Gravity Kills
American industrial rock band known for the single 'Guilty'.
Gravity Kills formed in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1994 as an industrial rock band. They broke up in 2003 after three albums, then reunited for shows between 2005 and 2012, and again in 2023.
The band began when keyboardist Doug Firley misread a phrase as "like the Gravity Kills" in an article. He told drummer Kurt Kerns and guitarist Matt Dudenhoeffer, and they liked it as a name. In summer 1994, they entered a local radio station contest by bringing in vocalist Jeff Scheel (Kerns' cousin) to record a track in one week. That song, "Guilty," became the station's most-requested song. They wrote and recorded through 1995, played their first live show in November 1995 at a sold-out St. Louis venue, and signed with TVT Records later that month.
Their self-titled debut album came out in March 1996, peaking at No. 89 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the Heatseekers chart. "Guilty" reached No. 86 on the US Hot 100, No. 24 on the Modern Rock chart, and No. 39 on the Mainstream Rock chart. It also hit No. 79 on the UK Singles Chart. Videos were made for "Guilty," "Enough," and "Down." "Enough" peaked at No. 98 on the UK Singles Chart. The album sold about 500,000 copies. Songs appeared on soundtracks for *Se7en* ("Guilty"), *Mortal Kombat* ("Goodbye (Demo Version)"), and *Escape from L.A.* ("Blame (L.A. Remix)"), with the latter released as a single. The band toured with the Sex Pistols in summer 1996 and did a solo tour that fall. The album also charted in England, Germany, and France.
In 1997, TVT released a remix compilation, *Manipulated*, with remixes of songs from the debut. That year, Gravity Kills contributed to a Gary Numan tribute album and briefly worked with Moby on a song for the *Spawn* soundtrack, but Moby disliked it and the track was later released online.
In April 1998, Scheel suffered whiplash during a warm-up gig in San Antonio, Texas, after not performing live since October 1997. The injury sidelined him for a few weeks, just before a planned U.S. tour with Pitchshifter and Junkie XL. Their second album, *Perversion*, came out in June 1998. It was less successful, peaking at No. 107 on the Billboard 200. The single "Falling" hit No. 35 on the Mainstream Rock chart and appeared in the racing game *Test Drive 5* — correction: the Gravity Kills song in that game is actually "Enough." Songs "Alive" and "Drown" were used in *Test Drive Off-Road 2*.
Quick Facts
- Background
- group_or_band
- Origin
- St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
- Genre
- Industrial rock · industrial metal
- Years Active
- 1994–2003, 2005–2012, 2023
- Label
- TVT, Sanctuary
- Current Members
- Jeff Scheel / Matt Dudenhoffer / Douglas Firley / Kurt Kerns
- Past Members
- Greg Miller / Brad Booker
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The band formed in 1994 when keyboardist Doug Firley misread a phrase as 'like the Gravity Kills' and suggested it as a name. After a radio station contest, the trio brought in vocalist Jeff Scheel to record 'Guilty', which became heavily requested. They signed with TVT Records in late 1995 and released their self-titled debut in 1996, which peaked at No. 89 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the Heatseekers chart. The single 'Guilty' reached No. 86 on the US Hot 100 and No. 79 on the UK Singles Chart. Their music appeared on soundtracks for films such as Se7en, Mortal Kombat, and Escape from L.A., as well as video games like Test Drive 5 (featuring the song 'Enough').
Reader's Guide
Gravity Kills emerged during the mid-1990s industrial rock wave, blending eerie industrial sounds with pop-infused melodies. Their debut album's commercial success and soundtrack placements helped establish them in the alternative scene. Despite the follow-up album Perversion (1998) being less successful, the band continued touring with acts like Sex Pistols and Sevendust. Internal issues and lack of label support led to their 2003 breakup, though they reunited for sporadic shows. Their legacy includes a dedicated fan base and continued recognition for their contributions to industrial rock and video game soundtracks.
Did You Know?
- The band's name originated from a misreading of a magazine article by keyboardist Doug Firley.
- The single 'Guilty' was initially recorded for a radio station contest and became the most requested song at St. Louis station KPNT.
- Keyboardist Doug Firley suffered a serious hand injury in 2002 when a 300-pound keyboard fell on his hand during a performance.
- The band's song 'Falling' appeared in the 1998 racing video game Test Drive 5.
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