Paul Speckmann began playing bass in War Cry, where he met drummer Bill Schmidt, who was drafted to replace previous War Cry drummer Joe Iaccino. Together, Speckmann and Schmidt formed a more aggressive metal band based around Motörhead, Venom, Slayer, and the emerging extreme metal movement. Eventually, Schmidt & Speckmann left War Cry, who (after their departure) also lost most of their heaviness. Schmidt had begun writing songs in the thrash vein as early as mid-’83 and Speckmann followed suit. They named their band Master and auditioned twenty-six guitarists, none of whom were suited to the task. This caused Schmidt to leave Master and join the local metal act Mayhem Inc.. Speckmann then started his own band, Death Strike and songs were written for Deathstrike that were later re-recorded with Master! He was joined by guitarist Chris Mittlebrun (who had auditioned for Master a year earlier, but was still stuck in Judas Priest mode) and together wrote more Death Strike songs. A second guitarist, the sixteen-year-old Kirk Miller, was brought in along with drummer John Leprich.
After Death Strike’s Fuckin’ Death demo made an impact on the underground, Bill Schmidt begged Speckmann to rejoin the band. As Death Strike drummer John Leprich could barely get the beats down for Pay to Die and was, according to Speckmann, a drunk, Schmidt reentered the fold. After kicking out Miller (who Speckman says was really just a session musician), the band was renamed, Master. Guitarist Chris Mittlebrun stayed in the band, as Schmidt was highly impressed with his songwriting skills.
Speckmann’s father had passed away and left his son an inheritance, so Speckmann invested the money in studio recordings with a promise from Schmidt to sign the first decent deal they received. Master headed into Seagrape Studios where they recorded their 1985 unreleased debut album. Somehow, rough mixes of the tracks got out and were traded throughout the underground (allegedly by Shaun Glass). Consequently, Master became a huge name in the underground.
This 1985 album was never officially released because a deal offered by Combat Records (the same deal that Death signed) fell through. Master was managed by Kim Fowley at the time, who allegedly demanded changes be made to the contract. Combat simply laughed and tore the contract up.
Local support from Sorcerer’s Sword, Butchered and GrimForge.
ALWAYS ALL-AGES
then 