POSSESSED
Kerrang!
once described San Franciso’s Possessed as akin ‘to being chained to the
space shuttle launch pad during take off’. Arguably the most OTT band
at the time, this quartet were on the verge of breaking big when they
suddenly folded. Guitarist Larry Lalonde went on to join Primus; drummer
Mike Sus became a psychologist, guitarist Mike Torrao (eventually) became
a landscape gardener but tragedy would befall bassist Jeff Beccera who
became wheelchair bound as a result of a vicious carjacking. And so the
world moved on but Possessed were never forgotten as a cult 80s band.
As the internet developed, by chance I came across Jeff Beccera’s university
webpage and promptly emailed him, only to lose touch later. In 2002, I
tracked him down again and this time, on the back of a vacation to San
Francisco, went to visit him at his home where his kindness and hospitality
were only matched by his courage and (still) undying passion for metal.
As we partied, the interview soon got forgotten so here’s what left from
that memorable if hazy night...
Jeff, the last time I emailed you in 1997,
you were at SFU studying - so what are you doing now?
Just working and doing the nine-to-five thing.
I have a family now and thatis great. I finished San Francisco State University
and now am working at a hospital in the San Francisco Bay-Area. It is
a really good job and pays well. I have a two-year old Son (Jeff Benjamin
Becerra Jr. and a young wife (Sheila). I bought a new house a couple of
years back and these are great times. Recently I have re-recorded the
Exorcist with Sadistic Intent. That just came out on vinyl and will soon
come out on CD along with the first Possessed Demo and possibly a new
release. I just got out of the studio last Thursday and recorded with
an unnamed band some new material. So
how did Possessed get formed and how did you meet the other guys?
Well, Mike Torreo and Mike Sus had a cover
band (rock/heavy metal type).After their singer committed suicide -
by shooting himself in the head as his ex girlfriend opened her front
door although the report said he actually bled to death as the bullet
was a small calibre - they turned to a super heavy band. They came to
my high school and asked me to join. I had just gotten out of a band
called Blizzard and wanted to play Motorhead type music. This was a
perfect opportunity so I went down to the local electronics store and
bought a bunch of speakers and made two huge bass cabinets and tried
out.The first day I just listed, by the second day I had learned seven
songs.We couldn't find a singer so the guys asked me to sing. Later
I went back to my old band and got Larry Lalonde and with a little help
from the Devil we became Possessed!
Possessed set a new trend
in extreme metal at the time - did you think you would make such an
impact?
We purposely were trying to play as heavy
as we wanted and we really did want to make an impact, but I never expected
to make as big as impact as we did. It was crazy! So many people were
so fucking sick of the type of music that was being played in the early
80's they were ready for Satanic Death Metal. I think that our fans
were the craziest of all!
How and why did it end
for the band?
That will always be the true mystery....I
felt like at the time we had done what we set out to do. A lot of the
guys wanted to move on. I could and would have kept on going but Larry
went to Primus and Mike (Sus) and Mike (Torrao) acted like they were
sick of it so we broke up. In a way it was the best thing that could
have happened. But still I miss it!! Lately I have been missing it more
and more and that is why I have been doing some recording.
Are you still in touch
with any of the other members?
No, I don't talk with them any more. They
are all into their own thing. Some even seem anti-social.
Do you have fond memories
of your Possessed days, any favourite Possessed tracks or tour stories
you'd like to mention?
To me Possessed was the biggest fucking party
ever! Lots of whiskey, womenand music. Even now I try to live the same
way - as you’ve discovered ha ha. Life is crazy to me, it always will
be. Possessed made me the way I am today, and I will always be extremely
crazy and love metal.
I know that Mike (Torrao)
kinda put a version of Possessed together in the early 90's, were you
a part of this?
No, I wasn’t. Back then I was getting my life
together and was not yet ready to play. It is just recently (after getting
shot) that I am ready to play again.
Would you ever consider
playing in a Possessed reformation?
I would....but I would have to find the right
members.
How long will you remain
a musician?
I will always play! Like I said I have been
doing some new stuff lately and find it extremely satisfying once again
to play and sing fast heavy music.
On a more personal level
there have been many stories about what happened to you ranging from
punishment from god to a carjacking. Can you please set the record straight
about what happened to you.
That's all bullshit. Firstly I don't
believe in God. What happened is that a couple of crackheads robbed
me when I was coming home from work and they shot me with a 9mm in the
chest and a 21 in the hand. In some ways it was kinda stupid because
I could’ve given them the money but it was the way they asked me and
I told em to get fucked. They were caught that night and at their trial
one of them said that the only reason they didn’t finish me off
was because they ran outta bullets. They went to prison but one of them
somehow got released later and he managed to kill 5 more people....
I think I read on a website
somewhere that as a consequence of your accident you became a born again
Christian and have turned yourself away from metal - is that true?
Absolutely not! That is an insult. I am my
own person and would never belong to any group of Christianity.
What do you think of the
metal bands of today - anybody in particular you listen to?
Yeah, I like Sadistic Intent (see picture
with Rick Cortez), Slayer, 40 Grit, Motorhead, and Mayhem. Also I like
any band that plays heavy and fast with growling vocals.
Hey man, I just wanna say
how how cool it was to meet you and your family. Thanks for having us
over bro!
Shan, thanks for the opportunity to speak.
I would like to dedicate this and all interviews to my wife Sheila,
and my son Jeffrey Jr.
666 Burn in Hell.
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