View source for Brendan Perry

{{short description|British singer and multi-instrumentalist (born 1959)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name            = Brendan Perry
| image           = Brendan Perry.jpg
| caption         = Brendan Perry on stage in 2010
| image_size      =
| alias           =
| birth_name      = Brendan Michael Perry
| birth_date      = {{Birth date and age|1959|6|30|df=y}} 
| birth_place     = [[Whitechapel]], [[London]], England
| origin          =
| instrument      = [[Vocals]], [[guitar]], [[bass guitar]], [[keyboard instrument|keyboards]], [[hurdy-gurdy]], [[percussion instrument|percussion]], [[bouzouki]], [[mandolin]], [[low whistle]], [[hammered dulcimer]]
| genre           =
| occupation      = Musician, songwriter, producer
| years_active    =
| label           =
| website         = [http://brendanperry.com/ brendanperry.com]
| current_members =
| past_members    = 
}}

'''Brendan Michael Perry''' (born 30 June 1959)<ref name=Biography>{{cite web |url=http://ark.brendan-perry.com/biography.php |title=Brendan Perry biography |author=Brendan Perry |accessdate=19 November 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100820162811/http://ark.brendan-perry.com/biography.php |archivedate=20 August 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> is a British singer and multi-instrumentalist best known for his work as half of the duo [[Dead Can Dance]] with [[Lisa Gerrard]].

==Early life==
Perry was born in [[Whitechapel]], London, England, in 1959 to a mother from Cavan, Ireland,<ref name=AllMusic>"[http://www.allmusic.com/artist/brendan-perry-mn0000935537/biography Brendan Perry: Biography]". AllMusic. Retrieved 15 April 2018.</ref> and a father from London.<ref name=Biography /> He was raised and schooled in the [[East End of London]] until his family moved to [[Auckland]], New Zealand, in 1973. Having received no formal musical education, Perry began to play the guitar at [[St Paul's College, Auckland|St Paul's College]],<ref>[http://www.ticketfly.com/event/33161-brendan-perry-robin-guthrie-portland/ Brendan Perry, Robin Guthrie]. ''Ticketfly''. Retrieved 15 April 2018.</ref> the Catholic school he attended in [[Ponsonby, New Zealand|Ponsonby]]. After failing to become a primary school teacher and join the civil service, Perry worked at a series of jobs until joining [[the Scavengers]] in 1977. At first Perry played bass guitar, later taking on the duties of lead vocalist when the original singer left the band. Apart from a handful of original songs, the band covered music from [[the Stooges]], [[New York Dolls]], and late-1960s [[psychedelic music|psychedelia]]. After two years, having failed to secure a recording deal or live dates, the band moved to [[Melbourne]], Australia, in November 1978<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.audioculture.co.nz/people/the-scavengers|title=The Scavengers – AudioCulture|website=Audioculture.co.nz}}</ref> and changed its name to Marching Girls. In 1980, Perry left the Marching Girls to pursue a solo career, experimenting with tape loops, synthesis, and alternative forms of rhythm. In 1981, Perry formed [[Dead Can Dance]] with Simon Monroe and Paul Erikson (both of whom were to leave soon after they had relocated to London), and [[Lisa Gerrard]].<ref name=Biography />

==Career==
[[File:Thescavengers.jpg|thumb|The Scavengers – Perry (centre), Ken Cooke (left), Simon Monroe (right)]]

