Metal gods

Dallas guitarist Mike Scaccia, of Ministry and Rigor Mortis fame, died Saturdayat Fort Worth club

Guitarist Mike Scaccia, who passed away in the early hours on December 23, 2012.
Photo courtesy of Omar Mena Photography
Rigor Mortis' final show at the Rail Club in Fort Worth on December 22.
Photo courtesy of Susan Roden Photography

Dallas musician Mike Scaccia, who achieved national acclaim as guitarist for metal-rock bands such as Ministry, the Skatenigs and Rigor Mortis, died on Saturday during a performance at the Rail Club in Fort Worth. He was 47.

Fans saw Scaccia collapse in a seizure while onstage during a Rigor Mortis show, from what was reported by some friends to be a heart attack. He was taken to the hospital but did not recover.

Susan Roden, a friend, saw him in the green room right before the band went onstage. "He was in great spirits. I know that," she said.

One witness posted on Facebook that Scaccia fell in the middle of a solo.

His daughter Sarah posted a poignant message on his Facebook page at 3 am Dallas time, saying, "I love you so much dad. I love you so much."

Rigor Mortis played at 11 pm, as part of a long-anticipated show that included Maleficus, Embalmed and Rabid Flesh Eaters.

The band formed in 1983 in Arlington as a three-piece with Scaccia on guitar, Casey Orr on bass and Harden Harrison on drums; singer Bruce Corbitt joined the band in 1986. Their self-titled debut was released by Capitol Records record in 1988, followed by 1989's Freaks and 1991's Rigor Mortis vs. The Earth.

Scaccia rose to national prominence in 1989 when he joined industrial metal band Ministry on their "The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste" tour. He played on Ministry's platinum-selling album Psalm 69 and the '95 release Filth Pig, and he joined Ministry on the 1992 tour of Lollapalooza.

Scaccia also played with other industrial metal bands such as Revolting Cocks and Lard, and on solo releases by Ministry founder Al Jourgensen. In March 2012, the two recorded a new Ministry album called Relapse.

Despite his fame, he remained generous and down-to-earth, said drummer Andre Avelar, who played with Scaccia in a band called League of Blind Women.

"He was a shining example of what you would like to hope that fame brings, in that he remained true to his roots and was kind even to those he knew only moderately," Avelar said. "He had his demons over the years, including some drug use [Scaccia and Jourgensen were arrested in 1995 for possession of heroin], but no one ever had a bad word to say about Mike Scaccia."

In August 2012, the original Rigor Mortis lineup reunited and had been working on a new album, Slaves to the Grave.

One post on his Facebook page spoke for a lot of local fans.

"You will be greatly missed by the metal world and especially those of us who grew up within the DFW local metal scene (80s-90s). We have lost another legend from our metal family waaay too soon and you will always be remembered as one of the greats!"

Corbitt bid goodbye, calling Scaccia "the greatest guitar player I ever knew."

In Scaccia's last update, he said, "These next 2 shows is what I worked my whole life for... Look out Mother Fuckers...hahha"

Chris Kelly, singer for League of Blind Women, said that he and Scaccia had talked about the similarly untimely death of "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, guitarist for Arlington metal band Pantera, who was shot and killed while onstage in a club in Ohio in December 2004.

"He once said, 'If I go out ripping on stage, what's a better way to go?'" Kelly said. "And he did."

Scaccia was survived by his wife Jenny Rowen Scaccia, their two children Gianna and Ryder, and older daughters Sarah Scaccia and Taarna Scaccia Hopkins.

UPDATE: According to the Star-Telegram, police responded to a call from the club at 11:45 pm, and Sciacca was pronounced dead at 12:26 am in the emergency room at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth.

unspecified

Movie review

Nick Jonas steals song from Paul Rudd in music-heavy Power Ballad

Photo by David Cleary for Lionsgate

Nick Jonas and Paul Rudd in Power Ballad.

Writer/director John Carney is one of the great purveyors of movies featuring music (as opposed to musicals) in the 21st century. Starting with Once in 2007 (which was turned into a Broadway musical several years later), he has made music-themed stories like Begin Again, Sing Street, Flora and Son, and now Power Ballad.

Rick Power (Paul Rudd) is a former wannabe rock star who is now the lead singer of “Ireland’s #1 Wedding Band,” The Bride & Grooves. While they mostly play smaller weddings, a gig at a country estate leads to an encounter with Danny Wilson (Nick Jonas), a former boy band member struggling to make it as a solo artist. Rick and Danny wind up bonding in a booze- and pot-filled jam session, sharing various song ideas.

After returning to Los Angeles and desperate for a hit, Danny steals one of Rick’s songs, which miraculously turns into the No. 1 “How to Write a Song (Without You).” Rick, initially overjoyed that something he wrote has become big, is crushed when he finds out Danny didn’t give him credit. His quest to find a way to prove his worth sends him into a spiral, upending the ordinary life he had built.

Co-written by Peter McDonald, the film is a nice exploration of two men trying to hold on to their music dreams. Their individual circumstances could not be more different, but each of them knows the ups and downs of the business as well as the other, as well as the ineffable magic of creating that one great song. While the music scenes are hit-and-miss because of a reliance on lip synching, the scene featuring Rick and Danny trading ideas is electric with creativity.

Oddly, though, the film could have used a bit less music and more of a focus on the two men’s personal lives. Rick wound up living in Ireland after falling in love with his future wife, Rachel (Marcella Plunkett), while on tour with his former American band. He spends a decent amount of time with her and his daughter, Aja (Beth Fallon), but his story needed a few more family scenes to drive the point home. Danny’s personal life is all but nonexistent, giving his arc less impact than it could have had.

Instead of loved ones, Carney and McDonald try to give Rick and Danny more depth through friends and business associates. Rick’s bandmate Sandy (McDonald) is a ride-or-die kind of guy for him, but his presence is only good for a few humorous distractions. Danny’s manager Mac (Jack Reynor) is difficult to parse, as he goes to bat for Danny on multiple occasions, but also seems to keep him at arm’s length.

It’s long been joked that Rudd never ages, and that youthfulness serves him well in this role, in which his character is supposed to be much younger than his actual age of 57. His energy and enthusiasm make his character appealing throughout, even when Rick starts to go off the deep end. Jonas is decent in his role, selling the music side well, but there might be a reason his character doesn’t have many scenes requiring him to show emotions.

While Power Ballad has all the hallmarks of another great Carney music movie, it’s missing a few pieces that could have put it over the top. It’s still a fun film with an insanely catchy song at its center, but it’s not quite as memorable as most of the filmmaker’s previous efforts.

---

Power Ballad is now playing in theaters.

movies music film