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Former METAL CHURCH Vocalist David Wayne Dies Aged 47
May 10th, 2005

David Wayne, former vocalist of Aberdeen, Washington-based metal group Metal Church, died on May 10th, 2005 at the age of 47 at his home in Tacoma, Washington, following complications from injuries sustained in a car accident in January 2003.

David Wayne Carnell was born in Renton, Washington on January 1st, 1958 to parents Billie and Verna, brothers Doug, Dennis and Darrell arriving later. After graduation, Wayne’s parents sent him to Job Corp in Curlew, Washington. Later, he joined the US Army and became a field medic.

Following a tour of duty in Germany, Wayne was honourably discharged and ventured into the music profession. In 1982 Wayne joined heavy metal band Shrapnel as lead vocalist, replacing Mike Murphy. The following year Shrapnel changed their name to Metal Church, which had previously been the moniker of founding guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof’s old band when he was based in San Francisco.

David Wayne sang on Metal Church’s inaugural two full-length studio albums, namely the self-titled Metal Church (1984) and The Dark (1986). Departing in 1988, Wayne was replaced by Heretic frontman Mike Howe.

Members of the resultantly disbanded Heretic embarked on a project with Wayne titled Reverend, with whom the vocalist recorded two full-length platters in the form of World Won’t Miss You (1990) and Play God (1991), as well as a handful of EPs.

1998 Metal Church outing Live, recorded live during The Dark Tour in 1986 with Wayne, led to a brief reunion which resulted in the release of 1999’s Masterpeace. A solo album subsequently surfaced in 2001 under the Wayne banner, the effort named Metal Church.

In 2003 Wayne joined UK band Bastardsun, the brainchild of former Cradle Of Filth guitarist Stuart Anstis. At the time of his death, the singer had been working on material for an album with his new project David Wayne’s Metal Church.

A memorial service for David Wayne was held on Friday, May 13th, 2005 at the Evergreen Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Vancouver, Washington.

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