December Birthdays 
The last Get Three Coffins Ready show was on August 13, 2010, at the 3 Kings Tavern in Denver. I videoed it with the help of another aficcianado, Merrie, whom I drafted on the spot. It is very dark in the 3 Kings at the best of times and the band had a background projection so they turned down the lights even more. I didn't think to try the infrared false black and white setting on my camera, obvious as that would seem in retrospect, so you get to experience the resulting mirk at first hand.
The Coffins were a local Denver group with a sound somewhat along the lines of MOAM. Definitely influenced by MOAM, the Phantom Surfers, Satan's Pilgrims, and Deadbolt. I don't know that they ever travelled further from Denver than Colorado Springs, and their CDs were issued locally by themselves, mostly on Gil's NDSA label, so I am not sure how many people will know about them. Actually Colorado Springs is a fair distance when you consider how much stuff they liked to put on a stage.
For purposes of this show they did a retrospective selection of their material in roughly chronological order, starting with material from the initial "Make that Four" phase with Rikki Styxx (drums), though, of course, without Rikki herself. I am excerpting the series here on about a 1 song in 2 basis.
The personnel listed below are for the show on August 13th.
With just the original three from after Rikki left, or Adam "Hesh" Hester (guitar, drums), Gil "Professor Brian O'Blivion" Romero (guitar, drums) and Jeff "Hefe" Anton (bass). Hesh is on drums and Gil on guitar in what appears here.
Theme from Van Cleef (No "For a Few Dollars More" intro clip, of course)
I think there was a pre initial phase without Rikki, but I am not positive. I don't know if they ever performed that way or if they had settled on the name at that point. They were a sort of mashup of a surf band whose name escapes me and a punk band called the Munjers, with the addition of Rikki who came from Hate Kate (originally the Vestals). I may be distorting things a bit here. I have seen somewhere that Rikki considers herself to have joined not Get Three Coffins Ready, but the surf band whose name I have forgotten. When Rikki left the Coffins she played briefly with the Denver roots band the Denver City Saltlicks, which is based on the brother/sister duo Michael "'Bama" or "Alabama" and Cate (formerly of Hate Kate). Michael was briefly part of Get Three Coffins Ready.
I may be wrong, but I have always assumed that the phrase "Get Three Coffins Ready" is supposed to be construed as referring to Gil, Hesh and Jeff, and the tag line "My mistake, make that four." would then add Rikki. By the end the Coffins were a core of five musicians, plus two additional guitarists appearing regularly, and Jim Danger on visuals.
Still with the original material, but adding Kevin Hester (rhythm guitar) and gogo guy Jesse "Chuck Beefer" Frazier (maracas and theremin):
...
And skipping for now to the end of the show, some material from the final CD. I think Eddie Maestas Polarez is in there on guitar at this point in the show, but I am not sure. This part was videoed by Merrie, so you may notice some improvements in technique.
Buy High, Sell Low and Intoxica
The finale definitely includes Eddie Maestas, formerly of Mustangs & Madras. Missing here is Brian Fausett of Hexen, who was also playing regularly with the Coffins by the end. I believe he had a conflict.
Roy O'Bannon vs. The Sands of Time (He loses.)
And that is the end ...
Gil and Eddie have moved on to a massive production sound instrumental band (non-surf) called Native Daughters. The Hester brothers and Jesse (and Brian Faucett who played a lot with the Coffins near the end, but not at this show) are in a r&b-oriented garage band called the Bloody Fives. Jeff Anton is still appearing quarterly with his original punk-oriented band the Fightin' Cocks.
Last edited: Mar 12, 2013 17:26:52
