Live Skull

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Live Skull
Cover of Live Skull's 1989 Positraction album. L-R: Mark C., Thalia Zedek, Richard Hutchins, Tom Paine, Sonda Andersson.
Cover of Live Skull's 1989 Positraction album. L-R: Mark C., Thalia Zedek, Richard Hutchins, Tom Paine, Sonda Andersson.
Background information
Origin New York City, New York, USA Flag of United States
Genre(s) Post-punk
Noise rock
Experimental
Alternative rock
Years active 1983 to 1990
Label(s) Homestead, Caroline
Associated
acts		 Thalia Zedek, Fuse, Come, Chavez
Members
Marc C (1983-90)
Tom Paine (1983-90)
Marnie Greenholz (1983-89)
Richard Hutchins (1987-90)
Thalia Zedek (1987-90)
Former members
James Lo (1983-87)
Sonda Andersson (1988-90)

Contents

Live Skull created abrasive noise rock music not unlike their 1980s contemporaries Sonic Youth, Swans, The Chameleons, Mars, Fugazi and Band Of Susans. Their music featured angular guitar parts interspersed with bleak, quieter passages, for a haunting overall effect. The lyrical subject matter was usually as pessimistic and harsh as the music itself. Live Skull never achieved mainstream recognition, but retain underground notoriety and share a family tree with other relatively noteworthy groups.

Live Skull formed in New York City in 1983 by the guitar/bandleader tandem of Mark C. and Tom Paine. They were soon joined by drummer James Lo and Marnie Greenholz (Paine's then-girlfriend), on bass guitar. In 1984, a self-titled debut 12" EP saw release on the tiny Massive label. They soon signed with indie label Homestead Records, which released their 1985 debut full-length Bringing Home The Bait. On this LP, vocal duties were shared by Greenholz, Paine, and C. 1986 album Cloud One had slightly more accessible song structures. Concert album, Live: Don't Get Any On You, was recorded at CBGB's late that year.

Boston native Thalia Zedek joined the band as singer in 1987, replacing Greenholz on lead vocals, though the latter stayed in the band as bassist. Zedek had previously played in the Boston-area post-punk outfits White Women, Dangerous Birds, and Uzi. The band also replaced Lo with ex-Ruin drummer Rich Hutchins ([1]). Zedek and Hutchins debuted on 1987's Dusted, which spawned a black and white music video for the song "5-D", likely filmed in the same abandoned warehouse featured in the album's cover art. (This video later appeared on the Twelve O'Clock High video compilation.)

The group signed to the larger Caroline Records label, debuting with 1988's six-song Snuffer 12". Hutchins was now also playing with the band Of Cabbages & Kings. Greenholz subsequently left and was replaced by Sonda Andersson, a former member of Rat At Rat R and cousin of avant-garde composer Glenn Branca. Released in 1989, Positraction was a more accessible, song-oriented effort that maintained the generally positive critical reaction. Live Skull disbanded in 1990 due to musical differences.

Zedek moved back to Boston and fronted the blues-rock-oriented Come, which went on to recognition via Matador Records. Several Live Skull members briefly reunited in the band Fuse, which released a double 7" in 1992. Lo would go on to drum for Wider and then for Chavez in the mid-1990s.

  • Bringing Home The Bait - LP (1985, Homestead)
  • Cloud One - LP,cass. (1986, Homestead)
  • Don't Get Any On You (live 1986) - LP,cass. (1987, Homestead) (cassette version has bonus track "Brains Big Enough")
  • Dusted - LP,CD,cass. (1987, Homestead)
  • Positraction - LP,CD,cass. (1989, Caroline) (CD pressing includes Snuffer EP + compilation track "Paul Revere's Bush (Tree Girl)")

  • Live Skull 12" (1984, Massive)
  • Raise The Manifestation/ Pusherman 12" (1986, Homestead)
  • Snuffer 12" (1988, Caroline)
  • John Peel Session EP (1991)

  • Skull Fuck - VHS (full live concert in Cincinatti, Ohio, circa 1986) (Atavistic - ATV6)

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