The Dead 60s
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Defunct | 2008 |
| Headquarters | Liverpool , England |
| Products | Music (ska punk, punk rock, ska, dub, reggae) |
The Dead 60s were a Liverpool-based English band known for their fusion of ska punk, combining elements of punk rock, ska, dub, and reggae. Their sound drew inspiration from artists such as King Tubby, Jackie Mittoo, Gang of Four, and A Certain Ratio.
History
Matt McManamon and Charlie Turner first crossed paths at Merchant Taylor's School for Boys in Crosby, Liverpool, where they formed the teenage band Rest Home. The group later adopted the name Pinhole and issued the EP 122 Duke Street, titled after a Liverpool venue where they often played. In 2000, Ben Gordon and Bryan Johnson became part of the lineup.
In 2001, Pinhole released the EP "Breaking Hearts & Windows," followed by the single "So Over You" / "Morning Rain" in 2002. That January, they recorded a John Peel session at Maida Vale studios, with "So Over You" achieving the No.8 spot in the John Peel Festive Fifty that year. The band extensively toured the UK, opening for groups including Green Day and The Hives. Pinhole disbanded in 2003.
Soon after, they regrouped as The Dead 60s and signed with Deltasonic Records, a label that also represented bands like The Coral and The Zutons. They embarked on extensive UK tours, supporting artists such as Morrissey, Kasabian, and The Thrills.
Their debut album, self-titled, was released in the US on 31 May 2005 and later in the UK on 26 September 2005. The recording took place at Ranch Studios and Parr St Studios, produced by Central Nervous System and mixed by Mike Hedges. This release was accompanied by tours throughout Europe, Japan, and the US. In America, they joined the Vans Warped Tour and supported acts including Garbage, The Bravery, and Social Distortion. They also performed at major events like Lollapalooza and KROQ Weenie Roast. Their single "Riot Radio" became the third most added track on US Alternative Radio, ranking just behind songs by White Stripes and Coldplay.
They were slated to open The Other Stage at Glastonbury Festival on 24 June 2005; however, their performance was cancelled due to a lightning strike. Nevertheless, the band continued touring through 2005 and 2006, appearing at prominent festivals worldwide.
In 2007, The Dead 60s moved to New York to record their sophomore album Time To Take Sides at Avatar Studios and SeeSquaredStudios. The album was produced by David Kahne with engineering by Joe Barresi.
On 1 September 2007, they performed before an audience of around 30,000 at Ward Park in Bangor, Northern Ireland, supporting headliner Snow Patrol alongside Kowalski, Simple Kid, Ash, and We Are Scientists.
Later that October, Trojan Records issued Riot Radio Broadcast, a compilation assembled by the band featuring fifteen tracks from Trojan’s archive, including selections from Horace Andy and The Upsetters.
On 15 November 2007, Terry Hall joined The Dead 60s for an encore at a Fred Perry subculture event held at London’s 100 Club. Together they performed covers of The Equals' "Police on My Back" and The Specials' "Friday Night, Saturday Morning," with Hall taking lead vocals.
Also in November 2007, Fred Perry introduced a limited edition Dead 60s Harrington Jacket designed in collaboration with the band. Produced in Cornish Tartan and Stuart Tartan patterns, only 500 units of each design were made—each jacket individually numbered and featuring a Dead 60s neck label.
The band officially announced their breakup through a press release dated 8 February 2008.
In popular culture
The track "Riot Radio" is featured in the movie Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, which stars Michael Cera and Kat Dennings. This song is part of the soundtrack curated by Mark Mothersbaugh from Devo, released on 23 September 2008. Additionally, it appears in the video games Burnout Legends and Burnout Revenge.
The song "A Different Age" was included in the 2006 video game Driver: Parallel Lines.
Later projects
Charlie Turner and Bryan Johnson collaborated with James McCartney, the son of Sir Paul McCartney, both touring and recording together.
In June 2008, Ben Gordon, Charlie Turner, and Bryan Johnson supported Terry Hall during a rare solo performance at London's 100 Club.
Bryan Johnson has toured and recorded with a variety of artists such as Cold Specks, Basia Bulat, Tom Speight, and Tom Visser. His contributions extend to TV and film soundtracks including Ashes, Spike Island, and The Athena, working alongside Tim Wheeler and Ilan Ishkeri. He also made an appearance in Creation Stories. Beyond performing, Johnson holds an executive position within the music industry at Spotify.
Matt McManamon has toured as the lead guitarist for The Specials and is currently working on his debut solo album, Scally Folk, which is scheduled for release on 28 May 2021.
Pinhole
| Year | EP | Producer | Record label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | "Breaking Hearts & Windows" | John Robb | Thrill City |
| 2002 | "So Over You" / "Morning Rain" | Mark Freegard | Too Nice Recordings |
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | FRA | IRE | SCO | |||||||||||
| The Dead 60s |
|
23 | 97 | 65 | 23 |
| ||||||||
| Time to Take Sides |
|
— | 135 | — | — | |||||||||
| "—" indicates titles that did not chart or were unavailable in that region. | ||||||||||||||
Singles
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | SCO | ||||
| 2004 | "You're Not the Law" | — | — | The Dead 60s | |
| "Riot Radio" | 30 | 33 | |||
| 2005 | "The Last Resort" | 24 | 27 | ||
| "Loaded Gun" | 28 | — | |||
| "Riot Radio" (re-release) | 30 | 29 | |||
| "Ghostfaced Killer" | 25 | 28 | |||
| 2007 | "Stand Up" | 54 | 22 |
Time to Take Sides |
|