Dead Artist Syndrome - Biography - First Years (1990 - 1994)

1994)

Brian Healy while being a mainstream artist and actor was one of the first musicians to introduce gothic rock to the Christian music industry. In 1990, Healy independently released his first studio album, Prints of Darkness, as a one-man band. The album is characterized by post-punk influenced guitars, dark synthesizers and Healy's deep, gothic baritone vocals. Musicians Gym Nicholson and Ojo Taylor of Christian alternative rock group Undercover, Mike Sauerbrey of Christian alternative rock band The Choir and L.S.U. frontman and Blonde Vinyl Records president Mike Knott each made guest appearances.

At the time, most Christian music enthusiasts who weren't familiar with gothic music didn't know how to classify Prints of Darkness. It was most often compared to one of the best-known gothic rock groups, The Sisters of Mercy. The album displayed satirical lyrics, a theme Healy would later become known for. Both Dead Artist Syndrome and its gothic rock style achieved more notice after Blonde Vinyl Records reissued Prints of Darkness in late 1991. The album begins with the song "Christmas", which is not a Christmas carol, but a rather sarcastic rock song that was said be a denouncement of the secularization and commercialization of what has become known as the "winter holiday season", Healy himself has stated "Christmas". is about separation from faith, church, friends and family at what is supposed to be the best day of the year" in many public and radio interviews. "Amy" is a haunting, romantic ballad, and while rumor to be about Amy Grant, Healy has stated "it's not, but I let people think what they want, that said the idea of Amy Grant actually hearing the song and being creeped out was amusing to me, it's my Alice Cooper side" while "Red" is a gloomy piece about a man who is mourning the loss of his wife, who may have either cheated on him, divorced him or died. The lyrics are said to symbolically to describe the apostasy of many churches, and relate to the Bible's description of the Church as the "Bride of Christ". The album ends with "Reach" which is a synthesizer-driven worship song.

Healy released his second album Devils, Angels & Saints in 1992 on Eden Records. It was said that the album showcased a bit more accessible style while the music still fit in the gothic rock style of the early 1990s. Notable tracks include the sarcastic "Beautiful World", a passionate, gothic flavored cover of The Mamas & the Papas song "California Dreaming", as well as the haunting ballad "If the Stars Should Fall". Healy experimented with industrial sounds on "Obsexed", which is a commentary on sexual promiscuity, and features danceable synthesizers and processed vocals.

The musical versability widened on the third Dead artist Syndrome album, Happy Hour while still retaining with Healy's dark humor and gothic rock style. The album begins with the rock song "Y.S.D." ("Young, Sexy and Dead") which is a tragic tribute to the Marilyn Monroe and all others who lived fast and died young. Healy revisits the themes of apostasy and hypocrisy prevalent in Church on "Bride Song". Unlike the gloomy approach of "Red", "Bride Song" addresses the issue with dark humor and likens the church to a snotty, backstabbing woman. The so called happy portion of the album's title is apparent on the songs "Radiation" and "Glory", both of which feature worship-filled lyrics, as radiation is a metaphor for the Holy Spirit. Also, Healy experiments with "surf punk" sounds on "U.S.A", which features a "ba ba ba" chorus similar to Ramones' classic "I Want to Be Sedated". The aforementioned "Bride Song" also features an old school punk rock approach, while the title track is a dreamy, guitar-driven instrumental that closes the album.

Mike Roe, Mark Harmon and David Leonhardt of Christian alternative rock group The 77's assisted on both Happy Hour and Devils, Angels & Saints.