DEADSY BIO
P Exeter Blue I (vocals, guitar)
Carlton Megalodon (synth guitar)
Dr. Nner (keyboards)
The Beast Craig (bass)
Alec Püre (drums)
“Be not discouraged; someday a real
musician may appear on Urantia, and whole peoples will be enthralled by the
magnificent strains of his melodies. One such human being could forever change
the course of a whole nation, even the entire civilized world.”
— The Book Of Urantia
“It is
phantasmagoria in its purest state,” says Deadsy leader P Exeter Blue I. The
reigning patriarchy of the underground is at last poised to release the
long-anticipated album appropriately titled Commencement. After a half decade of
perfecting their sound and vision, Deadsy is triumphantly throwing off the
shadows and stepping into the light, introducing to the masses what Blue calls
“a catalyst of exploration in an era of risk-taking.”
Deadsy’s explorations have been selling out shows in Los Angeles for the past
two years. Since its primordial incarnation playing the CMJ Music Festival at
Coney Island High, Deadsy has provided a hallucinatory feast that mirrors the
lyrics of its songs.
The band’s performances are an ever-changing force, a mixture of color and
sound, an unlikely amalgam of Kubrickian flavor and New England prep-school
prestige. These presentations have attracted an assembly of goth kids, metal
heads and pop fans. Members of Sugar Ray, Garbage, Static X, Limp Bizkit and
Korn have also been seen at said rites. The spectacle transmogrifies from an
English countryside where Teletubbies run wild into a stark landscape of
floor-to-ceiling white chains that connect musician to mic stand.
Deadsy’s creative vision has long been considered ahead of its time. Its
potential impact was first recognized in the commercial arena by representatives
of Sire Records, who initially signed the band to a recording contract. Upon
completion of an album, however, frustrations surfaced and Deadsy ultimately
parted ways with Sire. Word of mouth among the faithful nonetheless led to the
disc’s penetration of the underground as promo CDs were leaked to record
stores, radio stations and Internet sites.
Its fan base growing virally, Deadsy mounted a showcase at The Viper Room, the
first Los Angeles performance. Legions from throughout the land came to catch a
glimpse. Fights broke out in front of the venue when anticipation boiled over.
Deadsy displayed its devotion to the cherished sci-fi aesthetic by opening with
a cover of the theme song from “Dune.”
This fateful event sparked a bidding war, from which emerged an invitation from
Korn for Deadsy to sign with their Elementree label (Commencement will be issued
in 2002 by Elementree in conjunction with DreamWorks Records). Deadsy was now
ready to re-enter the studio. The band chose Josh Abraham (Staind, Limp Bizkit,
Orgy), who had produced their first songs, to collaborate on this new musical
endeavor. Abraham promptly began piecing together what Blue refers to as the
“multilayered sounds of the world.” The songwriter elaborates: “The sounds
of Deadsy are intended to awaken and enchant the listener with subjective
lyrics. The songs are the soundtrack to a state of mind.”
They are eerie and beautiful, bearing an intimation of early death metal;
Deicide, Morbid Angel and even Cannibal Course can be heard in Deadsy’s unique
guitar sound. Blue has expanded this vibration into a genre he terms “Undercore.”
“‘Under’ is the heavy, dissonant, low guitar sound reminiscent of
grindcore,” he explains, “while ‘core’ denotes a commitment to
excellence.”
The conceptual underpinnings of Deadsy are based on the childhood fascinations
of Blue and his boyhood playmates Dr. Nner (keyboards) and Alec Püre (drums).
Their brainchild was militant but playful. It eventually diverged into five
distinct branches: Academia (represented by P Exeter Blue I), Science And
Medicine (Dr. Nner) and The Libertine (Alec Püre), but also War and Horror.
This final pair of elements required the introduction of synth guitarist Carlton
Megalodon, who personified War as the half warrior/half athlete Man-At-Arms, and
bassist The Beast Craig – Horror – renowned for the tuneful syncopation he
developed in the punk group Strung Out.
To be sure, Deadsy may not be fully understood by the average listener. But
those ready and able to receive the melodious rapture of the band’s inventive
lyrics, skillfully blended with dynamic harmonies, are anxious to embark on this
grand odyssey.
The path wends through “Lake Waramaug,” which glimpses the East Coast
prep-school milieu with tales of competitive crew and adolescent parties, though
haunting keyboards and low guitar transform the context into something more
thoughtful. “She Likes Big Words” recalls deep Duran Duran bass tones and
is, in fact, destined to bridge the gap between those still craving ‘80s pop
and the youths leaning toward harder metal. “Tom Sawyer,” a remake of the
classic Rush song, boasts colorful additives like unrelenting keyboards that
provide a new twist on this complex composition.
The revolutionary zeal suggested by these songs catapulted Deadsy onto the 2001
Family Values Tour, where the gospel spread further. Concludes Blue of
Deadsy’s mission: “We’re pilgrims from the other zone.” Thus the five
elements dictate the journey.