Douglas P.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Douglas Pearce)

Douglas P.
Birth nameDouglas Pearce
Born (1956-04-27) 27 April 1956 (age 67)
GenresPost-punk, neofolk, experimental, dark ambient, martial industrial, punk rock

Douglas Pearce (born 27 April 1956), known professionally as Douglas P, is a British musician, best known for his neofolk project Death in June. He was born in Sheerwater in Woking, Surrey, and currently resides in Australia, where he has lived since the mid-1990s.

Early life[edit]

Pearce was born on 27 April 1956 and grew up in Sheerwater, suburb of Woking in Surrey which he described as a "white, working-class ghetto", to a father who worked as a courier for the military, and had served in World War II. Both of his parents were English, though his mother claimed Scots-Irish ancestry. His father died of a heart attack at age 56, when Pearce was 14. Pearce grew up in what he describes as "a very militaristic environment, surrounded by war", and says that he "had a natural attraction to war". At the age of 18 Pearce left home and hitchhiked around Europe and "came home a changed man".[1]

As a child, Pearce was exorcised by his parents for alleged demonic possession, and after his father died, his mother and he would "muck around with a Ouija board". Pearce believes in the paranormal and occult, and claims to have had contact with various entities, stating “I believe in gods, demons, angels whether they’re from the inner psyche, another dimension or whatever. I’ve heard them and I’ve seen them. I’ve even felt them touch me”.[2] For a while, Pearce was involved with the International Marxist Group.[3]

Career[edit]

Crisis[edit]

Pearce began his musical career in a British punk band called Crisis in 1977.[4] After Crisis disbanded in 1980, Pearce formed Death in June with Crisis bandmate Tony Wakeford (currently of the English folk noir band, Sol Invictus) and Patrick O'Kill né Leagas (currently a member of the English band Mother Destruction).

Death in June[edit]

In 1985 Douglas P. became the sole constant member of Death in June, with rotating guest musicians serving as collaborators and live band members. Pearce continues working under the Death in June moniker to this day.

New European Recordings[edit]

Pearce has released numerous recordings of musical work of his own and others under his New European Recordings label since 1981.

Neofolk[edit]

Pearce was highly influential in the creation of a musical movement often referred to as neofolk, often collaborating and playing live with various artists within the genre. He served as a guitarist, drummer and occasional vocalist for experimental music group Current 93.[5]

Personal life[edit]

Douglas P. is openly gay,[6] and says that 'being gay is fundamental to Death in June', and expresses discontent with this side of Death in June not being explored in interviews. He describes the lack of coverage of this as 'incredulous'. His literary influences include Yukio Mishima and Jean Genet, whom he admires 'not only because their work was brilliant but that they were also gay. It adds so much.'[7]

Discography[edit]

