Rozz Williams facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rozz Williams
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Rozz Williams at Daucus Karota Concert
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Roger Alan Painter |
| Also known as | Rozz Williams |
| Born | November 6, 1963 Pomona, California, U.S. |
| Died | April 1, 1998 (aged 34) West Hollywood, California, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1979–1998 |
| Labels | Cleopatra, Frontier, Triple X, Hollows Hill Sound |
Rozz Williams (born Roger Alan Painter; November 6, 1963 – April 1, 1998) was an American singer and songwriter. He was famous for his work with the bands Christian Death and Shadow Project. Many people see Christian Death as a key band in the American gothic rock and deathrock music scenes.
Williams was a very influential artist. However, he did not like the "goth" label. He worked to move away from it by exploring other music styles. These included punk rock, hard rock, cabaret, and spoken word music. Williams was also part of other groups like Daucus Karota and Heltir. He also released some solo albums. Besides music, Williams was a talented painter, poet, and collage artist.
Williams passed away in his West Hollywood apartment on April 1, 1998. He was 34 years old.
Contents
Early Life and Influences
Rozz Williams was born Roger Alan Painter in Pomona, California. His birthday was November 6, 1963. He grew up in a very strict Southern Baptist family. His father, Robert Norman Painter, was an artist. Rozz had three older brothers and sisters.
He was expelled from high school twice for not attending classes. As a child, he loved music from artists like David Bowie and Alice Cooper. He also enjoyed bands such as Roxy Music and the New York Dolls.
Music Career
Starting Out
Roger Painter became friends with John "Jay" Albert. They tried to start several bands together. These bands had names like No and the Crawlers. However, they rarely practiced and never performed live.
Around this time, Painter became close with Darby Crash. Crash was the singer for the band the Germs. Because of Crash's influence, Painter decided to use a stage name. He chose "Rozz Williams."
Christian Death Band
Albert and Williams formed the band Christian Death in October 1979. James McGearty and George Belanger also joined the band. At first, Christian Death played punk rock music. Over time, their music became slower and included religious themes.
After some changes in band members, they released their first song. It was called "Dogs" and appeared on an album in 1981. The next year, they signed with Frontier Records. They released their first album, Only Theatre of Pain, on March 24, 1982.
More band member changes happened over the next year. By the end of 1982, Williams was the only original member left. Christian Death then broke up for a short time.
Six months later, Williams joined a band called Pompeii 99. This band included Valor Kand and David "Glass" Parkinson. Williams suggested they change their name back to Christian Death. They then recorded their second album, Catastrophe Ballet, in 1984. Much of the music for this album was written by Kand. Williams wrote most of the lyrics.
In mid-1985, Williams left Christian Death. He was unhappy with Valor Kand taking more control of the band. He also felt that touring was affecting the members' other projects. Even after Williams left, the other members continued to perform as Christian Death.
Williams later recorded more music for Cleopatra Records in 1992. He also worked on songs like "Haloes" and "Spectre (Love Is Dead)." These songs were released years later.
Later Music Projects
In 1995, Williams worked with Gitane DeMone. They released an album together called Dream Home Heartache. They recorded it in Belgium. They also played some shows together in Europe.
After returning from Europe, Williams joined EXP. This was a music group created by Paris Sadonis and Ryan Wildstar. Williams played bass on their first album.
In 1997, Williams worked with Eva O again. They recorded the last Shadow Project album, From the Heart. He also recorded his own album called Wound of Exit.
Other Creative Work
Besides music, Williams loved painting and making collages. Some of his artworks were shown in art shows in Los Angeles and Atlanta.
He also helped direct and score a film called Pig. This was a short, experimental film made in 1998. Williams starred in the film. Pig was the last project Williams worked on before he passed away.
Personal Life
Williams did not like to talk about his personal relationships publicly. However, in a 1997 interview, he said he was gay. He mentioned that it was hard to tell his family. His mother's response was, "Well son, I'm not stupid."
In the 1980s, he was in a long-term relationship with performance artist Ron Athey. Later, he married Eva O in 1987, and they divorced in 1998.
Williams often performed in drag. This meant he wore women's clothes and makeup. This was a way for him to rebel against the tough, masculine punk scene. Over time, it became a big part of his identity. He even spent periods of time living only in women's clothes. Other artists, like Anohni, said Williams influenced their understanding of identity.
Williams grew up in a strict religious family. But he left that behind when he formed Christian Death. Later in his life, he said he had developed a "personal relationship with God."
A collection of Williams' poetry was released in 2010. It was called And What About the Bells?. An updated version came out in 2023. It included scans of his personal journals.
Legacy and Influence
Rozz Williams' creativity had a big impact on the Goth subculture. He also influenced poetry and collage art. Fans remember his life and work every year.
The band The Mountain Goats dedicated their 2000 album, The Coroner's Gambit, to Williams. Several songs on the album talk about his death.
In 2018, two albums of his live performances were released. They were called In the Heart and On the Altar. This was to mark 20 years since his passing.
Also in 2018, a special box set was released for his film Pig. It included rare copies of the film and other items. Books about Rozz Williams' art and Christian Death have also been published.
Discography
Christian Death (1981–1985)
- Deathwish (EP; recorded 1981/released 1984)
- Only Theatre of Pain (1982)
- Catastrophe Ballet (1984)
- Ashes (1985)
Christian Death featuring Rozz Williams
- The Iron Mask (1992)
- The Path of Sorrows (1993)
- The Rage of Angels (1994)
Shadow Project (1987–1998)
- Shadow Project (1991)
- Dreams for the Dying (1992)
- From the Heart (1998)
Rozz Williams and Gitane Demone
- Dream Home Heartache (1995)
Rozz Williams (Solo)
- Every King a Bastard Son (1992)
- The Whorse's Mouth (1997)
Posthumous Albums
- Live in Berlin (2000)
- Accept the Gift of Sin (2003)
- In the Heart (2018)
- On the Altar (2018)
Filmography
- Is Truth a Crime??? (1989)
- Pig (1998)
- 1334 (2012; posthumous)
See also
In Spanish: Rozz Williams para niños
