Come is an American
alternative rock
Alternative rock (also known as alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative) is a category of rock music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. Alternative rock acts achieved mainstream success in the 1990s w ...
band, formed in Boston by
Thalia Zedek (vocals, guitar),
Chris Brokaw (guitar, vocals), Arthur Johnson (drums), and Sean O'Brien (bass).
Band history and reception
Come came into being after a mutual acquaintance invited Brokaw, O'Brien, and Johnson to play with him. Brokaw was playing drums with
Codeine, Johnson had previously drummed for
Athens, Georgia
Athens is a consolidated city-county in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. Downtown Athens lies about northeast of downtown Atlanta. The University of Georgia, the state's flagship public university and an Research I university, ...
, band Bar-B-Q Killers, and O'Brien had played with two other 1980s Athens bands, Kilkenny Cats and Fashion Battery. After playing one show together, Brokaw, O'Brien, and Johnson decided to split off into their own project and invited Thalia Zedek to join them. Zedek had played in the bands Uzi and Dangerous Birds and had met and befriended Brokaw in the mid-1980s. Her most recent band at the time, the
post-no wave New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
band
Live Skull, had disbanded in 1990 and Brokaw and Zedek had been talking about playing together.
In 1991, Come released the 12-inch single "Car", a seven-minute epic in the post-punk, blues-noir style of
The Birthday Party,
These Immortal Souls, and
The Gun Club, on
Sub Pop
Sub Pop is an independent record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman. Sub Pop achieved fame in the early 1990s for signing Seattle bands such as Nirvana (band), Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Mudhoney, central players in the gru ...
. ''
Spin'' wrote that it "delivers all the satisfaction of... the definitive Hendrix box set." The release encapsulated what was to become Come's trademark style: thematically dark, emotionally intense, and lengthy songs marked by Zedek's distressed vocals, abrupt rhythms, and the tension-filled guitar interplay between Zedek and Brokaw. Even before the release of its first album, the band received critical praise. ''Spin'' called the band "ferocious, bending a head-on adrenaline rush into a staggering blues crawl, churning noise-damage into aching melody, and letting it fall apart", adding that Come was "poised on the brink of the big time."
In 1992, Come released its debut album, ''
11:11'', on
Matador Records
Matador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of mainly indie rock, but also punk rock, experimental rock, alternative rock, and electronic acts.
History
Matador was created in 1989 by Chris Lombardi in his New York City ap ...
. ''11:11'' received acclaim from both the independent and established media, with
David Browne from ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'' characterizing it as "enthralling, like watching someone howl into a rainstorm." After the release of ''11:11,'' Brokaw left Codeine, devoting himself full-time to Come. Come received praise from
Dinosaur Jr.'s lead singer
J. Mascis,
Hüsker Dü's
Bob Mould,
Chavez's guitarist
Matt Sweeney, and
Nirvana's frontman
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20, 1967 – ) was an American musician. He was the lead vocalist, guitarist, primary songwriter, and a founding member of the grunge band Nirvana (band), Nirvana. Through his angsty songwriting and anti-establis ...
, among many others, with
Indigo Girls' Amy Ray
Amy Elizabeth Ray (born April 12, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter and member of the contemporary folk duo Indigo Girls with Emily Saliers. She also pursues a solo career, releasing ten albums under her own name, and founded the independent ...
lauding Zedek's voice, describing it as an "old
Marlene Dietrich film"
Cell guitarist Jerry DiRienzo praised their ability to "
ridge
A ridge is a long, narrow, elevated geomorphologic landform, structural feature, or a combination of both separated from the surrounding terrain by steep sides. The sides of a ridge slope away from a narrow top, the crest or ridgecrest, wi ...
the masculine and feminine."

Come's second album, ''
Don't Ask, Don't Tell'', was released in 1994. It was calmer than its predecessor but still grave. Among the highlights of the album were the two dark ballads, "Let's Get Lost" and "Arrive," each closing a side of the vinyl edition. Johnson and O'Brien left the band after ''
Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' to pursue other careers. The next album, the short ''
Near-Life Experience'', was recorded with a number of different musicians, including drummer
Mac McNeilly of
the Jesus Lizard and
Bundy K. Brown of
Tortoise
Tortoises ( ) are reptiles of the family Testudinidae of the order Testudines (Latin for "tortoise"). Like other turtles, tortoises have a shell to protect from predation and other threats. The shell in tortoises is generally hard, and like o ...
