Death from Above 1979

Death from Above 1979

Death from Above 1979 is a Toronto, Canada-based Canadian rock duo made up of Jesse F. Keeler and Sebastien Grainger. Active from 2001, the group performs with Keeler on bass and synths and Grainger on vocals and drums. It works without a lead guitarist and is associated with dance-punk, disco, electronic, garage rock, hard rock and indie rock, with a loud, synth-infused sound built around bass, drums and vocals.

Name and formation

The band forms in 2001. The 1979 suffix follows a legal dispute with the New York City dance-punk label Death From Above, which later becomes DFA Records. The phrase “death from above” appears on a helicopter in Apocalypse Now, and the year 1979 refers to the film’s copyright date, although Grainger says the choice is also a coincidence and cites his birth year among the reasons.

Recording and releases

The group’s debut full-length is You're A Woman, I'm A Machine. Plans for a follow-up include three versions: a traditional bass-and-drums recording, a full-band version with musicians assembled by Grainger, and a remix album. The full-band and remix material is intended for the band’s official website.

Recognition and break-up

In 2005, the video for “Romantic Rights” wins a VideoFACT award at the MuchMusic Video Music Awards. In 2006, the band announces that it has split, citing a strained relationship between the two members and noting that it has already achieved its aims after its record goes gold in Canada.

Later activity

After the split, Jesse F. Keeler is part of MSTRKRFT with producer Al-P, and he is also slated to play bass on Queens of the Stone Age’s Era Vulgaris before scheduling conflicts prevent it. Sebastien Grainger works on the side project Sebastien Grainger & the Mountains. In 2011, the band announces a reunion for Coachella and then says it plans to continue on an ongoing basis.