The Dead C

aka The Dead See


Long before they jazzed out on guitar distortion, electronic sound, discordant rhythms and offbeat percussion, Dunedin’s The Dead C were an oddly accessible trio. You'd think the New Zealand success of The Fall and Joy Division would have ushered them into the charts.

They made provincial art rock, as re-energised by 1970s American mavericks and the initial British post-punk era. Late 80s highpoints such as ‘Max Harris’ and ‘Three Years’ had the chill, stilted beauty of those more complicated listening experiences. From there, they went backwards into European, British and American experimental sounds creating, at times, a seemingly random terrain of sound peaks and shadowed crevices.

The Dead C and The Terminals at the Naval Point Yacht Club, Lyttelton, 2014
The Dead C live in Wellington
The Dead C at Dunedin's Empire Tavern, 1990
The Dead C (Sonic Protest, 2013)
The Dead C: Robbie Yeats, Bruce Russell and Michael Morley
The Dead C: Bruce Russell, Robbie Yeats and Michael Morley
The Dead C Vs Sebadoh 7" 1993
The Dead C - Sky (Live on Ground Zero)
The Dead C at The Empire Tavern, Dundedin, 1998
The Magicians
The Dead C at The Empire, Dunedin 1993
The Dead C live, Naval Point Yacht Club, Lyttelton, 2014
The Dead C - Live Eye TV (2008)
The Dead C, 2010: Michael Morley, Robbie Yeats and Bruce Russell
Interview in 2008 on Eye TV
Trivia:

Robbie Yeats was the drummer during The Verlaines’ peak mid-1980s period.

Michael Morley performs and records as Gate. His first duo, Wreck Small Speakers on Expensive Stereos, with Richard Ram, was active in Taradale and Dunedin in the early to late 1980s and released many tapes.

Despite being a wilfully left-field trio, The Dead C were able to pack out Auckland pub venues in the mid-1990s.

Members:

Michael Morley - guitar, vocals

Bruce Russell - guitar

Robbie Yeats - drums

Labels:

Flying Nun


Xpressway


Diabolic Root


Ba Da Bing


Siltbreeze


Shock


Sub Pop


Forced Exposure


Language Recordings


Precious Metal

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