With their raw power, gargantuan guitar riffs, and
balls-to-the-wall live performances, Philadelphia's Burning Brides most often
evoke comparisons to hard rock forefathers the MC5, the Stooges, and Black
Sabbath. Yet, with their innate melodic sense, complex dynamics, and broad
musical references, it's the latter-day rock royalty- Nirvana, the Pixies, and
Sonic Youth- the band is most often likened to. But the Brides themselves come
from an entirely different school of music one that few bands - if any- will
know a thing about.
Long before being saved by rock and roll, singer-songwriter Dimitri Coats,
hailing from Boston, traveled an almost certain path to success in the theatre
while bassist Melanie Campbell, raised in Texas, was well on her way to becoming
a professional modern dancer.
"Melanie starts coming over to my house in Jersey City where we were just always
listening to music," Dimitri recalls. "She was already into the Velvet
Underground and the Beatles, but I start throwing the Stooges and Sabbath at
her. I put on this live Who tape and she was like 'Oh my God, that's the coolest
thing ever? I want a bass.' "
|