Premature Ejaculation (band)
| Company type | Music group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music, Performance art |
| Founded | 1981 in Pomona, California, United States |
| Founder | Rozz Williams, Ron Athey |
| Fate | Disbanded in 1998; revived in 2023 |
| Headquarters | Pomona , United States |
Key people | Rozz Williams, Ron Athey, Chuck Collison |
| Products | Music albums, performance art |
Premature Ejaculation is a band specializing in industrial, experimental, and performance art genres, originating from Pomona, California. Founded in 1981 by Rozz Williams and Ron Athey, the group initially existed for under a year before disbanding. It was later reassembled in 1986 with additional members and ultimately ceased activity following Williams' passing in 1998. The project experienced a revival beginning in 2023, now led by Chuck Collison.
Origins
Premature Ejaculation represents one of the numerous musical projects undertaken by Rozz Williams. Distinct from his deathrock ensemble Christian Death, this band deliberately eschewed conventional "rock band" instrumentation, opting instead for an array of objects and lo-fi technology. Early material was scarce and primarily shared within close circles.
The band’s live shows were infrequent, largely due to provocative performance art elements, notably including an incident where Athey consumed a deceased cat (roadkill), which was captured in the documentary Hardcore California.
Revival
In 1986, Williams reassembled Premature Ejaculation with Chuck Collison, Lee Wildes, and Kris Fuller (both now deceased). The ensemble continued to explore avant-garde themes centered on the bizarre and taboo, employing unconventional sounds to craft immersive auditory experiences. Their multimedia stage presentations were often designed to shock or disturb audiences.
Chuck Collison played a key role in improving the group's audio production and established the label 'The Happiest Place on Earth,' later renamed 'The Happiest Tapes on Earth' to circumvent trademark conflicts with Disney. The label released their initial two full-length cassettes—Death Cultures and Blood Told in Spine—followed by Assertive Discipline. Subsequent albums were distributed on vinyl and CD through various labels such as Dark Vinyl Records (Germany), Cleopatra Records, and Triple XXX.
Although not Williams’ most renowned endeavor—Christian Death holds that status—he considered Premature Ejaculation his preferred artistic outlet. The band produced an extensive body of work, including the posthumous album Wound of Exit.
Second Revival Starting in 2023, Chuck Collison has revived Premature Ejaculation, performing live concerts throughout the United States.
Members
- Rozz Williams (1981–1998)
- Ron Athey (1981–1982)
- Chuck Collison (1986–present)
- Lee Wildes (1986–1987)
- Kris Fuller (1986–1989)
- Paris Sadonis
- Ryan Wildstar
- Erik Christides
Discography
- PE – Pt.1 (1981)
- PE – Pt.2 (1981)
- A Little Hard to Swallow
- Living Monstrocities / Descent
- Body of a Crow (1986)
- Death Cultures (1987)
- Assertive Discipline (1988)
- Death Cultures III (1988)
- Night Sweats (1988)
- Blood Told in Spine (1991)
- Blue Honey / Pigface Show & Tell (1988)
- Anesthesia (1992)
- Necessary Discomforts (1993)
- Estimating the Time of Death (1994)
- Dead Horse Riddles (1994)
- Wound of Exit (1998)
- 6 (2001)
- Video releases
- Death Cultures III (1988)
- Not the Real Criminal (1989)
- The End is Here (1989)
References and links
2. Article on the history of Premature Ejaculation by Lazrs3: https://www.lazaruscorporation.co.uk/articles/sound-of-premature-ejaculation
3. 2023 YouTube interview with Chuck Collison by Rozz Williams Scholars Society: https://www.youtube.com/live/bHynSb3DiOk?si=nADTy78cAlRNIGEe