===The Scavengers and Marching Girls===
Though now primarily known for his work with [[Dead Can Dance]], Perry's first musical forays were in a markedly different style. In 1977, Perry was a leading member of the New Zealand [[punk rock]] band [[the Scavengers]], working under the pseudonym of Ronnie Recent. Perry started as the band's bass player, becoming lead vocalist after a lineup change in 1978. In 1979, the band moved to Melbourne and changed its name to [[the Marching Girls]]. Perry left the band in 1980. Perry's work with these two bands can be found on the 1979 compilation album ''[[AK79]]'' that was re-released on CD in 1994 and on vinyl in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Various-AK79/release/14719699|title=Various – AK•79|publisher=Discogs}}</ref> The Scavengers released two collections of their tracks in New Zealand, in 2003 and 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/300489-The-Scavengers|title=The Scavengers|publisher=Discogs}}</ref> The Scavengers are regarded as New Zealand's equivalent of [[the Buzzcocks]], with the Perry co-penned song "Mysterex" regarded as one of the country's best and most distinctive punk-rock recordings. Marching Girls also reached the New Zealand singles charts in 1980 with "True Love."<ref name =Biography />

===Dead Can Dance===
[[File:Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard in concert as group Dead Can Dance, Paris, June 2013.jpg|thumb|Perry and [[Lisa Gerrard]] during a concert of ''Dead Can Dance'' in Paris, June 2013]]
[[Dead Can Dance]] were originally formed as a trio in 1981 in Melbourne, by Perry together with drummer Simon Monroe and bass player Paul Erikson. They later became a quartet with the addition of [[Lisa Gerrard]] on vocals and percussion. In 1982, Dead Can Dance moved to London leaving Simon Monroe in Australia. [[Peter Ulrich]] played drums in the band's first demos, concerts and recordings. Paul Erikson soon left the band to fly back to Australia, leaving the band a duo.  The band went on to record eight albums on the [[4AD Records]] record label beginning with the self-titled ''[[Dead Can Dance (album)|Dead Can Dance]]'' album, which was released in February 1984.<ref name=Biography />

===Solo career===
In 1999, Perry released his solo album ''[[Eye of the Hunter]]'' on 4AD Records. The album contained songs written by Perry and a cover of [[Tim Buckley]]'s song "I Must Have Been Blind." Perry would eventually cover more Tim Buckley songs: "Happy Time", "Chase the Blues Away", "Dream Letter" and "[[Song to the Siren (Tim Buckley song)|Song to the Siren]]".<ref>[http://www.allmusic.com/album/eye-of-the-hunter-mw0000669550 "''Eye of the Hunter'' on AllMusic"]. Retrieved 11 September 2016.</ref>
[[File:Brendan Perry 2013.jpg|thumb|Perry in 2013]]

Around 2001, Perry made the music for a 10-minute film (''Mushin'') made by Graham Wood, who designed the artwork of the box set ''[[Dead Can Dance (1981-1998)]]'' and the album ''[[Wake (Dead Can Dance album)|Wake]]''.

Perry announced his departure from 4AD in September 2008, and promised a new album titled ''[[Ark (Brendan Perry album)|Ark]]'' in early 2009. According to a reply Perry made to a comment on his [[Myspace]] blog, the new album would be very different from ''[[Eye of the Hunter]]'', notably because it would feature rhythm machines and electric guitars. "Utopia", a demo version of a song from the album, was made available on his Myspace blog.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=75211004|title=Featured Content on Myspace|website=Profile.myspace.com|accessdate=8 June 2016 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006092802/http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=75211004|archivedate=6 October 2008}}</ref> ''Ark'' was eventually released on 7 June 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ark-Brendan-Perry/dp/B003H52VI4|title=Ark|date=30 September 2010|publisher=Amazon|accessdate=8 June 2016}}</ref>

In March 2016 it was announced that he would collaborate with French musician [[Olivier Mellano]] and the [[Brittany|Breton]] traditional band Bagad Cesson on a project titled ''No Land''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mellanoland.com/en/ |title=No Land |website=Mellanoland.com |date=March 2016 |access-date=11 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180601160600/https://www.mellanoland.com/en/ |archive-date=1 June 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Discography==
===Solo albums===
* ''[[Eye of the Hunter]]'' (1999)
* ''[[Ark (Brendan Perry album)|Ark]]'' (2010)
* ''Songs of Disenchantment: Music from the Greek Underground'' (2020)

