Ink & Dagger

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Ink & Dagger was a Vampire-themed punk band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that was active in the 1990s. The two permanent members throughout the band's career were guitarist Don Devore and vocalist Sean Patrick McCabe. Other members included Ashli State, Ryan McLaughlin, Joshua Brown, Jennifer Park, and Eric Wareheim, co-creator and star of Cartoon Network's Adult Swim shows Tom Goes to the Mayor and Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!. Band members frequently incoporated references to vampires in their music, painted their faces, and played with fake blood. Some members were previously in Crud is a Cult, The Mandela Strike Force and Frail.

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[edit] On-stage theatrics

On one occasion, the band vomited on Christmas trees on stage.[1] The band's influence is evidenced in the work of mainstream acts such as Refused, Frodus, The Murder City Devils, At the Drive-In, The Icarus Line, and Thursday. McCabe was also infamous for egging Hare-Krishna devotees and throwing yogurt at Earth Crisis.

[edit] Influence

An example of their influence can be seen on the record The Fine Art of Original Sin which featured several tracks breaking completely from established norms of post-hardcore, incorporating aspects of techno, or drum and bass music.

Initially the band had a post-hardcore sound akin to Swiz and DC-focused rhythms, Ink & Dagger grew to be a popular band in Philadelphia[citation needed]. Additionally, the influences of past emotive hardcore band Frail can still be heard in the yelps and falsettos on Ink & Dagger's 7"s. The band also developed attention from an incident with Syracuse NY militants Earth Crisis, when McCabe allegedly threw yogurt on the pro-vegan moshmetal outfit.[citation needed] The band My Chemical Romance cited Ink & Dagger as one of their main influences, which is also apparent through their adoption of Ink & Dagger's Vampire theme.

[edit] After the group's demise

In 1999, Ink & Dagger formally announced that they were disbanding. Shortly after recording what was to be the band's final album, singer Sean Patrick McCabe was found dead in a motel room in Indiana in 2000. He was 27. The final and self-titled album was released on Buddyhead Records with a picture of a young Sean in a vampire costume featured in the CD booklet.

Don Devore currently plays guitar in The Icarus Line, and also plays in Souls She Said, a band consisting of him and Joe Cardamone from the Icarus Line. Also, during the band Refused's final tour Don played bass during their American shows.

Microsoft Xbox videogame Amped uses three songs from The Fine Art of Original Sin. In 2005, former drummer Ryan McLaughlin sued Microsoft, claiming that they were used without the band's knowledge. The suit was settled out of court in 2006.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Vinyl

  • "Love Is Dead 7" EP" (Happy Day Records)
  • "Drive This Seven-Inch Wooden Stake Through My Philadelphia Heart" (Initial Records)
  • "Experiments In Nocturnal Sound and Energy" (Revelation Records)
  • Split 7" with The Icarus Line contains the song "The Solo Mission"
  • "Sensations EP" (German import)
  • "Le Shok Ink & Dagger" (Initial Records)
  • "The Fine art of Original Sin LP" (1998)
  • "Philly Shreds: Volume One" (Compilation) track included: "13th Dream" (1999)
  • "Ink and Dagger S/T LP" (2001)

[edit] Compact disc

  • "Drive This Seven-Inch Wooden Stake Through My Philadelphia Heart" ("Love is Dead" EP combined with the *"Drive This Seven Inch..." and other songs)
  • "The Fine Art of Original Sin"
  • "Ink and Dagger" (self titled)
  • "Initial Records Magic Weekend"(Full Circle)

[edit] External links