Gray Matter was an American

post-hardcore Post-hardcore is a punk rock music genre that maintains the aggression and intensity of hardcore punk but emphasizes a greater degree of creative expression. It was initially inspired by post-punk and noise rock. Like post-punk, the term has been ...

band from

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, United States, who played in the 1980s and 1990s. They disbanded in 1986, but reformed in 1990.

Biography

Gray Matter officially formed in the summer of 1983 from the ashes of several Washington, D.C. area punk bands. Geoff Turner, Mark Haggerty and Dante Ferrando had been playing in bands since their early junior high school days. In 1983, Dante and Mark were playing in

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, but when the band's image began to reflect its violent supporters more than the members themselves, Dante quit. Soon after Mark also left and the two reunited with Geoff and Steve Niles and started playing shows around Washington D.C. as Gray Matter. The band's first album, ''Food For Thought'', was recorded at Inner Ear studio in November 1984 with

Minor Threat Minor Threat was an American hardcore punk band, formed in 1980 in Washington, D.C. by vocalist Ian MacKaye and drummer Jeff Nelson. MacKaye and Nelson had played in several other bands together, and recruited bassist Brian Baker and guitaris ...

Ian Mackaye Ian Thomas Garner MacKaye (; born April 16, 1962) is an American musician. Active since 1979, he is best known as the co-founder and owner of Dischord Records, a Washington, D.C.-based independent record label and the frontman of hardcore punk ...

assisting with production. It was originally released on R&B Records in 1985, while the members were still in high school. In 1986,

Dischord Records Dischord Records is a Washington, D.C.-based independent record label specializing in punk rock. The label is co-owned by Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson, who founded Dischord in 1980 to release ''Minor Disturbance'' by their band The Teen Idles. ...

released the EP ''Take It Back''. Shortly thereafter, Mark left the band to go to college and Gray Matter broke up. Dante went on to play drums for Ignition and Geoff, Steve, and Mark reunited and formed the band Three, with Jeff Nelson from Minor Threat. Gray Matter reformed in the spring of 1990 and released a double seven inch in 1991 and the full-length, ''Thog'', in 1992. The band officially disbanded in 1993. Dischord originally re-issued ''Food For Thought'' and ''Take It Back'' (DIS 49) onto one CD in 1990. On September 21, 2003, the band reunited for a one off show to celebrate to 10th anniversary of the

Black Cat A black cat is a domestic cat with black fur that may be a mixed or specific breed, or a common domestic cat of no particular breed. The Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) recognizes 22 cat breeds that can come with solid black coats. The Bombay b ...

, a nightclub in Washington D.C. that's partially owned by band member Dante Ferrando. Subsequently, Gray Matter has performed at the Black Cat's 15th, 20th, and 25th anniversary shows.

Members

*Geoff Turner - vocals, guitar *

Steve Niles Steve Niles (born June 21, 1965) is an American comic book author and novelist, known for works such as ''30 Days of Night'', '' Criminal Macabre: A Cal McDonald Mystery'', ''Simon Dark'', ''Mystery Society'', and '' Batman: Gotham County Line''. ...

- bass, vocals *Mark Haggerty - guitar *Dante Ferrando - drums Before Gray Matter, Haggerty and Ferrando played in the DC skinhead band

. Niles later gained fame for writing horror comics books, in particular '' 30 Days of Night''. Geoff Turner went on to found WGNS recording studios, and Dante Ferrando is the founder and owner of long running D.C. alternative and punk nightclub the

Discography

Albums

* ''Food for Thought'' (R&B Records 1985, Dischord Records 1990) * ''Thog'' (Dischord Records 1992)

EPs and singles

* ''Take It Back'' 12-inch (Dischord Records 1986) * ''4 Songs'' 2×7″ (Dischord/WGNS Recordings 1991) * ''Second Guess'' split 7-inch with Severin (Dischord/Superbad Records 1992)

Compilations

* '' Food for Thought/Take It Back'' (1990)

Compilation appearances

* ''Alive and Kicking'' 7-inch (WGNS Recordings 1985) * '' 20 Years of Dischord'' (2002) - "Oscar's Eye"

Covers

* "

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The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...

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I've Just Seen a Face "I've Just Seen a Face" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles. It was released in August 1965 on their album ''Help!'', except in North America, where it appeared as the opening track on the December 1965 release ''Rubber Soul''. Writ ...

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References

External links

Gray Matter Profile by Dischord Records

Myspace Site

Gray Matter Profile by Southern Records

GrayMatter, a charity of the same name!
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gray Matter American emo musical groups Dischord Records artists First-wave emo bands Musical groups established in 1983 Musical groups disestablished in 1993 Hardcore punk groups from Washington, D.C.