Dazzling Killmen was a math rock

Math rock

Math rock is a rhythmically complex guitar-based style of experimental rock that emerged in the 1980s and that was very influenced by progressive rock like King Crimson, Frank Zappa, Henry Cow - and 20th century composers such as Steve Reich and John Cage...

 band from the St. Louis, Missouri area. The band combining a punk-inspired noisy ruckus with jazzy Sun Ra

Sun Ra

Sun Ra was a prolific jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, poet and philosopher known for his "cosmic philosophy," musical compositions and performances. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama...

-type intelligence and complex arrangements.

Biography

The group, which formed in 1990, was composed of jazz students—drummer Blake Fleming

Blake Fleming

Blake Fleming is a drummer known for his involvement with several influential experimental bands. Fleming started drumming at age 8, and spent several years in fife and drumming corps, bagpipe bands, jazz bands, orchestras, etc. His first band was Dazzling Killmen, which he joined at age 15. Later...

, bassist Darin Gray

Darin Gray

Darin Gray is an American musician and composer based in Edwardsville, Illinois. He is best known for playing bass in St. Louis' Dazzling Killmen, and with Jim O'Rourke in Brise-Glace and on O'Rourke's solo albums....

, vocalist/guitarist Nick Sakes, and later on guitarist Tim Garrigan.

The Dazzling Killmen caught the attention of Skin Graft Records

Skin Graft Records

Skin Graft Records is an independent record label specializing in No Wave and noise rock music, originally based in Chicago, Illinois...

. They released two full-length albums, as well as several 7" singles before breaking up in the fall of 1995, immediately prior to a planned tour of Japan with Jim O'Rourke

Jim O'Rourke (musician)

Jim O'Rourke is an Irish-American musician and record producer. He was long associated with the Chicago experimental and improv scene...

.

Today, its members are better-known for their later projects - Nick Sakes has been in bands Colossamite

Colossamite

Colossamite was a mid-to-late 1990s math rock band based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They were one of the most prominent exponents of the genre....

 and Sicbay. Darin Gray was in Brise-Glace

Brise-Glace

Brise-Glace was a 1990s instrumental avant-rock "supergroup" composed of Jim O'Rourke , Darin Gray , Dylan Posa , and Thymme Jones ....

, and has performed and recorded with Jim O'Rourke

Jim O'Rourke (musician)

Jim O'Rourke is an Irish-American musician and record producer. He was long associated with the Chicago experimental and improv scene...

 and with Glenn Kotche

Glenn Kotche

Glenn Kotche is an American drummer and composer, best known for his involvement in the band Wilco. He was named the 41st greatest drummer of all time by Gigwise in 2008.Prior to working with Wilco, Kotche released a four-track album...

 in On Fillmore. Blake Fleming was in Laddio Bolocko

Laddio Bolocko

Laddio Bolocko was a noise rock band from New York City, formed in 1996 by members of Panicsville and the Dazzling Killmen. Their sound has drawn comparisons to experimental rock groups such as This Heat and Can and free jazz musicians like Albert Ayler. The band favored limited releases, offering...

, The Mars Volta

The Mars Volta

The Mars Volta is a Grammy award winning American progressive rock band from El Paso, Texas. Founded in 2001 by guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López and vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala, the band incorporates various influences including progressive rock, krautrock, jazz fusion, Latin American music, and...

 and Electric Turn to Me. Tim Garrigan, now based in Brooklyn, is a solo performer.

Albums

• 1992 - Dig Out the Switch CD/LP, Intellectual Convulsion Records
• 1994 - Face of Collapse CD/LP, Skin Graft Records

7" Singles

• 1990 - Numb/Bottom Feeder 7", Sawtooth Records
• Torture/Ghost Limb 7", Crime Life Records
• 1991 - Mother's Day Split 7", Skin Graft/Sluggo Records
• 1993 - Medicine Me/Poptones 7"/Comic Set, Skin Graft Records

External links

• Skin Graft Records Page for the Dazzling Killmen
• [ Allmusic entry]