The one, the only, the legendary hardcore band from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Mr. Bishop’s Fist only released one 3-song demo, and had 2 compilation appearances, before they broke up and moved to the Pacific Northwest. So why include the band here when they made such a small impact?
Well, despite their limited output, the band actually had an incredible impact. First, because the songs were so good, so brutal, so raw and real, fans and collectors to this day still talk about the band. Second, members of the band wound up in a number of other bands that were equally influential. Drummer Timothy Henderson was a founding member of exceptional sludgecore band Warlord. And vocalist Johnathon Ford has played with Roadside Monument, Unwed Sailor, and about a dozen other acts.
While the band played relatively few live sets, being from Oklahoma myself, I was able to catch the band live twice. Incidentally, both times occurred on consecutive nights at the Tooth & Nail weekend at the Where-House in Bartlesville, OK. The raw energy and passion on display was something difficult to forget.