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by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

One of the most influential bands from Omaha’s pre-Saddle Creek Records era was Ritual Device.

Ritual Device was a tortured, monolithic punk rock band from the early ’90s whose sound has been described as “gutter groove;” a sort of combination of Jesus Lizard, Ministry and Nine Inch Nails (but without the synths). Ritual Device on record and on stage was a hyper-kinetic hyper-violent rock band, with frontman/maniac Tim Moss supplying the psychic pain.  Read a brief history of Ritual Device here.

Ritual Device disbanded sometime in the late ’90s when Moss moved to San Francisco where he went on to form Men of Porn (or just Porn). Porn’s music was sludge-rock/stoner rock/depraved genius. Grim and loud and heavy. The band made its way to Omaha in 2000 on a tour that turned out to be a brutal nightmare. You can read the road stories online here.

Over the years, Porn continued to perform in various incarnations, and now is reforming again, this time to play an event in conjunction with the All Tomorrow’s Parties festival in England Nov. 25.

Joining Moss for this version of Porn will be Bill Gould (Faith No More), Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth) and Balázs Pándi (Merzbow). Quite a line-up. Moss said though the personnel has changed, Porn is still based on the same band I saw in 2000 “though the music I’ve been doing lately has shifted some,” he said. “Usually the music is based off of what players I have with me at that time.”

So how did he get Thurston Moore to take part?

“Thurston has played with Porn before,” Moss said. “He sat in with us at an ATP in 2008. He approached me at the festival and said Porn was one of the bands he was really looking forward to seeing. He had our last album. So, I asked if wanted to sit in rather than watch.”

Moss said Porn will be doing a short European tour around the ATP gig, and Moore will play at the ATP and London shows.

So what’s Moss been up to when he isn’t “dabbling in Porn”? He says that he’s the artist manager for Faith No More and tour manager for various other bands. While I had his ear, I asked him about those Ritual Device reunion rumors that have been circling around Omaha lately. Moss said that “There’s been some talk, but I like living in the present and future.

“It’s always fun to relive old memories and conquests,” he added. “I’m happy with what became of that band. (It) helped create what I do today.”

I can’t blame him for not wanting to relive those brutal days of yesterday, but I’d sure love to see him and the band perform “Charlie Jones” again…

Here’s some Ritual Device from the old Capital Bar & Grill circa 1994…

And here’s some Men of Porn at New Haven, circa 2008.

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.