I-Dragon-I – Oceans of the Divine Inferno

I-Dragon-I is another band that I found through MySpace – which might possibly be one of the best networking sites for bands that has ever been created. I’ve found a bunch of great stuff there. Anyway, I found IDI after looking for a band that I am fond of that you might remember called Wedding Party. William A. Knight and Jamie McCavanagh were both members of Wedding Party and are now the sole members of IDI. Wedding Party only released one album entitled Anthems back in 1998. I found them through their affiliation with MCM music, which was originally the label and management company for Saviour Machine. Back in the late ‘90’s MCM released a compilation that had, among others, Saviour Machine and Wedding Party.

As it sometimes happens with bands (even the great ones), after an album or two they quickly disappear. But I feel fortunate to come across them again at some point. I think the internet has made things much easier to follow, and fortunately I don’t lose track of things like before. Anyway, back to the music… I Dragon I formed and released a limited edition album which I missed. They have only played live once, but they have a double album coming out soon. The future is looking brighter for IDI and hopefully we will be seeing them in a much more visible capacity. If you go to the IDI MySpace page you can sample songs from their upcoming release entitled Ocean Of The Divine Inferno. The samples that are up are just what I love to hear… driving guitars, spitting vocals above the backdrop of deeper, more melodic vocals. I cannot wait for this album to come out! I was able to catch up with Jamie and William and ask them a few questions about the upcoming release. Enjoy all that is IDI.

1) After Wedding Party dissolved, were there any other bands that Jamie and William were a part of?

William Knight is the lead singer and founder of I-Dragon-I. He founded the band after Wedding Party dissolved in 1999 and Jamie was invited by William to be a part of I-Dragon-I in 2001 as the lead guitarist and co writer.

2) Are there any other contributors to I-Dragon-I other then Jamie and William?

Libby Luckey sang background vocals on the Limited Edition CD, Steve Casto and Sean Savacool played bass and Kari McCavanagh sang the intro on the Limited Edition CD.

3) As a point of reference for our readers who might be familiar with Wedding Party – did any of the other members go on to any other bands or musical pursuits?

William Knight went on to form I-Dragon-I in 2000 and also appeared on Midnight Orchestra and sang with Eric Clayton of Saviour Machine in Mexico City. Sheri Luckey went on to sing in Psychosis, Lucifer’s Key, Dark Valentine, and Iron Scepter. Libby Luckey went on to sing background vocals in I-Dragon-I before joining Iron Scepter. Sean Savacool played bass for I-Dragon-I before joining Eastern Block in 2007. John Williams is now a pastor and Ken Lemery went on to form the band Bridgeshadows and now plays keyboards for Coriolis.

4) How would you describe the music of IDI? How is it the same/different from Wedding Party?

IDI’s music is music filled with raw emotion. It is music that tells a story, a story that began in the Limited Edition album and will be finished with Ocean of the Divine Inferno. It is a concept album.

5) Are there any plans to tour behind the album when it comes out?

Ocean of the Divine Inferno is set to be released 2010 so when it is released we plan do festivals as well as other venues. William Knight is of course available for speaking engagements. For booking info or questions please contact Inferno Management at: Inferno_Management@hotmail.com

6) Where did the name I-Dragon-I originate, and what does it mean?

It originated from William Knight. The church blames the devil for everything all the time, but we are the dragon ourselves. Instead of blaming the devil for everything we should look at ourselves and take responsibility.

7) What are your thoughts and ideas about the digital age of music, and how does this affect/impact I-Dragon-I?

The digital progression of music is a benefit to many, many bands. Speaking of the digital age, Ocean of the Divine Inferno will be mainly released digitally on iTunes.com with a limited amount of CD’s available for purchase. Also a few vinyl copies will be available for purchase as well.

8) Can you give anymore info on this – who it involves, etc.?

This album is still in production and is set to be released in 2010

(Beginning in January 2009 they both began working with an all star cast to produce an all new, one of a kind Sanctuary Praise and Worship Album. This album is being co produced by Jim Laverde of Barren Cross and Jamie McCavanaugh of IDI. It is set to be released in 2009.)

9) According to the MySpace site there was merchandise available at one time. Is there still anything that people can order? Without PayPal what is the best way to order?

