| Xorcist | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1990–present |
| Labels |
|
| Spinoffs | Diode Fetish, Xenon |
| Members |
|
| Past members |
|
| Website | xorcist |
Xorcist is the name of an American musical group whose output has ranged from electro-industrial and ambient.
Background
Peter Stone (a.k.a. DJ/VJ Bat) became interested in electronics and computers at a young age, leading eventually to his leaving high school early to take a job at a software company. As a child he took piano and drum lessons, and later recognized the possibilities in using electronics to create music via artists such as Gary Numan and Yello.
Stone formed Xorcist as a one-man act after leaving his previous band, Belief, circa 1986-7. He stylized the name by dropping the "e" from "exorcist," partially to avoid conflation with a metal band by that name. Stone began by producing and self-releasing demo cassettes, one of which found its way to 21st Circuitry label co-founder, Don Blanchard, leading to a contract with the label. Xorcist's debut album, Damned Souls, was released in 1991; the first release on 21st Circuitry. The album was quickly followed by multiple compilation appearances, including a 1993 cover of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit". In 1994, Xorcist released Phantoms, a collection of unreleased tracks dating back to 1987 which peaked at No. 22 on the CMJ RPM charts in the US.
Stone founded the Cyberden in 1991, a BBS focused on underground music and culture. The Cyberden allowed bands, record labels, and fans to interact in an online community via chat and to exchange content using FTP or computer-based GUI clients. Stone discontinued the Cyberden by 1996 due to financial issues, but transitioned the community to the web via hallucinet.com. Stone also co-founded Bay area goth-industrial club, House of Usher. The club hosted both live and DJ performances, usually split into two rooms, one for goth and darkwave music, and the other focusing on "cyber" and industrial music.
For the 1993 Lollapalooza tour, Stone produced "The CyberPit," an interactive public area in the festival's "Village" where festival attendees could interact with networked computers to consult an interactive festival directory, post messages to the main stage screen, and online chat with other attendees.
Although a solo act, Stone worked with others for live performances including Xavier Haight of Bay area industrial band, Malign, and producer Don Blanchard. By 1997, Xorcist grew to include Evoltwin. In addition to providing some vocals, Evoltwin created the cover art for Soul Reflection and other subsequent releases.
Stone also created two side projects, Xenon and Diode Fetish.
Xorcist went dormant after 2000, but re-emerged in 2017 with a pair of self-released instrumental compositions, followed in 2018 by the full-length album, God. Later that year, Stone release a remix album, Legion, featuring remixes of Xorcist tracks by Scar Tissue, Prospero, and others.
Stone still DJs and VJs under the name DJ/VJ Bat, and maintains the Xorcist.com website to promote his work.
Sound design
Stone's work in sound design has appeared in MTV's Aeon Flux, and his work creating music and sound design in the video games Iron Helix, Bad Mojo and Space Bunnies Must Die.
Discography
Studio albums
| Title | Details | Notes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From The Hip |
|
— | |||||||||
| Damned Souls |
|
— | |||||||||
| Repossessed/Non-Aggression Pact |
|
Limited edition | |||||||||
| Phantoms |
|
#22 on CMJ RPM Charts | |||||||||
| Soul Reflection |
|
— | |||||||||
| Nomad |
|
— | |||||||||
| Insects & Angels: Differences & Indifferences |
|
#30 on CMJ RPM Charts | |||||||||
| Music for the Harmonic Convergence | Peter Stone solo project | ||||||||||
| Bad Mojo (Disc 1) |
|
— | |||||||||
| Bad Mojo (Disc 2) |
|
— | |||||||||
| Soundtrack Series |
|
— | |||||||||
| God |
|
Limited edition (300 copies) | |||||||||
| Scores |
|
— | |||||||||
| Legion - The Remix Album |
|
— | |||||||||
| Bad Mojo Soundtrack |
|
— | |||||||||
| Heaven |
|
— | |||||||||
| Hell |
|
— | |||||||||
| "—" denotes no information worth noting. | |||||||||||
Compilation appearances
