Biography
Adapted from www.wikipedia.org.
Writing Career
As of May 2009, Joel Gausten has written nearly 2,500 articles for a variety of music, gaming and automotive publications.
Gausten has interviewed several notable musicians over the years, including Bill Ward of Black Sabbath , Eric Singer of Kiss , Rick Dufay of Aerosmith, Lol Tolhurst of The Cure, David Thomas of Pere Ubu, Nikki Sixxof Motley Crue, Jarboe, Nicholas Bullen of Napalm Death, Midge Ure of Ultravox and Thin Lizzy, Jimmy Destri of Blondie , Roger Miret of Agnostic Front, Alex Skolnick of Testament, Paul Allender of Cradle of Filth, Marky Ramone, Bill Laswell, Tony Maimone of They Might Be Giants, Matthew Good, Chris Connelly of Revolting Cocks, Jaz Coleman of Killing Joke, Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park, Xzibit, Geddy Leeof Rush,Hugo Burnham of Gang of Four, Pete Jones of Public Image Limited, Ted Parsons of Prong, Tommy Victor of Ministry, Jerry Only of The Misfits, Texas Terri, Richard Lloyd of Television, Yngwie Malmsteen, Martin Atkins of The Damage Manual, Amanda Ghost, J Mascis, Hunt Sales of Tin Machine, Musiq Soulchild, Bob Daisley of Rainbow, CelticFrost, Billy Ray Cyrus, Nicole Blackman of KMFDM, Cosey Fanni Tutti of Throbbing Gristle, Opeth, Ken Casey of Dropkick Murphys, Nivek Ogre of Skinny Puppy, Pepper Keenan of Corrosion of Conformity, 3LW, Reeves Gabrels, Gitane Demone of Christian Death and Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde, among many others.
Gausten's notable non-music celebrity interviews include Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank and Art Monk of the Washington Redskins.
Gausten's books include Tales of Horror: The History of THE MISFITS &THE UNDEAD, Pandemonium: Inside Killing Joke, Prong: The Early Years and The SABBATH Interviews. Gausten's upcoming books include Rock N Roll Monster: The Rik L Rik Story and Albums that (Should've) Changed the World. He was also a contributor to/editor for Martin Atkins' best-selling 2007 book, Tour:Smart, alongside such notables as Henry Rollins and Steve Albini.
Gausten has been the subject of articles in a variety of magazines including Blender , Revolver and Scream Magazine. In November 2006, Suicide Girls famously called him "a very busy man."
Music Career
A drummer since age 9, Gausten has appeared on over 50 CDs, EPs and internationally distributed compilations by such acts as Electric Frankenstein, The Undead,The Sixth Chamber, Broken Heroes and The Graveyard School. He was a sporadic member of The Undead from 1998 to 2008. In 2001, he performed as a member of Pigface alongside Martin Atkins (Killing Joke), Chris Connelly (Revolting Cocks), Charles Levi (My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult),Chris Haskett (Rollins Band) and Meg Lee Chin. In 1995, he rehearsed with The Misfits as a fill-in drummer and later appeared on a number of Misfits bootlegs recorded during these rehearsal sessions.
Gausten also worked with The Misfits as a promoter, booking and coordinating the band's legendary "homecoming" show at Action Park in Vernon, New Jersey on August 31, 1996. While living in Los Angeles in 2005, he worked with a Ramones cover band with members of The Wildhearts, Dirty Looks, Life, Sex & Death, London, White Lion, Clam Abuse, AntiProduct and Prong.
Gausten is an active supporter of the West Memphis 3 and has performed benefit concerts (with The Undead) and published articles on their behalf. In addition, he has performed as a member of The Undead at benefit concerts in memory of slain punk fan Brian Deneke.
Gausten joined Electric Frankenstein on drums for a Canadian tour in the summer of 2008. He previously played with the band 10 years earlier, contributing drums to two recording sessions. Also in 2008, he briefly performed under the name "Hung Lo" in the "secret" punk project Kung Fu Killers (with Sal Canzonieri of Electric Frankenstein and Danny Frankenstein of Christian Death/Shadow Project)
Highlights in Gausten's album discography include Electric Frankenstein's Sod The Odds!,Electric Frankenstein / Le Shok and 'Don't Touch Me, I'm Electric!'(Double Album Version) and The Undead's 12 Hits Un-Covered. He is also co-producer of an upcoming tribute album to Betty Blowtorch and is currently drumming with the electronic project Effectionhate.
Church of Satan Affiliation
Gausten is a Satanist and a Warlock in the Church of Satan. He is also a media representative for the organization, regularly dispelling many of the public misconceptions about the Satanic philosophy.
Gausten's most notable appearance representing the Church of Satan was when he went head-to-head with Bill Donohue of the Catholic League in the October 2008 issue of Blender, with the magazine declaring Gausten the victor.
His first book on the Satanic philosophy, Words From The Third Side:Essays on Sex, Satan & Success, was published in 2009. The book includes cover art and a supplemental essay on BDSM culture by artist, musician, model and Church of Satan Witch, Shannon Gardner.
Gausten's erotic photography work appears in the 2009 Topless Witches Calendar, produced by and featuring members of the Church of Satan.
