Dandelion (American band)
| Company type | Rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1989 |
| Headquarters | Philadelphia , United States |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Dandelion was a Philadelphia-based rock group established in 1989, featuring vocalist and guitarist Kevin Morpurgo, bassist Mike Morpurgo, guitarist Carl Hinds, and drummer Dante Cimino. Bayen Butler was briefly part of the lineup between 1993 and 1994. Their musical style and aesthetic were closely associated with the grunge genre prominent during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
History
Initially planning to call themselves Cat Food, the band ultimately selected the name Dandelion, drawing inspiration from Ray Bradbury's novel Dandelion Wine. In 1990, their demo tape titled Silver received a Jackpot pick distinction from CMJ magazine, which led to interest from Ruffhouse Records—a label primarily recognized for hip-hop artists such as Cypress Hill and The Fugees. The following year, they released the single "Waiting for a Ride." Their discography includes two albums: I Think I'm Gonna Be Sick (1993), released through Columbia/Ruffhouse, and Dyslexicon (1995), issued via Sony. Before the release of Dyslexicon, Bayen Butler departed to establish the band Shag.
Music videos for tracks like "Waiting for a Ride," "Under My Skin," and "Weird-Out" gained rotation on MTV during late-night programming. Additionally, their songs were featured on MTV series such as The Real World and Beavis & Butt-head, as well as in the movie Brainscan. Despite this visibility, they did not achieve widespread national success, partly due to the waning popularity of grunge. The group dissolved in 1996 after drummer Cimino exited, citing exhaustion from touring.
Following the breakup, Kevin Morpurgo became involved with Philadelphia bands Latimer and Gel Caps before moving to London in 2000 to create The Hells. He later joined Dethscalator in 2010. Mike Morpurgo pursued composing for film soundtracks and performed with The Cobbs and Loog; he founded Laguardia in 2000 and currently owns three School of Rock franchises across Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Carl Hinds relocated to Portland, Oregon, where he formed Blackheart Whitenoise and The Hell Yeahs. Dante Cimino collaborated with Chad Ginsburg in Rudy & Blitz and recorded with surf/rockabilly group Custom D. Former members have maintained contact over time.
Both Morpurgo siblings graduated from Neshaminy High School in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, likely during the mid-1980s (circa 1986-1987).
In 2019, Dandelion reunited for a performance in Philadelphia featuring original members Dante Cimino and Michael Morpurgo.
Kevin Morpurgo passed away on August 15, 2023. To commemorate his legacy, a memorial concert showcasing the original lineup is planned for June 9, 2024. This event will coincide with a vinyl reissue of their 1991 Silver Demo, including an unreleased track—marking the demo’s inaugural release on vinyl.
Discography
- Silver (demo) (1991)
- Waiting for a Ride (single) (1992)
- Diggin' a Hole (single) (1993)
- I Think I'm Gonna Be Sick (1993)
- Under My Skin (single) (1993)
- Dyslexicon (1995)
Charted songs
| Year | Title | Chart | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Hot 100 |
US MOD |
US MSR | |||
| 1995 | "Weird-Out" | 74 | 14 | 36 | Dyslexicon |