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Biography
Infobox musical artist | name = Obituary| image =| caption =| image_size =| background = group_or_band| alias = Executioner, Xecutioner| origin = Tampa, Florida | genre = Death metal | years_active = 1988–1997, 2003–present| label = Roadrunner Records|Roadrunner , Candlelight Records|Candlelight | associated_acts = Six Feet Under (band)|Six Feet Under , Death (metal band)|Death , Deicide (band)|Deicide | website = http://www.obituary.cc/ www.obituary.cc| current_members = John Tardy Trevor Peres Donald Tardy Ralph Santolla Terry Butler | past_members = Jerome Grable James Murphy (metal guitarist)|James Murphy Daniel Tucker (musician)|Daniel Tucker Allen West (musician)|Allen West Frank Watkins Obituary is an American death metal band formed in 1984 in Tampa, Florida under the name Executioner , then changed the name's spelling to Xecutioner , and later changed their name to Obituary in 1988. The band comprises vocalist John Tardy , drummer Donald Tardy , guitarists Trevor Peres and Ralph Santolla and bassist Terry Butler . The band is a fundamental act in the development of death metal musicAllmusic|class=artist|id=p13844|pure_url=yes Obituary at Allmusic and one of the most successful bands in its genre.cite web |url= http://www.roadrun.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx? mode=Article& newsitemID=16769 | title=Blabbermouth.net - It's official: Cannibal Corpse are the top-selling death metal band of the SoundScan era | accessdate=2007-10-11
History
Obituary is one of the pioneering bands of the death metal genre. Founded as Executioner in Seffner, Florida|Seffner , Florida during 1984. They soon dropped the "E" from their name because of another band of the same name, becoming Xecutioner. At the time the band was composed of John Tardy (vocals), Allen West (lead guitar), Trevor Peres (guitar), Jerome Grable (bass) & Donald Tardy (drums). The band released demos in 1985, 1986, and 1987, the 1985 demo as Executioner and the 1986 and 1987 demos as Xecutioner. They made their vinyl debut in 1987 with two tracks ("Find The Arise" & "Like The Dead") on the Raging Death compilation. Not long after its release Grable was replaced with bassist Daniel Tucker. Shortly before the release of its first album the following year, Slowly We Rot , they changed their name to Obituary. The band still remains an influential piece of the Florida death metal movement that arose in the late 1980s. Obituary is listed by Nielsen Soundscan as the fifth best-selling death metal band of all time and its albums have sold 368,185 copies; their 1992 release The End Complete has sold more than 103,378 copies in the United States alone.
After 1997's Back from the Dead (Obituary album)| Back from the Dead album, the band had grown tired of touring, which led to the band disbanding. During the hiatus, Donald Tardy played in Andrew W.K. 's touring band (during W.K.'s appearance on Saturday Night Live Tardy wore an Obituary shirt). Allen West focused on his two projects, Lowbrow and Six Feet Under (band)|Six Feet Under while not playing in Obituary. Trevor Peres formed Catastrophic in 2001, which released one album, The Cleansing , in that same year. Obituary reformed in 2003 and Catastrophic continued to exist alongside the reformed Obituary. A reunion album, Frozen in Time , was released in 2005. The band's first live DVD, Frozen Alive , was released in January 2007.
Obituary is currently signed with Candlelight Records for its next two albums, '' Xecutioner's Return (2007) and Darkest Day (2009), as well as the EP Left to Die '' (2008). A concert DVD release was also announced for January 2010.cite web |url= http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx? mode=Article& newsitemID=131427 |publisher = Blabbermouth.net | title=OBITUARY: 'Live Xecution' DVD Trailer Available - Dec. 4, 2009 | accessdate=2009-03-06 As of April 2010, according to frontman John Tardy , Obituary has begun work on new material for their next album.cite web |url= http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx? mode=Article& newsitemID=138853 |publisher = Blabbermouth.net | title=OBITUARY Begins Work On New Material - Apr. 20, 2010 | accessdate=2010-09-14 This will be the first Obituary album not to be recorded with longtime bassist Frank Watkins since their 1989 debut Slowly We Rot .
Members
col-begincol-2 ;Current members
John Tardy – vocals (1984–present)
Donald Tardy – drums (1984–present)
Trevor Peres – rhythm guitar (1984–present)
Ralph Santolla – lead guitar (2007–present)
Terry Butler - bass guitar (2010–present)
;Live members
Kenny Andrews - bass guitar (2010)
Steve DiGiorgio - bass guitar (2010)
col-2 ;Former members
Allen West (musician)|Allen West – lead guitar (1984–1989, 1992–2006)
James Murphy (metal guitarist)|James Murphy – lead guitar (1990)
Jerome Grable – bass (1984–1988)
Daniel Tucker (musician)|Daniel Tucker – bass guitar (1988& ndash;1989)
http://diabolicalconquest.com/interviews/obituary_interview.htm John Tardy Interview at Diabolical Conquest Webzine
http://www.metalpaths.com/interviews/obituary-donald-tardy,1912 Donald Tardy interview (2009) at Metalpaths.com
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/artists/obituary/ Obituary at Roadrunner Records
http://www.splattertribe.tv/JohnTardyObituary.htm 2009 SplatterTribe.tv interview with Vocalist John Tardy
Obituary (band) DEFAULTSORT:Obituary Category:American death metal musical groups Category:Musical groups from Tampa, Florida Category:Musical groups established in 1985 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1997 Category:Musical groups reestablished in 2003 Category:Heavy metal musical groups from Florida Category:Musical quintets Category:Roadrunner Records artists
