Steroid Maximus

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Steroid Maximus is an instrumental side-project of J.G. Thirlwell. Thirlwell is best known for his main band, Foetus. Steroid Maximus contains elements of jazz, big band, avant-garde, soundtrack and exotica styles.

1 History
2 Discography
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] History

Following the recording of Foetus Interruptus' Thaw, J.G. Thirlwell felt that too many instrumental songs were making their way onto Foetus albums. Thirlwell's future work was split between two distinct entities: songs with lead vocals were released under the Foetus moniker, and instrumental works were released as Steroid Maximus.

The official debut of Steroid Maximus came in 1990 with the release of "Volgarity" on a compilation flexi disc. The following year saw the release of ¡Quilombo!, Steroid Maximus' first album. ¡Quilombo!'s title track was a collaboration between Thirlwell and fellow industrial musician Raymond Watts.

Hot on ¡Quilombo!'s heels, Steroid Maximus' sophomore effort, Gondwanaland, was unleashed in 1992. In addition to further collaborations with Watts, Gondwanaland contained the "Volgarity" single and a cover of Raymond Scott's "Powerhouse"—a favorite soundtrack of many classic Looney Tunes shorts—which was originally released in 1990 by another Thirlwell project, Garage Monsters.

Steroid Maximus then went on a decade-long hiatus, not being heard again until 2002 when a third album, Ectopia, was recorded for Mike Patton's Ipecac label. Steroid Maximus made its live debut in 2003 as an 18-piece orchestra conducted by Thirlwell.