival.
In the meantime, Crafter had joined Carpathian, and then a year or so later was for a brief time a member of Bury Your Dead. The original version of Music for the Recently Deceased featuring Crafter's lyrics and vocals had since made it onto P2P networks. Four of these tracks were later added to the Australian tour edition of the album.
Later
On January 31, 2007 Ed Butcher flew back to his home town in the UK. In a statement released later by the band it was announced that he had departed due to homesickness and that he was no longer a part of the group. Butcher has since joined UK band Eternal Lord.
Tyrone Ross from Mourning Tide temporarily filled the vocalist position during Japanese tour dates, and Colin Jeffs (of Bendigo band Heavens Lost) filled in on the European tour with Bleeding Through, However, on April 7, 2007 I Killed the Prom Queen announced their break up, citing both an inability to find a new vocalist and guitarist following Jona Weinhofen's departure for Orange County metalcore band Bleeding Through. Shortly after the band ended, rumours began of a final Australian tour with the possibility of Michael Crafter returning for the shows.
On 19 May 2008, Stomp re-issued Music for the Recently Deceased in a limited edition of 5000 hand-numbered copies. The new release included a cardboard slipcase, two live tracks and four tracks with Crafter's vocals taken from the original album recording.
The live DVD filmed from the Say Goodbye Tour is planned for a October 25th Release, the DVD is titled the Sleepless Nights and City Lights Live DVD/CD. It features a full length concert performance, tour pranks and unseen footage from the I Killed The Prom Queen Vault.
Say Goodbye tour
I Killed the Prom Queen's "Say Goodbye" tour took place in May and June 2008, with most shows selling out almost immediately. The supporting acts for the tour were Bring Me the Horizon, The Red Shore, The Ghost Inside and a local act from the city played at. Crafter returned to front the band on the tour, and a live DVD was filmed for later release. I Killed the Prom Queen played their final show in Brisbane on 8 June, 2008.
The Lineup for the tour was:
- Michael Crafter - Lead Vocals
- Jona Weinhofen - Guitar, Vocals
- Sean Kennedy - Bass
- JJ Peters - Drums
- Kevin Cameron - Guitar
The setlist for the final tour[1]:
- Sharks in Your Mouth
- Say Goodbye
- When Goodbye Means Forever
- €666
- To Kill Tomorrow
- Never Never Land
- My Best Wishes
- Homicide Documentaries
- Death Certificate of a Beauty Queen
- The Paint Brush Killer
- Bet it All On Black
- Your Shirt Would Look Better With a Columbian Neck-Tie
- Choose to Live or Die
- Upon a Rivers Sky
- To Be Sleeping While Still Standing
- Pointed to My Heart
Post I Killed The Prom Queen
Currently Michael Crafter is fronting his new band called Confession, Jona Weinhofen is playing with Bleeding Through, Kevin Cameron is playing with In Trenches with legendary Australian hardcore singer Ben Coyte, Sean Kennedy is playing the guitar in a rock band Voices, and JJ Peters is still continuing with Deez Nuts. Also, on the recent Deez Nuts "Back On The Street Tour" Sean Kennedy played bass for Deez Nuts with JJ Peters, and the support band was Confession.
Former members
Discography
Compilation appearances
- True Till Death: Australian Hardcore Compilation Volume 2
- Get In The Ring [Metal Hammer]
- The Trial & Error Hardcore Metal Compilation 7
- Taste Of Chaos Annual 2006
- Taste Of Chaos Annual 2007
- Hardercore Than You
Videography
References
External links
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