Brainiac (band)

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Brainiac were an American indie rock band.

They formed in Dayton, Ohio in January of 1992 with vocalist and guitar/keyboard (particularly Moog synthesizers) player Tim Taylor, bassist Monostereo (Juan Monasterio), guitarist Michelle Bodine and drummer Tyler Trent. On the 12th of March, the band played its first show at Wright State's University Cafeteria, under the name We'll Eat Anything.

After a couple of singles, they released their first album, Smack Bunny Baby on Grass Records in 1993. Bonsai Superstar, now with John Schmersal on guitar in place of Bodine (who went on to form O-matic and later Shesus), followed the next year. In 1995 they played on the Lollapalooza side stage and recorded 4 songs in the UK for the BBC Peel Sessions. They joined Touch and Go Records and released Internationale, produced by Kim Deal (of the Pixies). The following year, their third album, Hissing Prigs in Static Couture, was released on the Touch & Go label. All three of their albums were produced by Eli Janney (of Girls Against Boys).

Brainiac generated a buzz as the live act to see that resulted in opening tours for Beck, the Breeders and the Jesus Lizard and receiving offers from major labels. In 1997 they released an electronic-based EP called Electro-Shock for President which turned out to be their last record: Tim Taylor was killed in a car accident on May 23rd, 1997 during the pre-production for their fourth album, due out on Interscope Records and the group disbanded.

Schmersal went on to form Enon. Monostereo directs music videos, including two for Enon, and recently released an album with a new band called Model / Actress. Schmersal makes appearances on this album. Trent briefly joined the Breeders and most recently played with The Dirty Walk. Bodine became the guitarist and singer of Omatic and Shesus.

[edit] Discography

Superduperseven (7" single, 1992, Limited Potential)
I Could Own You [Live] (7" single split with Bratmobile, 1993, 12X12 Records)
Smack Bunny Baby (album, 1993, Grass)
Dexatrim (7" single split with Lazy, 1994, Simple Solution) John Schmersal's debut as new guitarist.
Bonsai Superstar (album, 1994, Grass)
Cookie Doesn't Sing (7" split single w/Today Is The Day, Chrome Cranks, and Steel Pole Bathtub Vol. 10/CD Comp., 1995, Dope-Guns-'N-Fucking In The Streets Vols. 8-11, Amphetamine Reptile Records)
Internationale (7" single/EP-(Features new recording of "Simon Says" off SuperDuperSeven 7"), 1995, Touch & Go Records)
Hissing Prigs in Static Couture (album, 1996, Touch & Go Records)
Go! (4x7" single, Jabberjaw Vol.6, 1996, Mammoth Records)
Electro-Shock for President (EP, 1997, Touch & Go Records)

[edit] Trivia

Brainiac's motivation to include the Moog with their sound is due to Taylor and Monostereo's hearing "She Shook Me Cold" by David Bowie at a party. Monostereo and Bodine showed no interest in playing the instrument so Taylor did "by default."

A track from Tripping Daisy's album Jesus Hits Like the Atom Bomb was dedicated to Tim Taylor. The track was a Brainiac cover, Indian Poker Parts 2&3.