Happy Birthday & memento mori ROZZ WILLIAMS!

If he had not taken his own life at the age of 34 on April 1, 1998, Rozz Willams would be celebrating his 61st birthday today. As the founder of Christian Death (and later Shadow Project), he is considered a pioneer of American Gothic Rock/Death Rock. The albums “Only Theatre of Pain” (1982) and “Catastrophe Ballet” (1984) still have cult status today and have inspired many artists.

Did you know?
– Born Roger Alan Painer, Rozz Williams was inspired to take his stage name from a gravestone in his favorite cemetery.
– He formed his first band at the age of 16. It was called Crawlers to No and later became known as The Upsetters. Rozz played guitar and sang, but never performed on stage with the project.
– In 1979 he founded Christian Death and left after the third album was released.
– With his wife Eva O he realized his musical versions with Shadow Project.

Listen to Christian Death in our “Gothic Rock Generations” playlist on Spotify: