Sexart

SexArt
Background information
Also known as	Supermodel (1996)
Origin	Bakersfield, California, United States
Genres	Funk metal[1]
Years active	1989–1993
Labels	N/A
Associated acts	Korn Orgy Adema The Drug Juice Killbot JDevil The Anarky Julien-K Dead By Sunrise Videodrone Cradle of Thorns L.A.P.D.
Past members	Jonathan Davis Dennis Shinn Ryan Shuck Ray Solis Dave DeRoo Richard Morrill

SexArt (stylized as Sexart, or Sex Art) was an American funk metal band that formed in 1989.^[1]

SexArt - Band

• Richard Morrill - vocals ( After Davis left )
• Jonathan Davis - vocals
• Dennis Shinn - drums
• Ray Solis - guitar
• Ryan Shuck - guitar
• Dave DeRoo - bass

Career

SexArt formed in 1989 in Bakersfield, California, founded by Dennis Shinn. They are best known for being the band that Jonathan Davis was in, before he became the singer for Korn^[2] in 1993. As SexArt, the music group line-up; Jonathan Davis vocalist / singer, David DeRoo played bass, Dennis Shinn played drums, Ray Solis, and Ryan Shuck played guitar.^[3] Ty Elam (singer from Videodrone, also known as the band Cradle of Thorns) appeared as a guest vocalist, sharing vocal duties on the only released SexArt track, "Inside", which featured on the Bakersfield Ca. compilation cd Cultivation '92^[4] on the indie label "A Kick Produkt". SexArt performed shows often, and throughout the course of two (2) years. SexArt participated in both the 1993 Kern County, and Fresno County "Battle Of The Bands" contests, and won them both. The band recorded six (6) songs total, over the course of three (3) recording sessions from 1992, and 1993. The recordings were produced inside the Rick Davis recording studio "Fat Tracks" - Bakersfield Ca. The songs chosen to be recorded; 1: Blind,^[5] 2: Follow Me, 3: I Wanna Know Why, 4: Give Up, 5: Waste My Time, and 6: Inside. Jonathan Davis left the band in early 1993. Following Davis's departure, Richard Morrill auditioned, and became the new singer for SexArt. Richard Morrill previously sang for Bakersfield music group L.A.P.D.. (whom later became the band Korn, having Jonathan Davis as their new singer). The SexArt (band), along with Richard Morrill, relocated from Bakersfield, to Los Angeles, Ca. Where they changed the group name to SuperModel.

SuperModel

Formed late 1993, SuperModel (previously named SexArt) joined with ex-singer L.A.P.D. member, Richard Morrill, and moved from Bakersfield Ca. to Los Angeles, Ca. After a year, on the later side of 1994, the band relocated to Huntington Beach Ca.. The band maintained a steady live performance all around Southern Ca. until they broke up in early 1996. SuperModel had seven (7) songs. None of which were released, nor professionally recorded.

SuperModel (post SexArt)

• Richard Morrill - vocals
• Dennis Shinn - drums
• Ray Solis - guitar
• Ryan Shuck - guitar
• Dave DeRoo - bass

