Dog Fashion Disco
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1995 |
| Founder | Todd Smith, Greg Combs, John Ensminger |
| Headquarters | Rockville, Maryland , United States |
| Products | Music albums, live performances |
Dog Fashion Disco—commonly abbreviated as DFD—is a band from Rockville, Maryland, known for their blend of avant-garde metal and alternative metal. Their initial run spanned from 1995 until 2007, after which they disbanded before reuniting in October 2013.
Formation and Early Period (1995–2000)
Established in 1995 by Todd Smith, Greg Combs, and John Ensminger, the group originally performed under the name Hug the Retard. They opted to change this to Dog Fashion Disco prior to releasing any recordings to avoid alienating potential listeners.
Their first two independently produced albums—Erotic Massage (1997) and Experiments in Alchemy (1998)—were created on limited budgets. The funding for Erotic Massage came from a loan co-signed by Ensminger’s father and was repaid through nearly a year of local live performances. Compared to the ballad-heavy style of their debut, Experiments in Alchemy introduced a more intense metal sound. In 1998, the band signed with Outerloop Records and released The Embryo's in Bloom, which demonstrated a notable advancement in recording quality. Around this period, Maryland-based manager Derek J. Brewer began overseeing the band’s affairs, maintaining this role until their initial breakup; Brewer also manages their side project Polkadot Cadaver under Outerloop Management. Later that year, keyboardist Jeff Siegel replaced Sennen Quigley, establishing the lineup that would remain stable for over four years.
Growth in Recognition and Lineup Adjustments (2000–2004)
Dog Fashion Disco gained wider visibility in 2000 through an appearance on USA Network’s FarmClub, which facilitated their signing with Spitfire Records. Their major label debut album, Anarchists of Good Taste (2001), significantly broadened their audience. This release included a guest performance by Serj Tankian of System of a Down on the track "Mushroom Cult," often mistakenly credited to System of a Down despite Tankian being the sole contributor from that band. The group produced their first music video for "Leper Friend" and toured the United Kingdom, as well as supporting acts such as Mindless Self Indulgence and Tub Ring throughout 2002.
In 2003, they issued Committed to a Bright Future via Spitfire Records and supported Lacuna Coil on their inaugural U.S. headlining tour. Despite featuring the same lineup as the previous album during recording, guitarist Greg Combs and drummer John Ensminger departed prior to its release. Mike "Ollie" Oliver replaced Ensminger on drums and is credited as an official member in the album materials. Jason Stevens temporarily assumed lead guitar duties for the Committed tour; during this period, original bassist Stephen Mears left to enlist in the Navy. Brian White stepped in as bassist, and following the tour, Jasan Stepp from Margret Heater took over lead guitar responsibilities from Stevens. This ensemble recorded the Day of the Dead EP (2004) along with the live album The City Is Alive Tonight (2005), and is featured on DFDVD.
Rotten Records Era, Adultery, and Hiatus (2005–2007)
After a brief break in early 2005—which coincided with The Alter Boys releasing their only album—Oliver exited the band. Shortly thereafter, Dog Fashion Disco's contract with Artemis concluded, leading them to sign with Rotten Records. Their sixth studio album, Adultery, was released on April 4, 2006, marking the return of original drummer John Ensminger. The CD launch event took place on April 6 at Peabody's in Cleveland alongside Tub Ring. During the summer tour supporting Adultery, Tub Ring accompanied them while keyboardist Tim Swanson temporarily substituted for Jeff Siegel. Many performances were held at smaller venues compared to previous tours under Spitfire and Artemis labels, which contributed to diminished morale according to Jasan Stepp.
On December 5, 2006, Todd Smith announced via Dog Fashion Disco’s official MySpace page that the group had decided to part ways. Their final concert occurred on January 13, 2007, at Baltimore’s Sonar Lounge before a full house including attendees from the UK. The band delivered an extensive set exceeding 25 songs, concluding with "Albino Rhino" from their 1998 album Experiments in Alchemy, followed by an encore featuring "Sweet Insanity" from Adultery. Former members Sennen Quigley and Mike "Ollie" Oliver joined as guests in support of the event. Opening act Oddzar performed prior to DFD’s set; this show was recorded for release as the DVD DFDVD II, which Rotten Records issued in October 2008.
