Dead Meadow’s unique marriage of Sabbath riffs, dreamy layers of guitar-fuzz bliss, and singer Jason Simon’s melodic croon have won over psychedelic pop/rock and stoner rock fans alike. Although the band’s members met while attending all-ages shows in and around Washington, D.C.’s punk/indie scene, the trio draws more of its sound from such classic rock legends as Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and Black Sabbath. The trio formed in the fall of 1998 out of the ashes of local indie rock bands the Impossible 5 and Colour, with singer/guitarist Simon, bassist Steve Kille, and drummer Mark Laughlin. The three members set out to fuse their love of early-’70s hard rock and ’60s psychedelia into their distinct sound.
They released their eight song debut album in 1999. This record entitled “Dead Meadow” was recorded live in Jason’s parents basement and released on Fugazi bassist Joe Lally’s Tolotta Records with a joint vinyl release on D.C. indie label Planaria Records. The now classic collaged and painted cover was done by Steve Kille. Within a relatively short period, the D.C. trio received offers to tour with everyone from local D.C. acts like The Make-Up and Fugazi to psychedelic rockers Brian Jonestown Massacre.
The group was also invited to record live for longtime cutting-edge British radio personality John Peel for BBC Radio One. This session, actually recorded at Fugazi’s home studio, marks the first time a Peel Session was recorded outside the BBC studios. This remained unreleased for many years but it now available on Tekeli-li records, a label run by Jason Simon.
The much acclaimed debut was quickly followed by 2001’s “Howls from the Hills”, recorded at friend Stephen McCarty’s (who would later join Dead Meadow) grandparent’s farm house in rural Indiana and also released on Tolotta Records. “Howls from the Hills” incorporated a darker more eastern influenced sound. The band enjoyed renting a couple of Angora goats for the cover photo shoot. A live record produced by Anton Newcombe and released on the iconic Bomp label entitled “Got Live If You Want It!” arrived in 2002; that year, Mark Laughlin left the band but they found a new drummer in Stephen McCarty.
The band signed with Matador Records in early 2003 and released “Shivering King and Others”. Along with the heavy feel and blues-influenced songs, as found on the previous two records, the band incorporated a more layered and dense sound, and continued in their psychedelic style.
With the addition of long time friend Cory Shane as second guitarist, the band released the much acclaimed “Feathers” LP in 2005 on Matador Records. This record incorporated the heavy sound of Dead Meadow with a somewhat more dreamlike feel and included a great deal of two guitar interplay between Cory and Jason. Cory took lead vocal on his own composition entitled “Stacey’s Song”.
2007 saw the band reverting back to a three piece and relocating from Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles, CA. “Old Growth”, the fifth studio album was released in 2008 on Matador Records. It was recorded on the same farm in rural Indiana where 2001’s “Howls from the Hills” had been recorded. “Old Growth” was recorded by Steve Kille and mixed in Los Angeles at Sunset Studios by Dave Schiffman.
In March 2010 Dead Meadow released a feature length live film and soundtrack, “Three Kings”, that spotlighted their live show and included psychedelic dream sequences and all sorts of trippy shit. The live footage and audio was captured at the bombastic final show of the five month “Old Growth” tour. The film premiered at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles, CA and was released together with a live album on Xemu Records, a label run by Steve Kille.
In August 2010, Stephen McCarty left the band and original drummer Mark Laughlin returned, making his first appearance at Clean Air Clear Stars festival in Joshua Tree, CA. This was followed by tours of Australia, Europe, and the USA.
Jason Simon released his first solo record “self-titled” of acoustic based tunes on TeePee Records in September 2010. Simon’s guitar virtuosity, influenced by the droning modal character of eastern music and classic rock riffs was expanded by the country influenced roots flavor found on this solo effort.
Dead Meadow’s music was used briefly in season five of The Wire for the episode “React Quotes”. The songs “Sleepy Silver Door”, “Green Sky Green Lake”, and “That Old Temple” were featured in the skate video “Emerica, Stay Gold
The group spent a long, patient time self-producing and recording 2013’s epic double-album-length release “Warble Womb”, also released on Xemu records. It is the first Dead Meadow album made by the all-original lineup since 2001. Since then the band has continued to tour, playing shows across the globe.
In the interim, Steve Kille continues to run Xemu records while recording and producing many other bands. Jason Simon has released two solo records. One under the moniker Old Testament, with former and current members of The Black Angels and The Black Lips, and another under his own name entitled “Familiar Haunts”. Both releases incorporate his love for psychedelia, drones, and old Americana.
With the release of the new Dead Meadow LP “The Nothing they Need”, Steve and Jason celebrate twenty years of Dead Meadow with eight songs that feature everyone that has been musically involved with the band over the years. They’re joined by original drummer Mark Laughlin, Stephen McCarty ( the drummer throughout the Matador years), and current drummer Juan Londono. Cory Shane joins them on guitar for some Feathers era dual guitar interplay. This record incorporates a great deal of much needed good Earth energy.