| Dave Chandler | |
|---|---|
 Chandler biting his guitar. | |
| Background information | |
| Birth Name | David Charles Chandler |
| Born | 3 September 1958 |
| Genres | Doom Metal, Punk Rock |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar |
| Years active | 1978 - 1996, 2001 - Present |
| Labels | SST, Season of Mist, Hellhound Records, Rise Above Records, Southern Lord Records |
| Associated acts | Tyrant, Saint Vitus, Debris Inc. |
Dave Chandler is a musician best known for being the guitarist and main songwriter for Saint Vitus. Starting his career in 1978 and barring a short period of time being out of the musical world, Chandler has been active as a musician for over forty years. He's known also for his generally doomy tone and wah-laden solos.
Biography[]
Chandler would begin his career initially with the band name Tyrant alongside Mark Adams, Armando Acosta and Scott Reagers. By 1979 however the band would change their name to Saint Vitus. Recording their first album live in a studio with no overdubs in roughly one take, the quartet would release the eponymous Saint Vitus in 1984.[1] Having signed to SST and performing largely with punk bands, Vitus would tour the United States, often with Black Flag in one tour Chandler cited as "45 shows in 46 days".
The band would quickly follow with a second album in Hallow's Victim along with an EP for The Walking Dead but the relentless touring would be too much for Reagers, to which he would leave the band. He would however suggest to a Maryland musician to take his place, to which one Scott Weinrich (AKA Wino) would join as the new vocalist upon moving to California. This new lineup would record and release Born Too Late in 1986, an album since revered by the doom metal scene. A follow-up and their last album on SST would come in 1988's Mournful Cries.
Saint Vitus would sign to a German label in Hellhound Records for their next album, 1990's V, along with the band's first tours of Europe. However Wino would opt to leave the band to re-form The Obsessed. The band would recruit Christian Linderson for 1992's C.O.D.. However with being largely ignored by the media and frustrations with the music industry as a whole, Chandler would opt to disband Saint Vitus, having what was then a tour with Scott Reagers and a new album in 1995's Die Healing to go out with a bang.[2] Following the tour Saint Vitus would break up and Chandler would quit music for a number of years.[3]
In 2001, after some time of convincing from a friend in Ron Holzner (Trouble), Chandler would form a new group in Debris Inc. though on the condition of performing punk rock along with doom. Working with a wide range of drummers such as Barry Stern, Jimmy Bower, Henry Vasquez and Greg Rogers this trio would tour North America and Europe before releasing a self-titled album via Rise Above Records in 2005. Debris Inc. would eventually disband in 2008 when Saint Vitus would reunite.
Saint Vitus would initially reunite in 2003 with Wino on vocals and then again in 2008, beginning with a tour of Europe in 2009 including an appearance at Roadburn Festival. However the band would recruit a new drummer in Henry Vasquez from then on. With a new generation of fans and a resurgence at hand, Vitus would tour heavily in support of this reunion and then begin work on a new studio album. Signing with Season of Mist, Lillie: F-65 would see release on 27 April 2012 to positive reception.
In 2014 Wino would be arrested for drug possession in Norway and Chandler would reach out to original singer Scott Reagers to rejoin the band, to which he would do so for a 2015 tour of Europe. Following more touring work would slowly begin on a ninth studio album, with a new song in "Bloodshed" teased in 2017. Finally on 17 May 2019 would see the release of Saint Vitus to positive reception.
Bands[]
- Tyrant - Guitar, Vocals (1978 - 1979)
- Saint Vitus - Guitar (1979 - 1996, 2003, 2008 - Present)
- Debris Inc. - Guitar, Vocals (2001 - 2008)
Personal Life[]
Chandler was born in Lomita, California[4] though since 2005 he resides in New Orleans, Louisiana. Chandler was living in New Orleans at the time of Hurricane Katrina and had survived the hurricane. Chandler is also an avid fan of cartoons and professional wrestling, though specifically independent promotions such as the original Extreme Championship Wrestling and Ring of Honor.[5]
Selected Discography[]
- Saint Vitus - Saint Vitus (1984, SST)
- Saint Vitus - Hallow's Victim (1985, SST)
- Saint Vitus - Born Too Late (1986, SST)
- Saint Vitus - Mournful Cries (1988, SST)
- Saint Vitus - V (1990, Hellhound Records)
- Saint Vitus - C.O.D. (1992, Hellhound Records)
- Saint Vitus - Die Healing (1995, Hellhound Records)
- Debris Inc. - Debris Inc. (2005, Rise Above Records)
- Saint Vitus - Lillie: F-65 (2012, Season of Mist)
- Saint Vitus - Saint Vitus (2019, Season of Mist)
Equipment[]
Guitars[]
- Gibson SG[6]
- Schecter Hellraiser V
- Dean ML X
External Links[]
- 2012 Interview with Metal Assault
- 2012 Interview via The Obelisk
- 2013 Interview via Metal As Fuck
- 2013 Interview via Heavy Planet
- 2014 Interview with Rabbits Black
- 2014 Interview via Westword
- 2016 Interview via Decibel
- Interview via Metal Underground
References[]
| V·T·E Saint Vitus | |
|---|---|
| Current Members | Dave Chandler • Scott Reagers • Henry Vasquez • Patrick Bruders |
| Past Members | Mark Adams • Armando Acosta • Scott Weinrich • Christian Linderson |
| Studio Albums | Saint Vitus • Hallow's Victim • Born Too Late • Mournful Cries • V • C.O.D. • Die Healing • Lillie: F-65 • Saint Vitus |
| Extended Plays | The Walking Dead • Thirsty and Miserable • Saint Vitus / Born Too Late • Saint Vitus Live |
| Compilation Albums | Heavier Than Thou • The Walking Dead / Hallow's Victim |
| Live Albums | Live • Reunion 2003 - Live in Chicago • Marbles in the Moshpit • Live Vol. 2 • Let The End Begin |
| Associated Bands, Artists, Etc. | The Obsessed • Spirit Caravan • The Hidden Hand • Shrinebuilder • Debris Inc. • Debris Inc. (Album) • Blood of the Sun • Lord Vicar • Count Raven • Outlaw Order • Down • Crowbar |