We still currently have merchandise available for purchase. We have Limited Edition CD’s as well as I-Dragon-I T-shirts. Since we are without a PayPal link at this present moment we are looking for alternate methods to sell this merchandise. We are going through Ebay and we will be at Cornerstone 2009 with merchandise for purchase. CD’s are $6 each and T-shirts are $7.

10) What is it that you would like to share and have our readers know?

It seems over the last 10 years since the demise of Wedding Party that people believe Wedding Party was just a fad or a phase, but it wasn’t. It was only for a short time. The seeds that were planted from the ministry of Wedding Party have been watered and grown. It was never about being a rock star. It was never about the thousands. It was about the one. If only one person had been touched by the ministry of Wedding Party it completed its mission.

I-Dragon-I is a completely different entity than Wedding Party. It is still an extension of the unconditional love, grace, forgiveness, and full acceptance of our Father, our Daddy, God. I-Dragon-I represents a minion of mainstream and underground people who have been wounded, outcast, and left for dead. We do not blame the church nor do we blame the Father, the Son, or the Holy Spirit. We do hold the shepherds of all the flocks accountable and responsible for such great losses in this secret war. The shepherds have abandoned their flocks. Don’t get me wrong, I do not believe that all shepherds have done so, but if the shoe fits, wear it.

Ultimately God is the judge. Theology, doctrines, and denominations have ruled the believers thought life, spiritual life, and even our pure existence as God’s creation here on this earth. Though imperfect, God created man in his image and through the blood of Jesus we are made perfect. The millions of prayers, screams, and deaths (spiritually and physically) surround his throne in the eternal. He is long tired of calling his people to their aid and only a few have answered his call when there should be the many. The army that is the church has failed its mission today. If we could lay down our ideals and our divisions and be one body, one denomination, one creed, one doctrine, one belief in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior – to bind together to fight what seems to be a war we cannot win, and to beat an unbeatable foe which ultimately is ourselves.

We have blamed the devil for far to long for our indiscretions. He can influence, he can definitely destroy, and his armies are poised even at this very moment to lie and to deceive all of us into thinking that we have no authority or power. Yet we were given the understanding through the word of God, through the blessed hope of forgiveness and grace and love to defeat the enemy on their own turf. In Wedding Party, as well as all the other Christian Goth bands, we brought light to places that were created void of light. But nothing, and I repeat nothing – not drugs, not alcohol, not sex, not the way you look, not doctrine, not race – nothing can separate you from the love of God. I-Dragon-I over the last 10 years has performed 1 concert, released 1 limited edition album and most peoples would say this band is going nowhere, that these people are not qualified to minister, that even I have committed so many sins from the time Wedding Party ended till now. From death to resurrection, in living, trying to find who I am after all was said and done. To relearn the ways of God in total humility, being lost in a wilderness, walking between heaven and hell as a ghost and looking for my home and finding no where to call home, so with this even though I may have lost heart at the state of the union of our ‘body’, we will complete the mission that God has set before us. We are not out to be rock stars. We are not out to be famous. We want to tell the true spirit of prophecy, which is the testament of Jesus Christ as well as our own testimonies, our stories, our legends.

They overcame him by the word of their testimony and the blood of the lamb

Selah,
William Ashton Knight

I hope that this article has brought you up to speed on the exciting developments that are in the works with William and Jamie. Definitely give them a listen over at their MySpace page. As soon as the payment system is figured out we will update our ‘zine and let the readers know where to buy merchandise. In addition to the upcoming album (Ocean Of The Divine Inferno) that was mentioned above, there is a part two to that release that is called A Season In Hell. Here is the little bit of info on that I found on William’s MySpace page:

“A Season In Hell is the acoustic project written and recorded by William Knight (aka: the Dragon) during a 2 year recovery period, after surviving a near fatal gunshot to the chest!……It is the second half to a double album Ocean Of The Divine Inferno & A Season In Hell to be released this fall….. Albums are written and produced by: William Knight & Jamie McCavanagh both formerly of Wedding Party”

www.myspace.com/idragoniidi (band)
www.myspace.com/dragonidi (William)
www.myspace.com/inferno_management (for booking and information)