Origin United States Years active 2003 (2003)–present Members Adrya Stembridge Genre Deathrock | Genres Deathrock Website tearsforthedying.com Active from 2004 | |
Past members Dara Bishop
Jeffrey Butzer
Max Albuquerque
Todd Caras
Scott Lambert
Christina Barr
Ethyl Hodges | ||
Tears for the dying memories
Tears for the Dying is an American deathrock band that began life as a studio project in late 2003 by bassist and guitarist Adrya Stembridge. Stembridge's previous band, The Girl Pool, broke up in 1998 amid creative disagreements; afterwards she took a lengthy vacation from music. Years later, after attending the inaugural Drop Dead Festival in 2003, Stembridge's interest in music was renewed. She began writing songs and eventually decided on the name Tears for the Dying.
Contents
Tears for the dying go die 2016
Music style
The music of Tears for the Dying was influenced by early 1980s Southern California punk and 1960s proto punk and psychedelia. Frequent tempo changes and sometimes complex (if not awkward) arrangements are found in many of the band's songs. Songs like "Disease" and "Porcelain" make use of slower tempos and groovy, funky bass lines which are uncharacteristically dancable for punk rock. Other songs, such as "Memories", provide off-kilter, caustic episodes of negativity and conflict. Lyrically, Tears for the Dying frequently criticize institutionalized religion (including Christianity and Islam), and neo-religious subcultural scenes.
Early recordings
In December 2003 Stembridge traveled to Radium Recordings in Athens, Georgia to record two songs, "Time" and "Disease." She played all instruments and sung on both tracks. Using these songs and three others recorded at home on a four-track Tears for the Dying released its first demo CD, E.P.. The demo was mailed to a handful of interested people, one of whom was noted Goth music historian Mick Mercer (who later gave a positive review of the demo in his online journal).
Months later, Atlanta Gothic metal band Bury Me Under assisted Tears for the Dying with recording a new studio demo. Bury Me Under's drummer, Chris, provided the percussion. Stembridge played and sung the rest. Four songs were recorded: "Go Die", "Memories", "Disease" and "All for Nothing". These tracks, along with the Radium Recording session and several other unpublished songs, were eventually released under the title To the Birds.
Stembridge and Dara packaged hundreds of copies of To the Birds in black mailers wrapped in mesh and lace, and enclosed liner notes on parchment with burned edges. Drawing from punk ethos, To the Birds was freely given to all who asked. Copies were sent all over the United States and around the world (at a substantial cost to the band).
From studio to stage
Response to To the Birds was positive; several online magazines reviewed the demo favorably, including Mick Mercer's The Mick. In early 2005, a European promoter asked whether Tears for the Dying would be interested in attending a major festival being planned later that year. Stembridge's musician friends suggested she assemble a live band, even if the festival did not pan out. So, she placed ads online and in local print newspapers.
Tears for the Dying's blend of punk and Gothic rock was a rarity in Atlanta, and so finding like-minded musicians proved difficult. After months of searching, enough members were located to hold rehearsals. The first was held in May 2005 with Dara Bishop on drums, Scott on guitar and Todd Caras on bass. Scott eventually lost interest and Chilean guitarist Max Albuquerque joined. Over the next few months Bishop moved to keyboards after Jeffrey Butzer expressed interest in playing drums.
Tears for the Dying played its first show on September 2, 2005 at a country and western bar in Lawrenceville, Georgia.
Band members
Present:
Past: