FAN PAGE DEDICATED TO DEATH IN JUNE...
Death In June is the musical brainchild of English folk musician Douglas Pearce, better known as Douglas P. Death In June was originally formed in Britain in 1981 as a trio, but after the other members left in 1985 to work on other projects, the group became the work of Douglas Pearce and various collaborators. Pearce now lives in Australia.
Over Death In June's two decades of existence, numerous shifts in style and presentation have occurred, resulting in an overall shift from initial post-punk and Industrial Records influence to an overall more acoustic and folk music-oriented approach. Although sometimes considered controversial, Death In June has become very influential in certain post-industrial musical circles. Pearce's influence was instrumental in sparking neofolk, which his music has subsequently become a part of.
Name origins Much has been made of the origins of the name, Death In June. It is sometimes considered to be an allusion to the Night of the Long Knives Sturmabteilung purge on June 30, 1934, or alternately to the 1914 assassination in Sarajevo that helped spark World War I. However, Pearce has said that he once misheard Patrick Leagas during a rehearsal and he "heard" it as "Death In June". There is also speculation that the name relates to Yukio Mishima's "Death In Midsummer". The group then subsequently applied it to the project in 1981. Pearce has stated that the name does not express any single idea for him and remains multifaceted.
Influences Death In June live.Film and certain television programs have been a major influence on Death In June, sometimes being worked into compositions or referenced directly in album titles. Influential films and television shows include The World That Summer, Take A Closer Look, The Night Porter, The Prisoner, Night And Fog and Come and See.Pearce has cited Friedrich Nietzsche, the Norse Eddas, Yukio Mishima, Saxon poetry and Jean Genet as strong influences upon his work. Although some of these influences have waned as the discography has increased, recently Genet and Mishima were quoted in the booklet of the rare track retrospective Abandon Tracks (2001).Pearce has stated that Nico, Scott Walker, Ennio Morricone, Industrial Records-era Industrial Music, Forever Changes-era Love and traditional European folk music have all had a considerable impact upon his musical output.
Symbolism and aesthetics Death In June has always used symbolism, in lyrics and aesthetic approaches. Often these symbols are sometimes slightly modified European historical or ancestral symbols or point to general areas of time, with a small 6 applied.
Masks According to Pearce, since its inception, Death In June "did not want to become a part of a normal rock'n'roll thing. Pretty boys staring into the cameras with huge cocks and IQs of one million... It doesn't work like that."[7]
Since the early days of Death In June, the band would appear on stage wearing various masks and uniforms pertaining to the subject matters presented. The band shunned group photos, with very few ever taken, usually featuring the band masked or with their back to the camera.
In 1992, during a trip to Italy, Pearce encountered a unique mask at a Carnival shop. Fans were so taken by the mask, it became iconic for Death In June. Pearce often wears the mask when playing live and it appears on various Death In June releases, most visibly on the live Something Is Coming (1993) double LP.
Camouflage Specific varieties of camouflage are regularly worn by Pearce and appear on various Death In June releases. Most commonly, the variety of camouflage used is the autumnal Erbsenmuster/"pea pattern"[8] (usually on original items) though sometimes the modern Bundeswehr Flecktarn[9] or possibly the post-World War II Austrian fleckerlteppich[10] pattern is used.
The subject of camouflage has also appeared in the lyrics of Death In June, notably in the song "Hidden Among The Leaves" - A reference to the Japanese Hagakure.
Totenkopf-6
A slightly grinning skull, framed by a circle and a small 6 in the lower right corner. Death In June has, since at least the State Laughter/Holy Water (1982) 7", used variations of the Prussian Totenkopf or Death's Head symbol. Pearce has stated repeatedly that the symbol is not an endorsement of extermination camp atrocities and the symbol far outdates the Third Reich, having been used by the Prussian army under Frederick the Great. Although the particular version used by Death In June is a modified, faintly grinning version of the SS insignia, Pearce has stated the symbolism is clear: "The Totenkopf for Death, and the six for the sixth month - June." [11]
Whip-Hand
A studded, gloved hand holding a whip surrounded by a circle and a small 6 in the lower right corner. This symbol has been used by Death In June since at least the She Said Destroy (1984) 7"/12", stated by Pearce to signify control and relates to having the whip hand, a British expression. [12] The hand is gloved, giving it both a medieval and fetishistic element, and is often used either in place of the totenkopf or with it. This symbol was used later than the totenkopf and is usually secondary to it. As with the Totenkopf-6, the 6 presumably refers to June.
