Curse Of The Photos

Mercyful Fate – Country Club : October 25, 1984

This had to be the most anticipated show that my buddy Rob and I ever attended. We waited almost 2 years for Mercyful Fate to come to America. We had the infamous E.P., (with the virgin sacrifice artwork), the records, the bootlegs. We read every European magazine that these Copenhagen, Denmark based Satan lovers appeared in – Kerrang!, Metal Forces and ones I can’t even remember. This was the band we had to see. Not only would it be our first lesson in Black Metal, but the show was just a few days before Halloween – almost perfect. My buddy Rob and I were so fired up for this show, that as soon as they hit the stage, we were holding onto each other like a couple of sissies. I can’t tell you how glad I am that I smuggled my camera in to this show. These photos are some of my all-time favorites. In 2005, a handful of them were used in the CD re-issue of Melissa. It’s great to know that shots I took as a teenager are part of one of the most influential Metal CDs of all time.

Shot up front in the evil with my trusty, smuggled in Canon AE-1 Program and an 80-300mm zoom lens.