Shotgun Messiah
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1985 in Skövde, Sweden |
| Founder | Harry Cody, Tim Sköld |
| Defunct | 1993 |
| Headquarters | Skövde , Sweden |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Shotgun Messiah was a glam metal group originating from Skövde, Sweden. Established in 1985 by guitarist Harry Cody and bassist Tim Sköld, the ensemble's most commercially prominent formation featured vocalist Zinny J. Zan alongside drummer Stixx Galore. Their discography comprises three studio albums: Shotgun Messiah, Second Coming, and Violent New Breed. Throughout the band's existence until their dissolution in 1993, Cody and Sköld remained the sole consistent members.
Initial phase: 1985–1991
The band initially operated under the name Kingpin, founded in 1985 in Skövde by bassist Thim "Tim Tim" Sköld and guitarist Harry "Harry Cody" Kemppainen. The original lineup was rounded out by drummer Pekka "Stixx Galore" Ollinen and vocalist Jukka "J.K. Knox" Kemppainen. Their 1988 release, Welcome to Bop City, issued via CMM Records, featured the single "Shout It Out," which topped Swedish charts and also entered the top 100 on the US Billboard Album Chart. During the production of this album, Knox was replaced by Bo "Zinny J. Zan" Stagman, previously the frontman of Easy Action.
Following their move to Hollywood, the band secured a contract with Relativity Records. Due to a naming dispute with another San Francisco-based group called Kingpin, they adopted the name Shotgun Messiah. In September 1989, they reissued Welcome To Bop City after remixing it under their new moniker as the self-titled album Shotgun Messiah. Described by The Washington Post as "cocky, loud and rough," this album achieved sales nearing half a million copies. This success enabled them to embark on their inaugural solo tour across North America.
Later phase: 1991–1993
Following Zinny J. Zan’s departure in 1990, bassist Tim Sköld assumed vocal duties for Shotgun Messiah. To fill the vacancy left by Sköld on bass, American musician Bobby Lycon from New York’s Battalion was enlisted. The band released Second Coming in 1991, which included their well-known track "Heartbreak Blvd". Musically, their sound transitioned to incorporate elements of metal, rap, pop, and classical influences. In 1992, they issued the EP I Want More, featuring covers of songs originally by the Ramones, The Stooges, and New York Dolls.
Third phase: 1993
By the year 1993, the band was reduced to just Cody and Sköld. Together, they created Violent New Breed, which represented a transition toward a fusion of industrial metal and punk influences. They embarked on a tour to promote this album before disbanding, as their record label Relativity shifted its priorities toward rap genres.
Activities after Shotgun Messiah
Following the group's dissolution, Sköld pursued a solo path with the release of Skold, later joining KMFDM and MDFMK, and collaborating on the project Skold vs. KMFDM. Between 2002 and 2008, he worked extensively with Marilyn Manson as a producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, contributing to two albums and accompanying tours. In 2009, Sköld established the supergroup Doctor Midnight and the Mercy Cult, which issued I Declare: Treason in 2011. Since then, he has released five additional solo records spanning from 2011 through 2023.
Meanwhile, Cody became part of Coma alongside Saigon Kick’s Matt Kramer in 1994 and later formed Das Cabal in 1996 with Georg Dolivo from Rhino Bucket, also contributing to the soundtrack for the film Boogie Boy in 1998. His collaborations include working with Tom Waits on the 2004 album Real Gone and the 2006 compilation Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards. Additionally, Cody composed the score for the movie Wassup Rockers in 2005.
In 2012, Zan reunited with drummer Stixx under the name Shotgun to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Welcome to Bop City, releasing a live album featuring guitarist Rob Marcello, bassist Chris Laney, and keyboardist Jonas Beijer.
A reunion involving the original lineup was planned for 2019 but was canceled due to disagreements regarding Zan’s involvement with management. Nevertheless, in 2025, Cody disclosed ongoing recording sessions with Sköld and Zan, suggesting a possible reunion tour along with a new album inspired by renewed fan interest.
Shotgun Messiah
- Zinny J. Zan – lead vocals
- Harry Cody – guitar, backing vocals
- Tim Sköld – bass guitar, backing vocals
- Stixx Galore – drums, backing vocals
Second Coming
- Tim Sköld – lead vocals
- Harry Cody – guitar, backing vocals
- Bobby Lycon – bass guitar, backing vocals
- Stixx Galore – drums, backing vocals
Violent New Breed
- Tim Sköld – lead vocals, programming, bass guitar
- Harry Cody – lead guitar, backing vocals, programming
- Bill Bruce – rhythm guitar (live performances)
- Pat Guyton – bass guitar (live performances)
- Bjarne "B. J." Johansson – drums (live performances)
Discography
| Title | Album details | Highest chart positions | Sales figures | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | |||||||||
| Shotgun Messiah |
|
99 |
| ||||||
| Second Coming |
|
199 |
| ||||||
| I Want More (EP) |
|
— |
| ||||||
| Violent New Breed |
|
— |
| ||||||
| "—" indicates albums that did not chart or were not issued in that region. | |||||||||
Singles
| Year | Single |
|---|---|
| 1989 | "Shout It Out" |
| 1989 | "Don't Care About Nothin'" |
| 1991 | "Heartbreak Blvd." |
| 1992 | "Living Without You" |
| 1993 | "Violent New Breed" |
External links
- Shotgun Messiah
- 1985 establishments in Sweden
- Glam metal musical groups from California
- Heavy metal musical groups from California
- Swedish industrial metal musical groups
- Musical groups established in 1985
- Musical groups disestablished in 1993
- Musical groups from Los Angeles
- Swedish glam metal musical groups
- Swedish hard rock musical groups
- Swedish musical quintets
- Musical groups from Västra Götaland County
- Culture in Skövde