===Compilations===
* ''The Scavengers: The Scavengers'' (2003) [Compilation LP of demos and assorted tracks from Brendan Perry's punk band]
* ''[[AK79]]'' (1980) [New Zealand punk collection including The Scavengers, reissued in 1994 and 2020 with the Marching Girls]
* ''London ICA (13 Year Itch Festival)'' (2008) [Solo, only available as a MP3/MP4 download]

===Contributions===
* Opera Multi Steel: ''Stella obscura'' (CD, "Du chant des elfes")
* ''The 13 Year Itch'' (4AD compilation, "Happy time" 1993)
* Elijah's Mantle: ''Angels of perversity'' (1993, "Paradis IAC" & "Quem di dilicunt -part two")
* [[Hector Zazou]]: ''[[Sahara Blue]]'' (1994, "Youth" & "Black Stream" [w/Lisa Gerrard])
* Hector Zazou: ''Songs from the cold seas'' (1994, "Annuka suaren neito" & "Adventures in the Scandinavian skin trade")
* ''Rare on Air'' (KCRW compilation, "The Captive Heart" 1994)
* CoEx: ''Synaesthesia'' (1995, "Chant of Amergin")
* Hector Zazou & Harold Budd: ''Glyph'' (1995, "Around the corner from everywhere")
* Hector Zazou: ''Lights in the dark''<ref name="RoughGuide">{{cite book |last=Buckley |first=Peter |date=2003 |title=The Rough Guide to Rock |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Fie47qSuTsoC&dq=Brendan+Perry+Dead+Can+Dance&pg=PA1828 |publisher=[[Rough Guides]] |page=1828 |isbn=1858284570 |access-date=15 July 2015}}</ref> ("Gol na dtrí Muire", "In ainm an athar le bua" & "Caoine Mhuire")
* [[Barbara Gogan]] & Hector Zazou: ''Made on Earth'' (1997, "True love")
* ''Sunset Heights'' 1997 (movie soundtrack by Perry)
* ''Greenwood voice of the celtic myth'' (compilation, "Balor's song", 1997)
* [[Peter Ulrich]]: ''Pathways and Dawns''<ref name="RoughGuide"/> (programming & sequencing, guitars, hurdy-gurdy & tin whistles)
* ''[[Sing a Song for You: Tribute to Tim Buckley]]'' (tribute album, "Dream letter", 2000)
* [[Zoar (band)|Zoar]]: ''Clouds without water'' (2003, "Winter wind" & "Wakeworld")
* [[Piano Magic]]: ''Ovations'' (2009, "The Nightmare Goes On" & "You Never Loved This City")
* [[Olivier Mellano]]: ''No Land'' (2017)
* [[Deleyaman]]: ''The lover, The stars & The citadel'' (2016, "Escape" & "Autumn Sun")
* [[Deleyaman]]: ''Sentinel'' (2020, "The Valley")

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Brendan Perry}}
*[http://brendanperry.com/ brendanperry.com] (official website)
*{{MusicBrainz artist|id=406fa1ec-0f9f-47ac-b2a3-52eccf987af6|name=Brendan Perry}}
*[https://deadcandance.com/ deadcandance.com] (official website of Dead Can Dance)
*[http://www.audioculture.co.nz/people/the-scavengers The Scavengers at AudioCulture]
*[http://www.muzic.net.nz/artists/1002.html Muzic net's Scavengers page]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070302192812/http://www.gothic.hu/pantheon_dcddiszkografia.html Discography]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070928211853/http://www.sweetfoolthemouth.co.uk/interviews/perry.html Interview ca. 2001 with Perry]

{{Dead Can Dance}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Goth subculture}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Perry, Brendan}}
[[Category:English baritones]]
[[Category:English people of Irish descent]]
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Whitechapel]]
[[Category:4AD artists]]
[[Category:People educated at St Paul's College, Auckland]]
[[Category:Cooking Vinyl artists]]
[[Category:Dead Can Dance members]]