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Death comes to Fun Fun Fun
The long-lost Detroit power trio Death has been booked to play its first and only festival date at this year’s Fun Fun Fun fest in November.
The group, consisting of African-American brothers Bobby, Dannis and David Hackney, recorded one astounding single of thrilling proto-punk in 1974(!) and vanished without a trace soon after. As journalist Mike Rubin noted in his excellent profile of the band “At the time David was 21, Dannis was 19 and Bobby, still a student at Southeastern High School, was 17.”
Earlier this year, the band’s single (released in 1`976) and unreleased recordings saw the light of day as “… For the Whole World to See” (Drag City). While this list may not indicate it, critics have been lapping the thing up like feral cats on melted ice cream. (It’s been in my year-end top 10 for months and is, indeed, astonishing stuff.)
Post-Death, the brothers moved to Vermont and cut a few albums of gospel-rock as the 4th Movement.
This version of Death will (likely) consist of bassist/singer Bobby, drummer Dannis and Bobbie Duncan, a guitar player from Lambsbread, the reggae band Bobby and Dannis formed in 1983.
David Hackney, the band’s leader, visionary and guitarist, died in 2000.
Transmission booker Graham Williams says he couldn’t believe his ears the first time he heard the Death record. “I didn’t think it was real,” Williams said, “I was in a car where it was playing. I loved it, but I was like, ‘Some band recorded this last year and made up this fake history. No way this is from 1974. It sounds too modern.” He was, of course, totally wrong.
Other recently leaked bands include Lucero, Shearwater, Health, 7 Seconds, and Health, in addition to acts we already knew about such as Atlas Sound, Broadcast, the GZA and the almighty Jesus Lizard.
Most underrated festival in the country? Probably.
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By Ian
August 2, 2009 11:57 PM | Link to this
This was the info I have been waiting for since last year’s Fun Fun Fun Fest ended. Thanks for posting. Thanks for the great links. Way to go Joe Gross!
By ColSanders
August 3, 2009 9:56 AM | Link to this
Transmission does it again!
Deerhunter maybe? since Atlas Sound is there?
By Veronica
August 3, 2009 10:00 AM | Link to this
FFF is the hardest, best most rocking festival I have ever been to and I cannot wait for this year!!!
By Adam
August 4, 2009 11:28 AM | Link to this
Shonen Knife will be playing FFF, too.