The Witches

Merging hooky, '60s-influenced pop with pounding drums and moody, ominous undercurrents, the Witches evoke the unlikely offspring of Phil Spector and the Velvet Underground, a sonic approach that might seem unexpected given the early résumé of bandleader Troy Gregory. A Detroit native, Gregory first attracted nationwide attention in 1987 by signing on as bassist with Arizona thrash-metal outfit Flotsam & Jetsam, the same year Jason Newsted departed for Metallica. In 1991 he exited that group to join New York art-thrash ensemble Prong, contributing to their album Prove You Wrong. His tenure with Prong proved brief; afterward he lent his talents to the Swans, Killing Joke, and Simon Bonney before returning to Detroit and immersing himself in the city’s underground scene.

There Gregory assembled the Witches from a shifting roster of players drawn from prominent local bands and tracked their debut, Everything Changes Reality, in 1996, though the album remained unreleased. The follow-up, Let’s Go to the No Go Zone, fared better upon its 1998 arrival, featuring contributions from Matthew Smith (Outrageous Cherry, Volebeats), Deb Agolli (Outrageous Cherry), and Jim Diamond (Dirtbombs). A third effort, Universal Mall, appeared in 2001 and incorporated members of the Wildbunch and the Sights. Outside the Witches, Gregory explored filmmaking while collaborating with assorted Motor City artists, among them Andre Williams, Larval, Medusa Cyclone, and Kim Fowley.

Following the Witches’ 2002 release On Parade, Gregory joined the Dirtbombs, a move that reduced his availability for the group and delayed the next album until 2006. Thriller! proved to be their final studio recording. Gregory remained active in Detroit’s rock community, and in 2011 Alive Records issued the career-spanning anthology A Haunted Person’s Guide to the Witches, documenting the band’s concise yet impactful run.