Jesters of Destiny

Emerging from Los Angeles, California, Jesters of Destiny stood out through an eccentric blend of heavy metal that incorporated upbeat pop elements alongside nearly psychedelic textures, an approach whose strangeness aligned closely with the group’s own unusual name. Such eccentricity left too many listeners bewildered, so the band never established much recognition across their short span in the mid-1980s. Appearing a decade later might have changed their prospects, once the convenient “alternative metal” tag was applied freely to acts ranging from Jane’s Addiction to Faith No More. As events unfolded, however, their 1986 LP Fun at the Funeral—released after the customary Los Angeles metal step of appearing on a Metal Massacre compilation—met largely uncomprehending or indifferent ears. The lineup that proved most enduring, consisting of vocalist/bassist Bruce Duff, guitarists Ray Violet and Michael Montano, and drummer Dave Kuzma, effectively disbanded once they completed the 1987 covers EP In a Nostalgic Mood.