Funeral Diner Funeral Diner's Final Lineup:
David Manuel Mello - Guitar (1998-2007)
Seth Robert Babb - Vocals (2002-2007)
Benjamin Rutledge Steidel - Bass Guitar (2002-2007)
Daniel Patrick Bajda - Guitar (1998-2007), Vocals (1998-1999, 2000-2002)
Matthew Martin Bajda - Drums (1998-2007)
Former Members:
Sean O'Shea - Bass Guitar (1998-1999)
Rob Prevail - Bass Guitar (1999-2000)
Andrew Michael Radin - Bass Guitar (2000-2002)
Phil Benson - Vocals (1999-2000)
Funeral Diner formed in 1998 in Half Moon Bay, CA and currently lives in San Francisco. They would probably describe their band as “screamy, chaotic, melodic hardcore” but would prefer to just let the
music speak for itself. Formed out of the demise of Nexus Six and Portraits of Past, Funeral Diner's early years ('98 - 2000) saw a number of line up changes and the recording and release of three split LP's (with Nexus Six, The Shivering, and Staircase).
In 2001, Funeral Diner recorded their first full length, entitled "Difference of Potential" and embarked on their first US tour. In 2002 the band recorded more new songs which would appear on "The Wicked" E.P. and on a split 7" with Zann. Late 2002 took the band on a 12 week tour of the US and Europe.
In 2003, the band did another tour of the US and later in the year toured Japan and Europe. Releases in 2003 include a split 7" with The Saddest Landscape, a split LP with Dead City, a track on a four-way split for the Japanese tour, a very limited European tour CD, and a CD entitled "Three Sides Dead" which collects the Funeral Diner sides of the (out of print) first 3 split LPs.
The new Funeral Diner album is called The Underdark. The songs were written specifically for the album, as
opposed to simply being a collection of unrelated material with the hope that the finished product would have a more cohesive feel throughout. Musically, it’s more spread out, with longer songs and some new sounds, combined with the usual abrasive, screaming assault. The lyrics address the contradictions and personal conflicts that arise from living within a society in decline.
In spring of 2005, Funeral Diner will be touring for three and a half months, across the US, Europe, and Japan.
From the demise of Nexus Six (1995-98), Dan, Dave, and Matt (Matt also formerly of Portraits of Past) continued making music together and formed Funeral Diner. The original bassist was another Half Moon Bay local Sean O'Shea. They mainly played around the SF bay area and Santa Cruz. They recorded some songs that would later appear on a split 12" record with their former band Nexus Six, released on Old Glory Records in 1999. Things weren't working out with Sean, so in 1999 Sean and FD parted ways.
From the ashes of Living War Room (another HMB band), FD found their next bassist, Rob Prevail. Once again, FD continued to play shows around the SF and Santa Cruz area, including 924 Gilman Street in Berkeley. And once again they went into the studio, (well, sort of studio) and recorded another batch of songs that would later appear on a split 12" with another Bay Area band, The Shivering, (Split release on Unfun, Into the Hurricane, and City Boot records) and on a split 12" with another Half Moon Bay band called Staircase (released on Ape Must Not Kill Ape Records). During this time FD gained a vocalist, Phil Benson. Phil was another local that had the same passion for the underground hardcore scene. This FD line up didn't last too long. In early 2000 Phil and Rob decided to part ways with FD.
Phil and Rob left right in the middle of a recording session that was being engineered/produced by Andy Radin. FD decided to continue with the band and continued working on the unfinished recordings. During one of the recording sessions Dan and Dave were trying to figure out the dilemma of not having a bassist. Joking, one of them said "hey Andy, you played bass before, didn't you?" Andy replied "yeah, but I haven't touched my bass in about 18 months and I suck." FD finished the recordings, and continued with Andy on bass.
In early 2001 FD went back into the studio. Songs from this recording session appear on FD's first full length CD called "Difference of Potential" (released on Ape Must Not Kill Ape Records, distributed by Ebullition).
In August of 2001 FD embarked on their first tour of the US. Three weeks of hell, but they did it. Traveling with Staircase and The Last Forty Seconds (out of Massachusetts), FD played 15 shows in 19 days all across the US and into Canada, with vans constantly breaking down and even a van catching fire in Alabama. (thanks Gordon for helping our friends).
In early 2002 FD began to really look for a full time vocalist for the band. Seth Babb, who was a friend of FD and just happened to recently part ways with his band (Walken), seemed to fit perfectly.
In late 2002 Funeral Diner toured the U.S. and Canada for 6 weeks and then went straight to Europe for another 6 weeks of touring. Andy Radin and Funeral Diner parted ways, but Ben Steidel quickly filled in. Funeral Diner also released a split 7" with Zann, released their full length CD "Difference of Potential," and agreed to record some material for a Rites of Spring cover song project.
For 2003, Funeral Diner will be recording material for another full length album, releasing a 10" on So Much To Give Records, and may possibly release a split with Under A Dying Sun. FD is also booking another tour that will take them to Europe, Japan, and throughout the US. Tentative dates are late July through November.
Other bands that feature(d) members of Funeral Diner:
iwrotehaikusaboutcannibalisminyouryearbook - Daniel
Lacrima - Seth
Nexus 6 - Daniel, David, Matthew
Portraits of Past - Matthew
Takaru - Seth
...Who Calls So Loud - David
