Bio Full Biography »

One of the lesser-known names in the incipient goth rock scene of early-'80s England, Play Dead combined both a relatively derivative combination of influences and some individual flashes of brilliance to make a low-key cult name for itself. A quartet, the band came together in late 1980 in Banbury near Oxford. After initially playing with another guitarist, one Re Vox, a lineup shuffle resulted in the final form of the group: guitarist Steve Green, singer Rob Hickson, bassist Pete Waddleston, and drummer Mark "Wiff" Smith. Early singles with Re Vox, including "TV Eye" (not the Stooges' proto-punk classic), were disdained by the band themselves, but after some label weirdness and semi-enforced withdrawal from recording, Play Dead put it all together with its classic single "Propaganda." Further singles and EPs followed, along with sessions for BBC radio and a notable tour with Sex Gang Children. Full releases continued up through 1985, but soon after a final live show late that year, W...