In 1997, Detroit’s Mog Stunt Team put out an album on Amphetamine Reptile Records (founded in Washington State) which not only impacted the rock world but may have challenged the very nature of reality. This was one band that paid the price for the outrageous message inside the all-out musical armageddon they waged. 

Bill Martin of Hamtramck, Michigan mixed for the band for over 100 live shows. He was running monitors for them in Detroit at Saint Andrews and recalls the first time seeing them, two guitars caught fire onstage and the band claimed they were there to save rock n roll. He recalls seeing them in Chicago soon after where two band members dressed as Godzilla and a Robot were staging an altercation onstage and that’s when he knew he wanted to work with them. 

As Martin got closer to the band, he noticed the band truly believed John Tesh, Jazz musician, host of Entertainment tonight and member of NATAS, the National Anti-Tesh Action Society, was an alien here to conquer the earth. 

Mog Stunt Team was outspoken about their beliefs and opinions regarding John Tesh, so much that they would picket at his jazz shows and talk from the stage at their shows advocating their message.

The band checked into the Bluebird Motor Lodge in Ozawkie, Kansas at 5:00pm the previous day. The Jefferson County Fire Commisioner received reports of the sound of an explosion before the hotel burst into flames. One witness said he saw a firebill hit the hotel, but it was not confirmed. A local astronomy enthusiast claims he saw a meteor hit the hotel. It is confirmed that a meteor shower was predicted for that evening and a meteorite was discovered. 

The investigation into the cause of the fire was closed April 8, 1997, one week after the motel fire. The official cause of the fire was ruled a natural gas explosion. However, the remains of the Kenny, Matt and Scott were never found. 

Check out the mini-documentary  if you find you are as intrigued by their mystery as we are.