Dan Cross
Born in Letchworth, Hertfordshire which was & still is about 50 miles North of London.I started playing electric guitar when I was 14 finding inspiration in bands like Free & Thin Lizzy later catching on to post punk guitarists like John McGeoch ( Souxsie & the Banshees ) Tom Verlaine ( Television)& Will Sergeant ( Echo & the Bunnymen).
Joined local heroes Perfect Disaster when I was 18 & recorded 4 well received albums initially on Glass & later on Fire Records where we regularly played gigs with Spacemen 3.
Our claim to fame was touring with The Jesus & Mary Chain on their ‘Automatic’ tour & supporting The Pixies as special guests at Brixton Academy & Town & Country club. We were regularly played by John Peel on his influential Radio 1 show.
We were front cover stars of music weekly ‘Sounds’ in 1988 but band split when Kim Deal invited bass player Jo Wiggs to start The Breeders.
I started writing my own songs after moving to London - inspired variously by Jonathan Richman (for humour) Leonard Cohen (for love songs ) & Mark Eitzel (for desolation) I began making demos & playing gigs such as The Mean Fiddler In Harlesden & The 12 Bar in Denmark Street & finding my way in the live acoustic scene of the 90s.
Played lead guitar on David Westlake’s ‘Play Dusty for me’ album recorded in Ireland in 2000 & eventually released on Captured Tracks.
Wrote & recorded 2nd solo album ‘ ATHEIST ANTHEMS ’ with producer Pete O’Brien between 2017 & 2019. DEATH SONG, the first single of the album will be released September13th 2019.
I continue to play regularly live solo & with friends in South East London.
I consider my main song-writing influences to be passing thoughts, twisted sensibilities, drunken dreams & whale watching.