A transplant to Louisville, Mark Kramer is originally from Dayton, Ohio, and was actively involved in the scene there. In addition to time with plenty of bands, he was in Stronghold, who was one of the first acts to put out material on Doghouse Records. He also works at Ear X-Tacy, where you go can say hi to him Saturday during Record Store Day. But today you can read Mark’s recollections about another great Dayton band.

For the uninitiated, Brainiac was a band that was often overlooked, thanks to their bigger brother and sister acts who shared the Dayton spotlight, Guided By Voices and The Breeders. But where they were more straight-ahead in their pop/rock dealings, Brainiac skewered their spastic punk and jerky new wave with a 70s-era Moog, various vocal effects and odd electronic gadgets before slapping people in the face with a brilliant hook.

After releasing a handful of seven-inches on various labels, Brainiac signed to Grass Records (now Wind Up Records, home to Creed and Finger Eleven). While on Grass, they released two amazing albums — Smack Bunny Baby and Bonsai Superstar — and continued their relentless touring schedule. This hard work paid off, scoring tours opening for Touch and Go stalwarts The Jesus Lizard and Girls Vs. Boys. This in turn landed them the highly-coveted handshake with Cory Rusk to record material for Touch and Go themselves.

Finally on a higher profile label, the band really hit their stride recording wise releasing the remarkable (and Kim Deal-produced) Internationale seven-inch, their best album Hissing Prigs on Static Couture and finally a visionary release so far ahead of its time the influence is still being felt today — the Electroshock for President EP.

Sadly, all of the quality and potential came to an abrupt end on May 23, 1997, when chief songwriter Tim Taylor perished in an automobile accident in Dayton. I still remember and miss them.

Brainiac – I, Fuzzbot
Brainiac – Kiss Me, You Jacked Up Jerk

6 Responses to “Remember Brainiac?”

1. On 04/17/09 12:55 AM, Jake Brown said:

   

   I first heard Brainiac through a friend a couple of years ago…and quickly, I was pleased with my discovery of this musical treasure. Good good stuff.

2. On 04/17/09 10:23 AM, Tim Anderl said:

   

   Mark,

   I remember Brainiac! Great, albeit all too brief, history.

   Tim

3. On 04/17/09 10:49 AM, Tim Towner said:

   

   I have a letter that Tim Taylor wrote me a few months before his death. I still think about this band all the time.

   I remember he died right after they got a big editorial piece in Spin magazine.

   I was first introduced to them when they opened for Fugazi. Never heard Brianiac before the show and during the show, I was like “what the hell am I watching?” haha It was insane and good. I became an instant fan.

   Wow, thanks Buzzgrinder staff for giving props to this band!

4. On 07/7/09 11:31 AM, thecrikster said:

   

   One of the bands from the nineties that I still regularly listen to today. I even hunted down a copy of Smack Bunny Baby of Ebay. Martian Dance Invasion anyone?

5. On 07/7/09 1:08 PM, Bill Power said:

   

   I saw Braniac in Seattle with Girls Against Boys. I’m cool.

6. On 07/7/09 1:37 PM, Sean Cannon said:

   

   wow. you’re even cooler now than you were before. that’s pretty awesome.

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