ArtistInfo

Mannequin Depressives

Electronic
A.k.a. Nebulous, Rod C. Dornian, Scott Johns, Russ Magee

Influenced by various "alternative" electronic genres from the '80s & '90s - including acts such as New Order, Cabaret Voltaire and The The - Mannequin Depressives manage to create a sound that all at once seems familiar, and yet, not quite like any other band you've ever heard before. MD's mixture of electronic sounds (actual synthesizers - no soft synths here) with more traditional instrumentation (voice, guitar, occasional acoustic percussion) create a sound that could be described as "electro-acoustic pop" or "post-new wave" - fusing the hi-fi with the lo-fi, and blending pop sensibilities with occasional experimental elements. Seeing an imperative to continue where new wave and post- punk left off, founder Rod C. Dornian joined forces with Nebulous in '98, and laid out the framework for what would later become Mannequin Depressives. By 1999, Russ Magee and Scott "Smoth" Johns joined the Mannequin line-up, simultaneously setting in motion the process of completing their debut album, as well as developing strategies for live performance. 2002's debut album "Trash-Eighty" set to the task of breathing new life into what was left of the new wave movement. Elements of post-punk, synthpop, and industrial combined together to create an album rooted in the 80s, within the context of the 90s and 2000s. A series of live shows with groups such as The Birthday Massacre, Icon Of Coil, and Left Spine Down kept the cross- genre exposure pervasive, while the sole cover song of Kraftwerk's "The Model" paid homage to one of MD's most notable influences. With each release, the sound of Mannequin Depressives has matured and evolved to incorporate a wider variety of musical influences, but they've never forgotten their roots. The spirit of those pioneering days gone by can still be heard in their music as they continue to remind us of just how cool synthesizers can be.

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