Dead or American
Encyclopedia
Dead or American is an alternative rock band from Stirling, Scotland, formed in January 2000. They are also frequently referred to as "DorA".
After leaving the group for personal reasons in 2003 Heuer was replaced by mutual friend Richard Bruce, also bassist with Bad Taste Records
' Turtlehead, who had recently returned from an extended tour of Europe. Bruce played a number of live shows with DorA and performed on the band's first official release, "Subdivide", recorded at Homegrown Studios with James "Andy" Taylor. He departed in 2003 to focus on his Turtlehead commitments and was replaced by Tom "Faz" Farrington, another long-term friend of the group and bassist with alternative-metal outfit Fractal Jack.
Farrington was hired on the understanding that his tenure would be temporary due to his other musical and academic commitments. His replacement was eventually found in the shape of Peter McCulloch who officially became part of DorA in 2004. McCulloch came from a musical family with whom the founding members of Dead or American were already familiar. He quickly struck up a good working relationship with drummer Carlin and the band settled into a period of relatively productive stability.
though, as the problems mounted, much of the mixing was actually completed at Flett's home on Glasgow's Great Western Road. Flett was a relatively well-known figure among Central Scotland's musical community, not least due to his drumming as part of short-lived metal group TVK.
Unfortunately the recordings were not short of problems and the mixing sessions were beset with delays as a result. With interest being shown by a number of small labels, the band members were impatient to finish the sessions. After almost four months of intensive mixing and rerecording, with Flett and Cusack working around the clock, definitive versions were finally produced. Mastering was carried out in New York
by Alan Douches of West West Side Audio. A joint-release deal was finally agreed between Predestination and fledgling Dundee label Pet Piranha, the DorA members feeling PP's current momentum and better distribution would be beneficial to the album's success.
"Ends" was finally released in November 2006, almost two years after its recording sessions had originally begun. By the time it came out, Dead or American had already completed recording on their second album.
, Massachusetts
, with cult producer Kurt Ballou
, also guitarist in progressive hardcore band Converge
.
Sessions for the second album, entitled "Thaumaturgy", began in mid-October 2006. Ten tracks were recorded in ten days using a combination of digital and analogue technology insisted on by the band. Ballou's studio, Godcity, was known in musical circles for having very high quality, rare equipment which the members of DorA were given access to. The common perception afterwards was that this record benefitted greatly from Ballou's mentorship and the superior gear at the band's disposal. "Thaumaturgy" was mastered in early 2007 by Nick Zampiello in Boston
. The release was delayed to allow Dead or American to tour in support of "Ends" which, by this stage, had only been widely available for a few months. "Thaumaturgy" ultimately came out on November 6, 2008 and was accompanied by DorA's first European tour.
Following the recording sessions in the USA the three founding members parted ways with McCulloch. He was quickly replaced by former engineer Flett, who's familiarity with the material made him an obvious choice.
"Ends" was recently voted the 48th best Scottish album of the past decade by 'The Skinny' magazine.
Dead or American's "Subdivide" was originally released in 2003 bearing a logo for Predestination Records, but the label did not formally come into existence until August 2005. The first release from this date was Premeditation Vol:1, a compilation of underground acts from across the United Kingdom, with an emphasis on Scottish peers. It included songs by Loss Leader, Brendan O'Hare
's Macrocosmica and Laeto. The compilation was funded jointly by the bands involved and the label itself, with resultant profits split equally between the contributing parties. Premeditation Vol:1 was followed in 2007 by Premeditation Vol:2, another collection of artists made along the same lines as the original, with the inclusion of two French acts. This second installment featured work by Lapsus Linguae, Gâtechien and Take A Worm For A Walk Week amongst others.
The label continues to release and distribute the work of various underground acts from across the globe.
Past
History
Dead or American's founding members Richard Carlin, Greg Heuer, Chris Cusack and Colin Morrison came together in the first week of January, 2000. The band rehearsed without a name until April of that same year, assuming the moniker "Dead or American" supposedly based on a dream of Heuer's in which he found himself playing in band of the same name. Shortly after his departure from the band in 2003, the remaining members corrected that story, citing a quote about globalisation in which it was apparently claimed that in 20 years, most cultures will be Dead or American.After leaving the group for personal reasons in 2003 Heuer was replaced by mutual friend Richard Bruce, also bassist with Bad Taste Records
Bad Taste Records
Bad Taste Records is a record label based in Lund, Sweden.The record label was one of the first labels to establish in the Swedish punk rock and punk/hardcore scene in the early 1990s, together with Burning Heart Records. The name of the label originated from the movie Bad Taste by Peter...
' Turtlehead, who had recently returned from an extended tour of Europe. Bruce played a number of live shows with DorA and performed on the band's first official release, "Subdivide", recorded at Homegrown Studios with James "Andy" Taylor. He departed in 2003 to focus on his Turtlehead commitments and was replaced by Tom "Faz" Farrington, another long-term friend of the group and bassist with alternative-metal outfit Fractal Jack.