. In 1998, Come released the 66-minute ''
Gently, Down The Stream'', which mirrored the energy of ''Near Life Experience'' but featured a more fluent integrated soundscape and included the stand-out track "Saints Around My Neck." Zedek and Brokaw took a break after ''Gently, Down the Stream'' and each went on to release multiple solo albums. They performed together on a few occasions to play some Come songs live but never reconvened to create a new album.
Since the start of its unofficial break, Come has performed several reunion gigs. On November 11, 2007, Brokaw and Zedek came together for a two-song set, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the
Middle East Club in Cambridge, which had been the site of Come's last performance. A year later, in November 2008, a full band reunion occurred when the ''Gently, Down the Stream'' line-up of the band came together for a one-off performance in Castellón, Spain, as part of that year's
Tanned Tin Festival. They performed songs from their entire discography. In 2010 and 2011, the original line-up of Come sporadically re-united to play a number of shows, including a set at the TraniWreck festival in
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is a suburb in the Greater Boston metropolitan area, located directly across the Charles River from Boston. The city's population as of the 2020 United States census, ...
, featuring songs exclusively from its first two albums and the "Car" EP. In early 2013, it was announced that there would be a small international tour with the original band line-up to commemorate the 20th anniversary of ''
11:11''. The tour took place in May and June 2013, in support of the re-issue of Come's debut album.
Throughout its career, Come has supported and toured with
Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth were an American rock band formed in New York City in 1981. Founding members Kim Gordon (bass, vocals, guitar), Thurston Moore (lead guitar, vocals) and Lee Ranaldo (rhythm guitar, vocals) remained together for the entire history of ...
,
Nirvana,
Sugar
Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose
Glucose is a sugar with the Chemical formula#Molecular formula, molecul ...
,
Dinosaur Jr. and many other seminal 1990s rock bands.
Members
*
Thalia Zedek – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
(1990–2001, 2013–present)
*
Chris Brokaw – lead guitar, backing vocals
(1990–2001, 2013–present)
*Sean O'Brien – bass
(1990–1995, 2013–present)
*Arthur Johnson – drums
(1990–1995, 2013–present)
Former members
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id:Guitars value:green legend:Lead_guitar,_backing_vocals
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id:Lines value:black legend:Studio album
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at:05/21/2013 color:black layer:back
BarData =
bar:Zedek text:"Thalia Zedek"
bar:Brokaw text:"Chris Brokaw"
bar:O'Brien text:"Sean O'Brien"
bar:Bramen text:"Winston Bramen"
bar:Johnson text:"Arthur Johnson"
bar:Coughlin text:"Daniel Coughlin"
PlotData=
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bar:Brokaw from:01/01/1990 till:01/01/2001 color:Guitars
bar:Brokaw from:01/01/2013 till:10/07/2022 color:Guitars
bar:O'Brien from:01/01/1990 till:01/01/1995 color:Bass
bar:O'Brien from:01/01/2013 till:10/07/2022 color:Bass
bar:Bramen from:01/01/1997 till:01/01/2001 color:Bass
bar:Johnson from:01/01/1990 till:01/01/1995 color:Drums
bar:Johnson from:01/01/2013 till:10/07/2022 color:Drums
bar:Coughlin from:01/01/1997 till:01/01/2001 color:Drums
Discography
Albums
*''
11:11'' (
Matador Records
Matador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of mainly indie rock, but also punk rock, experimental rock, alternative rock, and electronic acts.
History
Matador was created in 1989 by Chris Lombardi in his New York City ap ...
/Placebo, 1992; Reissue: Matador Records, 2013)
*''
Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' (Matador Records/
Beggars Banquet Records, 1994; Reissue:
Fire Records, 2021)
*''
Near-Life Experience'' (Matador Records/
Domino Records, 1996)
*''
Gently, Down the Stream'' (Matador Records/Domino Records, 1998)
*''
Peel Sessions'' (Fire Records, 2022)
Singles
* "Car" - 7" (
Sub Pop
Sub Pop is an independent record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman. Sub Pop achieved fame in the early 1990s for signing Seattle bands such as Nirvana (band), Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Mudhoney, central players in the gru ...
