Brainiac
Origin	Dayton, Ohio, USA
Genres	Synthpunk, Indie rock, Noise rock
Years active	1992–1997
Labels	Touch and Go
Former members
Tim Taylor Monostereo Michelle Bodine Tyler Trent John Schmersal

Brainiac was an American synthpunk band formed in 1992 and disbanded after the sudden death of lead singer Tim Taylor in 1997.

Contents 1 Biography 2 Discography 2.1 Singles 2.2 Albums 3 Bands Influenced by Brainiac 4 Trivia 5 References 6 Sources 7 External links

[edit] Biography

Brainiac was formed in Dayton, Ohio in January 1992 with vocalist, guitarist and keyboard player (particularly Moog synthesizers) Tim Taylor (July 20, 1968 – May 23, 1997)^[1], bassist Monostereo (Juan Monasterio), guitarist Michelle Bodine and drummer Tyler Trent. On the March 12th, the band played its first show at Wright State's University Cafeteria, under the name We'll Eat Anything.

After a couple of singles, they released their debut album, Smack Bunny Baby, on Grass/ BMG Records in 1993. Bonsai Superstar, now with John Schmersal on guitar in place of Bodine, followed the next year. In 1995 they played on the Lollapalooza side stage and recorded four songs in the UK for the BBC Peel Sessions. They joined Touch and Go Records and released Internationale, produced by Kim Deal (of the Pixies). The following year, their third album, Hissing Prigs in Static Couture, was released on the Touch & Go label. All three of their albums were produced by Eli Janney (of Girls Against Boys).

Brainiac generated a buzz as the live act to see that resulted in opening tours for Beck, the Breeders and the Jesus Lizard and receiving offers from major labels. In 1997 they released an electronic-based EP called Electro-Shock for President which turned out to be their last record: Tim Taylor was killed in a car accident on May 23, 1997, during the pre-production for their fourth album, which was due out on Interscope Records. The group soon disbanded.

After recording a solo album under the name John Stuart Mill^[2] guitar player John Schmersal later went on to form Enon. Monasterio directs music videos, including two for Enon, and released in 2008 an EP with a new band called Model/Actress consisting besides Monasterio Curtis Mead and Charlie Walker from Chamberlain and ex Bullet LaVolta drummer Philips; Schmersal makes appearances on this album. Trent briefly joined the Breeders and most recently played with The Dirty Walk. Bodine became the guitarist and singer of O-matic and Shesus.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Singles

• Superduperseven 7" (1992, Limited Potential)
• I Could Own You (Live) 7" (split single with Bratmobile, 1993, 12x12 Records)
• Dexatrim 7" (split single with Lazy, 1994, Simple Solution) (John Schmersal's debut as new guitarist)
• Cookie Doesn't Sing 7" (split single w/Today Is The Day, Chrome Cranks, and Steel Pole Bathtub Vol. 10/ CD Comp., 1995, Dope-Guns-'N-Fucking In The Streets Vols. 8-11, Amphetamine Reptile Records)
• Internationale (7" single/EP {features new recording of "Simon Says" off Superduperseven 7"}, 1995, Touch & Go)
• Go! 4x7" single (Jabberjaw Vol. 6, CD Comp., 1996, Mammoth Records)
• Electro-Shock for President EP (1997, Touch & Go)
• Petrified single (Ubu Dance Party: A Tribute To Pere Ubu, CD Comp., 1997, Datapanic)

[edit] Albums

• Smack Bunny Baby (album, 1993, Grass/BMG)
• Bonsai Superstar album (1994, Grass/BMG)
• Hissing Prigs in Static Couture album (1996, Touch & Go)

[edit] Bands Influenced by Brainiac

The band Death Cab for Cutie from Bellingham, Washington claims Brainiac influenced their album, Narrow Stairs.

Quote from the online magazine Sonic Swap:

"Chris Walla of Death Cab for Cutie said, 'I'm really excited about it (album Narrow Stairs). It's really got some teeth. The landscape of the thing is way, way more lunar than the urban meadow sort of thing that has been happening for the last couple of records.'[18] Walla added that the album was 'louder and more dissonant and... abrasive.' They claimed that they were influenced by 'synth-punk band Brainiac.'[18] The album, titled Narrow Stairs, was released on May 12, 2008.."^[3]

[edit] Trivia

Brainiac's motivation to include the Moog with their sound is due to Taylor and Monostereo's hearing "She Shook Me Cold" by David Bowie at a party. Monostereo and Bodine showed no interest in playing the instrument so Taylor did "by default."^[4]

A track from Tripping Daisy's album Jesus Hits Like the Atom Bomb was dedicated to Taylor. The track was a Brainiac cover, "Indian Poker Parts 2&3."

[edit] References

[edit] Sources

• Allmusicguide.com biography

[edit] External links

• Band's biography / discography on IHRTN.com
• Touch and Go Records - Brainiac's label website.
• MusicianGuide.com biography
• Rainbows and Vampires - Monostereo's video directing website.
• Brainiac fan site and lyrics (click picture on front page)