Through the Years: Destroy All Monsters Time Line

 

Winter 1974: Formation of DAM; University of Michigan students Cary Loren (vocals, guitar, then film-maker), Jim Shaw (guitar) Mike Kelley (drums, tapes) and Niagara (violin)

1973-1976: DAM plays around the Detroit and Ann Arbor area, achieving quite a bit of notoriety despite issuing no official recordings

1973: First public "concert" (aka taking over the stage) held at a Comic Book convention in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Instruments included a violin, saxophone, a vacuum cleaner and a coffee can. They performed a demented version of Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" and were asked to leave after 10 minutes.

1976: Formal gig at a Halloween Ball, University of Michigan art school

Summer 1976: Shaw and Kelley exit to attend graduate school at CAL Arts in Los Angeles, California        

1976: DAM recruits brothers Larry Miller (guitar) and Ben Miller (saxophone)

1977: Joined by former Stooges guitarist Ron Asheton, former MC5 bassist Michael Davis, and drummer )Rob King

1977: Tours in New York/Toronto

Summer 1977: Tours England

1977: Releases first single, "Bored/You're Gonna Die"

August 1977: Loren quits

1977: Loren issues live Destroy All Monsters EP, "The Days of Diamonds" on Black Hole Label

1978: Miller Brothers and Rob King leave

1979: Loren, the Millers, and Rob King form Xanadu and record an EP ("Black-Out in the City"), co-produced by Kelley and Shaw

1978-1985s: Remaining members of DAM (Niagara, Ron Asheton, Mike Davis) continue playing together with 3 more singles on IDBI label until disbanding in 1985 (this band was punk rock, not experimental like the earlier collaboration)

1994: Kelley, Loren, Sonic Youth singer/guitarist Thurston Moore assemble a 3 CD box set of the group's early years (including music, artwork, extensive linear notes) for Thurston Moore's Ecstatic Peace! Label, Destroy All Monsters 1974 1976.

1995: original members (Kelley, Loren, Niagara & Shaw) reformed for reunion shows in Ann Arbor/Detroit area, republish the 6 issues of the Destroy All Monsters Magazine (1976-1979), and publish a book: Destroy All Monsters: Geisha This

2007: DVD Grow Live Monsters released

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