Reunions (2008–2013)
Following their breakup, the band came together on four separate occasions before officially reuniting in 2013.
Their initial reunion took place on September 12, 2008, aligning with the launch of DFDVD II and the compilation album Beating a Dead Horse to Death... Again. This performance marked Stephen Mears' return on bass after nearly five years away.
The second reunion happened on April 17, 2010, at The Ottobar, where Smith and Stepp’s side projects, Polkadot Cadaver and Knives Out!, served as opening acts.
They gathered again for two shows on June 24–25, 2011, commemorating the tenth anniversary of Anarchists of Good Taste and the fifth anniversary of Adultery. During the second night, the band revealed plans for an acoustic album and provided VIP attendees with a code to download an acoustic rendition of "Sweet Insanity." The release status of these concert recordings on DVD and the acoustic album remains uncertain.
Their most recent reunion before reforming was a two-night event at Baltimore Sound Stage on May 31 and June 1, 2013, featuring the Adultery lineup. Prior to these concerts, an El-Creepo! warm-up show took place on May 30 at The Ottobar, including drummers John Ensminger and Scott Radway alongside Jasan Stepp. The first night featured original guitarist Greg Combs performing with Dog Fashion Disco for the first time in over ten years. On the second night, Smith announced intentions to produce a new album titled "Sweet Nothings."
Reformation (2013–present)
On October 10, 2013, Dog Fashion Disco officially reformed with the lineup from previous reunions, this time with Swanson replacing Siegel on keyboards. Mike Oliver was scheduled to handle drum duties for their summer tour in 2014.
Their first studio album in eight years, Sweet Nothings, was released on July 22, 2014, financed through an Indiegogo campaign. Building on its success, the band announced a subsequent album titled Ad Nauseum, which came out on October 2, 2015. In September 2014, they performed three sold-out shows in London and followed up with a UK tour alongside Psychostick in 2015.
To reclaim ownership from previous record labels, Dog Fashion Disco re-recorded several earlier albums: Erotic Massage was reissued on May 19, 2017; Experiments in Embryos followed on July 6, 2018; Anarchists of Good Taste was rerecorded and released December 7, 2018; and Committed to a Bright Future was reissued June 28, 2019.
In November 2017, Brian Paone authored Moonlight City Drive, a novel adaptation based on DFD's conceptual album Adultery from 2006.
Musical style
Dog Fashion Disco’s sound is an eclectic fusion encompassing psychedelic rock, jazz elements, heavy metal riffs, and circus-inspired music. Their lyrical content frequently explores obscure and satirical topics with playful nods to occult themes and drug culture. Their musical approach often draws comparisons to California’s genre-blending group Mr. Bungle. Cited influences include Mike Patton, Mr. Bungle themselves, Faith No More, Clutch, Tool, System of a Down, and Frank Zappa.
According to Rock Hard magazine, their style transcends conventional nu metal boundaries. Sputnikmusic highlighted their synthesis of alternative metal with funk and cabaret styles. Blabbermouth characterized them as "genre-less," combining elements from hard rock, metal, punk, jazz, and ska genres. AllMusic noted their intricate guitar arrangements paired with vocals reminiscent of thrash metal and Marilyn Manson’s style. Various sources classify them as alternative metal; progressive metal (The Baltimore Sun); avant-garde metal (The PRP); while PopMatters recognized their unique blend of "evil circus music" fused with rock influences.
