The music behind the music: Dead Anyway

An eclectic selection of influences from the Dead Anyway duo. Plus my two cents

This is part of Dead Anyway Month – find all the posts here.

The sequence of these posts got mixed up a bit, due to the surprise early release of Dead Anyway‘s latest record Tough, Listen. Doesn’t really matter except that this was supposed to be a table-setter for the Tough, Listen piece, and so it’s a bit anticlimactic. But if you’re looking for narrative drama, you’re in the wrong place anyway.

Here’s is a look into what inspires the duo, a playlist based on their favourites and some of my own asides and additions. Hit play and scroll on:

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Kate’s picks

Bob Dylan — Blonde on Blonde

I’ve been accused of being ‘wilfully obscure’ in my lyrics in the past, and I don’t mind that at all. When I read or listen to someone else’s poetry or lyrics, I like being made to work out what’s going on—I find anything too ‘on the nose’ embarrassing—and I like the idea of the reader or listener interpreting something I write in their own way.

Billy Bragg — Life’s a Riot with Spy VS Spy

He’s more famous for his political and protest songs, but Billy Bragg’s love songs are the best. ‘The Man in the Iron Mask’ on this album is brutal. Plus, in ‘A New England’ he rhymes ‘me’ and ‘yesterday’ because it works in his accent; you have to love that.

Aside: Bragg’s very limited success in North America had him under my radar until now, but there’s a lot to love here.

Elbow — The Seldom Seen Kid

Guy Garvey sings poetry. His lyrics are astoundingly poetic, and never more so on this album. Oh, the romance!

Aside: I decided years ago that Elbow was not for me, and thanks to Kate’s endorsement I’m revisiting that. You should listen to Elbow!

Rilo Kiley — More Adventurous

I’d never come across an unreliable narrator in a song until I heard ‘Does He Love You?’ from this album. I literally gasped at the last line. Very clever.

Aside: I love this record too, and Jenny Lewis’ album with the Watson Twins record is another classic:

Dan le Sac Vs. Scroobius Pip — Angles

The rhymes and accent can grate at times—as can mine, I’m sure, and it’s all about opinion—but his performances, his stance on life, his thematic choices and eloquence are spot on. I love Pip: he’s not afraid to tackle the big stuff.

Aside: This is very British and I’d never heard it before. I like it, though it took a couple of listens. It got unfairly but hilariously killed by Pitchfork who kind of missed the point. It reminds me a little of All This Art by Teenage Sequence:

Dead Pioneers

Listened to this in the studio last night and the lyrics and delivery seem impressive. See what you think.

Aside: Hadn’t heard this before. Holy shit this is good.

Marc’s picks

The Fall

I can’t overstate just how important this ‘band’ has been/are to me. Prior to releasing anything we do as Dead Anyway I always have a day playing nothing but The Fall. I fell for them heavily on a caravanning trip to France as a youngster. I was given a compilation tape by my friend Etiene. His brother knew some great music. I’ve been an enormous fan ever since.

Aside: as I was putting this post together, some of the members of The Fall released a killer live recording of early songs from the band:

My Bloody Valentine

The first time I heard MBV’s guitars I was absolutely blown away. They have always sounded so epic and the way they have with wrapping up some wonderfully simple melodies in delicious crunchy noise. Pop songs in a hurricane. I love them. ‘Drive it all over me’ is a great example.

I saw them at All Tomorrows Parties festival some years ago and ear defenders were a must. I’m sure the audience were all stood at a 45-degree angle leaning into the sound. Awesome.

Aside: I do not get MBV. Never have. I’ve tried many times. I’ve accepted this as a personal shortcoming, like my wide feet and intolerance of bad grammar.

Fugazi

Again, anything they did was high up on my list of go to for inspiration.

Ian MacKayes’ ethos was/is a total inspiration to me and the band’s sound still captivates me. One of my proudest Dead Anyway moments was when he replied to my unsolicited email sending him a copy of our first album. He said he had the album on in his office and he was enjoying it, he also invited Kate & I to Dischord house if ever were in D.C. I melted.

Aside: My introduction to Fugazi was the incredible Wugazi mashup, it turned me into a big fan. If you don’t know it, check it out:

Jesus and Mary Chain

I remember first hearing JAMC in the car on a Sunday evening when the charts were read out on Radio 1. Can’t remember what song it was but next trip to Woolworths I bought as much as I could afford.

Aside: I’d never really listened to this band before, but it’s clear how ahead of its’ time the music is. I’ve probably spent more time listening to this band than any other on the list.

Jungle Brothers / A Tribe Called Quest

I fell for Hip Hop really early on as a kid. The Jungle Brothers & Tribe Called Quest records were worn out on my turntable. I still regularly marvel at Ron Carter’s Bass on The Low End Theory and I routinely practice drumming along. Just class. If you haven’t seen The Jungle Brothers live on KEXP I highly recommend it.

Aside: Yessssssssssssssssss. Marc also sent this fantastic interview with legendary double bass player Ron Carter about playing bass on The Low End Theory (he’s shouted out at the end of “Verses from the Abstract”).

I love that he keeps referring to Q-Tip’s lyrics as ‘poems’. He also references working with a French MC, and I correctly guessed that he was talking about MC Solaar:

Gil Scott-Heron

I can’t really describe just how special it was to hear GSH the first time. Genuinely blew my mind. I was lucky enough to see him play live at a festival in East London a few years before he died. Wonderful.

Aside: His album I’m New Here, was my entry point into his catalogue. Mind-blowing even 40 years into his career:

Echo and the Bunnymen

What can I say that hasn’t already been said?

I loved this band so much I couldn’t listen to anything other than Ocean Rain for a good few weeks. It’s just marvellous.

Aside: Another band I knew of, but didn’t know well, and I’m spending a lot of time listening to them recently. Lagwagon does an excellent cover of “Bring on the Dancing Horses”: