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Dream City Film Club was one of England's most under-rated bands of the 1990s. Propelled by the bombastic assault of bassist Andrew Park and drummer Laurence Ash, and the sonic intensity of guitarist Alex Vald, guitarist/vocalist Michael John Sheehy, radiated darkness with songs about murder, sex, drugs and violence.
A veteran of the singer-songwriter circuit in Northern England, Sheehy formed Dream City Film Club with Vald and Ash, two musicians who supplemented their income by producing shows at Kentish Town nightspot, the Bull & Gate. When Ash's group disbanded, a few months later, Sheehy, Ash and Vald began playing together informally. The group soon became a quartet with the addition of bassist, Andrew Park.
Making their debut, at the Bull & Gate, in July 1995, Dream City Film Club continued to perform throughout northern London. Although a recording of several tunes was financed by Epic, in late 1995, the label refused to release it. The group had to settle for sharing a single with Dublin-born and London-based vocalist, Suzanne Rhatigan, on a label affiliated with Sean Worrell's fanzine, The Organ. They later released an EP on Organ.
Signing with the slightly larger, Beggars Banquet, label, Dream City Film Club released a single, Perfect Piece Of Trash". Although they began work on their debut album in October 1996, Vald became ill during recording sessions and the project was delayed.
With the release of their self-titled debut album, in 1997, Dream City Film Club reached out to a wider audience. Following a recording session for BBC disc jockey/producer, John Peel, in December 1996, they embarked on two years of performances in France, Belgium and nearly every corner of England. They recorded subsequent sessions for Peel in April 1998 and February 1999.
Vald's departure, during the pre-production stage of their second album, In The Cold Light Of Morning, resulted in Dream City Film Club recording the album as a trio. Although they went on to release another, EP, Stranger Blues, in early-2000, the group disbanded.
Sheehy released a solo album, As If And Also, shortly afterwards.
from Wikipedia:
Dream City Film Club were a North London rock band founded in July 1995.
Their sound was difficult to categorize in that it encompassed tortured lovelorn balladry, avant-garde flourishes, Tin Pan Alley, straightforward rock and gospel yearnings in both lyrics and subject matter. Ultimately, Dream City Film Club failed to find enough of an audience to sustain them.
Vocalist Michael J. Sheehy had been working as a solo singer/songwriter for several years when he met Alex Vald and Laurence Ash, who quickly began writing songs with Sheehy. Upon the demise of another local group, Breed, bassist Andrew Park joined. The band's name came from a news story Sheehy had seen about an arsonist who had burned down a members-only porno theatre. They played their first gig as Dream City Film Club on July 31, 1995.
They released a single, "Crawl" for the underground fanzine, the Organ in early 1996. Soon after, they were contacted by Beggar's Banquet and recorded their eponymous debut album in late 1996.
According to Sheehy, the English press reaction to the first single, "Perfect Piece of Trash", was almost unanimous in its derision. After parting with Vald, DCFC continued on as a three piece, recording its second and final album, In the Cold Light of Morning featuring a more expansive sound best realized on the epic "God Will Punish the Pervert Preacher".
The group disbanded in 1999. Michael J. Sheehy has since recorded three solo albums for Beggar's Banquet and two for Glitterhouse, and has fronted Saint Silas Intercession with his brother Patrick.
