Hell Bound by The Viles (1999)

It all started in 1993 when Jennifer Ann Shepard sang for her first band, The Incinerators  in Portland, Oregon.  The town's music scene was very different at the time.  There weren't that many female rock vocalist.  It was the grand time of Club Satyricon, which was the stronghold of all that musically kicks ass.  

Gen Genevre’s first band was The Incinerators.  Guitar player Carlton Mellon sadly passed away in 1998.  The other members of that band were Harvey Marshall (ex-lead singer of Hog Wild) on bass and three different drummers; Jasin Fell (ex-lead singer of Popeworm), Mike Lang, and Bruce Saltmarsh (ex-drummer of Action Family). The Incinerators only put out one 45 in 1995 on Casting Couch Records with Mike on drums (Bruce joined later), and it is extremely rare to find.  The two songs on it are Lap Dog Cat and Gimme Reaction.  Inceneraters were very influenced by late '60s and early '70s Detroit and Aussie punk n'roll.  When Carlton passed away in '98, the band was done as no other guitar player could play in a style like him.  He was simply irreplaceable.  

In August of '98, Jennifer sang for The Viles.  Sleazy rock n'roll to the maximum degree.  The first line-up was ex-Napalm Beach guitarist Dave Dillinger, Dawn Henschen (known as Dawn Of The Dead), who played bass in Popeworm and ----, Jeff Wonderful on rhythm, and drummer Craig Becker (Fitz of Depression).  They put their first album out in 1999 titled, The Viles.  Several different line-ups followed with Gen as the lead singer.  The next line-up was Kirk Delong (ex...) on guitar, Casey Maxwell (ex-Weaklings) on bass, Mo Davis  on rhythm guitar, and Sam Henry of Don't (ex-The Rats, Wipers, and Napalm Beach) on drums.  They released a full-length CD in ... titled .... on ....  Then, after Mo and Casey, Tarika ? played bass and Justin ... (The Triggers) on drums.

Around 2004 Gen sang for The Nightmares which consisted of Alan O'Malley (sp?)and Kirk Delong still on lead guitar, Lola Phillips on bass, and Jeff... on drums.  They put out one self-titled full-length CD recorded at ... Later on, Alan O'Malley (sp?) of ... replaced Kirk on guitar and Keith Bournzin of Hittingbirth and The Weaklings replaced Jeff on drums and a second full-length CD titled .... was released in ...  Eventually, Michelle Motta Vallarta (sp)joined the band on rhythm.  

Gen's most recent band, Iron Lords, formed in ... and played together until 2013.  This hard-rocking band had Chris Carey of Poison Idea on lead, Rochelle Menashe (sp?) on bass who was later replaced by Dave Hoopah (sp?) of Iomi Stubbs and Witch Mountain, and for a brief time, Rob Bockman (sp?) of Panzergod on rhythm.  Keith was still on drums.  

Gen's musical influences are varied but definitely include The Stooges, Faces, Nikki Sudden, Radio Birdman, The Saints, Lime Spiders, Scientists, seventies-era Stones, Alice Cooper, Free, Nazareth, Deep Purple, heavy metal in general, '60s garage and Stax records.  Gen is known for her intense cigarette and whiskey voice tempered with great passion every time she performs.  As she's said, "If it don't hit you below the belt, it ain't rock'n' roll".