Tears for the Dying

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Tears for the Dying began life as a studio project in late 2003 by bassist/guitarist Adrya Stembridge. Adrya'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, Adrya's interest in music was renewed. She began writing songs upon returning from Drop Dead, and eventually decided on the name Tears for the Dying.

1 Music Style
2 Early Recordings
3 From Studio to Stage
4 Band Members
5 Discography
6 Press
7 Music Samples
8 Photos
9 Videos
10 Related Bands
11 External links

[edit] Music Style

The music of Tears for the Dying was influenced by early 80's SoCal punk and 60's proto-punk & 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 tempo and groovy, funky bass lines which are uncharacteristically danceable for punk rock. Other songs, such as Memories provide off-kilter, caustic episodes of negativity and conflict. Lyrically, Tears for the Dying frequently criticized institutionalized religion (including Christianity and Islam), and neo-religious subcultural scenes.

[edit] Early Recordings

In December 2003 Adrya traveled to Radium Recordings in Athens, GA 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 4-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. Adrya 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 These tracks along with the Radium Recording session and several other unpublished songs were eventually released under the title To the Birds.

Adrya and Dara carefully 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 US and around the world (at a substantial cost to the band).

[edit] From Studio to Stage

Response to To the Birds was outstanding; 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. Adrya's musician friends suggested she assemble a live band, even if the festival didn't pan out Tears for the Dying had potential. 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, GA and so finding like-minded musicians proved difficult. After months of searching enough members were located to hold rehearsals, the first of which was held in May of 2005 (with Dara Bishop on drums, Scott on guitar and Todd Caras on bass). Scott eventually lost interest and guitarist Max Albuquerque from Chile joined. Over the next few months Dara 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 & western bar in Lawrenceville, GA.

[edit] Band Members

Present:

Adrya Stembridge: vocals, bass, guitar, electronic percussion

Past:

Dara Bishop: keyboard
Jeffrey Butzer: drums
Max Albuquerque: guitar
Todd Caras: bass
Scott Lambert: guitar
Christina Barr: bass
Ethyl Hodges bass

[edit] Discography

Tears for the Dying ~ To the Birds, 2005, available for free download
Under the Radar Vol 1 ~ Antidote Records compilation, 2006, available here

[edit] Press

Review of To the Birds by Goth/Punk historian Mick Mercer.

Excerpt: "...we can happily concentrate on what a fantastically concise and earthy record this is, which manages not just to simultaneously be austere Goth and prickly Deathrock, but is wholly in keeping with the original flavour of both movements, which is a very, very – as in VERY – rare thing to experience. Oh, and the songs are great too. Top marks of packaging the promo also, as a death memento, with the black sleeve, CD paced in mesh, tied with lace and the paper sleeve notes burnt around the edges. Attention to detail, you can’t beat it."

Image:Tothebirds.jpg

Link:

Review of To the Birds by Sin of BlackAngel Promotions..

Excerpt: "It's refreshing to see a band that can retain it's spooky and dark overtones while not simply rehashing old Misfits tunes ... writing interesting lyrics instead of writing around old B-Movie titles ... putting emotion and feeling into songs as opposed to just banging away relentlessly. Yes, folks ... there is more to HORROR music than that one band that broke up in '83 whose name is now being bastardized for the masses. Give yourself the aural pleasure supplied by bands influenced by that wondrous decade of the 80s and the originators of Deathrock, Goth, and Horror ... bands like Tears for the Dying. "

Link: http://bap.antidoterecords.net/tftd.php