Prior to the creation of Purple Jesus, Cameron Dempsey and Steve Trischuk had toiled away in an industrial experimental band called C.I.D. (Canadian Industrial Demos). They toiled with some Throbbing Gristle and Butthole Surfers covers as well as some bizarre originals. They made numerous tapes and had lengthy jam sessions in Steve's studios in the late 1980's and early 1990's. Near the end of C.I.D. in late 1991, they recruited Jamie Greer to come in and sing on some tracks. They jammed for a bit, recorded a few tracks, but nothing went much further once Purple Jesus took flight.

 

In the early parts of summer in 1993 with Purple Jesus well into it's third year of existence, tensions and excitement were waning. Cameron had long since left the band (in favour of University life in Windsor, Ontario) but periodically returned home to visit and check up on his "boys".

 

During one visit, Cameron got in touch with Steve Trischuk and the two decided to jam again on some music. Perhaps a few old songs that C.I.D. had had fun working on in the past. Cameron called up long time friend Jamie to see if he wanted to come and play around on the tracks as well. He agreed, also bringing in Purple Jesus lead guitarist Jeff Rosiana, who had also recently discovered the wonders of industrial and synth based music such as Current 93, Revolting Cocks, Skinny Puppy and Front Line Assembly.

 

Upon arrival to Trischuk's self made C.I.D. Studios in St. Catharines, Ontario, the three were introduced to a musician named Alex Parker, invited along by Trischuk. They played around with some sounds and ideas and soon they started jamming on original songs they created right then and there.

 

The first song was a driving beat built around a lengthy audio sample from the film "Disturbed". It soon morphed into the first Who Killed The Cat? song "LoveSexFuck". They jammed on it a few times then recorded it on the second or third take. This was followed by a second song "Flesh", built around a heavy, sludgy guitar riff Rosiana had been unable to introduce in Purple Jesus' catalogue. Finally, they worked on a slower synth driven ballad-type song "Still...". By the time they recorded "Still...", they had been playing for close to six or seven hours straight and Jamie's voice was shredded raw. You can hear the effects as his voice gives out near the song's end.

 

With three songs in the can, the boys called it a day and life went back to normal.

 

Later that night, Cameron, Jamie and Rosiana stopped off at a 7-11 on the way home. Upon exiting Cameron's car, a foul and vile smell greeted Jamie full on. He quickly blurted out "Christ, who killed the cat!?!" And thus a band name was derived.

 

Those three songs were supposed to be the full extent of Who Killed The Cat?.

 

Cameron returned to school in Windsor and Jamie and Rosiana returned to their places in Purple Jesus. Steve and Alex continued working on their own material that would eventually turn into the beginnings of the early '90's industrial project Bizarre Thinking Accident.

 

But the following summer in 1994, fate would join the band one more time.

 

Jamie and Rosiana had moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia the previous August and toiled away on the East coast for nearly 10 months with Purple Jesus members Jeff Kraneyk and Darren Ward. The returned from Nova Scotia in early 1994 disillusioned and exhausted of the entire Purple Jesus experience. They tried to reinvent themselves as Horrorshow but after a couple miserable practices the band finally met its end.

 

Cameron once again returned home to Niagara Falls from Windsor to visit his old bandmates, only to discover his former band had broken up. In an effort to channel these frustrations, he once again called up Trischuk and set up a jam time.

 

Jamie agreed to go back in and jam with Cameron and Trischuk but only if Rosiana would also take part again. He called Rosiana and the core unit was once again intact.

 

Alex Parker was MIA for the second recording sessions, away at school.

 

During these second sessions, the band recorded three more tracks. A hard driving industrial rocker called "The God Syndrome", an industrial country lark called "The Redneck Song" (based around an old C.I.D. song) and a lengthy psychedelic industrial opus called "Sexface", nearly thirteen minutes of mind tripping music with a spoken word poem recited in the middle, seemingly coming from the tomes of a spurned lover's answering machine.

 

As per the first session, only three songs were recorded and upon completion, everyone went off in their own ways.

 

Cameron returned to Windsor and shortly after these sessions, was followed by Jamie.

 

Jeff Rosiana would soon reunite with ex-Purple Jesus drummer Darren Ward and others to form SLAB.

 

Steve Trischuk and Alex Parker would join with two other members - Duncan Christie and Adam Perry (now recording as MADRID) - to form Bizarre Thinking Accident.

 

Who Killed The Cat? would never resurface its head again.

 

In late 1999, Jamie would return to the St. Catharines area, this time as a DJ, under the alias "SYTH". He founded the highly successful "Vampire Ball" at the Fratt House Nightclub and through this became acquainted with Andreas Gregor, formerly of Canadian industrial giants Digital Poodle and now of !Bang Elektronika. Andreas took the original recordings of Who Killed The Cat? and remastered them, into the versions we have now.