The story behind the

the moonwatch commandscript
I was asked recently why I publish the commandscript; was it worth all the hours of work typing, pasting up and creating artwork. How could it pay to do all this work without making money at it? The answer was simple. This magazine was designed for anyone who wants to know more than they already did about the band. It is for our supporters, to answer the questions I receive in the mail, but don't have time to personally answer.

With the first Commandscript (named by drummer Paul Davis), I had the idea to create a forum where all the different aspects of Sacred Blade activities could be presented, in a format that would grow as the band did. This forum would discuss the music and its creation, the album artwork, the production, the background to the songs, etc., in a manner that no other publication could. Although most magazines that interview us reveal a great deal about what goes on with the band, I felt that there should be a comprehensive source for all the in depth information that I myself might want to know about a band. Commandscript Volume 1 (produced in 1984) took about three months to produce, and only 20 copies were ever shipped. But with those 20 copies the Commandscript had been born.

Volume 3 of the Commandscript (1986)

Commandscript Volume 1 contained a collection of typewritten essays, cut up and pasted together with ink drawings, and photocopied in an 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 inch format. The artwork was primal, the text unreadable, but it was a start. Volumes 2 and 3 continued in much the same fashion, each growing in complexity, but still relying on manual assembly and the photocopier. The switch to an 8 1/2 x 11 inch format came in 1991 with volume #4, the first issue created on the computer. With this new format and working environment I was able to put a somewhat professional publication together. We are now at issue #5, which was originally completed in 1992, but has now been transformed into this online version.

I had thought that I would have run out of things to write about by now, aside from the latest news on the band. Instead, I am finding that the more I write, the more there is to write about. The next issue will continue to explore the songwriting and recording processes, and contain news about the first and second album production.

Your ideas regarding forthcoming articles or features are welcomed. This magazine was created for the Sacred Blade enthusiast, for without listeners, a band has little reason to exist. Email us with your ideas!

how you can help
If your favorite magazine hasn't had an article on Sacred Blade for a while, write and request one. Ask your favorite radio station or video show to play Sacred Blade. We extend our deepest thanks to those of you who have helped support us over the yearz. We hope that we merit your continued support in the future. I would like to add my personal appreciation to all those who took the time to write to us over the years, as your letters mean a lot to me. With your assistance, one day everyone may know the music of Sacred Blade, and the dream will then come true. For those who will help make it happen, thankz.

Four years have passed since I first wrote this article. Volume 5 was completed but never shipped due to the turmoil our lives were going through at the time. Since then the changes in technology have allowed me to begin publishing to a worldwide audience via the web. No more black and white paper photocopies and mailing hassles.

The working environment has changed dramatically too, from the midnight sessions at the boss' office on his Mac Plus, to a network of Power Macintosh computers, modems, scanners and gigabytes of storage. I hope you enjoy this electronic version. I'm happy I finally get to publish it. Cheers!