The Last Boys

The Last Boys was an American rock band formed in Meriden, Connecticut in 1979. It was founded by lead singer and songwriter Henry Jane "Requiem" Fulton and lead guitarist Kurtis Mock. Tom Parnam joined as drummer in 1980, with Malcom Binge on bass and keyboards. Harvey Goode replaced Parnam as drummer in 1987. Candy Gahering would join the band for live performances as keyboardist, however was not viewed as an official member of the band.

Now recognized as gothic genderqueer, the style of the band was notable as being in stark contrast to the post-disco or rock-star-in-suits wardrobe of 1980, more largely akin to Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Cure. Their music infused occult lyricism with darkwave, hard rock, and elements of synthpop.

The Last Boys, under the insistence of Requiem, would record at the Gilman Hotel in 1982. The original demo single "3 Faces" was picked up by Swill Records within 2 days of its release and the band signed instantly. Three more singles and an EP later, the band would have experienced a heady, whirlwind of success that would last only until 1989 when Requiem was found dead at The Gilman.

Much of the band's music was recorded in the hotel, which the administration claims to have approved, however no formal contract was made between the hotel, the band, or the record label. Indeed, most vocals were recorded on-site, with much of the production and mastering occurring off-site in studios with the band. They would then messenger the recordings back to Requiem, who stayed at the hotel, who would make notes or approve the work.

Songs Confirmed About The Gilman

Many of the songs written for the album "Rage in Favor" were planned before recording sessions with the band. Based on poems, stories, or diary entries made by Requiem while they spent time at the hotel, they would transform into actual songs with the band in the spring of 1982. Requiem mentioned the hotel in press for the album for the songs "3 Faces," "Cold and Afraid," "Unicorns and Lions," and "Hello Hello Hello."

In 1984, Requiem would write lyrics for the songs "Voice Inside the Wall," "Down the Hall," "The Screaming," "Black and Blue," and still others -- all of which include the word "hotel." The single "Voice Inside the Wall" features a 15-minute opus of the original single mix and remixes of the track that feature what sounds like a young girl laughing, crying, and saying things like "Please stay up with me tonight; I'm afraid to go to sleep," and "I'm glad I have you with me." Requiem confirmed these vocal passages were dubbed by a session artist after failing to capture the spirit's voice they heard while recording. The girl behind this song is unanimously agreed to be about Denise Schonheit, who lived at the hotel as a young girl and whose whereabouts are unaccounted for after 1901. The remix known as "The Voice Tells Me Things Mix" includes backmasked passages that promise a golden afterlife kingdom and features the young girl's "voice" raising doubt about the legitimacy of a deal with the devil.

The 1986-1987 recording sessions of what would have the third album have never been made public. Kurtis Mock described to journalist Charley Villaquez that they were "wildy experimental," "incredibly personal," and made bandmember Tom Parnum so uncomfortable, he quit saying the band "was going to fucking hell."

The eventually released album "Hell If I Know," was a complete turnaround from those experimental recordings, with a dark but true to form collection of songs. Songs from the recording sessions, "Virgin Sacrifice," "Beast Calls Me," "You Don't Love Me," "Vicious Lie," "Red Eye," "Shadow Figure," "Magician's Assistant," and b-sides "Prince of Lies," and "Slaughter of the Innocents" all feature lyrics about betrayal, agitation, and regret. "You Don't Love Me" gained notice from critics for sampling "Voice Inside the Wall" and creating essentially a verse-to-verse reply denouncing the affection the original song provides. Essentially, it is viewed as a "break-up song" with the "the ghost."

Other songs believed to be inspired by the hotel include non-album tracks "End of the World," which references the Persephone Ballroom accident of 1954 and "Boogeyman," which critics claim is about Edgar Corbin, despite the timing of the song being written before Corbin turned himself for multiple murders. This would imply that Requiem somehow knew about Corbin's activity at the hotel.

Discography

1982 1983 1984 1985 1988 1989 1992 2017
 * "3 Faces"/"Bats" (7" single)
 * "Die Die Die Darling"/"Horror Show" (7" & 12" singles)
 * "Spit Dust"/"End of the World" (7" & 12" singles)
 * "Rage in Favor" (full length album)
 * "Castle of Fangs"/"Spring Is A Lie" (7" & 12" singles)
 * "The Hunger Within" (EP)
 * "Voice Inside the Wall"/"Boogeyman" (7" & 12" singles)
 * "The Murder & the Mayhem" (full length album)
 * "Blood So Sweet"/"Black and Blue" (7" and 12" singles)
 * "Venomous" (7" single)
 * "You Don't Love Me"/"Portrait of a Lifeless Body" (7" & 12" singles)
 * "Hell If I Know" (full length album)
 * "Virgin Sacrifice"/"Vicious Lie" (7" & 12" singles)
 * "Down Your Face"/"Rebirth" (7" and 12" singles)
 * "Requiem" (compilation)
 * "Requiem" (compilation re-release)