BLITZKRIEG Frontman Pays Tribute To Late WHIPLASH Co-Editor SAM KRESS

December 21, 2006

BLITZKRIEG frontman Brian Ross has posted the following message on the band's official web site:

"Ken, Guy, Paul, Phil and I were saddened recently to hear of the untimely death of Sam Kress [the original vocalist of acclaimed San Francisco Bay Area thrashers HEATHEN and former co-editor of early '80s underground fanzine Whiplash]. Sam has been a 'KRIEG fan since 1980 and he will be missed by all his friends. I counted Sam as a friend and it came as a totally unexpected shock to hear the news. My heart goes out to his daughter at this time. Rest in peace, but keep rocking, Sam."

In a recent posting on his blog, Whiplash co-founder Brian Lew had the following to say about Sam Kress:

"Sam and I created a metal 'zine called Whiplash. Basically, Sam was more the business guy and I was more the creative guy and we worked well together... We also spent a lot of time hanging out with other metalhead friends... Listening to metal, drinking, being young and stupid. I can't even guess how many times I crashed on his couch.

"While in New York, Sam had befriended a guy starting a record label called Torrid. Long story short, Sam helped broker the release of EXODUS' seminal debut album 'Bonded By Blood' on the Torrid / Combat Records label in 1985.

"I've always considered 'Bonded By Blood' to be THE defining album of the Bay Area old metal scene. No disrespect to METALLICA's 'Kill 'Em All', but METALLICA's songs were primarily written before the band relocated from SoCal to S.F.; EXODUS were 100% Bay Area born and bred. East Bay OG. EXODUS raged the hardest and Sam and I were right there with them.

"Sam and I are thanked side-by-side in the liner notes of several old metal albums, including METALLICA's 'Ride The Lightning' and EXODUS' 'Bonded By Blood'. We were metal bruthas and back then that meant A LOT."

Read the rest of Lew's blog at this location.

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