Lawnmower Deth

Lawnmower Deth

Lawnmower Deth are a British comedy rock and crossover thrash group from the United Kingdom. The band forms in Ravenshead, Nottinghamshire, in 1987 and is associated with thrash metal, metal, crossover thrash and punk. Their line-up includes Baron Kev Von Thresh Meister Silo Stench Chisel Marbels, Pete Lee and Qualcast Mutilator.

Career

The group parodies thrash metal while still working within the genre. It begins in 1987, formed by schoolmates Pete Lee, Steve Nesfield and Chris Parkes, together with Chris Flint and Gavin “Paddy” O’Malley from Colwick, Nottingham. Their first official release is a split album with Metal Duck, with the band’s side issued as Mower Liberation Front. Positive reaction to that recording leads to their debut studio album, Ooh Crikey, It’s… Lawnmower Deth.

The second studio album, Return of the Fabulous Metal Bozo Clowns, follows in 1992, with Paddy replaced by Kev Papworth for the release. The band’s third and latest studio album, Billy, appears in 1993. On that record they move somewhat away from their earlier thrash sound towards a pop-punk direction, reducing the emphasis on their metal roots. Poor sales and weaker live attendance lead to the group splitting later that year. The band later reforms in 2008.

Recordings and covers

Lawnmower Deth records three and a half albums in total. They also cover a number of well-known songs, including Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain”, Motörhead’s self-titled track, Squeeze’s “Up the Junction”, The Osmonds’ “Crazy Horses” and Kim Wilde’s “Kids in America”. “Kids in America” is issued as the band’s only single in 1991.

Visual style

The group’s humour extends to its video work. Both “Kids in America” and “Lawnmowers for Heroes, Comics for Zeros”, the latter from Return of the Fabulous Metal Bozo Clowns, are filmed on home video cameras and edited in an amateur style.