Biography

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. ~ Craig Harris, Rovi