Destroy All Monsters Destroy All Monsters was a band started in 1974 by University of Michigan art students Niagara on vocals; Mike Kelley on drums and vocals; Jim Shaw on vocals and squeeze toys; and Cary Loren on guitar and vocals. This proto-noise-band was the first pure
noise-band according to music historian and
Sonic Youth band member,
Thurston Moore, who said, "I can find no earlier example of such primitive playing with the use of non-instruments." In 1994, drawing from early rehearsal and performance tapes, Moore released a three disc box set of these seminal basement recordings, "DAM 1974-1976" on his music label
Ecstatic Peace. The original line up of musicians was not around long. In 1977, Niagara met ex-Stooges guitarist Ron Asheton, and he became her paramour. Ron thought the band's music had potential. To realize that potential, he recruited
Michael Davis (ex-MC5 bassist), a real powerhouse crucial for rock bottom percussive bass. Davis, recently released from prison, was available and agreed to be part of the band. Next hired was Rob King on drums. King's drums were precise, fast and powerful, an unusual combination. Next the Miller brothers were added,
Ben on saxophone, and
Larry on guitar, both accomplished musicians with a punk-jazz pedigree. The local media, including the
Detroit Free Press, and
The Detroit News attended early shows and gave prominent coverage to the "events," as the press referred to them.
Lester Bangs wrote about "Destroy All Monsters" affectionately in
CREEM magazine . Even
Rolling Stone took notice with articles and interviews about the new punk phenomenon, "Niagara is strange on stage, almost like she was awakened from a deep slumber and is surprised to find herself on stage."
Spin Magazine described Niagara's stage presence as, "A thrift store
Nico in a bloody gown." Accounts of Niagara falling off stage were numerous. Yet, Niagara seemed blessed with nine lives, and someone always caught her, including the MC5's
Rob Tyner at the Kramer Theater, "I saved Niagara's life!" After a brief European tour four singles were produced in this early Punk era: "Bored," "You're Gonna Die," "What Do I Get?" and "Nobody Knows." The Monsters soon hooked up with the
Ramones and
The Dead Boys. The band members became fast friends and touring buddies. When in New York, The Dead Boys or Ramones would open, In Cleveland or Detroit, DAM got top billing. This led to many famous pairings with shows at
Max's Kansas City and
CBGB's in New York,
The Agora Ballroom in Cleveland, Bookies in Detroit and Second Chance in Ann Arbor. The punk incarnation of the band lasted from 1977 to 1985.
Dark Carnival In 1984, Niagara met Detroit music promoter and impresario Colonel Galaxy. The Colonel's ambitious project, Dark Carnival, had the original concept of a performance art troop that borrowed heavily from the Stooges, MC5,
Velvet Underground blueprint. The Colonel found that with one player from each of a dozen Detroit punk bands he could create a "super group" and control them, (much like
Colonel Tom Parker did with Elvis, hence his moniker, "The Colonel"). Bootsey X from the Lovemasters was the first member signed, then Mark Norton from the RamRods, Gary Adams from The Cubes, Mike McFeaters from What Jane Shared, Jerry Vile from The Boners,
Sarana VerLin from Natasha, Greasy Carlisi from Motor City Bad Boys, Robert Gordon and Art Lyzak from The Mutants, Joe Hayden from Bugs Bedow, Pete Bankert from Weapons, Larry Steel from The Cult Heroes. Later Dark Carnival saw some turnover, with the "big" names signing on: Niagara from Destroy All Monsters, Ron and Scott Asheton from the Stooges,
Cheetah Chrome from the
Dead Boys,
Jim Carroll even came in from New York. Niagara fell for the Colonel and they got married in 1986. The revolving Vaudeville-like assembly evolved into a battle-hardened, proto-punk outfit, which included Niagara, Ron Asheton, Scott Asheton, and Greasy Carlisi. This band toured the US, Canada, and Australia twice between the years 1984-2000.
John Holmstrom of
Punk Magazine says, "Dark Carnival produced some of the best pure Punk music I've ever heard and did it longer than anyone, Niagara's been singing for 20 years and still looks exactly the same!"
The Hitmen When Niagara and Dark Carnival toured Australia in 1991 she befriended members of Dark Carnival's infamous opening band,
The Hitmen. Based in Sydney Australia, The Hitmen were fixtures of the Australian musical landscape. Their elite membership read like a Who's Who in the Australian punk rock community. With members such as
Deniz Tek from
Radio Birdman, The
New Christs, and
Screaming Tribesmen, The Hitmen knew well the elusive Detroit sound Niagara was after. Other members of The Hitmen included world-famous guitarist
Chris Masuak, Tony Jukic on rhythm guitar, Tony Robertson on bass, and Murray Shepherd on drums. Murray's brother
Brad Shepherd, lead guitarist of the
Hoodoo Gurus, also played on the tour's final show. ==Art career==