The untimely death of the three-member electronic music group,
TRAGEDY, has been mourned by those in the music industry and witnessed by the fans around the world.
From their beginnings in 2003 to their end in late 2009, TRAGEDY’s meteoric rise was evident through
their first two records “Demo 2003” and “Tragedy 2004”. However, it was not until their third record in 2008,
“Power Violence”, that TRAGEDY truly began to receive accolades from critics and fans alike.
On Monday April 13, 2009, the world lost one of the most influential electronic music groups of our time.
TRAGEDY, formed in 1998 by Adam Smith and Andrew W.K., quickly gained notoriety for their masterful remixes of classic rock songs by AC/DC, Journey, and other notable artists. Their first album, “The End of the World”, won critical acclaim with its juxtaposition of classical guitar arpeggios over a backdrop of computer generated white noise.
The group’s follow up album “Party Hard” showcased their trademark of combining dance beats with heavy metal vocals in a way that had never been heard before. The album contained such hits as “Ready to Die” and “Dance Party USA”.
Andrew W.K.’s untimely death from a radial artery hemorrhage ended the group’s reign at the top of the music charts and left fans wondering what might have been.
A synth-pop duo from the 80s, TRAGEDY: All Metal Tribute to the Bee Gees and Beyond, have passed away this week due to a mysterious illness. The group was known for their unique style of metal music that involved covering songs originally performed by the Bee Gees. The band was a staple in the San Francisco club scene throughout the early 80s.
TRAGEDY: All Metal Tribute to the Bee Gees and Beyond was formed in 1985 by two brothers, Oderus Urungus and Beefcake the Mighty. Despite their eccentric name, the group quickly became one of the most well-known hard rock bands in America. They were known for covering famous songs by artists like Barry Manilow, John Denver and ABBA. Their cover of Manilow’s “Copacabana” reached number 7 on Billboard’s Hot 100 list in 1986.
The group released four albums before disbanding in 1989 due to creative differences between Urungus and Beefcake. Beefcake went on to form his own group, GWAR, in 1990 with other former members of TRAGEDY: All Metal Tribute to the Bee Gees and Beyond. The two groups had a well-publicized feud that ended when
Unlike many young bands, Tragedy was not formed with the intention of becoming a rock group. Instead, they began as a punk spoof, then morphed into a serious band when they realised how much fun it was to play.
“I think most people assume that we’re a heavy metal band,” says guitarist Tommy Coffee. “But I think we’re closer to the Ramones or even early Van Halen.”
The group has been performing since 1996 and have released two albums: “Tragedy” (1998) and “Vengeance” (2000). Their style of music is a blend of electric guitar riffs and disco rhythms.
Guitarist Tommy Coffee says the name Tragedy came from the band’s original intention to be “a tongue-in-cheek disco band.” The group’s style has been described as “a cross between ABBA and Black Sabbath”.
Last year, Tragedy performed at the Coachella Valley Music Festival in California and at the CMJ Music Marathon in New York City.
The group currently consists of singer/guitarist Tommy Coffee, bassist Steve Cheeseburger, drummer Mike Hunt and keyboardist Rob Halford.