Spuriously lauded on their arrival in 1993 as the new Velvet Underground, Manhattan, New York, USA-based Madder Rose was formed by Billy Cot‚ (b. New Jersey, USA; guitar), Mary Lorson (vocals), Matt Verta-Ray (bass) and Johnny Kick (b. Chicago; drums, ex-Speedball). The initial ripples were caused by singles such as "Swim", a yearning, slow-burning torch song reminiscent of Lou Reed's craft. However, they could hardly be described as anyone's "new young thing", with all of the members aged over 30 at this early stage in their career. Each boasted an interesting, mainly non-musical background. Lorson was an ex-busker and film student, while both Verta-Ray and Kick worked at the Andy Warhol silk-screen factory and met the great man several times (a fact that helped to encourage the Velvet Underground comparisons). Cot‚ had additionally spent much of the 80s working in No/New Wave bands Hammerdoll and Cot‚ Cot‚, while struggling to overcome his heroin addiction. Cover versions of PiL's "Rise" and the Cars' "My Best Friend's Girl" on stage further revealed Madder Rose's diversity, while their debut album was heralded as one of the best of the year. Released on Atlantic Records' independently distributed subsidiary Seed, production was overseen by Kevin Salem of Dumptruck. Panic On was co-produced with veteran engineer Mark Freegard and saw Lorson emerge as a songwriting force to rival Cot‚ on some of the album's best numbers, including the appealing "Foolish Ways".

Listen to Madder Rose at Finetune.

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• Nirvana
• Depeche Mode
• Smashing Pumpkins
• PJ Harvey
• Red Hot Chili Peppers
• Underworld
• No Doubt
• Mojave 3
• My Bloody Valentine
• The Pixies
• Bjork
• DJ Tiesto
• Belly
• The Cure
• Letters to Cleo
• The Killers
• That Dog

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