My Dad Is Dead

Formed by drummer <a href="spotify:artist:1vrJgxmkohqAmgJciqKClV">Mark Edwards</a> in August 1984 after the breakup of the Cleveland band Riot Architecture, My Dad Is Dead has remained his solo project -- with occasional help from a revolving-door cast. <a href="spotify:artist:1vrJgxmkohqAmgJciqKClV">Edwards</a> learned to play guitar during late 1984, and played his first show the following year with a backing band consisting of a drum machine. He recorded his first LP, And He's Not Gonna Take It Anymore, at a friend's home studio, and released it in May 1986 on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22St.+Valentine+Records%22">St. Valentine Records</a>. After a lengthy tour supporting <a href="spotify:artist:0fYPQBOx0vsRMmjUba9HgF">Modern English</a> and then <a href="spotify:artist:62BcWP4fzR8axESibNQEhs">the Butthole Surfers</a>, he released Peace, Love and Murder in May 1987. <a href="spotify:artist:1vrJgxmkohqAmgJciqKClV">Edwards</a> signed a contract with <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Homestead+Records%22">Homestead Records</a> early the following year, and released Let's Skip the Details in May 1988. Soon after, he added the first bandmembers to My Dad Is Dead: bassist <a href="spotify:artist:3TrFmpknkxMsHKALZZNLvf">Jeff Curtis</a> and drummer <a href="spotify:artist:39xjP2biuKg7i0U6DwoRHg">John McEntire</a> (later to gain fame in <a href="spotify:artist:3WggbHDpj4rPKbL97zG5MQ">Tortoise</a>). The Best Defense, an album of material from the previous album's sessions, was released on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Homestead%22">Homestead</a> in December 1988.

With <a href="spotify:artist:39xjP2biuKg7i0U6DwoRHg">McEntire</a> gone on to <a href="spotify:artist:1XyFywRMGdnpFIcxlUD6Pt">Bastro</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:4WB32sqN839h5BEYYXTeNE">Curtis</a> unwilling to tour, <a href="spotify:artist:1vrJgxmkohqAmgJciqKClV">Edwards</a> recruited the <a href="spotify:artist:7fXu6obv8ppaz7UKEPPYzK">Prisonshake</a> rhythm section -- Chris Burgess on bass and Scott Pickering on drums -- for a 1989 tour of Europe. The group's fifth album, a 1989 double LP titled The Taller You Are, the Shorter You Get, was its last for <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Homestead%22">Homestead</a>. With yet another lineup (this time guitarists Tim Gilbride and <a href="spotify:artist:45kP7I8mYfpfSm7NVRuyoM">Doug Gillard</a> plus Burgess on bass), My Dad Is Dead moved to <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Scat+Records%22">Scat Records</a> in April 1990 for the Shine EP. The band's first album for <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Scat%22">Scat</a>, Chopping Down the Family Tree, was released in October 1991. Over two years later, Out of Sight, Out of Mind also appeared on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Scat%22">Scat</a>, credited to MDID. <a href="spotify:artist:1vrJgxmkohqAmgJciqKClV">Edwards</a> and company moved to <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Trance+Syndicate%22">Trance Syndicate</a> the following year, and released For Richer, for Poorer in 1995. ~ John Bush, Rovi