INTO LEGEND...

During the glorious times - certain bands carried with them varying
degrees of cult status, even though no officially recorded albums were
widely available to the fans yet. One may have been lucky enough to be
close to the band and see rehearsals, or live in the same town and be
privy to local gigs which cost next to nothing back in those days.

For the rest of us, we had to scramble right away when we found those
bands represented on tape trader lists, which provided rehearsals,
live shows and even in some cases interviews and radio sessions - the
latter which used to be quite frequently done - and provided the fans
with about the closest thing to an official recording you could get
other than the studio demos (if you were lucky enough to even have
access to those).

PAUL SPECKMANN - the notorious entity behind many bands emanating from
the Chicago area during the embryonic years of extreme music, was at
the helm, directing his own unique brand of expression throughout the
entire world.

MASTER, ABOMINATION, DEATHSTRIKE, FUNERAL BITCH come to mind
immediately with people who talk about the glory days. There wasn't a
corner of the underground world left untouched by these bands, which
to this day remain foundational inspiration to many acts, and part of
the integral soundtrack to the times. The legacy of legend that this
man leaves to the world of extreme music really needs no explanation -
anyone worth their salt is aware of this as pure fact.

When the fledgling labels started to emerge in the newly cast shadow
of Earache Records, some young West German devotees to the Speckmann
phenomenon put what little money they had where their love lay - and
drilled out just about every Paul Speckmann related material they
could get their hands on. FINALLY there was vinyl and soon after CD
product available to the larger majority that finally had caught up to
the fact that a pioneer had ultimately been able to get his music out
in the form it was meant to be available in.

The good, the bad and the ugly interwined to leave at least the fans
happy that this music was out there to settle the issue of just what
Paul Speckmann had produced for extremity.

With a coordinated effort involving several countries and individuals,
not to mention insane time differences on every front, Glorious Times
is now able to present it's special section devoted to Paul Speckmann
through some exceptionally rare photographs provided by Paul and his
friends/associates and from Mr. Laurent Ramadier who has kindly
donated usage of his own material to the project.

You won't be disappointed, from the input we've been getting - this
section is going to be something people are particularly interested in
given that photos of any of these bands are just impossible to find
other than what was released by the labels or as early day promos.

THANKS PAUL SPECKMANN, AND TO YOUR DEDICATED CONTRIBUTORS WHO HELPED
MAKE THIS SALUTE TO YOU - WE THANK YOU!