Active until 1986 | Genre Goth/industrial | |
 | ||
Members Rob Hickson, Pete Waddleton, Mark "Wiff" Smith, Steve Green Albums Profiles | ||
Play Dead were an English post-punk group from Oxford that grew out of the fading English punk scene in 1980. Though the band was identified with groups like UK Decay and Sex Gang Children, the band felt they didn't belong under the gothic title. The band made three studio albums for four different small labels—Fresh Records, Jungle Records, Situation 2, and Clay Records—before forming their own label, Tanz, for their final album, Company Of Justice, which appeared in 1985.
Contents
The original lineup of Play Dead was Rob Hickson (vocals), Pete Waddleton (bass), Mark "Wiff" Smith (drums), and Re-Vox (guitar). In July 1981, Re-Vox was replaced by Steven Green. In 1984, Rob and Pete created the project Mankind's Audio Development (nicknamed M.A.D.). Only one single was recorded with the two songs "Craving" and "Sunfeast." Waddleton left the group in 1986 and, after a brief period as The Beastmaster Generals, the band dissolved.
Discography
Bootlegs
Side projects
The Beastmaster Generals
In Spring 1986 the remaining members of Play Dead - Hickson, Green and Smith - teamed up with Bob Brimson and Julian Silvester and briefly formed another group, The Beastmaster Generals. The group wrote a few songs and recorded a few demos, but nothing was officially released and the new group quickly dissolved to due lack of interest from the band members themselves.
Songs
Poison Takes a HoldThe First Flower · 1983
Final EpitaphThe First Flower · 1983
The TenantThe First Flower · 1983