In early 2010, I heard about a new book titled Only Death Is Real by Mr. Fischer chronicling the early days of Hellhammer and Celtic Frost. The book was being published by something called Bazillion Points in New York City and I pre-ordered it. When the book arrived I was blown away by how personal it was.. It had amazing early photos and stories AND, to my astonishment, my old early-80's Metal 'zine Whiplash was mentioned as one of the fanzines Hellhammer sent their first demo too (they did!). Surreal!
I was also gobsmacked over how similar and parallel the original Metal scene in Switzerland was to what was going on in The Bay Area at the exact same time. Teenage Metalheads in Switzerland and Teenage Metalheads in San Francisco were doppelgangers of one another! It was like looking into a time machine mirror.
The book and its production quality was so perfect I remember thinking to myself that if I ever did a book I'd like to do it with Bazillion Points. Fast forward almost a year later and I got a message from Ian Christie of Bazillion Points proposing to do a collaborative book with myself and Harald. I tried to play it cool but my mind was blown over how full circle things had become.
In the years since Ian and Bazillion published Murder In The Front Row there have been many, many other moments when I felt like this and this photo is the latest one. Metal can still be amazing and inspiring... Sometimes.
Death Meets Murder
San Francisco - October 2010
