john christ
22:02 Tuesday, 7 February 2023
Guitarist John Christ played on the first four Danzig records before leaving the group in 1995. In an interview with Guitar World, Christ said his departure was all thanks to Danzig mastermind Glenn Danzig "slowly squeezing" everyone out of the band. Christ said there was really no point in fighting it, as Glenn had backing from both their label and management.
Christ also brought up his former Danzig bandmates, bassist Eerie Von and drummer Chuck Biscuits, saying they also had some pretty bad contracts. Eerie Von would also quit in 1995, while Chuck Biscuits left in 1994.
"The band — Eerie Von, Chuck Biscuits and I — were in horrible contract negotiations. Actually, there were no negotiations. Glenn wanted it all and was slowly squeezing us out. He had all of the support from the label and management. We had no-one backing us. Glenn could afford to outspend us until we cried uncle. Royalties, publishing, advances, everything. He signed his own deal without us ever knowing about it. Welcome to the entertainment business."
So what was the plan after Christ quit? To take Kirk Hammett's job in Metallica, of course! Obviously that didn't work out and Christ moved on to a short-lived solo career.
"What I really wanted was to join Metallica. I wanted Kirk Hammett's job so badly that I could taste it. It's funny; years later, after I sobered up, I occasionally thought about how I would take Kirk Hammett out and get his job. [Laughs].
"The only other gig I really wanted was playing with Ozzy Osbourne. But I ended up forming Juice 13, a band with guys that could literally talk a nun out of her panties, but that didn't work out. I immediately moved to record a solo album, but at that time, I was in a very physically intense relationship with a woman that I met at the gym, which was addicting, and that clouded things for me."
Christ released one album named Flesh Caffeine in 1999.
