Taime Downe

Taime Downe (/ˈteɪmiː ˈdaʊn/; born Gustave Molvik[1] on September 29, 1964) is an American musician who first became notable as the lead singer of 1980s hard rock band Faster Pussycat.[2][3]

Taime Downe
Downe singing in 2010
Background information
Birth nameGustave Molvik
Also known asVaunn Hammer
Born (1964-09-29) September 29, 1964
GenresHard rock, Glam metal, Heavy metal, Industrial rock, Gothic rock, Electronica
Occupation(s)Musician, singer, songwriter
InstrumentsVocals, guitar
Years active1985–present
LabelsElektra
Associated actsFaster Pussycat
The Newlydeads
Pigface

Life and career

Downe became interested in music at a very early age. In high school he formed a band named The Bondage Boys, and going under the stage name "Vaun Hammer", he released a song with this band called "The Loser" on Northwest Metalfest, a compilation featuring ten Seattle-area bands, including early Metal Church.[4][5] Sometime after this, he left Seattle for San Diego and then moved on to Los Angeles.

Before achieving musical fame, Taime worked for Retail Slut in Hollywood and ran the stage lights at the Troubadour. Magnus Walker of Serious Clothing accidentally got his start when, walking into Retail Slut, Downe asked where he had got his pants from. Even though Walker had actually bought them in Hollywood for less than $10, he replied 'England' and Downe asked him to source 8 pairs - at an agreed price of $25 - to sell in the store.[6][7]

In 1985 he formed the band Faster Pussycat. The five-member band released their debut album in 1987.

Faster Pussycat were signed to Elektra Records and sold over 500,000 copies of 1989's Wake Me When It's Over. They toured with Y&T, Ace Frehley, Alice Cooper, Mötley Crüe, KISS, David Lee Roth, and others. Their next album Whipped!, released in 1992, faced the surging popularity of alternative rock and was less popular. The band broke up that year, with Taime moving to Chicago to work with Pigface. Taime also sang backing vocals on Skid Row's 1995 cover of the Ramones' "Psycho Therapy".

Taime returned to Los Angeles shortly after and put together his own industrial rock band called The Newlydeads for which he wrote and produced. Around 1998, he opened his own club, called The Pretty Ugly Club, with co-owner JD Terziu, and the club achieved the same level of success as The Cathouse, the club Taime had formerly run with Riki Rachtman. Taime has also been the promoter of other clubs in L.A. such as Thunder Pussy and Pretty Pussy. He also was the DJ at Metal Skool with Josh Richman as the MC.

The Newlydeads released a remix CD called Re-Bound and in 2001 released Dead End. The same year Downe reunited for a tour with original Faster Pussycat members Brent Muscat and Greg Steele joining him. The newly re-formed band opened for Poison in 2002.

In 2006, he released Dreams from a Dirt Nap, a Newlydeads best-of album, in May, and the new Faster Pussycat album The Power and the Glory Hole in July.

References
  1. Marija Zeko (December 4, 2008). "Faster Pussycat". Faster Louder.
  2. Larkin, Colin (1995). The Guinness encyclopedia of popular music. Guinness. p. 1419. ISBN 978-1-56159-176-3. Retrieved April 11, 2011.
  3. Klosterman, Chuck (April 30, 2001). Fargo rock city: a heavy metal odyssey in rural Nörth Daköta. Simon and Schuster. p. 260. ISBN 978-0-7434-0656-7. Retrieved April 11, 2011.
  4. "Rare Northwest Metalfest Footage Surfaces Featuring METAL CHURCH, Late Bassist Mike Starr's SATO, And More". Brave Words. May 11, 2011. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  5. Northwest Metalfest Discogs
  6. Tedx Talks Go with your Gut Feeling
  7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDQrMoksJ4Q
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