Killsadie or Kill Sadie was a Minneapolis-based post-hardcore band who formed in 1997 and eventually split in 2001 after a large number of line-up changes. It proved to be a launching ground for several influential modern emo, hardcore, and indie musicians, who found larger success in other outfits such as Minus the Bear, Pretty Girls Make Graves and These Arms Are Snakes. Rather than seek popular appeal or radio play, the band adopted the familiar DIY ethic of constant touring. They are often grouped with many of the 80s-90s emo bands such Rites of Spring and Texas Is The Reason although their musical style would probably be better described in reference to the members' subsequent projects.
History
The band formed in 1997 in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota. An early influence was D.C. band Swiz, who also inspired the font used on early releases. Reminiscent of bands like Fugazi and Drive Like Jehu in work ethic and spirit, they pushed away from the hardcore scene that rooted their sound to experiment with adding sonic presence, electronic beats and sampling, as well as multi-layered vocals. The band's name was taken from an incident at a party. Founding drummer Erin Tate was informed by his brother Knol that a girl named "Sadie tried to kill ." Tate responded that "someone should kill Sadie." The band's name is often broken into two words though it is just as common for the phrase to be combined into a single word. They were eventually driven apart not only by moving from Minneapolis to Seattle, but mainly by directions they wanted to take the band, as is evident in the member's later projects.
Musical style
Always different and fresh, Kill Sadie's sound ranged from soft ethereal jazz to screaming hardcore. The band mixed these two with stark originality and influenced many before they broke up. The smooth watery bass work and almost harp sounding guitar taps were rare to find in hardcore punk bands, a classification that barely describes the band's style. Their closest contemporaries were probably At the Drive-In, Murder City Devils, or on their lighter side Sunny Day Real Estate.
Members
Killsadie's lineup changed several times due to touring and internal conflict.
Erin Tate - drums now of Onalaska/Askeleton/Minus the Bear
J. Clark - guitar now of Sharks Keep Moving/Pretty Girls Make Graves/Jaguar Love
Steve Snere - vocals now of These Arms are Snakes/Crypts
"Their music is a sensory penetrating, electro-fused explosion, with lots of reverb, ambience and hard angled hits. Rooted in its hardcore sound, they experimentally transcend in adding sonic presence, electronic beats and sampling, and multi-layered vocals." - Satellite City
