Obscene Jester

Created by three friends, actually one guy and an uncle and nephew duo, Obscene Jester was born around 1987 in the north Texas town of Wichita Falls. After learning as many Guns N’ Roses songs as they could stand to play without a singer, Dee, David & Steve recruited local vocalist Tim Howard to fill the void. Months were spent perfecting their chops by learning cover songs ranging from Dokken and Tesla to Ozzy and Metallica, but there was one more addition to the band that would need to be made to complete the sound. Tim’s former bandmate from Nuisance, Ramiro Noriega, was brought in to satisfy Dee’s desire for a twin guitar (and later hair) attack that had not been seen since....well....never. The band created a buzz after their performance at the annual Local Heroes Banquet which featured prominent area acts. A DJ from one of the areas hottest metal venues, The Hard Roxx in Lawton, OK happened to be there for the show and invited the band to play his club. This turned out to be the big break the guys needed, but a search for a full-time singer would need to take place as Tim’s school obligations would keep him from fulfilling that role. Enter Sammy Stovall. A veteran of the area rock n’ roll scene having played in such bands as RIP and Oliver Magnum, Sammy’s good looks and on-stage charisma (oh yeah...the boy could sing too!) took things to another level. After a few shows at The Hard Roxx, Obscene Jester was asked to be the house band. Pleasing the throngs of metalheads that came to the club to drink Milwaukee’s Best out of a plastic gallon milk jug and bang their heads, OJ earned a loyal following that would support the band for years. Playing as the support act for bands like Pantera, Accept and many others was a bit of a dream come true for the guys who were fans as much as they were musicians. The next step was to record some original music. Pulling from material written by Dee, Tim, Ramiro and Sammy, the guys entered the studio in 1989 to record the EP Citadel’s On Fire with the backing of local businessman and con-artist Conray Chase. The release of the EP coupled with an expanded touring schedule earned OJ accolades throughout Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana for years to come. The shady dealings of Mr. Chase and the strains of life on the road eventually led to David and Steve bowing out and Lance Red Elk and David Ross were brought in to take over on bass and drums. A mini-tour with Pantera, still in support of the Citadel’s On Fire EP, ensued and the band was bigger than ever. Dee, Ramiro and David Ross earned endorsements from Charvel/Jackson guitars, even having their names appear in the 1990 catalogue. Later that same year OJ entered the studio to record what was to be the follow up to the successful debut. Unfortunately, before the second album was released funds from Mr. Chase were drying up and the project never saw the light of day. Despite the set back, the band continued to enjoy success through live shows at legendary metal venues such as The Basement in Dallas and The Backroom In Austin until eventually calling it quits in late 1991. This site is for all who were a part of the experience in one way or another.PEACE