Death in June were a fairly controversial band during the early-to-mid-1980s. They were formed by Douglas Pearce, Tony Wakeford and Patrick Leagas after the dissolution of left-wing punk group Crisis. They soon attracted attention by their militaristic drumming and their frequent use of fascist symbolism, both in their lyrics and in their artwork.
Later on they took a more esoteric line, exploring various aspects of occultism and paganism. David Tibet and Douglas Pearce worked closely together during this period, and they were important members of the scene I discussed in my main blog entry ‘Zigzagging Down Memory Lane‘.
I saw Death in June supporting Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds at the Electric Ballroom in Camden, some time during the winter of 1984–5. A little while before that, the NME had labelled them as neo-Nazis. Maybe to make a point, they came on stage wearing white Soviet army winter gear. I can’t remember a lot about their set, but I still have quite a number of their records at home.
Douglas Pearce; Patrick Leagas; Richard Butler; Tibet
100 Songs in 100 Days 
November 7 1984! I was at the same gig – I knew nothing about Death in June other than the comment made by someone I was at college with (who co-wrote the latest John Lydon autobiography) that they were ‘fascists’. I remember their white hooded jackets (didn’t realise the Soviet Army connection) and the drums, particularly on The Torture Garden and Till The Living Flesh Is Burned. The best ‘support band’ I’ve ever seen…the bootleg of this gig doesn’t do it justice.
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I don’t know why this comment has remained undiscovered for so long. Thanks for remembering the date – I guessed I’d only been in uni for about a month or so, so you’ve reassured me that my memory isn’t entirely imaginary. They were a superb band, weren’t they? Remember the rather sinister guy (Tibet?) taking photos of the audience from the side of the stage, too? I didn’t know there was a bootleg, but I imagine it would have turned up in Rapid Eye in Kensington Market at some stage. By Goddess,I miss those days!
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