1.heavy metal thunder
2.death from above
It's been a while since I've posted anything, my apologies to those who follow this blog, and support it with their comments/e mails. The holidays and work have really had me locked down and kicked my ass.
China White were a metal band from the Albany NY area. The band played a nwobhm style of heavy metal. These dudes hold a very special place in my heart because of the influence guitarist Henry McFarren had on me in 1983-84ish. I first met him randomly at a guitar shop in the Albany area when I was about 16. Henry was in his early 20's(and I thought he was so old...doh!). After talking to him a few times, and realizing he was wicked cool I decided I would take some guitar lessons from him because I sucked at guitar pretty badly back then. Back then I either hitch hiked or bummed rides because I didn't have a license or a car. At any rate my mom would drop me off most the time at Henry's crib at Valley View Apartments, she'd hit the book store or something while waiting for me. I'd spend the first half hour looking at his old Kerrang/metal maniac zines,drooling over his metal collection, drinking beer, and getting him stoned. Henry would finally ask me if there was a particular song I wanted to learn. I'd have a Cirith Ungol, Rods, Trouble or Riot song in mind, he'd pop the record on his turntable and figure it out in like 3.5 mins. He'd then proceed to have the patience to show me in about 20 mins how the song was played. These were good fucking times for me as a youth. The dude seriously turned me on to so much underground metal...
I can recall seeing these guys at Chucky Cheese's and even a battle of the bands with StoneHenge. One of my early band mates (Tony Fisher) who I jammed with ended up in China White down the road, that was sort of weird, but cool as hell.
I lost touch with Henry when I moved out to the Bay Area. Dude was/still is a fucking metal trooper and even still sports long locks making him the longest living hesher in the Albany area. I heard He was having some health issues, and I wish him all the best. He's the dude pictured with the single that I have in this post.
Unless you love metal I doubt you'll be to interested in this obscure gem. Two great Nwobhm songs with really raw shitty production that makes the record still kick ass even today. Both songs clock in at over 5 mins each. There was never a picture sleeve for the ep.
http://www.mediafire.com/?jwj4gvy3mwl
Posts
hi,
ReplyDeletejust found your blog and it sure does bring back alot of memories from the bay area.
i grew up in santa rosa and would travel down to sf for shows and record vault visits. i drank on those same stairs on broadway and would visit that metal store next to the stone with all those pictures on the wall of all the bands that played there. the mab, ruthies, stone, omni, on braodway, etc.
great times. theres a new record store on haight called shaxul records that is bringing back the old school vibe. lots of flyers and old stories.
sacrilege bc just recently re-released party with god and it sounds amazing. they were my favorite band as well from that era.
keep up the great work!!
thanks for the comments man. Yeah I drank heavily on those stairs, and would get chased by the cops three times a week there. great exercise, right?
ReplyDeleteI totally forgot about that metal store on the corner there that sold metal arm bands, spikes, and leather pants... How the fuck did that place stay in business?
Who re released "party with god"?
Thanks for this good album.
ReplyDeleteDo you have the self titled LP from Insurrection (UK), released by Peaceville in the (I think) early 90's? I'm looking for it for years, but it's impossible to find.
Thanks dude.
I'll check my e bay box, as I think I have it in there to sell on ebay.
ReplyDeleteI tried again today, and find it!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.megaupload.com/pt/?d=HP22H24I
I don't hear it yet.
Thank you very much anyway!
Credits to this French blog:
ReplyDeletehttp://la-cantatrice-chauve.blogspot.com/2008/08/insurrection-lp-peaceville-rds-1988.html
howdy,
ReplyDeletethe lead singer for Sac BC.
has his own site:
http://www.novemberfire.com/music/sacpwgdigi1.html
the cd was remixed + the demo. and it sounds sweet.
that store next to the old stone was there until like 2001. same guy owned it until the very end.
that shaxul records place is really cool. quintana sells old metal mania zines there. the walls are decked out with old flyers from back in the day.
i sure miss record vault. there has never been another store like it!
Hell yeah! Long time no post! I was getting the itch. Hey I got a question... Do you pay to keep this site up? If so, have you considered putting up a paypal donation thingy up? I think its a cool incentive for us DL to help you keep the site running
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ReplyDeleteI dl this 7" only because of your story..not bad either.
ReplyDeletethank you so much; i had heard of china white but yr story makes it 80 times cooler and the tunes are badass!
ReplyDeletethanks for the comments guys! Henry rules for sure.
ReplyDeletepretty sure I bought my 1972 Marshall amp off of him at the shop he worked at.
awesome!!! thank you, your life and stories are incredible.
ReplyDeleteRaymond
Holy crap, Nate... I could have posted a much less drug fueled version of this same story! I took lessons from Henry at Adirondack Strings around 1988 or 1989. I mostly had him show me Testament songs.
ReplyDeleteDude was/is a total trooper. Cool that you took lessons from him as well Scot. I think Jason D took them from him too.
ReplyDeleteNate
Yeah we used to talk about that and swap rumors through the years about Henry's health. Every so often, word spreads that he's nearly dead on a drip someplace, but then I will see him walking down central to Adirondack Strings and I know the world is still turning properly.
ReplyDeleteI used to listen to this tape all the time and both choruses go through my head immediately on hearing the phrases "heavy metal" or "death from above".
Now post a Monolith tape!!
Your name doesn't sound familiar but I'm sure we probable crossed paths once or twice. I grow up right next to Adirondack Strings and have know Henry for a long time. My sister and him went to school together. I think I bought my first guitar from him in 83-84. Henry actually worked or sound board at the battle of the bands in 1985 at South Colonie Cental High School. Our band name at the time was Tormentor (Huge W.A.S.P. fans at the time). I wore a China White shirt that he gave me that night and still have it. I thought it was great when you mentioned the gig China White did at Chucky Cheese. I was there. They where bustin out Motorhead and Thin Lizzy songs at that time. I also Have a couple of tapes that they did back then. I'll have to dig through the house to see if I can find them. I remember one was Oblivion Express. I live in San Diego now where I remained after my short stent (20 years) in the Navy. Just retire last year. I saw Henry about two years ago I stopped by Adirondack string and he was still there. At the time it sounded like they were closing up. The new Guitar Center up on Everett Road was putting all the small shops out of business. Keep in touch if I can find those tapes I'll record them to the computer send them to you if you want. Later Bro.
ReplyDeletebuddy...thanks for the comments. I graduated at North colonie around that time, and was earlier in a band called Divine Malice...we also played a battle of the bands. I have our demo, that some day I will throw up on here (its from 1984).
ReplyDeleteI was really into a band from South Colonie called Stone Henge. they had a 7" ep that my mother threw out after I moved away in the mid 80's. I need that 7" again... do you have it? The singer was awesome! I'd love to hear any tormentor stuff you have. let me know.
Nate
What a trip, I know Henry also, we were friends as kids. We were in our first band together ( I think it lasted about 2 weeks..lol) His brother Sean and he would jam at his moms house in Colonie and I would have my mother drive me over there to jam with them. I haven't thougt about that in a long time! Thanks for the thoughts!
ReplyDeleteI ve just discovered this band China White by chance-looking for the NWOBHM Chinawite-and i liked the 7'' very much.I am into the US Power Metal(Omen/Manilla Road/Cirith Ungol etc)apart from the NWOBHMANIA so everything from these genres interests me.This band has 2 demos&a s/t lp see if you can upload them.Hails from Greece&The Iron Army
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