Musicians - Death In June

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	Musicians - Death In June

Death In June is the creative music works by English folk musician Douglas Pearce, better known as Douglas P. Originally formed in Britain in 1981 as a trio, Death In June became the sole work of Pearce in 1985 after both members left to work on other projects. From that point on, Death In June became the work of Douglas Pearce and various collaborators. Pearce now lives in Australia.

Over Death In June's two decades of existence, numerous shifts in style and presentation have occurred, resulting in an overall shift from initial post-punk and Industrial Records influence to an overall more acoustic and folk music-oriented approach. Although sometimes considered controversial, Death In June has become very influential in certain post-industrial musical circles. Pearce's influence was instrumental in sparking neofolk, which his music has subsequently become a part of.

Crisis

Pearce formed Death In June in 1981 in England, along with Patrick Leagas and Tony Wakeford. Pearce and Wakeford had been members of the influential political punk band Crisis , which formed in 1977. Crisis had gained a substantial following in the U.K. punk scene, which was getting its legs at that time. Crisis performed at rallies for Rock Against Racism (RAR), and the Anti-Nazi League (ANL), organizations that neoist and Crisis/Death in June critic Stewart Home wrote were fronts for the Socialist Workers Party. Home further stated that the SWP organized a tour of Norway for Crisis and that Wakeford was a "card-carrying member of the SWP".

Incidentally, Pearce has said, "there is a writer called Stewart Home, who has always loved the group (Crisis)," and Home named his novel, Come Before Christ and Murder Love after a Death In June song of the same name. Pearce has said the song dates from his years in Crisis.

Early Death In June (1981-1985)

Death In June soon left the reticent punk scene behind and began to infuse their sound with electronics and martial style drumming, combined with a Joy Division-like post-punk sound. Their lyrics maintained much of poetry and political urgency of the early Crisis recordings. Tracks such as "Holy Water" and "State Laughter" demonstrated an ongoing fascination with political systems. Further on, Pearce would abandon any overt interest in politics in favor of a more esoteric approach to his work.

Live debut

The band played their first show in November, 25 1981 in London, England, followed by a short British tour in 1982 (The May 28th show to be rereleased unofficially by Patrick Leagas later in 1987 as Oh How We Laughed) and a more extensive tour in 1983.

Introduction of folk music

During the recording of 1983's The Guilty Have No Pride LP, Death In June began to adopt a more traditional European folk sound, using more acoustic guitars, references to ancient and contemporary European history, combining heavy percussion with electronic soundscapes and post-industrial experimentation.

Tony Wakeford departs

Wakeford was asked to leave Death In June in January 1984 after a show in Paris, France. Wakeford began his own project with the folk noir band Sol Invictus . Despite the departure, Wakeford has remained on good terms with Pearce and would later guest on stage during a few shows.

Nada! flirtation with dance music

The Nada! (1985) LP introduced a temporary dance sound to Death In June accompanied by other tracks with the previously introduced folk elements. Pearce would later state this period was brought about by Patrick Leagas, which is further justified by Leagas' other work as Sixth Comm and later by his joining Mother Destruction, where he would further explore Germanic paganism and historically-inspired music.

Patrick Leagas departs

Patrick Leagas abruptly left the group in April 1985 after a tour of Italy, resulting in many cancelled shows in the UK and Europe due to follow that tour. Leagas, who began calling himself Patrick O-Kill, later formed Sixth Comm. From that point until the present, Death In June has consisted solely of the work of Pearce and various like-minded collaborators.

Mid-period Death In June (1985-1996)

Creation of World Serpent Distribution

In 1991, Pearce named and helped form World Serpent Distribution, a British distribution company that specialized in esoteric, experimental and post-industrial music, whom would distribute his NER releases until the late 1990s. During this period, Pearce collaborated with many artists who also had material distributed through the company in various ways.

Collaboration with David Tibet

David Tibet was a former member of 23 Skidoo and formed Current 93 in 1982. After being introduced to Pearce by Alan McGee of Creation Records at the Living Room Club, London, in 1983, Tibet eventually began working with Death In June. Upon meeting Tibet, Pearce began to devote more of his time to a new circle of collaborators, which resulted in various Thelemic, Satanic and Hermetic disciplines that markedly affected his approach to composing music. Familiar with Germanic Runes, Pearce introduced them to Tibet. Tibet similarly had been long interested in ceremonial magick and implemented occult concepts into his early recordings with Current 93.

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