Dead Disco
| Company type | Music group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2005 in Leeds, Yorkshire, England |
| Defunct | 2008 |
| Headquarters | Leeds , England |
| Products | Music singles |
Dead Disco was an electronic music group originating from Leeds, Yorkshire, England, formed in 2005. The lineup consisted of Victoria Hesketh (vocals, synthesizer), Lucy Catherwood (guitar), and Marie France (bass).
Career
The members first connected at the University of Leeds in August 2005. Hesketh became part of the band after answering an online advertisement placed by Catherwood and France, who were searching for a lead vocalist. Drawing inspiration from bands such as the Bangles, Blondie, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Ladytron, and the Killers, they selected their band name by randomly choosing words from a hat.
Starting with only a handful of tracks, Dead Disco began performing throughout northern England. Their headline performance at Manchester's "In the City" festival secured them a recording opportunity with producer James Ford. In April 2006, they issued their debut single "The Treatment" via High Voltage Records. Their follow-up single "City Place" was released digitally through Playlouder Records.
After gaining momentum through live shows and playing at the Leeds Festival, the band moved to Los Angeles to work on their first album under the guidance of producer Greg Kurstin. During this phase, Hesketh started creating songs that differed stylistically from the band's established indie sound.
Eventually, Hesketh departed from Dead Disco, which officially dissolved in December 2008. In interviews, she revealed her transition to solo artistry was driven by a desire to create music that resonated personally: "I had to make the sort of music I actually wanted to listen to... Now it's so easy because it's 'What would I do?' It's just me." She also mentioned that record label expectations for a particular style and her bandmates' diminishing faith in her preference for more commercially oriented songwriting contributed to her exit.
Releases
Dead Disco's discography includes four singles:
- "The Treatment" (2005, High Voltage)
- "City Place" (2006, Playlouder)
- "Automatic" (2006, Fierce Panda)
- "You're Out" (2007, 679)
James Ford produced both "The Treatment" and "Automatic," with the latter being their final release on Fierce Panda Records. "You're Out" was produced by Greg Kurstin, known for his work with the Bird and the Bee.
The track "City Place" appeared on the 2006 Dance to the Radio compilation titled What We All Want.
Split
In December 2008, a post on Myspace announced that Dead Disco had disbanded, with members moving on to new projects: Hesketh pursued a solo career as Little Boots; meanwhile, Catherwood and France formed Video Villain. Additionally, Catherwood and France launched Art Disco, a clothing line originally created during Dead Disco tours in response to demand for their custom merchandise.
External links
- 2005 establishments in England
- 2008 disestablishments in England
- 679 Artists artists
- All-female punk bands
- Electropunk musical groups
- English dance-punk musical groups
- English electronic rock musical groups
- Fierce Panda Records artists
- Musical groups disestablished in 2008
- Musical groups established in 2005
- Musical groups from Leeds
- English women in electronic music
- English all-female bands
- All-female electronic bands