German Shepherds

Formed in San Francisco in 1981 by Stephen Scheatzle and Mark Hutchinson (aka Sandy Stark), the German Shepherds released two singles, one LP, and a slew of songs on comp's. They were not a studio project, although they played live only occasionally in the early to mid-80's. Their first single is "I Adore You," a forgotten minimal synth nugget with an unforgettable rhythm box pattern. Fittingly, this confessional dirge is backed with "Booty Jones," a tribute to convicted child molester Kenneth Parnell, which features Hutchinson's menacing and child-like vocal affectations that later appear on other great tunes, "THC," "First Man To Give Birth," etc. Scant information exists on the whereabouts of the band. Misleading biographies and omissions are a part of their legend. For instance, they once announced the arrest of a band member on "trumped up child molestation charges" and suicide in order to promote the forthcoming LP, "Music For Sick Queers" (ARM vol.3 #8, 1985). There is no evidence that any arrest or suicide ever happened, yet the LP did come out. What else would one expect from a band who took audio samples from Jonestown to mock-torture Steve from Subterranean Rec's?