Play Dead were an English

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...

band from

Oxford Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town. The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...

that grew out of the English

punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...

scene of the late 1970s/early 1980s. The band made three

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...

s and one-off singles for four different small

label A label (as distinct from signage) is a piece of paper, plastic film, cloth, metal, or other material affixed to a container or product. Labels are most often affixed to packaging and containers using an adhesive, or sewing when affix ...

s — Fresh Records,

Jungle Records Jungle Records is a British independent record label established in 1982, specializing in punk rock, post punk, gothic, and alternative releases. From 1982 to 1986, they also operated as a record distributor and were associate members of t ...

Situation 2 Situation Two (a.k.a. Situation 2) was a British independent record label founded in 1981 by Peter Kent as an offshoot of the Beggars Banquet label. The name is a reference to Bauhaus's old management company, Situation 1. At the time, Be ...

and

Clay Records Clay Records was an independent record label founded by Mike Stone in 1980 and based in a record shop in Stoke-on-Trent, England. History Clay's first release came from local Stoke punk band Discharge (band), Discharge. Their ''Realities of W ...

— before forming their own label, Tanz, for their final album, ''Company of Justice'', produced by

Conny Plank Konrad "Conny" Plank (3 May 1940 – 5 December 1987) was a German record producer and musician. He is known for his innovative work as a sound engineer and producer in Germany's krautrock and kosmische music scene in the 1970s. Plank was involv ...

, which they released in 1985. The original line-up of Play Dead consisted of Rob Hickson (

vocals Singing is the art of creating music with the voice. It is the oldest form of musical expression, and the human voice can be considered the first musical instrument. The definition of singing varies across sources. Some sources define sing ...

), Pete Waddleton (

bass guitar The bass guitar (), also known as the electric bass guitar, electric bass, or simply the bass, is the lowest-pitched member of the guitar family. It is similar in appearance and construction to an Electric guitar, electric but with a longer nec ...

), Mark "Wiff" Smith (

drums The drum is a member of the percussion instrument, percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel–Sachs classification system, it is a membranophones, membranophone. Drums consist of at least one Acoustic membrane, membrane, c ...

) and Re-Vox (

guitar The guitar is a stringed musical instrument that is usually fretted (with Fretless guitar, some exceptions) and typically has six or Twelve-string guitar, twelve strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming ...

). In July 1981, Re-Vox was replaced by Steve Green. During their active years, Play Dead supported a number of acts, including the likes of

Killing Joke Killing Joke were an English rock music, rock band formed in Notting Hill, London, in 1979 by Jaz Coleman (vocals, keyboards), Paul Ferguson (drums), Geordie Walker (guitar) and Youth (musician), Youth (bass). Their first album, ''Killing Joke ...

The Cult The Cult are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Bradford in 1983. Before settling on their current name in January 1984, the band had performed under the name Death Cult, which was an evolution of the name of lead vocalist Ian Astbury ...

and

The Sisters Of Mercy The Sisters of Mercy are an English rock band formed in Leeds in 1980. After achieving early underground fame, the band experienced a commercial breakthrough in the mid-1980s, sustaining their success until the early 1990s, when they halted th ...

in the UK. They also appeared on Channel 4's music TV show, ''

The Tube The London Underground (also known simply as the Underground or as the Tube) is a rapid transit system serving Greater London and some parts of the adjacent home counties of Buckinghamshire, Essex and Hertfordshire in England. The Undergro ...

'' in late 1984. A string of singles were released (many through Stoke-based

) from late 1983, throughout 1984 and early 1985. Play Dead toured frequently around the UK and Europe and by 1985, felt they had enough material to be able to put out their first ever live album, ''Into The Fire'', which was released in May of that year. However, against the backdrop of similar artists such as

Spear Of Destiny A spear is a polearm consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head. The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with fire hardened spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fastened to t ...

and

Fields Of The Nephilim Fields of the Nephilim are an English gothic rock band formed in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, in 1984. The band's name refers to a biblical race of angel-human hybrids known as the Nephilim. Career Early years (1984–1991) The band's debut 1 ...

, whose success was evident through having higher profiles in the music press, Play Dead struggled to compete. In 1984, Rob and Pete created the project Mankind's Audio Development (nicknamed M.A.D.). Only one

single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...

was recorded, with the two songs "Craving" and "Sunfeast." Waddleton left the group in 1986 and, after a brief period as The Beastmaster Generals, the band dissolved.

Discography

Albums

*1983 - ''

The First Flower ''The First Flower'' is Play Dead's debut album, recorded at the Jungle Records studio in March 1983. Originally titled ''The First Flower: A Six Track Album'', this album came totally unexpected as the group had disappeared since their last r ...

reud 3-'' #10 UK Indie'' *1984 - ''

From the Promised Land ''From the Promised Land'' is a 1984 album by Play Dead, and the original version of the band's ''Resurrection'' (1992). Only 1000 copies of the original LP were pressed before it was withdrawn, remixed and re-released, because the band members ...