Three Bars
Three parallel, up-standing vertical bars accompanied by a small six in the lower right corner. Although a very basic symbol, this symbol likely originates, for the use of Death In June, from the 1943 Kursk version of the insignia of the 3rd SS Panzer Division Totenkopf. It may have been used to signify the three members of Death In June at the time. Scantly used afterwards for the purpose of Death In June, it first appeared on the Lesson One: Misanthropy! (1986) LP and is rarely used when not referring directly to this period of Death In June.
Runes
Ancient Germanic pre-Christian culture has been more and more a common theme for Death In June with each successive release. Runic text has appeared on many Death In June albums, as well as references to runes in the lyrics of the songs themselves.
In a 2005 interview with musician and writer Erin Powell for the Heathen Harvest Webzine, Pearce states: "I'm very happy about that because I see Death In June as part of a European cultural revival. I'm pleased that the Old Gods are being resurrected, for want of a better word. Old symbols. I feel very pleased that I am a part of that process and that I have had influence. At this stage in the game, so to speak, it's not false modesty to say that I am content with my influence."[13]
This is a combination of runes that is etched on to the To Drown A Rose (1986) 10" and the original cover for Rose Clouds of Holocaust (1995) LP. Pearce has also this bind rune as something of a signature.
According to Pearce: "In 1986 whilst staying with Tibet in his flat in Freya Aswynn's house in north London over a period of 3 nights I dreamed I was falling in a sort of rain of indistinct runes. On each separate night I managed to concentrate enough on one particular rune to stop it from spinning and moving so I could actually see which one it was. When I awoke I made a note of it. After 3 nights the dream stopped and I decided to try and form an 'appropriate' bind rune from the original 3. This I did and after Freya saw it I basically was given a 'thumbs up' about the whole thing. It definitely does not refer to my name but it definitely does refer to ME." [14]
The odal rune has sometimes been used by Pearce, if inverted. This can be seen very visibly on the Come Before Christ And Murder Love (1984) 7" cover. The algiz rune has often been used by Pearce for non-album Death In June purposes, appearing sometimes with a circle around it as seen on The World That Summer 2xLP (1986), on the official website and elsewhere.
Discography
Albums
1983 The Guilty Have No Pride LP, CD, CD+DVD
1984 Burial LP, CD
1985 Nada! LP, CD
1986 The World That Summer 2xLP, CD
1987 Brown Book LP, CD
1989 The Wall Of Sacrifice LP, CD
1992 But, What Ends When The Symbols Shatter? LP, CD
1995 Rose Clouds Of Holocaust LP, CD
1996 Death In June Presents: KAPO! LP, CD
1998 Take Care & Control LP, CD
2000 Operation Hummingbird LP, CD
2001 All Pigs Must Die LP, CD
2004 Alarm Agents LP, CD
Singles
1981 Heaven Street 12"
1982 State Laughter 7"
1984 She Said Destroy 7", 12"
1985 Born Again 12"
1985 Come Before Christ And Murder Love 7", 12"
1987 To Drown A Rose 10"
1992 Paradise Rising 12", CDS
1993 Cathedral Of Tears 12", CDS
1994 Sun Dogs 7", CDS
1995 Black Whole Of Love 7", 10", 12", CDS
1998 Kameradschaft CDS
1998 Passion! Power!! Purge!!! CDS
2000 We Said Destroy 7"
Secondary Releases
1984 From Torture To Conscience LP, compilation includes non-album material
1986 Lesson 1: Misanthropy LP, material from '81-'84
1987 Oh How We Laughed LP, CD, live recording from 1982
1989 93 Dead Sunwheels 12", CD, material from '84-'87
1989 The Corn Years CD, material from '85-'87
1989 Östenbräun 2xMC, CD, limited edition remixes by Les Joyaux de la Princesse
1990 1888 split 12" with Current 93, includes material from '86-'90
1991 The Cathedral Of Tears CD, material from '86-'87
1991 Night and Fog LP, CD, live recording from 1984
1991 Frankfurt Sound Depot CD, includes live recording from 1991
1993 Something Is Coming 2xLP, 2xCD, live recording from 1992
1994 Im Blutfeuer CD, compilation includes non-album material
1995 Death In June Presents: Occidental Martyr 10", CD, reinterpreted material from '86-'95
1996 The Pact... Flying in the Face CD, compilation includes non-album material
1996 Riefenstahl 2xCD, compilation includes non-album material
1997 DISC-riminate 2xCD, material from '81-'97
1999 Heilige! CD, live recording from 1999
1999 Der Tod Im Juni CD, compilation includes non-album material
2003 Steel Night 4xCD, includes live recording from 2001
2005 Abandon Tracks 2xLP, CD, reinterpretations, remixes, rarities
2006 Free Tibet MP3 release only via official website, remixes and original recordings of some collaborations between Death In June and David Tibet
(from wikipedia)