The County Medical Examiners
Encyclopedia
The County Medical Examiners (also known as TCME) are an American goregrind
and death metal
band who, in their own words, exist for the sole purpose of recreating the sound of early Carcass
albums. The band is also known to do no live shows at all.
. Not long after the albums release Michelle left the band to devote her time to medical school, and she was replaced by friend and colleague Dr. Guy Radcliffe, who is reportedly around 60 years of age. The current line-up went on to record a split LP, an EP, and a second full-length album, Olidous Operettas
.
Much controversy surrounds the identity of the band members, as they use pseudonyms to avoid the wrath of hospital administration and fan attention. One rumor suggests that TCME contains at least one member of Exhumed
, mostly because the domain name for the band's website was registered by a former member of Exhumed
, and not under the name of the "band members," but it's now commonly accepted that TCME, being uninterested in their online promotion, have many people behind the scenes—including various other Carcass clone bands, as well as Relapse Records
staff—donating their time to web design and promotion, as well as guest musical appearances.
TCME released their Relapse Records debut, Olidous Operettas
, in January 2007. The CD, which took more than a year and a half to write and record since all three band members live in different states, features eight tracks. Dr. Fairbanks described the effort as "somewhere between Symphonies of Sickness and Necroticism-era Carcass" and "not something you would want to put on before church." What makes the disc even more distinctive is that "it will be a scented-face CD, which essentially means it will be scratch and sniff
-able," he said. "Our CD will smell like rotten meat."
Goregrind
-History:Despite the early impact of albums such as Repulsion's Horrified and Impetigo's Ultimo Mondo Cannibale, the origins of the genre really lie with the British band Carcass, who began their career in the late 1980s...
and death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
band who, in their own words, exist for the sole purpose of recreating the sound of early Carcass
Carcass (band)
Carcass are an extreme metal band from England, who formed in 1985 and disbanded in 1995. A reunion was enacted in 2008 without one of its original members, drummer Ken Owen, due to health reasons....
albums. The band is also known to do no live shows at all.
History
The band's original line up consisted of Dr. Morton Fairbanks on guitar/vocals, Dr. Jack Putnam on drums/vocals, and Michelle Hayes on bass/vocals. Michelle Hayes was, according to Dr. Fairbanks in an old interview on thecountymedicalexaminers.com, first exposed to the band when, as part of her probation due to a DUI charge, she toured the morgue where Dr. Fairbanks worked. Soon after they got together and recorded the EP Fetid Putrescent Whiffs, which saw limited release. The band recorded their debut full-length for Razorback Records, Forensic Fugues and Medicolegal MedleysForensic Fugues and Medicolegal Medleys
Forensic Fugues and Medicolegal Medleys is The County Medical Examiners first full length release. This is also the only release, other than the demo, to feature Michelle Hayes on bass. According to an interview with Dr...
. Not long after the albums release Michelle left the band to devote her time to medical school, and she was replaced by friend and colleague Dr. Guy Radcliffe, who is reportedly around 60 years of age. The current line-up went on to record a split LP, an EP, and a second full-length album, Olidous Operettas
Olidous Operettas
Olidous Operettas is the second full-length album from The County Medical Examiners, as well as their first on Relapse Records. This is also the first album in the history of Relapse Records to feature a "scratch-n-sniff" CD face...
.
Much controversy surrounds the identity of the band members, as they use pseudonyms to avoid the wrath of hospital administration and fan attention. One rumor suggests that TCME contains at least one member of Exhumed
Exhumed
Exhumed may refer to:*Exhumation*Exhumed , a first-person shooter*Exhumed , a deathgrind band* Exhumed Films, a Philadelphia-based "organization* Exhumed river channel, a ridge of sandstone...
, mostly because the domain name for the band's website was registered by a former member of Exhumed
Exhumed
Exhumed may refer to:*Exhumation*Exhumed , a first-person shooter*Exhumed , a deathgrind band* Exhumed Films, a Philadelphia-based "organization* Exhumed river channel, a ridge of sandstone...
, and not under the name of the "band members," but it's now commonly accepted that TCME, being uninterested in their online promotion, have many people behind the scenes—including various other Carcass clone bands, as well as Relapse Records
Relapse Records
Relapse Records is an independent record label based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990.-History:The label was started by Matthew F. Jacobson in August, 1990 in his parents' basement in Aurora, Colorado...
staff—donating their time to web design and promotion, as well as guest musical appearances.
TCME released their Relapse Records debut, Olidous Operettas
Olidous Operettas
Olidous Operettas is the second full-length album from The County Medical Examiners, as well as their first on Relapse Records. This is also the first album in the history of Relapse Records to feature a "scratch-n-sniff" CD face...
, in January 2007. The CD, which took more than a year and a half to write and record since all three band members live in different states, features eight tracks. Dr. Fairbanks described the effort as "somewhere between Symphonies of Sickness and Necroticism-era Carcass" and "not something you would want to put on before church." What makes the disc even more distinctive is that "it will be a scented-face CD, which essentially means it will be scratch and sniff
Scratch and sniff
Scratch and sniff technology generally refers to things that have been treated with a microfragrance coating. When scratched, the coating releases an odor that is normally related to an image being displayed under the coating...
-able," he said. "Our CD will smell like rotten meat."
Current members
- Dr. Morton Fairbanks, MDDoctor of MedicineDoctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
- vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker... - Dr. Jack Putnam, MD - vocals, drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Dr. Guy Radcliffe, MD, PhDDoctor of PhilosophyDoctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
- vocals, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
Discography
- Fetid Putrescent Whiffs (Demo, 2001)
- Forensic Fugues and Medicolegal MedleysForensic Fugues and Medicolegal MedleysForensic Fugues and Medicolegal Medleys is The County Medical Examiners first full length release. This is also the only release, other than the demo, to feature Michelle Hayes on bass. According to an interview with Dr...
(LP, Razorback, 2001) - General Surgery/The County Medical Examiners Split (split, Razorback, 2003)
- Reeking Rhapsodies for Chorale, Percussion, and Strings (EP, Noise-Squatch Records, 2004)
- Olidous OperettasOlidous OperettasOlidous Operettas is the second full-length album from The County Medical Examiners, as well as their first on Relapse Records. This is also the first album in the history of Relapse Records to feature a "scratch-n-sniff" CD face...
(LP, Relapse, 2007)