Biography
Emerging during spring 1999, Love Life came together once vocalist Katrina Ford and guitarist Sean Antanaitis—both previously in Jaks—moved from Ann Arbor to Baltimore. They joined forces with Anthony Malat, who had played bass in Great Unraveling, and the three launched a lengthy quest to locate an appropriate drummer. Six candidates tried out before the group settled on Dave Bergander, once of Universal Order of Armageddon. Settling into a shared Baltimore residence that doubled as studio and practice room, the members lived communally while refining their material through months of rehearsal prior to any public performance. During this period they largely abandoned the post-punk lineage inherited from Jaks, keeping only its macabre atmosphere and a raw, churning force that echoed the Birthday Party, the Jesus Lizard, and like-minded acts such as Get Hustle. Antanaitis’s guitar, routed through an organ effect, and Ford’s unsettling vocal approach became central traits of the band’s sound. Love Life then signed with New Jersey-based Troubleman Records, completed two lengthy U.S. tours, and issued its first full-length album, The Rose He Lied By, in early 2001.
Albums
