Biography

The Crypt Club is composed of Coffin Joe on guitars, Zombie Jim (Jim) on bass, Simon Larsen on drums and percussion, and Erle on guitar and lead vocals. The Crypt Club has its origin in the Montreal death-rock/garage band, Bordello; which began in 1998 and disbanded in the spring of 2007. The original members of Bordello were Joe, Jim, Erle and drummer, Eric Sinclair. Erle left the band in 2001 for creative reasons and was replaced by female vocalist, Nadzine, and eventually a second guitarist named Cedric Robert. About a year and a half after Erle left, Eric resigned and was replaced by long-time friend of the band and fan, Simon.

The transition from Bordello to The Crypt Club is a long and confusing story, perhaps suitable for other forums than here, with several member-changes and temporary add-ons. Generally the largest changes came in 2008 when original singer, Erle, rejoined Coffin Joe, Zombie Jim, and Simon under the working project called The Crypt Club. Early in the project Cedric had to leave on an indefinate hiatus for personal reasons, but has continues to appear in the line-up for fun on a casual basis.

In October 2008, the group officially adopted the name The Crypt Club and its new tagline, "the underground society".

The Crypt Club performed its first live show at Club Saphir in Montreal on Febraury 13th, 2009. Since those early days the band has performed many shows in Montreal, Sherbrooke, Toronto and Ottawa. They have had the pleasure of opening for 90's goth legends, Faith and the Muse, legendary post-punk icons, Killing Joke, the immortal David J, and a live theatrical performance of John Cameron Mitchell's Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

The Crypt Club independently controls its own music by taking a producer role and self-financing its recordings under its own label, Tender Hooks Records. Over the summer of 2009, the band recorded the tracks to its debut self-titled album at their own studio, The Gates of Hell. The band worked with Rene De La Muerte of Montreal psychobilly band, The Brains, who mixed the album over a period of nine months when ever in town from The Brains' hectic tour schedule. By March 2010 the album was complete and was officially launched on May 30th, 2010.

Once again returning to The Gates of Hell, they wrapped production on Pop-life Denial, an EP released on July 19th, 2013. The EP was mixed and mastered by Simon Fraser Jones at Skyriser Audio in Montreal. Pop Life Denial is a commentary on convergence of over-consumption, corporate media, and political alienation as they affect social and environmental sustainability. The inside liner notes of the EP say:

"Pop Life Denial is not a manifesto, but Pop Life Denial is about facing the myths of hyper-consumerism, retrograde right-wing politics, ego-obsessed individualism, and ubiquitous media. Disillusioned young men bearing guitars may not overcome, but we make one hell of a racket as we go. And we know we're not alone."

Since 2014 the band has been on an informal hiatus, emerging intermittently for small-scale performances as convenient. They still get together and throw a few back. Keep an eye out, because you never know when they might get in the mood for another show here or there.