Deep eklypsis

Melbourne, Australia (1981 – 1998, 2005 – present)

Dead Can Dance was a band formed in Melbourne, Australia in 1981 by Brendan Perry (baritone) together with Simon Monroe and Paul Erikson later to be joined by Lisa Gerrard (contralto). They disbanded in 1998, and temporarily reunited to do a highly successful world tour in 2005 with a view to recording another studio album together. But due to ongoing personal differences between Perry and Gerrard, Perry decided to finally put to rest any prospect of a future collaboration in order to concentrate on a solo career.

After a somewhat muted response to their music in Australia, Dead Can Dance moved to London in 1982, where they signed up to alternative rock label 4AD, a legendary label on the alternative music scene, where it became one of the most important bands on the label alongside the Cocteau Twins. They continued to work closely together, until later in the 1990s when they started to grow apart following the breakup of their personal relationship.

Gerrard returned to Australia, while Perry moved to Ireland, where he had renovated an old church at Quivvy, where he lives and works. It is speculated that the distance between the members was an influence in the band’s eventual break-up, with an argument following the recording sessions for an unreleased album being the final straw, although Perry himself said that distance helped in maintaining a certain individual freedom in creativity.