Biography

Slowcore pioneers Bedhead were led by guitarist siblings Matt and Bubba Kadane, whose musical collaboration dated back to their years spent growing up in Wichita Falls, Texas. The brothers continued writing and recording together even after Matt left home in 1985 to attend school in Dallas, and by 1990 they were playing in a band which also included drummer Trini Martinez and, on occasion, guitarist Tench Coxe. This lineup evolved into Bedhead in 1991 with the addition of bassist Kris Wheat, and early the following year the quintet played its debut live show in Austin; their debut single, "Bedside Table," followed that spring. Impressed by the single, the Butthole Surfers' King Coffey signed Bedhead to his Trance Syndicate label, and in April 1994 the group issued their full-length debut What Fun Life Was, followed in the autumn by 4-songEP19:10. Despite universal critical praise for their intricate, hauntingly intimate sound, Bedhead was unable to mount any kind of tour until mid-1995 -- Matt Kadane had since relocated to New York, while Coxe was teaching English in Russia; concurrently, they also recorded enough new material for an EP, The Dark Ages, as well as an LP, Beheaded. Transaction de Novo followed in early 1998, but continued logistical problems forced Bedhead to announce their breakup that August; the "Lepidoptera"/"Leper" 10" appeared posthumously, as did a split release with Macha. In 1999 the Kadane brothers reunited as the New Year, a band that furthered the slowcore esthetic of Bedhead through several albums released sporadically over the next decade. In 2014 reissue label the Numero Group issued the deluxe packaging Bedhead 1992-1998, a painstakingly organized collection of the band's complete studio output including all three records, known EPs, singles and a few b-sides and outtakes. ~ Jason Ankeny