My Dad Is Dead - For fans of Joy Division, Interpol, Wedding Present, Husker Du

Rediscovering this band in the past week, and can't believe I never managed to notice just how good they/he were. I guess it's not surprising that there's never been a thread on them here.....Mark Edwards kind of damned himself into obscurity with a name like MDID. Anyway, check 'em out. Sort of an existentialist Wedding Present from Cleveland (he's often a dead ringer for David Gedge).

 

A very cool instrumental. One of the YT comments: "Interpol liked this."

 

Wow, now here's a blast from the past. I picked up Peace, Love, and Murder and Let's Skip the Details back in the day, having heard them on late-night public radio and really got into them, but haven't listened to any of their stuff in over 20 (!) years. Perhaps I oughta rectify that!

 

I like all of those bands, so I'll have to check these guys out. What would you say are their top 2 albums?

 

Never heard of them (him?). Not surprising. Pulled it up on Spotify so that's on the playlist for tonight. Thanks!

 

The Taller You Are, the Shorter You Get is generally considered one of his best, but it's a bit daunting due to it being a double album. I would even suggest trying the final album (from 2009), A New Clear Route.

 

Check bandcamp too. I think there might be some stuff there that isn't on Spotify.

 

I'm listening to ...And He's Not Gonna Take It Anymore.

So far I think Bauhaus, She Wants Revenge, etc. do this type of thing better. But I'm only on the first album, so things could change.

 

Mark is great. Happy to see this thread.

 

Wow, MDID is on Spotify! This is just nutty. Although it seems their Homestead stuff isn't on there?

 

All that early stuff is available for free download on the MDID website:

http://www.mydadisdead.com/music/

 

I highly recommend "Let's Skip the Details." One time my Dad saw the disc in my car and he didn't like the band's name

 

I'm on 'Chopping Down the Family Tree' and I swear I've heard that song before, somewhere. The band is growing on me, btw. A mix between Bauhaus/Dead Kennedys/Joy Division, etc.

 

You're definitely doing the hard work by going chronologically. I'll be interested in what you think of Taller You Get...

 

Yeah that's how I usually do these things. I like to see how a band progresses. I'm on Out of Sight Out if Mind right now and almost done with it. The albums seem to get better as they go along. More melodic, etc.

Not sure about Taller You Get as it's not on Spotify.

 

'Taller' is on bandcamp......and it's a greatly expanded and remixed version. The original album can be downloaded for free here:
http://www.mydadisdead.com/music/

Just don't expect 320's.

 

Awesome I will get that then. I will listen to the rest of the Spotify catalog today/this weekend.

 

To answer this one again: I would recommend anyone new to this band start with a later album like For Richer, For Poorer. It's much more accessible than much of the early albums (not nearly as Noise-y, and Mark's voice improved over the years). I would then work forward and backwards from there and see how far you can go (until you scream for mercy ).

 

Talk about obscure, I'm from Cleveland and recorded many indie artists in my home studio, and I never heard of him.

 

Pre-MDID Mark Edwards https://thermosofhappiness.bandcamp.com/

Post-MDID Mark Edwards https://secularjoy.bandcamp.com/album/made-for-better-things

I love My Dad is Dead's eighties records from the Homestead period. I have some of the later ones and, while good, they don't match the dread and angst of those first few discs.

 

I wouldn't ever have known about him either if it weren't for Trouser Press.

http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=my_dad_is_dead

 

He definitely dialed back the dread and angst over time, but I think the later albums are just as good. Hell, I may end up preferring them. Dread and angst take me only so far at my age.

 

I started a thread awhile back, but it never got much action...glad to see some people are checking out his material.

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/mdid-secular-joy-news.278979/

 

I got through everything Spotify had and thoroughly enjoyed it all. Now I gotta get the stuff I'm missing.

 

Also worth checking out: a band MDID often toured with called Prisonshake = hot garage-y rock way before Jack White donned the plastic guitar and predecessor/compatriot to Guided By Voices...