Instant Death was a rock duo, with members Dave Dreiwitz (on bass) and Scott Byrne (on drums).
Byrne and Dreiwitz met in New Brunswick, NJ in the fall of 1986. Shortly after their meeting, they discovered they were neighbors when Byrne was loading his drums into his apartment and Dreiwitz was walking down the street. Byrne and Jack Petruzzelli (currently with The Fab Faux and Rufus Wainwright) had a band named The Works, who needed a bassist. Fate would have it that Dave and Scott's paths crossed that day.
Over the years Byrne and Dreiwitz worked together not only with Petruzzelli but many other musicians. They encountered a wide range of styles, but they believed heavy rock music was missing.
Unable to find a guitarist with the correct equipment, or a suitable frontman, Dreiwitz and Byrne started jamming as a duo in December 1991. Eventually, Dreiwitz and Byrne decided to play gigs as a novelty act, playing 20 minute sets, under the name Instant Death (suggested by Dreiwitz).
Soon their songwriting developed and the band had enough material for three-hour shows. Over the years Instant Death played many gigs in the NY/NJ metropolitan area. The highlight of their live performances was opening for Ween when they toured in 1994.
In August 2002, Instant Death released their debut record New Evil Vibe produced by Andrew Weiss. The album is available through Chocodog Records.
The band would play their last live show in June 2005 at the Funhouse bar in Bethlehem, PA, next to the campus of Lehigh University.
Scott Byrne died on Sunday, July 3, 2005 at 11:30pm in the Jersey City Medical Center. He was 44 years old (dob: June 3, 1961). According to the hospital records he died of acute pulmonary edema, acute severe mitral regurgitation and endocarditis.
Dave is currently the bass player in Ween and Bustle In Your Hedgerow.