- The Dead C
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The Dead C Origin Dunedin, New Zealand Genres Experimental rock, Noise rock, Free rock, Post-punk Years active 1986–present Associated acts 2 Foot Flame
Gate
A Handful of Dust
Wreck Small Speakers On Expensive StereosMembers Bruce Russell
Michael Morley
Robbie YeatsThe Dead C are a New Zealand based noise rock trio made up of members Bruce Russell, Michael Morley and Robbie Yeats. Most often, Russell plays electric guitar, Morley sings and plays electric guitar or laptop, and Yeats plays drums.
Formed in Dunedin in 1986, the group is known for its lo-fi guitar soundscapes and improvisational take on rock music. They became known internationally through their releases on the Philadelphia record label Siltbreeze, especially the 1992 double LP Harsh 70s Reality. Early, pre-Siltbreeze albums like Eusa Kills and DR503 find the group still drifting between song-based work and the experimental free rock found in later albums like The White House and Tusk. Recent albums have seen the group add electronics and samples, yet still maintaining their origins in trademark hazy guitar chaos.
The group performs very infrequently outside of New Zealand, although they did travel to the USA in March 2002 to perform at the All Tomorrow's Parties festival (curated by Sonic Youth), as well as a couple of gigs in Los Angeles and San Francisco. They also performed for the first time in Europe in May 2004 at Le Weekend, a new music festival in Stirling, Scotland and returned to the UK to play at the All Tomorrow's Parties festival again in December 2006. In 2008 they played a short tour in the United States, and returned to the UK to play All Tomorrow's Parties in December 2010.
A compilation album covering their first 18 years entitled "Vain Erudite and Stupid: Selected Works 1987-2005" was released on the Ba Da Bing! label in 2006.
Discography
Date of Release Title Label Charted Country Catalog Number Albums 1987 Perform Max Harris Diabolic Root - - 1987 43 Sketch for a Poster Diabolic Root - - 1988 The Live Dead See Xpressway - - 1988 DR503 Flying Nun Records - - 1989 Perform DR503B Xpressway - - 1989 Eusa Kills Flying Nun Records - - 1990 Runway Precious Metal - - 1990 Trapdoor Fucking Exit Precious Metal - - 1990 Helen Said This¹ Siltbreeze - - 1992 DR503
(reissue as CD)Feel Good All Over - - 1992 Harsh 70s Reality² Siltbreeze - - 1992 Eusa Kills Flying Nun Records - - 1992 Clyma Est Mort³ Siltbreeze - - 1993 Trapdoor Fucking Exit
(reissued as a CD)Siltbreeze - - 1994 The Operation of the Sonne† Siltbreeze - - 1995 World Peace Hope et al. Shock - - 1995 The White House Siltbreeze - - 1995 Trapdoor Fucking Exit
(reissue)Siltbreeze - - 1996 Repent‡ Siltbreeze - - 1997 Tusk Siltbreeze - - 1998 Harsh 70s Reality§ Siltbreeze - - 1999 DR503C Flying Nun Records - - 2000 The Dead C Language Recordings - - 2001 New Electric Music Language Recordings - - 2003 The Damned Starlight Furniture COmpany - - 2006 Perform Vain, Erudite and Stupid: Selected Works 1987-2005 Ba Da Bing! - - 2007 Future Artists Ba Da Bing! - - 2008 Secret Earth Ba Da Bing! - - 2010 Patience Ba Da Bing! - - EPs 1989 The Sun Stabbed Xpressway - - 2005 Split Series 18 (with Konono Nr.1) Fat Cat Records - - 2007 Split LP (with Hi God People) Nervous Jerk Records - - - ¹700 copies, later reissued on the Trapdoor Fucking Exit CD
- ²1500 copies made
- ³450 copies made.
- †1200 copies made.
- ‡the covers were pasted over digipack sleeves of other Siltbreeze releases
- §Reissued as a CD however omits two tracks.
Singles
Year Single Album Charted Certification 1991 "Hell is Now Love/Bone" - 1991 "Power/Mighty/Peace" - - 1994 "The Dead C vs. Sebadoh" - 1994 "Metalheart" - - 1995 "Metalheart"
(reissue)- 2000 "Stealth/The Factory" - - 2006 "Relax Fallujah Hell Has Come" - 2008 "Golden/Canine" - External links
- Biography and Discography at allmusic.com
- Discography at noise.as (no longer being updated)
- Michael Morley interview on MonsterFresh.com Aug. 2010
Categories:- New Zealand musical groups
- New Zealand indie rock groups
- Flying Nun Records artists
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