Murder City Devils

The band's original lineup, consisting of Spencer Moody, Dann Gallucci, Derek Fudesco, Coady Willis, and Nate Manny, formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1996. Gabe Kerbrat was their permanent roadie, and was considered a member. Within a year, the band had released two singles, Three Natural Sixes (Hopscotch Records #5) and Dance Hall Music (Empty Records MTR-354), and signed with the Die Young Stay Pretty label, a subsidiary of Sub Pop. Their self-titled debut album was released in 1997.

In 1998, the band released Empty Bottles, Broken Hearts, its second full-length album. This release saw a greatly increased use of electric organ, and in the same year they recruited Leslie Hardy as their full-time keyboard player. Hardy had previously played bass guitar for several Seattle bands, including several months in Hole. The Murder City Devils then embarked on a year-long tour of North America to support the record. During that tour, they played with At the Drive-In, Pearl Jam, The Black Halos, Modest Mouse (for whom Dann Gallucci also played guitar), and Built to Spill.

After a short break, the band released In Name and Blood in 2000, with photos in the liner notes notoriously depicting every member as a murder victim. They also appeared as both individual actors as well as a band in David Larson's independent film The Edge of Quarrel.

The band released the Thelema EP in 2001. Mid-tour, keyboardist Leslie Hardy left the band. Later that year the band broke up due to circumstances surrounding Hardy's departure. (The Stranger Sept 27 – Oct 3, 2001 issue, It's My Party column by Kathleen Wilson). Hardy was replaced by Nick Dewitt for their final concerts. Bassist Derek Fudesco agreed to leave the band in September 2001 to focus on his own new band, Pretty Girls Make Graves.

The band's farewell concert on Halloween 2001 (October 31) at Seattle's Showbox Theater was recorded and released by Sub Pop in 2003, titled R.I.P. and included two previously unrecorded songs. It was also released on DVD in 2005.

Seattle, WA