Pariah

Vocalist Dave Derrick, guitarists Kyle Ellison and Jared Tuten, bassist Sims Ellison and drummer Shandon Sahm (the son of Tex-Mex legend Doug Sahm, incidentally) met in high school in San Antonio and began playing together with various lineups. Eventually settling on the name Pariah (not to be confused with the English heavy metal band of the same time), their live show earned them a regional following, and a contract with Geffen soon followed. After repeated and frustrating delays, Pariah's debut album, To Mock a Killingbird, was finally released in mid-1993. But it arrived minutes too late to capitalize on the hair metal craze (then in its death-throes thanks to the advent of grunge), and the disappointed musicians soon went their separate ways. Tragically, Sims Ellison would commit suicide two years later after moving to Los Angeles -- the victim of depression. But the Sims Foundation was founded in his honor to provide health care to Austin area musicians. ~ John Bush & Ed Rivadavia, All Music Guide