Helios Creed is the legendary guitarist of San Francisco's proto-industrial acid-punk band Chrome. His unusual musical stylings have influenced bands such as Butthole Surfers, Ministry, Nine Inch Nails, KMFDM and Prong. Helios Creed joined San Francisco's Chrome in 1977 to record their second album Alien Soundtracks. Helios' mastery of sustained, distorted guitar effects and deep, crooning vocals noticeably changed Chrome's direction and made them the science fiction inspired, avant-garde acid-punk that Chrome is best known for. Superior Catholic Finger in 1989, released on Subterranean, saw a return to Helios' noisier heritage with early Chrome, and coincided with the rising popularity of the noise and grunge sounds. Being no stranger to the road, Helios and his varying group of musicians have toured extensively since 1985. Incorporating tape loops, a multitude of FX boxes, and even a telephone handset, Helios' live shows expand upon his talents, demonstrating that his layering of multiple sounds isn't just studio trickery. As well as releasing titles under his own name, Helios has also collaborated on projects with Nik Turner, Hawkwind, Butthole Surfers, Jack Endino's Skin Yard, Genesis P-Orridge, and Bill Laswell. With his last solo release, On the Dark Side of the Sun, released in the summer of 2003, Helios ventured back to the darker, guitar driven sounds of Chrome. This CD incorporates new sounds, with some of the cold industrial-psychedelic themes from the past. A Chrome compilation came out on Cleopatra Records in June 2004, and a live tour CD Inferior Plastic Finger was released in December of 2004. Helios Creed teamed up in January, 2005 to work with one of his regular touring and recording drummers, Paul Della Pella and the late Damon Edge's wife, Fabienne Shine (Chrome, Shakin' Street), both of California, as well as Austin musicians Jeff Pinkus on bass (Butthole Surfers, Honky, Areola 51), Jerry Page on second guitar and Liberation moog (Central Services, Crust), and Blair Bovbjerg (Halo Rings Her Head) on theremin, to record a new Chrome CD (Austin, Texas/Bubble Studio).
