WILLIAM FAITH
William Faith became a familiar face on the Los Angeles music scene in the early 1980s, as a member of a gawdy array of glam and punk rock bands, under various different pseudonyms.
In January 1989, William (known then as Bill E. Bones) co-founded Los Angeles gothic/punk outfit Wreckage with vocalist Tony Lestat. Wreckage frequented the L.A. club circuit, becoming a celebrated staple act in the L.A. goth and punk scenes. In 1989 the band recorded a 7″ single, entitled Subway’s End, for Noise Pollution Records, which is hard to find, and even harder to listen to. The band went through as many members as it did problems, and in mid-1990 Wreckage became just that.
L-R: Tony Lestat, Zambo, Michael Toxin, Bill E. Bones & Killjo
Mephisto Walz - L-R: Christianna, Bari-Bari, Michael Zimmerman, William Faith & Stevyn Grey
In July of 1990, as Wreckage met its end, William became a member of Mephisto Walz, an off-shoot of Christian Death formed by Bari-Bari. The band was still in need of a vocalist, and at William’s suggestion, his high school friend Christianna came on board, making the new formation of Mephisto Walz complete.
In November of 1991, the band entered the studio to record the now-infamous Crocosmia album; a compendium of Mephisto Walz material new and old. March, 1992 brought the band over to Europe for a tour in support of the album. The Crocosmia tour began in Germany, the highlight of which saw the band performing at Germany’s prestigious “Festival of Darkness” in Hannover, playing to a crowd of well over 3,000 people. Following the tour, the band settled in Germany for a few months to record the As Apostles Forget EP, with world-renown producer Tom Jackson (known for his work with David Bowie and Iggy Pop). Also during this time, William was asked to appear as a guest musician on albums by German goth/industrial icons The Eternal Afflict and the more guitar-oriented Catastrophe Ballet. Mephisto Walz returned to the U.S. in August of 1992.
Mephisto Walz - L-R: Christiana, Michael Zimmerman, William Faith, Stevyn Grey & Bari-Bari (seated)
Rozz Williams & William Faith
It was at this time that William Faith and Stevyn Grey were contacted by their friend Rozz Williams (Christian Death and Shadow Project), who requested that the duo contribute their talents to the recording of two albums by the legendary Christian Death. In September of 1992, Christian Death entered the studio to record The Path of Sorrows and The Rage of Angels, with William and Stevyn’s contributions placing their own unmistakable mark on these works. These albums were the first recordings of new Christian Death material that Rozz Williams had undertaken since the Ashes album in 1985.