Orgy Artistfacts

1997-
Jay GordonLead vocals1997-
Ryan ShuckGuitar1997-2005
Paige HaleyBass1997-2005
Amir DerakhGuitar, synthesizers1997-2005
Bobby HewittDrums1997-2005
Carlton BostGuitar2011-
Nic SpeckBass2011-
Orgy were the first act signed to Korn's record label, Elementree Records, a subsidiary of Reprise. The connection: Ryan Shuck was good friends with Korn frontman Jonathan Davis. They played together in a band called SexArt, which had an early version of the Korn song "Blind" in their repertoire. Shuck has a songwriting credit on it.
Jay Gordon and Ryan Shuck were quite the tastemakers, as evidenced by their participation in a steamy 1999 ad campaign for Calvin Klein jeans that also included Liz Phair, Shirley Manson of Garbage, Melissa auf Der Maur of Hole, Foxy Brown and Julia Stiles.
They wear a lot of makeup on stage, especially eye liner. They also have stylish hair - their original guitarist, Ryan Shuck, went to beauty school and trained to be a hairdresser.
Gordon discovered Metallica early in their career (early '80s) and formed a metal band of his own. He blew out his voice from screaming and had to have laser surgery on his throat when he was 16. The procedure gave him a growl that distinguished him as a vocalist but frightened some people in regular conversation.
The band members didn't know each other growing up. They were all involved in different projects in and around Los Angeles when they came together as Orgy in 1997. Amir Derakh was the most experienced and a few years older than the other guys.
The band name is a reference to their disparate influences, an orgy of musical styles.
In the late '90s, Jay Gordon was in a collective called The Wonder Girls, which also included Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots, Mark McGrath of Sugar Ray, and "Ian Astbury" of The Cult. They recorded a song called "Drop That Baby" and even made a video for it, but it was never released.
Orgy split in 2005 after releasing three albums. Jay Gordon revived the band in 2011 with a new lineup. They released an EP called Talk Sick in 2015 and another called #NEWMUSIC in 2023. When Gordon announced that he was rebooting Orgy, his former bandmates issued a statement that read: "It saddens us that Jay is choosing to carry on the Orgy name without his brothers that helped build and create that name, but we truly wish him all the best."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

More Songfacts:

Piano ManBilly Joel

Billy Joel is surprised that "Piano Man" is so successful. He called it "an old, long song about a guy at a depressing piano bar."

The CaveMumford & Sons

"The Cave" by Mumford & Sons is based on the philosophy of Plato and his work called "Allegory of the Cave."

Happy BirthdayStevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder wrote his own version of "Happy Birthday" in an attempt to get Martin Luther King's birthday declared a national holiday.

Since U Been GoneKelly Clarkson

Dr. Luke and Max Martin originally wrote Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone" with Pink in mind but she turned it down.

Bang!AJR

The voice is that says "here we go" in the AJR song "Bang!" belongs to Charlie Pellett, the announcer on the New York City subway ("stand clear of the closing doors, please").

In Metallica's 1986 metal classic "Master Of Puppets," the "Master" represents drugs, controlling the user like a puppet. Lead singer James Hetfield wasn't an addict at the time, but 15 years later he needed rehab to treat his alcoholism.