Biography
New York City-based new wave outfit Nervus Rex came together in 1976 when singers and guitarists Shawn Brighton and Lauren Agnelli formed the core. Agnelli, a respected rock critic who contributed to Creem under the punk pseudonym Trixie A. Balm, brought in her friend Miriam Linna, the former Cramps drummer, plus bassist Lew Eklund to round out the group. Their first appearance took place at the legendary CBGB's. Boy/girl harmonies, an acid-surf guitar approach, and twitchy rhythms quickly built a loyal audience, yet Brighton's angular pop songwriting ultimately proved incompatible with Linna, who departed to join rockabilly revivalists the Zantees. Soundman Jonathan Gildersleeve, who had played drums in one lineup of bubblegum hitmakers Ohio Express, stepped in as her replacement ahead of the 1978 single "Don't Look," released on the band's own Cleverly Named Record Co. The track became an underground hit across both sides of the Atlantic and earned "Best Independent Single of the Year" recognition from Britain's New Musical Express. East Coast dates supporting the Pretenders and Squeeze came next, but bassist Eklund exited in 1979 over creative differences. Dianne Athey joined on bass, and the revised lineup signed with producer Mike Chapman's Dreamland label. Their self-titled 1980 debut LP, however, was weighed down by Chapman's dance-pop production values and drew poor notices. Plans for a tour alongside fellow Dreamland act Spider collapsed when Spider's guitarist contracted typhoid fever, placing both bands in quarantine. With Dreamland's finances collapsing, Nervus Rex disbanded in 1981. Brighton subsequently launched synth-pop group the Puppets, while Agnelli later appeared with beatnik satirists the Washington Squares.
Albums