Dog Fashion Disco

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dog Fashion Disco
Dog Fashion Disco publicity photo for the 2006 album "Adultery".
Background information
Origin	Rockville, Maryland, United States
Genre(s)	Metal - Alternative - Jazz
Years active	1996–2007
Label(s)	Rotten Records Artemis Records Spitfire Records Outerloop Records
Website	http://www.dogfashiondisco.com/
Members
Todd Smith Jasan Stepp Brian "Wendy" White Jeff Siegel John Ensminger Matt Rippetoe
Former members
Sennen Quigley Tim Swanson Greg Combs Mark Ammen Stephen Mears aka "Grand Master Super Eagle Sultan" John Ensminger Mike "Ollie" Oliver Geoff Stewart Kristen Ensminger
Notable instrument(s)
ESP Guitars

Dog Fashion Disco was a band that originated out of Rockville, Maryland, from 1996 - 2007.

1 Biography
2 Disbandment
3 Members
- 3.1 Final Lineup
- 3.2 Previous members
4 Discography
- 4.1 Compilations
- 4.2 DVDs
5 See also
6 References
7 External websites

Notable for combining many different music styles (70's psychedelic, jazz, piano recital, circus music and vocals, among others) Dog Fashion Disco was primarily considered a metal band. The band's lyrical content is often highly esoteric and satirical, with constant tongue-in-cheek references to the occult, drug use, and mutilation.

They are often referred to as DFD and were originally called Hug the Retard, but changed their name to Dog Fashion Disco before releasing any material, as they felt the name Hug The Retard was too politically incorrect and might cost them fans. Since establishing themselves as DFD, the band's sound has essentially remained the same despite the revolving door of various band members throughout the past decade.

Also of note is the fact that they recorded a track with System of a Down frontman, Serj Tankian called "Mushroom Cult" on the album Anarchists of Good Taste. This song is often wrongly attributed to System of a Down, even though Serj Tankian was the only member to perform on the track.

Dog Fashion Disco has been managed by Maryland resident Derek J. Brewer, of Outerloop Records, since 2000, in which they also released the album, The Embryo's in Bloom.^[1]

They were signed to Rotten Records and completed their sixth studio album, Adultery, early in 2006. It was released on April 4, 2006. The band toured in support for the release of Adultery during the summer of 2006.

Guitarist Jasan Stepp in the foreground perfoming with DFD at Fletchers Bar in Baltimore, Maryland.

On December 5, 2006 Todd Smith sent out a bulletin on MySpace stating that Dog Fashion Disco have called it quits.^[2] They performed their final show together at the Sonar Lounge in Baltimore, Maryland on January 13, 2007 to a capacity crowd. Fans came as far away as the United Kingdom for the final show. The band played a marathon 25+ song set, ending with the hit "Albino Rhino" from the 1998, Experiments in Alchemy album, and played the song "Sweet Insanity" off of the newest cd "Adultery" for an encore song. Other past band members showed to show their support for their former musical family such as Sennan Quigley and Mike "Ollie" Oliver.

The event was recorded for an expected DVD release for later this year.

Dog Fashion Disco taking their final bow in the early morning hours of January 14, 2007.

The members of Dog Fashion Disco hugging after performing their final song.

Brian White and Jasan Stepp are currently working together on a project named Phantom Communique, with another Baltimore native, Brandon Thomas. They joined the new band in September 2006 and played their first show in Baltimore on November 13, 2006. It is not known at this time what the other members will do after the final show in January although the band has hinted at other "dfd-esque projects" on their MySpace page.

DFD performing at Fletchers Bar in Baltimore, Maryland in April 2006.

Todd Smith - Vocals
Jasan Stepp - Guitars
Brian "Wendy" White - Bass
John Ensminger - Drums
Jeff Siegel - Keyboards
Matt Rippetoe - Horns

Greg Combs - Guitars
Sennen Quigley - Guitars, Keyboards
Mark Ammen - Bass
Stephen Mears aka "Grand Master Super Eagle Sultan" - Bass
Mike "Ollie" Oliver - Drums
Tim Swanson - Keyboards
Kristen Ensminger - Trumpet
Geoff Stewart - Saxophone

Album Cover	Date of Release	Title	Label	US sales
	1997	Erotic Massage	Self-released
	1998	Experiments in Alchemy	Self-released
	2000	The Embryo's in Bloom	Outerloop Records
	March 6, 2001	Anarchists of Good Taste	Spitfire Records
	September 3, 2001	Mutilated Genitals (EP)	Spitfire Records
	May 6, 2003	Committed to a Bright Future	Spitfire Records
	June 2004	Day of the Dead	Self-released
	January 25, 2005	The City is Alive Tonight...Live in Baltimore	Artemis Records
	April 4, 2006	Adultery	Rotten Records