Biography
Where the schnickeys did they come from?
Where did Tourniquet come from. My knowledge is limited. I know two stories.
The first is: that while the band(Guy, Gary, and Ted) was watching a science
demonstration, that all of a sudden, a spider fell into the radioactive beam
and bit the band members. They then mutated into the Satan Slaying force TOURNIQUET(they could crawl on walls too*don't tell anyone though,it's a secret*).
Here is another story, which is pretty hard to swallow(compared to the other one).
Guy Ritter(the origonal lead vocalist) was hangin' with Gary Lenaire since 1985. Guy led Gary to Christ.
*source: the Echo Hollow page*. How they got together with Ted
I couldn't tell ya'. Well, they went by the name Holy Danger in L.A.
Did the band thing, you know demo's, playing the club scene's. They were signed
in 1990 to Intense(home to Vengeance Rising and Deliverance the most popular bands and label at the time). The first album was
"Stop the Bleeding". This was the first album I heard. What I liked most about the band was the bible
verses in the lyrics and the music was fast and furious. To help the trio out they got Eric Jan James
and Mark Lewis(Jan James to play base and Lewis guitar). I later learned that in the actual recording session, Erik Jan James never played a note on the album, but he got to look cool in the booklet. The album was produced by Vengeance Rising's Roger Martinez, one of the earliest Christian Metal pioneers. In the studios during the
recording of Bleeding. They developed an important philosophy about recording: Whoever could do the part the best did it. Ted, who dominated the tubs
did some guitar(some is an under-statment) and bass. Gary the axeman did a little bass.
In 1991 they came out with the second album "Psycho Surgery". I have it,it's real short, if it was longer, i'd have loved it a lot more .
(before this they released a video). They got some permanent members for the line-up. Victor Macias(former roady for Deliverance) for bass, and Eric Mendez to help Gary kick
some butt with some phat guitar(he is really good). The next album was "Pathogenic Ocular Dissonance".
This was Guy Ritter's last album with the band. His reasons for leaving were he was getting tired of the
thrash vocals and medical allegory. When he mentioned it to the band they said it was best for the Metal-head fans
and Metalblade records that they kept it up so God led him in another direction*source: Screams of Abel*.
Well, they came out with a live e.p that Intense released. The guest vocalist they had was a guy from
the legendary band Bloodgood. Les Carlson. I haven't heard it but go to MIguel's page for his review. Well, Erik Mendez left the band because he was getting tired
of it(heck, I'd die to be in Tourniquet). Ted and the remaining members decided to get rid of the cut time
(for all you non-music people, the speed metal is no more)*source-HM Interview*.
The album was more of a groove stuff. The new vocalist, Luke Easter did a superb job being the voice of
the new Tourniquet. The sound was a lot like the new Metallica, except better. I haven't heard a lot of this
The sound was pretty cool, but I like the faster thrash stuff. The next work of theirs was the e.p
"Carry the Wounded" I just bought this e.p. and it was really good. It was different from the current direction, with a piano ballad, meant for Ted's fiance. The music was very emotional, with very personnal lyrics and a variety of instruments used such as cello's and violins. A good listen, hearing it though made you wonder what direction Tourniquet was going. Would they sell out and become a CCM endorsed band instead of the headbangers choice? They also added Aaron Guara on guitars. At first he auditioned for the vocals
but didn't get it(we get more of a vocal blend in the new album),they got another guitarist to help Gary get a killer groove going.
Then they released a greatest hits album. With two wonderful new songs. I have this album. The two
new songs are phenomonal. The ugly rumor of Tourniquet going alternative was put to rest.
Furthermore, they proved to me they are better than Metallica. The new songs were a blend of Manson, Metallica, Guns and Roses, and Mortification.
Then Victor and Gary left the band. God was leading Victor to a more conservative biblical perspective, that would be a problem in band
chemistry. Gary wanted to spend more time with the
family(which is very noble, I think, family first). I heard in the HM interview too that Gary was getting into softer stuff(heard he looked like Carmen).
Well, God led him to team up with Guy Ritter which is the new band they got.
There was a rumor that Erik was coming back, but the truth is that he only helped out the band in a concert. They have a new bassist by the name of Vince Dennis a former bassist of the metal band Prong who go through bassists like toothpicks. Crawl to China isn't as fast as "Hand Trembler" or "Hanging" as I thought the album would be, but it does have some nice characteristics. Being more of a "thrasher" myself, I prefer the metallica riffs and stuff, but still this is an awesome album. It's one of the few albums where I like all the songs a lot. I haven't heard an album like that since, Offspring's "smash" and PFR's "Them" and they aren't even metal bands. I guess everybody's got to change(look at metallica). One thing however stays the same!! That is sharing the gospel in a fun way where I can understand it. The album deals with a lot of issues I'm facing this year, and maybe the rest of my life, so God's going to be using this album a lot, as far as I can see. Now isn't the second story unbelievable? I liked the radioactive spider one.
It would explain why Ted is a SUPER-HUMAN drummer! God Bless!!
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