Batless
Batless photoshoot from September 1981. From left to right: Richard Allman, Berry McCree, Grim, Rex Trisket, and Derek Leto.
Background information
Origin Sacramento, California, U.S. Genres Alternative rock • pop rock • pop punk • punk rock Years active 1971-1983 Labels A&M Records • I.R.S. Associated acts Yes • Angel's Tears • Oingo Boingo Website therealbatlesssite.com/inserts-a-custom-domain Past Members Berry McCree Rex Trisket Richard Allman Derek Leto Grim

Batless were an American rock band formed in Sacramento in 1971. The band initially consisted of Berry McCree (vocals), Richard Allman (guitar), and Derek Leto (bass guitar), before gaining Rex Trisket (lead guitar) and Grim (drums) to finish the lineup. They released their debut album Brand New Face independently before signing to A&M Records in 1972. They went on to record ¡Viva la Vendetta! (1974) and Mount Nevermore (1976), the latter of which eventually peaking at number 10 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart three decade later in 2006. They later signed with I.R.S. after a legal dispute with A&M as a result of the satanic panic of the 1980's. They then released one last album, Oh, what lonely sands bleed? (1981), before disbanding in 1983. Despite controversy about the band, they ultimately fell because they kept overspending. 

in 1980, the A&M Records founder Jerry Moss had stated in an interview involving "Various issues within who we choose to associate with." In this, Moss goes on to accuse the band of "Demonic rituals" and that "they are a band of Satanists who want to poison the youth." McCree would respond saying, "Who the fuck said we were targeting our music to the youth?" The public became very split about the band following this, Moss continuing to say that he "smells something fishy." Despite this, they continues to find success until three years later where it is revealed McCree was actually a demon from hell. This, along with a clip from an interview with McCree saying he had sex with Leto, had caused people to villainize the band further.

In the 2000's, however, the band suddenly received a small, cult following with the scene crowd, along with McCree's solo albums Everyone But You! (1987) and Bang Vegas (1994). In an interview with Kerrang! in 2007, McCree said about the matter, "Seems to me like times have changed and that people are starting to not have street lights up their ass...what I didn't expect was for us to be 'ahead of the curve.' I'm a damn demon not a time traveler!"

Their earlier music was a fusion of punk rock and funk, though their later music included elements of progressive rock, techno and even some britpop in Oh, what lonely sands bleed?, which was said to be "their experimental album" in an interview with the Rolling Stone.  

Band members

Discography

Live Albums

Compilations

Concert tours

Headlining

• ¡Viva la Bat Revolution! Tour (1975)
• Mount Nevermore Tour (1976-1977)
• IM THE SRIM REAPER Tour (1979-1980)
• (Welcome to the) Blood Desert Tour! (1982)

Co-headlining

• Tales from Topographic Oceans Tour (with Yes) (1973-1974)
• Tear Tour (1978) (with Angel's Tears)