Master
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1983, Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Currently | Uherské Hradiště, Zlín Region, Czechia |
| Genres | Death Metal, Thrash Metal |
| Labels | Nuclear Blast Records, System Shock, Twilight, Pulverised Records, F.D.A. Records, Transcending Obscurity Records, Hammerheart Records |
| Years active | 1983-1984, 1985-1986, 1989, 1990-present |
Line-up (members)
- Paul Speckmann : Bass, Vocals (1983-1984, 1985-1986, 1989, 1990-present)
- Alex "93" Nejezchleba : Guitars (2003-2019, 2022-present)
- Peter Bajci : Drums (2023-present)
Former members
- Bill Schmidt : Drums (1983-1984, 1985-1986, 1989)
- Scott Natas : Guitars (1983)
- Chris Mittleburn : Guitars (1985-1986, 1989)
- Alex Olvera : Guitars (1986)
- Jim Martinelli : Guitars (1990-1991)
- James Polk : Drums (1992)
- Aaron Nickeas : Drums (1992-1993)
- Steve Bailey : Drums (1992)
- Jeff Kobie : Guitars (1992-1993)
- Bryan Brady : Guitars (1993-1998)
- Sage Johnson : Drums (1996-1998)
- Sage Gonzales : Guitars (1998)
- Zdeněk Pradlovský : Drums (2003-2019)
- Harry Truman : Drums (2003)
- Ronald Reagan : Guitars (2003)
- Ruston Grosse : Drums (2019-2023)
- Pat Shea : Guitars (2019-2022)
Touring members
- Ruston Grosse : Drums (2008, 2014-2016, 2025-present)
- Alex Bouks : Guitars (2008-present)
- Jacob Shively : Guitars (2015-present)
- Richard Schouten : Guitars (1993)
- Jos van den Brand : Guitars (1993)
- Michel Meeuwissen : Guitars (1993)
- Jim Roe : Drums (2009)
- Claudio Gielen : Drums (metalstorm open air) (2011)
- Raphael Saini : Drums (2012)
- VJS : Guitars (2014)
- Daniel Gonzalez : Guitars (2015)
- Patrick Shea : Guitars (2016)
- Peter Bajči : Drums (2022-2023)
Album Photos (32)
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Master Discography
Master Videos
Master Lists
(2)
Master Photos
 The Spirit Of The West 2013 Reissue |
Master Photos (1)
Additional notes
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.
In 1989 Speckmann was contacted by Nuclear Blast Records (which had under contract, by then, Speckmann's other band Abomination), and was proposed to record an official album with Master. Schmidt and Mittleburn were brought back for the recordings, but the lineup collapsed a few days after their conclusion. Nuclear Blast, anyway, was not satisfied with the final product and Speckmann brought together another line-up, now going under the Speckmann Project monicker, to re-record the album. Nuclear Blast again did not like the result and decided to publish the original Master record.
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.
In 1989 Speckmann was contacted by Nuclear Blast Records (which had under contract, by then, Speckmann's other band Abomination), and was proposed to record an official album with Master. Schmidt and Mittleburn were brought back for the recordings, but the lineup collapsed a few days after their conclusion. Nuclear Blast, anyway, was not satisfied with the final product and Speckmann brought together another line-up, now going under the Speckmann Project monicker, to re-record the album. Nuclear Blast again did not like the result and decided to publish the original Master record.