Members
- Present roster
- Todd Smith — lead vocals (1995–2007, 2013–present); participated in reunions during 2008, 2010, 2011, and 2013
- Jasan Stepp — guitar (2003–2007, 2013–present); also part of reunion performances in 2008, 2010, 2011, and 2013
- Brian "Wendy" White — bass guitar (2003–2007, 2013–present); involved in reunion shows in 2010, 2011, and 2013
- Tim Swanson — keyboards (2006, resumed from 2013 to present)
- John Ensminger — drums (1995–2003, 2006–2007, 2013–present); took part in reunions held in 2008, 2010, 2011, and 2013
- Matt Rippetoe — saxophones and woodwind instruments (official member since 2013; session musician from 2001 to 2006); appeared during reunions in 2011 and 2013
- Former members
- Greg Combs — guitar (1995–2003); joined the reunion in 2013
- Stephen Mears aka "Grand Master Super Eagle Sultan" — bass (1996–1998; returned from 1998–2003); featured in the 2008 reunion
- Jeff Siegel — keyboards (1998–2006; also during 2006–2007); participated in reunions of 2008, 2010, 2011, and 2013
- Mike "Ollie" Oliver — drums (live performances from 2003–2005 and again between 2014–2015)
- Sennen Quigley — guitar and keyboards (1997–1998)
- Mark Ammen — bass guitar (1998)
- Rob Queen — drums (live in 2015)
- Jason Stevens — guitar (2003)
- Geoff Stewart — alto/tenor/baritone saxophone (1997–1998)
- Kristen Ensminger — trumpet (1997–1998)
- Josh Gifford — trumpet (1996–1997)
- Dave Sislen — saxophone (1996–1997)
- Ken Willard — bass guitar (1995)
- Timeline
Studio albums
| Album Title | Release Information |
|---|---|
| Erotic Massage |
|
| Experiments in Alchemy |
|
| The Embryo's in Bloom |
|
| Anarchists of Good Taste |
|
| Committed to a Bright Future |
|
| Adultery |
|
| Sweet Nothings |
|
| Ad Nauseam |
|
| Tres Pendejos |
|
| Cult Classic |
|
Re-recorded albums
| Album Title | Release Details |
|---|---|
| Erotic Massage (Redux) |
|
| Experiments in Embryos |
|
| Anarchists of Good Taste – 2018 |
|
| Committed to a Bright Future 2019 |
|
Compilation albums
| Title | Album information |
|---|---|
| Beating a Dead Horse to Death... Again |
|
Live albums
| Title | Album information |
|---|---|
| The City Is Alive Tonight...Live in Baltimore |
|
| Adultery (Live) |
|
EPs
| Title | EP information |
|---|---|
| Mutilated Genitals EP |
|
| Day of the Dead EP |
|
Music videos
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Tastes So Sweet |
|
DVDs
| Title | DVD information |
|---|---|
| DFDVD |
|
| DFD-Day |
|
| DFDVD II |
|
Polkadot Cadaver
Formed on April 17, 2007, Polkadot Cadaver includes Todd Smith, Jasan Stepp, and John Ensminger. Sharing a similar sound to Dog Fashion Disco, their first album Purgatory Dance Party was made available for pre-order in November 2007 and officially launched on November 27, 2007.
Their sophomore release, Sex Offender, came out on May 10, 2011. The third album, which marked their debut on their own Razor to Wrist Records label, titled Last Call in Jonestown, was released on May 14, 2013.
Knives Out!
Established toward the end of 2008 by Todd Smith and Jasan Stepp along with musicians from Nothingface and Hellyeah, Knives Out! unveiled their first album Black Mass Hysteria on February 14, 2012. Their second album, Left in the Lurch, followed on August 19, 2016.
El-Creepo!
Todd Smith introduced his solo endeavor El-Creepo! in 2010 with the eponymous debut album. Later works include Aloha released in 2012 and Bellissimo!, which debuted on January 1, 2016.
Celebrity Sex Scandal
Established by former guitarist Greg Combs, Celebrity Sex Scandal launched their career with the 2012 single "Ode to Katy Perry." They followed up with their debut album Derivative in February 2013, and later released their sophomore effort Integral in 2015.
Other projects
Since 2005, Todd Smith, Matt Rippetoe, and Jeff Siegel have been involved with The Alter Boys, although Todd Smith has mentioned that no further releases are currently planned. Tim Swanson created the band Ideamen, which put out the EP Progress in 2007, then followed with the full-length albums May You Live in Interesting Times (2009) under Rotten Records, and Schemata (2014). In 2007, Matt Rippetoe unveiled his solo album BOINK and later initiated the side project Willamette, releasing a self-titled album in 2012.
External links
- Articles with short description
- American alternative metal musical groups
- American avant-garde metal musical groups
- American progressive metal musical groups
- Heavy metal musical groups from Maryland
- Musical groups established in 1995
- 1995 establishments in Maryland
- Musical groups disestablished in 2007
- Musical groups reestablished in 2013
- American experimental rock groups