Bible Launcher

The San Francisco-based group/project Bible Launcher exists with the aims of satirizing Christianity (in general) and televangelists (in particular). Their style is a melange of metallic avant-rock, spoken word rants, screaming saxophones, and samples taken from both religious broadcasts and pornographic films. Bible Launcher's core members are Ron K. (guitar, electronics, short-wave radio), 99 Hooker (saxophones and "unconscious vocals"), John McCoy (bass, guitar, toys), and Dave Mairz (drums). They recorded their self-titled first album over the course of 1995 and 1996 for release as part of the Lunatic Fringe series on John Zorn's Tzadik label. However, due to fears that a lawsuit would come about as a result of the many uncleared samples used on the album, it was pulled very soon after hitting the shelves. Bible Launcher was subsequently re-released, with the addition of several bonus tracks, on San Francisco's Radical House label. A follow-up, simply entitled Bible Launcher II, came in 1998, continuing in the same vein but adding a number of guest artists including saxophonist Jack Wright and keyboardist Jai Young Kim, among others. ~ William York, All Music Guide