Once upon a time long, long ago, even before there were cell-phones or Pearl Jam. There lived a RocknRoll band from the Northwest called SHOCK TREATMENT. The grunge scene was still years away and the only local rock bands to be aware of, or go to see, were guys like Randy Hanson, Atom Bomb, Heart, Culprit (later TKO), Allies and the Heats. Jr Cadillac played everywhere. Queensryche were some pretty boy screamers from Bellevue and Metal Church was the Kent based enemy. (we were Federal Way boys) I suppose Kurt Cobain was in Aberdeen somewhere being mistreated, but we were oblivious to what those hicks were doing, and we didn't care about their music at the time. We listened to everyone from Cheap Trick, to Twisted Sister to the Ramones. The Rocket magazine was the bible. Seattle clubs always had cool shows going on, and I don't mean sloppy out of tune stuff either. With the mainstream radio packed with power rock bands and a growing metal scene where the music is inherently tight as hell, loud and delivered with a vengeance. (and of course "hair") The competition to be the "heaviest metal" was intense. Our attitude was hit hard and take no prisoners. Shock Treatment was a serious contender and never seemed to us as a temporary distraction or a fun way to be cool. The 7 years we spent together were often brutal or dysfunctional in some way. As a group we were bent on delivering our ideal version of RocknRoll mayhem, and would not hesitate to fist fight in the studio (sixty bucks an hour) to decide what that was. Rehearsals were endless. (and still are for some of us) Long into the nights we would practice, sometimes charging each other a dollar for every mistake. If you were sick and couldn't make it, you were definitely on the band shit list.
We never did find a niche in the music business, or make a big impact on any aspect of '80s Seattle scene,(we didn't even make the book) but we were there and we had a killer time. Shock Treatment rocked out at Gorilla Gardens-Rock Theatre (both sides) we played the Showbox, OK Hotel, Far side (later Maddog's) Game Factory, Ballard Firehouse, Backstage, Golden Crown, Lynnwood Rollaway, Capital Theatre, Central, Colourbox, The New World, Riviera Steak House, The Detour, Silver Dollar Tavern, Name of the Game East, Pier 70, Off Ramp, Jocko's, Filipino hall, Auburn Community hall, the Sub Base at Bangor ( Army loved us, Navy guys wanted dance music), Brook Lake Hall, UCT hall, Kennydale hall, Maple Valley hall, Decator High School, The Rainbow Vally Peace Festival and many more local bars with names that have slipped my mind. Some of the members of Shock Treatment have changed through the years so if I've forgotten anybody too bad, they didn't count anyway. Pre 1980 there was: Ron Hall, Darrell Johnson, Phil Derrick, Charley Robinson, Jim Morgan. 1980-on: Darrell Johnson, Phil Derrick, James Kruize, Vince Mall, Pat Learn, Ray Stebbons, Al Meyers, and Mitch Urban. Shock Treatment produced three singles and recorded approximately twenty songs in their torrid seven year existence. Shock Treatment showed up on two local compilation albums, METAL MELTDOWN II and III with "Might makes right" and "Flesh and blood". If you were listening you could have heard them on rotation on at least three cool radio stations of the era. KJET, KZAM and the college station KGRG. The promotion and exposure of the band was never backed or managed with any effectiveness by anyone. So to say this band had impact in the N.W. would be stretching the story. To say we didn't kick some ass, would be lying.
Digging up this long dead ghost of a hard rock band and putting it on the web, was just a way for this writer to make some sense of all that futile effort...Or was it? As stupid as it seems, those were some of the best years of my life that I don't regret any of it. Thanks guys, I love you! Sorry I was such a dick.
After years of other bands and other historical rock events Jim Kruize, - A.K.A. Eddy Z. sums up the SHOCK TREATMENT era in his own final words.
The core of the band later evolved into ELECTROPHILIA, with Mike Parker and Chad Hawkins. Their shot at fame never panned out either, but the recordings are here at Studio "A". We believe the available MP-3s are worth a listen. This is the real stuff, hard rock, from Seattle, from the underground, from the 80s. If you have any information, or would like to comment on either of these bands please email us
SHOCK TREATMENT did acquire a small following or group of fans that regularly attended our shows. One Friday night in '85 a friend of Mitch's borrowed a video camera and filmed his night out. A typical party night for anyone of that era, Rocky Sandland ended up at one of our last shows at the Name of the Game Tavern in Bellevue. Later he gave me the tape. I just found it 23 years later. Check out "the Rockers of Bellevue". Some interesting people here that have no idea they are on Youtube.
Several of these photos were taken in our practice rooms or someone's living room.
'80s ROCK TO THE MAX! This is what the hard rock scene was all about. You can download just two of the great metal songs on the compilation set. (Now a rare collectors item) SHOCK TREATMENT. The other great bands on the set include: Metal Meldown I, D.C. LACROIX, KIL D' KOR, STRYCHNINE, CENTURY, SASHAY, SLAUGHTER HAUS 5, HELLRAZOR, KALIBER, BETHLEHEM STEELE and MAX PLANCK
Metal Meltdown II, KIL D' KOR, JINXX, POETS CROWN, PASSION TOY, RUFF JUSTICE, DEHUMANIZERS, SHOCK TREATMENT, SHOW & TELL, D.C. LACROIX, VADASY JADE, ATTAX and COVEN
Metal Meltdown III, SHOCK TREATMENT, CYPERUS, TEMPT, LETHAL DOSE, TURMOIL, SHOW & TELL, COVEN, GYPSY KISS, PROWESS, CRISIS, DEHUMANIZERS and KIL D' KOR
The above pictures are in no particular order, and there's a few other guys there too. The rare VODUN picture has our hero Darin DiPietro-Guitarist/Producer extraordinere, and the Game Factory photo of VICIOUS has none other than Tommy Gunn of Slaughterhaus Five, WAR BABIES, DEAD LETTERS and Tom's present band is Gunn and the Damage done.
