Blind Idiot God

Blind Idiot God is an instrumental rock trio initially formed in the mid 1980s in St. Louis by Andy Hawkins, Gabe Katz and Ted Epstein. They socialized with the St. Louis punk/hard-core scene, including members of Drunks with Guns and Ultraman. The band later moved to Brooklyn, NY, after signing a contract with SST Records, headed by Greg Ginn of Black Flag. Ginn signed the band after hearing their self-produced cassette demo, which was passed around by fans in St. Louis. Though at its core heavy metal, Blind Idiot God's music was informed by punk, dub, and classical music composers György Ligeti and Igor Stravinsky. In a 1997 Guitar Player interview, Hawkins reports, "When I listen to a lot of metal and hard rock, I think 'Great Intensity! Boring chords!'" Blind Idiot God have recently resumed activity after a long hiatus (with Tim Wyskida of Khanate replacing Epstein) and have played a few shows in the New York/Brooklyn area within the last 6 months. Apparently, they are going to record new material in the near future. The phrase "blind idiot god" comes from the works of H. P. Lovecraft, where the god Azathoth is described as such.