, 1991) featuring "Car"* and "Last Mistake"*
(August installment of Sub Pop's Singles Club)
* "Car" - 12"/CD (
Sub Pop
Sub Pop is an independent record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman. Sub Pop achieved fame in the early 1990s for signing Seattle bands such as Nirvana (band), Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Mudhoney, central players in the gru ...
, 1991) featuring "Car,"* "Last Mistake,"* and "Submerge"*
(original pre-album version)
* "Fast Piss Blues" - 7" (
Matador Records
Matador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of mainly indie rock, but also punk rock, experimental rock, alternative rock, and electronic acts.
History
Matador was created in 1989 by Chris Lombardi in his New York City ap ...
/Placebo, 1992) featuring "Fast Piss Blues" and "I Got the Blues"
* "Fast Piss Blues" - 10"/CD (
Matador Records
Matador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of mainly indie rock, but also punk rock, experimental rock, alternative rock, and electronic acts.
History
Matador was created in 1989 by Chris Lombardi in his New York City ap ...
/Placebo, 1992) featuring "Fast Piss Blues," "I Got the Blues," and "Brand New Vein"
* "Wrong Side" - 7"/CD (
Matador Records
Matador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of mainly indie rock, but also punk rock, experimental rock, alternative rock, and electronic acts.
History
Matador was created in 1989 by Chris Lombardi in his New York City ap ...
/
Beggars Banquet Records, 1994) featuring "Wrong Side," "Loin of the Surf"*
(cover of Swell Maps), and "SVK"*
(note: SVK is short for "Sharon Vs Karen" )
* "In/Out" - 7" (
Matador Records
Matador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of mainly indie rock, but also punk rock, experimental rock, alternative rock, and electronic acts.
History
Matador was created in 1989 by Chris Lombardi in his New York City ap ...
, 1994) featuring "In/Out" and "Yr Reign"
(limited edition promo vinyl)
* "String" - 10" (
Matador Records
Matador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of mainly indie rock, but also punk rock, experimental rock, alternative rock, and electronic acts.
History
Matador was created in 1989 by Chris Lombardi in his New York City ap ...
/
Beggars Banquet Records, 1995) featuring "String," "Who Jumped In My Grave,"* "German Song,"* and "Angelhead"*
* "String" - CD (
Matador Records
Matador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of mainly indie rock, but also punk rock, experimental rock, alternative rock, and electronic acts.
History
Matador was created in 1989 by Chris Lombardi in his New York City ap ...
/
Beggars Banquet Records, 1995) featuring "String," "German Song,"* "Fast Piss Blues," and "City Of Fun (Peel Session)"*
(BBC radio session cover of The Only Ones)
* "Secret Number" - 10"/CD (
Matador Records
Matador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of mainly indie rock, but also punk rock, experimental rock, alternative rock, and electronic acts.
History
Matador was created in 1989 by Chris Lombardi in his New York City ap ...
/
Domino Records, 1996) featuring "Secret Number," "Prize,"* and "Hurricane II"*
(piano version of Near-Life Experience's opening track)
* "Preaching the Blues B/W Sex Beat" - (
Chunklet, 2021)
attributed to "Come (AKA the Come Club)," an homage to The Gun Club, who originally recorded both songs
(* indicates track unavailable on any Come album)
Contributions to compilations
* "Car" on ''Afternoon Delight!: Love Songs From Sub Pop'' (
Sub Pop
Sub Pop is an independent record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman. Sub Pop achieved fame in the early 1990s for signing Seattle bands such as Nirvana (band), Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Mudhoney, central players in the gru ...
