Dead Famous People

With a bouncy, yearning indie pop somewhat belied by their name, Dead Famous People formed in New Zealand the mid-'80s, releasing an EP for <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Flying+Nun%22">Flying Nun</a> before moving to the U.K. There, they issued two albums and did a Peel Session before splitting in 1990. Lead singer and songwriter Dons Savage later reactivated the project and delivered third album Harry in 2020.

In 1986, Auckland musicians Dons Savage and Elizabeth "Biddy" Leyland left Freudian Slips to start their own band, one in which Savage could write her own songs. With Savage leading the group and Leyland on keys, they formed Dead Famous People with guitarist Wendy Kjestrup, bassist Jenny Renals, and drummer Robyn Tearle. The group built a following in New Zealand with short-form releases, including an EP for <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Flying+Nun+Records%22">Flying Nun Records</a> (Lost Persons Area), and decided to relocate to London. Featuring material from the <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Flying+Nun%22">Flying Nun</a> EP and newly recorded songs with Gill Moon on drums, the mini-album Arriving Late in Torn and Filthy Jeans arrived on <a href="spotify:artist:5yXAFDZNUNyO92l5WTImkO">Billy Bragg</a>'s <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Utility+Records%22">Utility Records</a> label in 1989. Despite being the label's best-selling release to that point and recording a live session for John Peel's revered BBC Radio 1 show, the group split up in 1990 after recording their second album (with drummer Frances Gant). All Hail the Daffodil saw release on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22LaDiDa+Productions%22">LaDiDa Productions</a> in 1991. In the meantime, Savage guested on <a href="spotify:artist:1N2FgBLehaq77UEdJhCt7f">Saint Etienne</a>'s 1990 cover of the <a href="spotify:artist:3KH6DLHeoFZgVbtKiLXb6L">Field Mice</a> song "Kiss and Make Up," and Savage and Leyland both embarked on solo careers. Dead Famous People's version of "True Love Leaves No Traces" later appeared on the 1991 <a href="spotify:artist:5l8VQNuIg0turYE1VtM9zV">Leonard Cohen</a> tribute album I'm Your Fan, and the Dead Famous People collection Secret Girl's Business: A Retrospective Compilation was issued by Tripping Usherette and <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Global+Routes+Music%22">Global Routes Music</a> in 2002.

After moving back to Auckland and spending many years away from the music industry, in part to raise her son, Savage eventually returned and reclaimed the Dead Famous People name. The music industry had since seen a resurgence of more widespread acclaim for the riot grrrl movement, and <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Tiny+Global+Productions%22">Tiny Global Productions</a>' John Henderson and <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Fire+Records%22">Fire Records</a>' James Nicholls found themselves speculating about Savage's whereabouts. Nicholls and Savage eventually touched base, <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Fire+Records%22">Fire Records</a> offered her a record deal, and she finished an album in a just a couple weeks. Named for her son, Dead Famous People's Harry arrived on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Fire+Records%22">Fire Records</a> in October 2020. ~ Marcy Donelson, Rovi