Here’s a collection of rarities by My Dad Is Dead, a post-punk/indie project from Cleveland, Ohio. My Dad Is Dead formed in 1984 after the breakup of Riot Architecture, and since then has been primarily a solo outfit for drummer Mark Edwards. Revolving door lineups came and went over the years, and the band enjoyed some underground success as well as opening spots for bands such as Modern English and Butthole Surfers.
Edwards is still active to date, releasing MDID records well into the 2000s. Recently, Edwards put the lid on MDID and is now working under the moniker Secular Joy. A debut LP is currently in the works.
This particular collection consists of several leftovers from the band’s early career. Tracks 1, 3, and 10 were slated for a 1987 EP release, while the rest of the tracks are a combination of album sessions (recorded during the Let’s Skip the Details sessions) and home 4 track demos. The sounds here are definitely raw and guitar-driven, definitely recommended for fans of Big Black, Game Theory, Husker Du, early R.E.M., etc. Not a sound generally explored on this blog, but a cool record by a cool band that some of you may find enjoyable. It’s certainly hitting the spot during this NYC summer heat wave. Here’s the info:
My Dad Is Dead- The Best Defense
1. In The Morning
2. When The Elephants Fight, The Grass Gets Trampled
3. Anti-Socialist 2
4. For Your Trouble
5. Pile It On
6. Cut Out
7. It’s Not What You Said
8. Chopsticks
9. Hole In My Eye
10. The Best Defense
Note: You can get a lower bitrate recording of this release (as well as enjoy several other freebies) via the band’s website, viewable here. Lots of information and multimedia for anyone curious about the band’s history!