Post-SexArt / SuperModel

After leaving SexArt, Jonathan Davis continued to build his music career while singing for the music group Korn.^[2] Today, as he remains the singer for Korn, Davis has managed to reach the highest levels of success. Following Metallica's footsteps, Korn has become one of the biggest metal groups of all time, as they have cleared more than 50 Million sales WorldWide. Davis, and his band Korn are currently in line to be a future inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Korn remain active. In 1996, following the ending of "SuperModel", Dennis Shinn^[6] met Jay Gordon, and Jay Baumgardner, securing the production team to produce debut LP for the band Coal Chamber. From there, Dennis Shinn^[7] teamed up with Jay Gordon to start a new band. Dennis Shinn - (drums), Ryan Shuck - (guitar), and Jay Gordon - (bass and vocals), becoming the early stages of the music group Orgy. Later, Dennis Shinn^[6] departed from the group to focus on music production. Ryan Shuck remained in the band, and Orgy, were signed onto the Elementree label shortly after Shinn's departure. In 1998, Orgy released their debut album "Candyass", RIAA Certified Platinum, selling almost two (2) million copies worldwide. Ryan Shuck later departed from Orgy, to start Julien-K. Shuck also made one (1) album with Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington, titled Dead By Sunrise. Julien-K remain active. Following the SuperModel band breakup In 1996, David DeRoo and Ray Solis returned to Bakersfield and made a new band titled: "Juice". Juice recorded a few demo's and played shows extensively. Juice disbanded in 1999 due to creative differences. Following the break up of Juice, David DeRoo along with bandmate Tim Fluckey joined Mark Chavez (Jonathan Davis' half brother) in Adema. In 2001, Adema released their self-titled debut LP. Peaking at number 27 on the Billboard Top 200. Adema became RIAA certified Gold in the US and sold over 1 million copies worldwide. Adema remain active. In 1997 following drum duties, his early departure from Orgy, Dennis Shinn^[8] carried out his passion for producing music. As a producer, Shinn helped develop new acts, while shopping them to record labels. Shinn also formed a post-punk music group called "The Drug", in which Shinn was the lead singer, and adopted the nickname "Menace". Moving with the times, Shinn gravitated to electronic music as a producer, and created a new music act called "The Anarky". The Drug was placed on hiatus, The Anarky remain active.

Band Break-Up

Rumored drug-induced radical behavior, differing personal lives and future direction of the band, led to the official dismantling of SexArt in 1993.
Jonathan Davis' departure was said to be an extension of inner conflicts between him and Ryan Shuck.
During the years 1992-1993, the band had been gaining momentum, local buzz, crowd attendance, as well as local radio support.
About this time is also when Korn band members went to watch a show by SexArt, where they spotted Jonathan Davis singing. Davis was approached by Korn members to depart from SexArt and join in a band with them. Jonathan Davis mentioned to bandmate Dennis Shinn, that he wouldn't leave SexArt, if Ryan Shuck was kicked out of the band.
This news came to Shinn, just before SexArt had the final round "Battle of the Bands" to perform. After the show, Shinn kicked Shuck out of SexArt. Shinn went to tell Davis it was done, but it was too late. Davis had already left in a car immediately after the show, to join with Korn. Shinn had to walk back into the building and collect the "Battle of The Bands Winner" award on behalf SexArt. Minus Davis, and Shuck, Dennis Shinn, David DeRoo, and Ray Solis were present during the BOTB winner's announcement.
A few weeks later, the band all came together to do one last recording of three (3) songs.
A few months following the last SexArt studio session, the band re-joined without Davis, in search of new singer.

October 27, 2017 - Hollywood Bowl Tribute to Chester Bennington concert, Jonathan Davis, and Ryan Shuck performed together on stage for the first time since SexArt's breakup. They hey performed One Step Closer with surviving members of Linkin Park.^[9]

Discography

SexArt were never signed to a record label, although creating around fifteen (15) songs. Six (6) of the songs were recorded at the Rick Davis recording studio called "Fat Tracks". The others were recorded on boom box, and or 4-track recorders. The only released song by SexArt was entitled "Inside", which featured Ty Elam from Videodrone on vocals.^[10] The song was released on the Cultivation '92 compilation CD, from the label "A Kick Produkt".^[4]

The songs "Follow Me^[11] - (now titled Daddy^[12]), and Blind", represented by Korn, was originally written by SexArt.
Both songs had been re-produced, and featured on Korn's 1993 demo tape Neidermayer's Mind, as well as their debut album LP self-titled 1994 debut.

See also

• Korn
• L.A.P.D.
• Orgy
• Dead By Sunrise
• Julien-K
• Adema
• JDevil

References