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Electric Hellfire An interview with Reverend Thomas Thorn Interview by Kent Donohoe Rev. Thomas Thorn founded the Electric Hellfire Club in 1991. He has been the only constant member since that time. He has written albums that we will always remember like Electric Hellfire Club's 1995 release, "Kiss The Goat". He has been a member of bands like My life with the Thrill Kill Kult and Slave State. Welcome to another meeting of The Electric Hellfire Club… Have you seen any signs that The Electric Hellfire Club is slowing down? "Personally, no. I have certainly seen a shift in the focus of the band's work. That is to say between 1995 and 1998 we spent a tremendous amount of time on the road...at great personal expense and sacrifice. We have become a bit more introverted since that point...channeling our energy into studio work and other projects since that time. But no. interest in the band, album sales, etc. have reached an all-time high so I don't see any waning of the black flame at this juncture in time." What's your favorite show that you have played to date? "There have been a lot of magical shows for us...and as the band has been performing live for over ten years it is hard to pinpoint a single moment as the most special. The Halloween show at Roseland Ballroom opening for Type O Negative in 95 stands out a lot. I can also think of some great shows on the Danzig tour...a show in Tampa where the crowd was chanting "Hellfire" over and over so loud before we walked on stage it was drowning out the dj....there are also some crazy old shows from the early days - Ft. Wayne, Indiana...me and Dr. Luv tripping our brains out on stage. There are too many to mention here really....you'll have to wait for the book." Where is your favorite place to party? "Depends. Hollywood is always a crazy-good time. I personally enjoy kicking back in tropical locales like the Florida Keys. The EHC makes its own party wherever we go...so suffice it to say that wherever there is a steady supply of good booze, beautiful women and party favors...we love it there." How did it go when you meet Anton Szandor Lavey? "Well, it was an incredible and life-changing experience. Details of this meeting were outlined in my essay "Diabolical Machinations" which appeared in the last issue of the Black Flame magazine. It is a great resource and I encourage all to obtain not only this, but future and back issues through the CoS website (ChurchofSatan.com)" What is the most powerful record (and why) released by the EHC? "Well...I think that each has it's own power. For me the most powerful is always the most recent. I find myself going back to older works on occasion to revisit different states of mind.... immersing myself in "Prodigal Son" from the first record or "Satan's Little Helpers" from the second. Asking which is most powerful is, to me, akin to asking which volume of the encyclopedia is the best. They all have their uses." How did Shane's (Rev. Dr. Luv) death change you? "It made me sad, angry, bitter and lonely. He was my best friend and performed duties within the band that no one has ever taken over. It left me to do most of this on my own...which in a lot of ways removed much of the joy of being in EHC." What do you do in your spare time? "Lots of things. I travel, read, watch movies, hang out in sleazy dive-bars. Correspond with friends, write, do research, add to my numerous collections....live life." In the plus 11 years you have spent in the EHC what was the best moment? "In a lot of ways it was meeting Anton Lavey...but some of our times in England...recording in Sweden...standing with the band at Devil's Tower...drinking at the Schoolhouse...looking up from stage to see Glenn Danzig on a balcony giving me the sign of the horns....all these moments are equally powerful. I am simply happy that the band we created has facilitated more of these moments in a short ten years than the average person could hope to achieve in a lifetime." What would you like to say to all your followers? "Well...first I would say that I have no "followers". I am simply the focal point of a group of individuals who share certain ideas in common...bound by the sound of the EHC. To my brothers and sisters...the true Children of Darkness...I would just say thank you for making this possible and for helping us live our dreams. Hang on tight because the ride is far from over." For more on Reverend Thomas Thorn and The Electric Hellfire Club go to www.Electrichell.com |
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