Farrington was hired on the understanding that his tenure would be temporary due to his other musical and academic commitments. His replacement was eventually found in the shape of Peter McCulloch who officially became part of DorA in 2004. McCulloch came from a musical family with whom the founding members of Dead or American were already familiar. He quickly struck up a good working relationship with drummer Carlin and the band settled into a period of relatively productive stability.
"Ends"
Recording of a debut album was soon underway, undertaken at McCulloch's family home which also served as a rehearsal space known as Baad Farm. The recording sessions were engineered by Ross Rankin and Chris Reilly of cult Glaswegian electro-prog group Titus Gein. Technical problems with recording led to a full retake, with only "Two Minutes Past Nine" surviving from the original sessions to make it to the album. Some months behind schedule, the band opted to mix the record with (future bassist) Pete Flett at his studio facility on the outskirts of the mining town PleanPlean
Plean is a former mining village, in the Stirling Council area of central Scotland located on the main A9 road from Falkirk. At the 2001 census, Plean had a population of 1,740. Plean has some historic buildings, some council houses and an estate...
though, as the problems mounted, much of the mixing was actually completed at Flett's home on Glasgow's Great Western Road. Flett was a relatively well-known figure among Central Scotland's musical community, not least due to his drumming as part of short-lived metal group TVK.
Unfortunately the recordings were not short of problems and the mixing sessions were beset with delays as a result. With interest being shown by a number of small labels, the band members were impatient to finish the sessions. After almost four months of intensive mixing and rerecording, with Flett and Cusack working around the clock, definitive versions were finally produced. Mastering was carried out in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
by Alan Douches of West West Side Audio. A joint-release deal was finally agreed between Predestination and fledgling Dundee label Pet Piranha, the DorA members feeling PP's current momentum and better distribution would be beneficial to the album's success.
"Ends" was finally released in November 2006, almost two years after its recording sessions had originally begun. By the time it came out, Dead or American had already completed recording on their second album.
"Thaumaturgy"
Having secured the backing of The Scottish Arts Council, DorA were awarded a grant towards the costs of recording their second full-length record in SalemSalem, Massachusetts
Salem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, with cult producer Kurt Ballou
Kurt Ballou
Kurt Ballou is the guitarist from Massachusetts-based band Converge. Aside from his role in Converge, he is a prolific producer, engineering and producing out of his own Godcity studio.- GodCity studio :...
, also guitarist in progressive hardcore band Converge
Converge (band)
Converge is an American band from Salem, Massachusetts. Playing a blend of hardcore punk and metal since 1990, Converge has helped to define many of the elements of the metalcore genre.-Description:...
.
Sessions for the second album, entitled "Thaumaturgy", began in mid-October 2006. Ten tracks were recorded in ten days using a combination of digital and analogue technology insisted on by the band. Ballou's studio, Godcity, was known in musical circles for having very high quality, rare equipment which the members of DorA were given access to. The common perception afterwards was that this record benefitted greatly from Ballou's mentorship and the superior gear at the band's disposal. "Thaumaturgy" was mastered in early 2007 by Nick Zampiello in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. The release was delayed to allow Dead or American to tour in support of "Ends" which, by this stage, had only been widely available for a few months. "Thaumaturgy" ultimately came out on November 6, 2008 and was accompanied by DorA's first European tour.
Following the recording sessions in the USA the three founding members parted ways with McCulloch. He was quickly replaced by former engineer Flett, who's familiarity with the material made him an obvious choice.
"Ends" was recently voted the 48th best Scottish album of the past decade by 'The Skinny' magazine.
Predestination Records
Dead or American attracted praise in underground circles for their dedication to DIY ethics and they continue to work according to those principles under the guise of their label Predestination Records. That label was started by the latter-day line-up of the group, joined by David Newitt, a respected and published photographer of live music from Central Scotland.Dead or American's "Subdivide" was originally released in 2003 bearing a logo for Predestination Records, but the label did not formally come into existence until August 2005. The first release from this date was Premeditation Vol:1, a compilation of underground acts from across the United Kingdom, with an emphasis on Scottish peers. It included songs by Loss Leader, Brendan O'Hare
Brendan O'Hare
Brendan O'Hare is a Scottish musician, best known as drummer in the Scottish rock band Teenage Fanclub from 1990 until early 1994.-Career:...
's Macrocosmica and Laeto. The compilation was funded jointly by the bands involved and the label itself, with resultant profits split equally between the contributing parties. Premeditation Vol:1 was followed in 2007 by Premeditation Vol:2, another collection of artists made along the same lines as the original, with the inclusion of two French acts. This second installment featured work by Lapsus Linguae, Gâtechien and Take A Worm For A Walk Week amongst others.
The label continues to release and distribute the work of various underground acts from across the globe.
Band members
Current- Richard Carlin - drums, vocals
- Pete Flett - bass
- Chris Cusack - guitar, vocals
- Colin Morrison - guitar, vocals
Past
- Greg Heuer - bass
- Richard Bruce - bass
- Tom Farrington - bass
- Peter McCulloch - bass
External links
- Dead or American Homepage
- Myspace Dead or American
- Predestination Records
- STA Dead or American
- AllMusic [ Dead or American]
- Rocksound Dead or American