| Title | Details | Notes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Torture Tech Overdrive |
|
Side B, track no. 3: "So Big" | |||||||||
| Adventures in Music - Cargo Electro Riot Sampler |
|
Track no. 4: "The Dance" | |||||||||
| CCCC - California Cyber Crash Compilation |
|
Track no. 4: "Hallucination" | |||||||||
| For Crying Out Loud: Edition One |
|
Side B, track no. 1: "Hallucination" | |||||||||
| Shut Up Kitty: A Cyber-Based Covers Compilation |
|
Track no. 6: "Smells Like Teen Spirit" | |||||||||
| CD Sound Compilation Vol. 1 |
|
Track no. 9: "Xorcist (Bleeding Mix)" | |||||||||
| Cyber Core Compilation |
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Track no. 14: "U R the 1 (Fux Version)" | |||||||||
| The Art of Brutality |
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Track no. 5: "Be With Me" | |||||||||
| The Disease of Lady Madeline |
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Track no. 7: "The Iron Helix" | |||||||||
| Torture Tech Overdrive |
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Track no. 10: "So Big (Original Un-Edited Mix)" Limited Edition Reissue (1000 copies) | |||||||||
| 21st Circuitry Shox |
|
Track no. 2: "Bad Mojo (Sacrosanct Mix)" | |||||||||
| The Digital Space Between Vol. 3 |
|
Track no. 12: "UNGDSOB (Bastard Mix)" | |||||||||
| 21st Circuitry Records |
|
Side B, track no. 5: "Stains" | |||||||||
| Digital Wings 1 |
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Track no. 1: "Bad Mojo (Satyria Mix)" | |||||||||
| 21st Circuitry Shox 2 |
|
Track no. 6: "Bomblast" | |||||||||
| Abby - The Compilation Part 2 |
|
Disc 1, track no. 1: "Scorched Blood" | |||||||||
| Newer Wave 2.0 |
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Track no. 10: "1999" | |||||||||
| Resist the Command |
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Track no. 3: "GoverNet (Web Edit)" | |||||||||
| Electro Radiovengeance |
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Track no. 5: "Bitches" | |||||||||
| Sex, Death & Eyeliner: The Soundtrack |
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Track no. 1: "Nomad" | |||||||||
| "—" denotes no information worth noting. | |||||||||||
Singles and EPs
| Title | Details | Notes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bitches EP | — | ||||||||||
| Scorched Blood |
|
— | |||||||||
| "—" denotes no information worth noting. | |||||||||||
References
- ^ Praza, Liane (28 Dec 1994). "Interview: Xorcist". Sonic Boom. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
- ^ Christian, Chris (6 Jul 1996). "Xorcist". Sonic Boom. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
- ^ Weaver, Rodney, ed. (1994). "Xorcist". Infectious Substance. 1 (1). Herndon, VA: 63–68.
- Laciak, Ric (Spring 1993). Valerio, Paul (ed.). "Xorcist". Industrial Nation. 1 (7). Iowa City, IA: Moon Mystique: 46–48. ISSN 1062-449X.
- Gourley, Bob (1993). "Xorcist". Chaos Control Digizine. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
- ^ McLaughlin, Megan (4 July 1994). "RPM" (PDF). CMJ New Music Report. 39 (387). Great Neck, NY: College Media, Inc.: 32. ISSN 0890-0795. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
- Gourley, Bob (1 Nov 1994). "The Goth Net". Wired. 2 (11). Retrieved 24 December 2023.
- Lynch, April; Chonin, Neva (5 Feb 1999). "Dancing on the Dark Side / S.F. at the forefront of '90s revival as Goth world lures mainstream". SFGate. San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
- Delhez, Didier, ed. (May 1997). "Xorcist". Under The Flag (10). Liège, Belgium: 4.
- ^ Wilson, MacKenzie. "Xorcist Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
- Yücel, Ilker (22 Jan 2018). "Xorcist returns after long absence with new album". ReGen Magazine. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
- ^ Wilkinson, Gabe (3 Jul 2018). "Xorcist – Legion". ReGen Magazine. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
- Comer, M. Tye (2 October 2000). "RPM" (PDF). CMJ New Music Report. 64 (685). New York, NY: College Media, Inc.: 27. ISSN 0890-0795. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- Van Isacker, Bernard (23 Jan 2018). "2018 marks the return of the cult electro act Xorcist". Side-Line Magazine. Retrieved 24 December 2023.