LAY LP 11' - #5 UK Indie *1985 - ''Into the Fire LAY LP 16' - #19 UK Indie *1985 - ''

Company of Justice ''Company of Justice'' is the final studio album of Play Dead. After an early series of signing with independent record labels (Fresh, Jungle, Situation 2 and Clay), Play Dead created their own record label called Tanz in early 1985 (under the ...

ANZLP1' - #3 UK Indie *1992 - ''

Resurrection Resurrection or anastasis is the concept of coming back to life after death. Reincarnation is a similar process hypothesized by other religions involving the same person or deity returning to another body. The disappearance of a body is anothe ...

12" singles

*September 1983 - "Shine/Promise/Gaze" IT 28T*March 1984 - "Break/Blood Stains/Blood Stains Pleasure" 2 CLAY 31*July 1984 - "Isabel/Solace (Extended Version)" 2 CLAY 35*1984 - "Propaganda (1984 Mix)/Sin of Sins (1984 Mix)" UNG 17*1984 - "Conspiracy/Silent Conspiracy/Conspiracy (Saigon Mix)" 2 CLAY 40*1985 - "Sacrosanct/Pale Fire/Holy Holy (Catholic Mix)/Sacrosanct (Heretic Mix)" 2 CLAY 42*1985 - "This Kind of Heaven/This Kind of Heaven (Serious Mix)/Last Degree" ANZ 1*1985 - "Burning Down (MezCal Mix)/Still in Chains/Burning Down" ANZ 2

7" singles

*1981 - "Poison Takes a Hold/Introduction"

RESH 29 Resh is the twentieth letter of the Semitic abjads, including Phoenician ''rēš'' 𐤓, Hebrew ''rēš'' , Aramaic ''rēš'' 𐡓‎, Syriac ''rēš'' ܪ, and Arabic ''rāʾ'' . It is related to the Ancient North Arabian 𐪇‎‎, South Ar ...

*1981 - "T.V. Eye/Final Epitaph"

RESH 38 Resh is the twentieth letter of the Semitic abjads, including Phoenician ''rēš'' 𐤓, Hebrew ''rēš'' , Aramaic ''rēš'' 𐡓‎, Syriac ''rēš'' ܪ, and Arabic ''rāʾ'' . It is related to the Ancient North Arabian 𐪇‎‎, South Ar ...

*1982 - "Propaganda/Propaganda (Mix)" UNG 2*1983 - "Shine/Promise" IT 28- #14 UK Indie *1984 - "Break/Blood Stains"

LAY 31 Lay or LAY may refer to: Places *Lay Range, a subrange of mountains in British Columbia, Canada *Lay, Loire, a French commune *Lay (river), France * Lay, Iran, a village * Lay, Kansas, United States, an unincorporated community * Lay Dam, Alabam ...

- #9 UK Indie *1984 - "Isabel/Solace" LAY 35- #9 UK Indie *1984 - "Conspiracy/Silent Conspiracy" LAY 40- #18 UK Indie *1984 - "Propaganda (1984 mix)" UNG 17- #17 UK Indie *1985 - "Sacrosanct/Pale Fire" LAY 42- #4 UK Indie *1985 - "This Side of Heaven" ANZ 1- #5 UK Indie

BBC Radio 1 - John Peel Sessions

*1982 - ''Metallic Smile/Pray to Mecca/Propaganda/Effigy'' *1983 - ''Total Decline/The Tenant/Gaze'' *1984 - ''Break/Return to the East/No Motive''

Bootlegs

*1983 - ''May 12, 1983 Leeds Warehouse'' *1983 - ''Live in Norwich, Ska Ballroom - May 13, 1983'' *1983 - ''Live - July 28, 1983 Hull,

Dingwalls Dingwalls Dancehall (original name at time of opening) is a live music and comedy venue adjacent to Camden Lock, Camden in London. The building itself is one of many industrial Victorian buildings which were put to new use in the 20th centur ...

/ Live October 13, 1983 Hammersmith, Klub Foot'' *1984 - ''Live in France at Forum Des Halles - July 1, 1984'' *1984 - ''Oct 7th, Kolingsborg, Stockholm, Sweden'' *1984 - ''Live in Norrkoping Sweden - October 10, 1984'' *1985 - ''Dec 18th 1985, Tufnel Park, Penthouse, London''(previously listed as 1984 ) *2003 - ''The Final Pieces (Bootleg)''

Album appearances

*1985 - ''The Final Epitaph Live'' *1985 - ''The Singles 1982 ~ 85'' *1986 - ''In the Beginning - The 1981 Singles'' *1986 - ''Caught from Behind: Live in England, France, Germany, and Switzerland'' *1992 - ''Gothic Rock Volume 1'' *1995 - ''Gothic Rock Volume 2: 80's Into 90's'' *1998 - ''Gothic Rock Volume 3: Black on Black''

Side projects

* Mankind's Audio Development - 1984 by Rob Hickson and Pete Waddleton

References

External links

Official Play Dead websitePlay Dead Biography on Yahoo Music Launch
{{Authority control English post-punk music groups English gothic rock groups Musical groups from Oxford Situation Two artists Fresh Records (UK) artists