, 1992)
* "Orbit" on ''Altered States Of America'' (Lime Lizard, 1993)
* "Fast Piss Blues" on ''Independent
20 Volume 16'' (Beechwood Music, 1993)
* "Fast Piss Blues" on ''The Beggars Banquet Collection'' (
Beggars Banquet Records, 1993)
* "City of Fun"
(BBC radio Peel session cover of The Only Ones) on ''Volume Eight Compilation'' (Volume, England, 1993)
* "Submerge" on ''The Day We Killed Grunge'' (
Caroline Records, 1994)
* "In/Out" on ''Cortex Sampler'' (Cortex, 1994)
* "Wrong Side" on ''Play It! Vol. 3'' (PIAS Benelux, 1994)
* "Wrong Side" on ''Rough Trade: Music For The 90's, Vol. 6'' (
Rough Trade, 1994)
* "String" on ''The Day We Exhumed Disco'' (Caroline Records, 1994)
* "String" on ''Menú'' (Everlasting Records, 1995)
* "Off to One Side" on ''
This Is Fort Apache'' (
MCA, 1995)
* "Cimarron"*
(recorded Jul-1995) on ''Ain't Nuthin' But a She Thing'' (
London Records, 1995)
* "Weak as the Moon" on ''Audio Compilation'' (Audio Magazine
reece 1996)
* "Brand New Vein (radio session)"*
(recorded 17-Sept-1991) on ''Pipeline! Live Boston Rock on WMBR'' (Kimchee, 1996)
* "In/Out" and "Strike"*
(recorded Nov-1995) on ''What's Up Matador'' (
Matador Records
Matador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of mainly indie rock, but also punk rock, experimental rock, alternative rock, and electronic acts.
History
Matador was created in 1989 by Chris Lombardi in his New York City ap ...
, 1997)
* "Madroad Driving..."*
(with Johnny Depp) on ''
Kerouac: Kicks Joy Darkness'' (
Rykodisc, 1997)
* "Hurricane II" on ''Hits Hurt'' (Domino, 1997)
* "Recidivist" on ''The Sell Texas To Mexico Fund-Raising CD'' (Matador, 1997)
* "String" on ''Twenty-one Years Of Beggars Banquet Records'' (
PIAS/Beggars Banquet, 1998)
* "Hurricane (acoustic radio session)"*
(recorded Mar-1998) on ''Drinking From Puddles: A Radio History Compilation'' (
Kill Rock Stars, 1999)
* "Do You Love Me?"*
(recorded Oct-1999) on ''Knitting On The Roof - Songs from 'Fiddler On The Roof'' (
Knitting Factory, 1999) (Voice & Clarinet: Thalia Zedek, Voice & Guitar – Chris Brokaw)
* "
I Got The Blues" on ''Gimme Shelter Vol. 1'' (
Uncut Magazine, 2002)
* "Fast Piss Blues," "String," and "New Coat (live)"*
(recorded 1999) on the ''Matador At 21'' box-set (Matador, 2010)
(* indicates track unavailable on any Come album or single)
Non-album tracks
* "Car"
* "Last Mistake"
* "Submerge"
(original pre-album version)
* "Brand New Vein"
(radio session)
* "SVK"
* "Loin of the Surf"
( Swell Maps cover)
* "City Of Fun"
eel Session( The Only Ones cover)
* "Who Jumped In My Grave"
* "Angelhead"
* "Cimarron"
* "Strike"
* "Prize"
* "Hurricane II"
(piano version)
* "Hurricane"
(acoustic radio session)
* "Madroad Driving..."
(with Johnny Depp)
* "Do You Love Me?"
* "New Coat"
(live)
* "Clockface"
(live)
Music videos
* "Car"
(1991) Directed by Julie Hardin
* "Submerge"
(1992) Directed by Jesse Peretz
* "String"
(1994) Directed by Sadie Benning
* "In/Out"
(1994) Co-directed by Julie Hardin and Amanda P. Cole
* "German Song"
(1995) Directed by Sadie Benning
* "Cimarron"
(1995) Directed by Sophie Muller
References
External links
Come biography on Matador's websiteCome 2013 band interview on Quietus looking back at the band's history*
Come entry on Allmusic websiteCome entry on TrouserPress websiteVideo of Come's first public performanceThalia Zedek page on Matador's websiteChris Brokaw's official websiteThalia Zedek fan site*
Come at MySpace.comListings of Come's two BBC Radio Peel Sessions
{{DEFAULTSORT:Come
Alternative rock groups from Massachusetts
American blues rock musical groups
American musical quintets
Indie rock musical groups from Massachusetts
Musical groups from Boston
Musical groups established in 1990
Musical groups disestablished in 2001
Musical groups reestablished in 2008
Musical groups reestablished in 2010
Musical groups disestablished in 2011
Musical groups reestablished in 2013