Gray Matter
(1983 - 1986, 1990 - )Geoff Turner - vocals & guitar
Steve Niles - bass & vocals
Mark Haggerty - guitar
Dante Ferrando - drums
Compilations
Gray Matter officially formed in the summer of 1983 but Geoff Turner, Mark Haggerty and Dante Ferrando had been playing in bands since their early junior high school days. In 1983, Dante and Mark were playing in Iron Cross, but when when the band began to take on an image that seemed to reflect it's violent supporters more than the members themselves, Dante quit. Soon after Mark also left and the two reunited with Geoff and Iron Cross' roadie, Steve Niles, and started playing shows around Washington DC as Gray Matter. The band's first album Food For Thought was originally released on R&B records in 1984 while the members were still in High School. In 1985, Dischord Records released the EP Take It Back. Shortly thereafter Mark left the band to go to college and the band broke up. Dante went on to play drums for Ignition and Geoff, Steve, and Mark reunited and formed the band Three, with Jeff Nelson from Minor Threat. After Three broke up, Geoff formed Senator Flux, Mark joined Severin, and Steve started a publishing company, Arcane Comix. Gray Matter reformed in the spring of 1990 and released Thog in 1992. Dischord originally re-issued Food For Thought and Take It Back (DIS 49) onto one CD in 1990. This CD was Re-Mastered at Silver Sonya and reissued in 2004.
Photo: Gray Matter by Bert Queiroz