Play Dead were an English post-punk group from Oxford that grew out of the fading English punk scene of the late 1970s/early 1980s. Although the band became identified with other music groups like UK Decay and Sex Gang Children, the band felt they didn't belong under the Gothic title. The band made three studio albums for four different small labels — Fresh Records, Jungle Records, Situation 2, and Clay Records — before forming their own label, Tanz, for their final album, Company Of Justice, which they released in 1985.
The original line-up of Play Dead consisted of Rob Hickson (vocals), Pete Waddleton (bass guitar), Mark "Wiff" Smith (drums) and Re-Vox (guitar). In July 1981, Re-Vox was replaced by Steve Green, a very talented guitarist who took the band in a far more successful direction with his unique style of playing.
During their active years, Play Dead were well respected among their peers, including the likes of Killing Joke, The Cult and The Sisters Of Mercy in the UK, all of whom had Play Dead as a support band at one time or another. An appearance on Channel 4's flagship music TV show, The Tube in late 1984 also cemented their credibility as a serious band who, despite their own attempts to dis-establish themselves from the Goth genre, were actually true pioneers of the movement with their dark, tribal music and often enigmatic image (photographs of the band members never appeared on any of their vinyl releases).
Swiftly signing to Fresh Records, their debut single ‘Poison Takes A Hold’ was released in June 1981. Re-Vox departed the band shortly afterwards and was replaced by Oxford based guitarist Steve Green, who performed on the follow up record ‘TV Eye’ (not the Stooges song) which appeared in October 1981. These two strong releases brought the band to the attention of legendary UK disc jockey John Peel, for whom they recorded their first national radio session in January 1982. Their second session was broadcast in 1983 and their last in 1984.
