HAVE MERCY
Have Mercy was started in 1984 by John "The Nort" Knoerlein and Rob Michael. After having auditions, Tom Maxwell and Nick Ellingson joined as guitarists, and Lee Dayton joined on vocals. The band began writing and rehearsing, and in July recorded their first demo, "Pleading for Mercy". In 1985, Lee Dayton was replaced on vocals by Lonnie Fletcher. The band recorded its second demo, "Mass Destruction", in May of that year. The song "The Omen" appeared on Metal Blade Records' "Metal Massacre 7". Have Mercy was signed to Combat Records in November of '85. The band went back in the studio and recorded the "Armageddon Descends" EP in January of 86. The EP was released as part of Combat's "Boot Camp" series (basically a test market idea to see how a band would sell) in April of 86. John Knoerlein and Nick Ellingson left the band in May due to personal and musical differences. They were replaced with Dave Brenner on guitar and John Grden on drums. Have Mercy took to the road for the rest of 86 in to 87, playing with Megadeth, Agent Steel, Blessed Death, and a host of other bands. After an April 87 car accident in which Rob Michael broke his neck, the band took off for three months so Rob could recover. When the band started rehearsing again, Lonnie Fletcher was nowhere to be found (he got a job as a trucker). Rob Michael took over on vocals and Have Mercy took to a heavier, more hard-core style of music. They recorded "Demo 87" in September '87. It was only sent to Combat, who chose not to pick up the band. In February of 1988, Have Mercy recorded their last demo, "Morbid Reality" (track listing "In Misery", "Solemnly Sworn", "Vendetta", "Inflector of Innocence" and "Nuclear Crucifixion"). They shopped the demo, but it failed to do anything. After losing their rehearsal room in September, Have Mercy decided to part ways.
Picture above left to right Lonnie Fletcher, Nick Ellingson, Rob Michael, John Knoerlein and Tom Maxwell (1986)
Picture below left to right John Grden, Rob Michael, Lonnie Fletcher, Tom Maxwell and Dave Brenner (1987)
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