Coven

The best-known band named Coven is a psychedelic occult rock band, composed of vocalist Jinx Dawson, bassist Oz Osborne (not to be confused with Ozzy Osbourne of Black Sabbath) and drummer Steve Ross. They had a top 10 hit on Warner Brothers Records with a cover of Original Caste's "One Tin Soldier", which was used as the theme song to the 1971 movie Billy Jack. Jinx Dawson , Ross, and Osborne formed Coven in Chicago in the late 1960s. They were signed to Mercury Records, where they put out their first album, Witchcraft Destroys Minds and Reaps Souls in 1969. The music on the album was, for the most part, standard pop psychedelia; what made it distinctive was the heavy emphasis on diabolical subject matter, including songs such as "The White Witch of Rose Hall", "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge", and "Dignitaries of Hell". The album concluded with a 13 minute track of chanting and Satanic prayers called "Satanic Mass". Unwanted publicity came to the band in the form of a sensational Esquire magazine article entitled "Evil Lurks in California," which linked counterculture interest in the occult to Charles Manson and the Tate-La Bianca murders. As a result, Mercury withdrew the album from circulation. Coven released a self-titled album in 1972 which featured "One Tin Soldier" along with "Nightengale," penned by Jinx Dawson, which charted as a hot pic on Billboard & Cashbox. A third album, Blood on the Snow, was put out on Buddah Records in 1974.One of the 1st music videos ever made directly for an album title song was produced by Jinx and the Coven with Disney Studios. In 1990 Coven appeared in the film "Heaven Can Help" with Jinx in a starring role. She wrote all the music and along with original drummer Steve Ross, new members were added to the Coven which appeared in the film. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There was also a Heavy/Thrash Metal band from Seattle (Everett, actually), Washington, in the 1980s. They released three full-length albums, Blessed is the Black (1988), Death Walks Behind You (1989), and Boneless Christian (1993), before splitting up. They reformed in the new millennium and are active as of early 2008. Coven's current line-up is Jay Clark - Vocals, Paul Hash - Vocals, Guitar, Dean Babbitt - Acoustic Guitar, Bass Jason Moody - Drums. Past members: Gary Peebles - Bass, Neal Babbitt - Drums, Jerry Zeigler - Drums (Death Squad (US)). Humor, Anti-Christianity, and Violence are their main lyrical themes portrayed in their music. The band also criticizes America, and describes serial killer Ted Bundy. ************************************************************************************* Yet another Coven rose to the scene in 1985 in Detroit. They play Heavy/Doom Metal, and are separated from other bands by the unique vocals.