Human Drama
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1985 |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
| Products | Studio albums, live albums, EPs, singles |
| Website | www |
Human Drama is a United States-based alternative rock ensemble fronted by vocalist and songwriter Johnny Indovina, established in 1985. Prior to disbanding in 2005, the group produced six studio albums. They reunited for live shows in 2011 and 2012, and again in 2015. Their first studio release in 15 years, Broken Songs for Broken People, appeared in 2017, followed by singles released between 2019 and 2020, as well as new albums in 2021 and 2023.
Human Drama (1985 - 2024)
Indovina launched his musical journey in New Orleans in 1980 with the band Models, which included Michael Ciravolo on guitar, Steve Fuxan handling bass, and Charlie Bouis on drums. After moving to Los Angeles in 1985, the group adopted the name Human Drama in 1986, incorporating Mark Balderas on keyboards. They became a prominent fixture within the "Scream Scene," centered around the underground LA venue Scream.
In 1988, Human Drama secured a contract with RCA Records and released an EP titled Hopes Prayers Dreams Heart Soul Mind Love Life Death alongside their full-length album Feel in 1989. Both projects were produced by Ian Broudie, known for his work with Echo and the Bunnymen, The Fall, and The Lightning Seeds.
Following a deal with Triple X Records, they issued The World Inside in 1992. The album's popularity resulted in a complementary six-video set narrated by Indovina himself.
Their 1993 release Pinups comprised cover songs, which was succeeded by the Human Drama EP in 1994 and Songs of Betrayal in 1995 under Projekt Records. In 1998, the live retrospective 14,384 Days Later was issued through Hollow Hills/Triple X and Mexico’s Opcion Sonica labels. That same year, Indovina published his lyric compilation entitled My Bag of Secrets...the Words of Human Drama. The band’s seventh studio album, Solemn Sun Setting, also arrived in 1998, followed by the greatest hits collection The Best of Human Drama...In a Perfect World released via Triple X in 2000.
Indovina’s solo acoustic live album, Momento's En El Tiempo, was produced by longtime guitarist Michael Ciravolo and recorded between 1995 and 2000 at venues such as CBGB's (New York) and Café Bizarro (Mexico City).
The last Human Drama album before their initial disbandment was Cause and Effect, distributed through Projekt Records in the United States and Noise Kontrol across Latin America.
In late 2006, Indovina formed a new project called Sound of the Blue Heart, releasing two albums: Beauty? (2006) and Wind of Change (2009).
Human Drama reunited for performances at Hollywood in 2011 and Mexico City’s Plaza Condesa in 2012. They recorded the single "The Liar Inside" in 2015—the same year Indovina launched his solo effort Trials of the Writer. That year also commemorated their 30th Anniversary Concert held at Mexico City's Circo Volador.
The band made a comeback with their 2017 album Broken Songs for Broken People, accompanied by music videos for "The Liar Inside", "Rain on Me", and “Like this One”. Subsequent concerts took place at Mexico City’s Auditorio Blackberry and Los Angeles’ Bar Sinister.
Between 2019 and 2021, they released eight singles culminating with the album Blurred Images, issued on Sunset Blvd. Records. In 2022, Human Drama presented The Trilogy Concert at Teatro Metropolitan in Mexico City, performing complete renditions of Pinups, The World Inside, and Cause and Effect. July 2023 saw the release of their latest album, Ten Small Fractures, through Bob Frank Entertainment.