Year Title Format, Special Notes Artist
1978 No Town Hall 7" Crisis
1979 UK 79/White Youth 7" Crisis
1980 Hymns of Faith LP Crisis
1981 Alienation 7" Crisis
1981 Heaven Street 12" Death in June
1982 State Laughter/Holy Water 7" Death in June
1983 The Guilty Have No Pride LP Death in June
1984 Burial LP Death in June
1984 She Said Destroy 12"/7" Death in June
1985 Nada! LP Death in June
1985 Born Again 12" Death in June
1985 Come Before Christ And Murder Love 12"/7" Death in June
1986 The World That Summer 2xLP Death in June
1986 Lesson 1: Misanthropy LP Death in June
1987 To Drown A Rose 10" Death in June
1987 Brown Book LP Death in June
1987 Oh How We Laughed Live LP/CD, semi-official. Death in June
1987 Happy Birthday 12" Current 93
1987 Dawn LP Current 93
1988 The Red Face of God 12" Current 93
1988 Christ and the Pale Queens Mighty in Sorrow LP Current 93
1988 Earth Covers Earth LP Current 93
1988 Swastikas For Noddy LP Current 93
1989 93 Dead Sunwheels EP/CD Death in June
1989 The Corn Years CD Death in June
1989 She Is Dead and All Fall Down 7" Current 93
1989 Swastikas For Noddy LP Current 93
1989 Crooked Crosses for the Nodding God LP Current 93
1989 Music, Martinis, & Misanthropy LP Boyd Rice and Friends
1990 The Wall of Sacrifice LP/CD Death in June
1990 1888 EP Death in June
1990 Looney Runes LP Current 93
1991 The Cathedral of Tears CD Death in June
1992 Ostenbraun 2x cassette/CD Death in June & Les Joyaux De La Princesse
1992 But, What Ends When The Symbols Shatter? LP/CD Death in June
1992 Paradise Rising 12"/CDS Death in June
1992 In the Shadow of the Sword (live) LP NON
1992 Death in June/Current 93/Sol Invictus CD, previously a bootleg before official release. Death in June
1992 Gilded by the Sun CD Fire + Ice
1992 Gestures CD Somewhere in Europe
1992 Thunder Perfect Mind CD/LP Current 93
1993 Cathedral of Tears 12"/CDS Death in June
1993 Something Is Coming 2xLP/2xCD Death in June
1993 Hitler as Kalki (live) LP Current 93
1994 Sun Dogs 7"/CDS Death in June
1994 Beauty Reaps The Blood of Solitude CD Nature & Organisation
1994 Dark Rose 7" Strength Through Joy
1995 Rose Clouds of Holocaust LP/CD Death in June
1995 Black Whole of Love CDS 7", 10", 12" box set Death in June
1995 Death in June Presents: Occidental Martyr CD/10" Occidental Martyr
1995 The Force of Truth And Lies CD Strength Through Joy
1996 Death in June Presents: KAPO! LP/CD Death In June
1996 Heaven Sent LP Scorpion Wind
1996 Salute To Light 2CD Strength Through Joy
1997 Die Schuldigen und der Nebel 2xCD box set, previously a bootleg before official release. Death in June
1997 DISCriminate ('81-'97) 2xCD, "a compilation of personal choice," previously released material. Death in June
1997 God and Beast LP NON
1997 Sulphur – Low Seed Replication CD Splinter Test
1997 Despiritualisation of Nature CD Tehom
1998 Take Care & Control LP/CD Death in June
1998 Kameradschaft CDS Death in June
1998 Passion! Power!! Purge!!! CDS Death in June
1999 Der Tod Im Juni CD Death in June
1999 Heilige! CD Death in June
2000 Operation Hummingbird LP/CD Death in June
2000 We Said Destroy 7" Death in June & Fire + Ice
2000 Birdking CD Fire + Ice
2000 The Way I Feel CD Boyd Rice
2000 Theriomorphic Spirit CD Tehom
2001 All Pigs Must Die LP/CD Death in June
2001 Wolf Pact LP Boyd Rice and Fiends (sic)
2003 Windzeit CD Forseti
2004 Alarm Agents LP/Coloured Vinyl/CD Death in June & Boyd Rice
2004 Live in Osaka CD NON
2004 Trephanus Uhr CD Luftwaffe
2004 Blacksun Rising CD Projekt Thule
2005 Abandon Tracks 2xLP/CD. Rare and previously unreleased material. Death in June
2005 The Doctor 2xLP/CD. Contains spoken material by Pearce. Thomas Nola et son Orchestre
2008 Agony & Irony CD. Contains spoken material by Pearce on song I Found Away Alkaline Trio
2008 The Rule of Thirds 2x10"/CD Death in June
2010 Peaceful Snow 2x10"/CD Death in June
2013 The Snow Bunker Tapes LP/CD Death In June
2018 Essence! LP/CD Death in June

References[edit]

  1. ^ Video on YouTube
  2. ^ "Death in June.Org – MediaWiki – Interview:2000-Dagoberts Revenge". Archived from the original on 11 October 2011. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
  3. ^ "A History of Anti-Fascist Punk Around the World in 9 Songs". Pitchfork. 6 March 2017.
  4. ^ DeRogatis, Jim (17 December 2003). "Nazis or not? Censorship keeps fans from deciding". Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  5. ^ "DEATH IN JUNE – Interview with Douglas P. And Miro Snejdr | THE END OF BEING". Archived from the original on 8 July 2017. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  6. ^ Burkholder, Helene (17 April 2008). "Balladeer of Doom – An interview with Douglas P., Part 2". Judas Kiss. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 14 October 2008.
  7. ^ "OCCIDENTAL CONGRESS :: An interview with Douglas Pearce". Occidentalcongress.com. Retrieved 17 July 2020.