The Bat-Light Series #5: Play Dead

The Bat-Light Series #5: Play Dead

"That must be hell this side of heaven" — this ongoing The Bat-Light Series shines the bat-light on Play Dead, one of the UK’s leading post-punk bands of the early 1980s, known for their dark, intense, and emotionally charged sound, a band I'm a huge fan of.

Emerging in 1980 from Banbury, Oxfordshire, Play Dead quickly established themselves as one of the UK’s leading post-punk bands. They became known for early fan favorites such as The Tenant, Sin of Sins, and Poison Takes a Hold, tracks that captured the raw intensity and dark energy of their formative years. With vocalist Robert Hickson, guitarist Re Vox (later replaced by Steve Green), bassist Peter Waddleton, and drummer Mark Smith (‘Wiff’), the band fused rock, funk, metal, and post-punk into a compelling, atmospheric sound that electrified audiences. Early singles on Fresh Records and tours with UK Decay, along with three John Peel Sessions by 1982, cemented their reputation for unforgettable live performances. Over the following years, Play Dead released a string of indie-charting singles and albums—including Walk Away, Sacrosanct, From the Promised Land, Into the Fire, and the Conny Plank–produced Company of Justice—while touring extensively across the UK and Europe. Though their journey ended in early 1986, their haunting melodies, brooding atmospheres, and innovative post-punk spirit continue to resonate, securing their legacy as a seminal force in the UK goth and alternative scene.

Selected track: This Side of Heaven — from their final 1985 album Company of Justice. The track reached the indie Top 5 in the UK charts and showcases the band's evolution toward a darker, more electronic-infused post-punk sound.

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