Studio albums
| Release Date |
Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Feel | RCA |
| 1992 | The World Inside | Triple X |
| 1993 | Pinups | Triple X |
| 1995 | Songs of Betrayal | Projekt |
| 1999 | Songs of Betrayal Part One | Triple X |
| 1999 | Songs of Betrayal Part Two | Triple X |
| 1999 | Solemn Sun Setting | Triple X |
| 2002 | Cause and Effect | Projekt |
| 2017 | Broken Songs for Broken People | Fonarte Latino |
| 2021 | Blurred Images | Sunset Blvd Records |
| 2023 | Ten Small Fractures | Bob Frank Entertainment |
Live albums
- Fourteen Thousand Three Hundred Eighty Four Days Later (1996), Triple X
- Momentos En El Tiempo (2002), Noise Kontrol – reissued in 2005 as Moments in Time
Compilations
- The Best of Human Drama...In a Perfect World (2000), Triple X
EPs
- Hopes Prayers Dreams Heart Soul Mind Love Life Death (1989), RCA
- Human Drama (1994), Projekt
Singles
- "This Tangled Web"/"Times Square" (1990), Triple X
- "Fascination and Fear"/"Fading Away" (1991), Triple X
- "Heroin"/"Never Never" (1998), Triple X
- "The Liar Inside" (2015), Dixsamdee Music BMI
- "Rain On Me" (2017), Fonarte Latino Records
- "Farewell (version one)" (2019), Fonarte Latino Records
- "Delancey Street 1993" (2019), Fonarte Latino Records
- "One More Time Around The Lake" (2019), Fonarte Latino Records
- "King Of Kings" (2019), Fonarte Latino Records
- "Into Our Escape" (2020), Fonarte Latino Records
- "Another Crash" (2020), Fonarte Latino Records
- "Let The Memories Live Here" (2020), Fonarte Latino Records
- "Sometimes" (2020), Fonarte Latino Records
- "February 10th" (2021), Sunset Blvd. Records
- "I'm Looking" (2021), Sunset Blvd. Records
- "He's Forgotten How to Dream" (2022), Sunset Blvd. Records
- "Father Sing" (2023), Bob Frank Entertainment
- "Dying in a Moment of Splendor" (2023), Bob Frank Entertainment
- "Tears" (2023), Bob Frank Entertainment
Compilation appearances
- Projekt 200 by Various Artists – "The Waiting Hour (Once Again)"; Projekt Records 2007
- Very Introspective Actually: A Pet Shop Boys Tribute – "This Must Be The Place I've Waited Years To Leave"; Dancing Ferret Discs 2001
- Orphee – "A Single White Rose"; Projekt Records 2000
- Songs from the Wasteland: A Tribute to The Mission – "Kingdom Come"; Re-Constriction Records 1999
- Death for Life, AIDS benefit compilation – "Goodbye"; Mere Mortal Productions 1999
- New Wave Goes To Hell – "The Whole Of The Moon"; Cleopatra Records 1996
- Beneath The Icy Floe – "Sad I Cry"; Projekt Records 1995
- Scream The Compilation – "Wave Of Darkness"; Geffen Records 1987
Videos/DVD
- The World Inside Video Collection (Video); released by Triple X
- Cynthia's Journal (Video); distributed through Projekt
- The Liar Inside (Video); available via The Orchard
- Rain On Me (Video); offered by The Orchard
- Like this One (Video); issued by The Orchard
- February 10 (Video); from Sunset Blvd
- Into Our Escape (Video); provided by Sunset Blvd
- I'm Looking (Video); released through Sunset Blvd
- Another Crash (Video); distributed by Sunset Blvd
- Dying in a Moment of Splendor (Video); made available by The Orchard
- Death of an Angelo (Video); released via The Orchard
Books
The publication My Bag of Secrets (The Words of Human Drama) contains song lyrics, photographs, and insights from Johnny Indovina alongside contributions from fans. Initially published in 1997, a revised edition was issued on Amazon Books in 2022.
Timeline
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bar:Ciravolo text:"Michael Ciravolo" bar:Wright text:"Clive Wright" bar:Caton text:"Steve Caton" bar:Bartolini text:"Carlo Bartolini" bar:Jung text:"Chuck Jung" bar:Attardo text:"Gary Attardo" bar:Balderas text:"Mark Balderas"
bar:D'Albert text:"Rita D'Albert" bar:LaPlante text:"Renelle LaPlante" bar:Sutyak text:"Gerri Sutyak" bar:Bertles text:"Lyn Bertles" bar:SZ text:"Jamii Szmadzinski" bar:Grove text:"Timothy Grove" bar:Collister text:"Greg Collister"
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External links
- Musical groups formed in 1985
- Musical groups that disbanded in 2005
- Alternative rock bands originating from Louisiana
- American post-punk bands
- Artists signed to Projekt Records
- Artists associated with Triple X Records
- Artists under The Orchard Records
- 1985 establishments in California
- Musical groups disestablished in 2005