Kurdt Vanderhoof

Short Biography

Kurdt Vanderhoof, (born Jun 28, 1961), is an American guitarist, best known as the lead guitarist and founding member of the American heavy metal band Metal Church. As early as 1976, in Aberdeen, Vanderhoof was ardently networking with local musicians and had formed a band called Tyr, which included Kirk Arrington on drums and Vanderhoof on rhythm guitar. In 1978 Vanderhoof joined Seattle hardcore punk band The Lewd adopting the stage name Blobbo on bass guitar, switching instruments to guitar the following year. The Lewd relocated from Seattle to San Francisco in 1980. Following Vanderhoof's departure from The Lewd he formed Metal Church, named after a nickname given to his San Francisco apartment. Vanderhoof moved back to his hometown, Aberdeen, Washington, with a vinyl single of Trash Can Baby as proof of his interlude with the Lewd. In the summer of 1982, he formed a heavy metal cover band named Shrapnel. It consisted of Tom Weber on drums, Duke Erickson on bass (both from Hoquiam), Mike Murphey("muff", from Montesano) and a guitar player Vanderhoof had jammed with in high school(Aberdeen). Shrapnel played four events to warm up, including a frat party at PLU, after which the other guitar player quit, having had a religious experience, unwilling to cover The Number of The Beast by Iron Maiden. His part was replaced by Craig Wells of Aberdeen, and Tom was eventually replaced by Kirk Arrington (also from Hoquiam) on drums. When Mike Murphy left the band, they recruited David Wayne for vocal duties. By 1983, Shrapnel had renamed itself to Vanderhoof's original band name, Metal Church.