Dead Center

by Game Theory

Overview

After making their debut in 1982 with the self-produced and released album Blaze of Glory, Game Theory clearly wanted to aim for a more polished and professional sound on their next releases; for the 1983 EP Pointed Accounts of People You Know, leader Scott Miller took the band into a real studio (admittedly a modest one), and the 1984 EP Distortion found them working with an outside producer for the first time, Michael Quercio of paisley underground psychedelic heroes the Three O'Clock. The French indie label Lolita Records, then enamored of the paisley underground scene, licensed the two EPs and fashioned them into an album, Dead Center, making it the curious follow-up to Blaze of Glory, flown in from across the ocean to the group's homeland. While Dead Center doesn't cohere as an album as well as one might hope, the individual tracks shows that Game Theory were growing past the home-brewed sound of Blaze of Glory, and "Penny, Things Won't," "Metal and Glass Exact," and "Life in July" are smarter and better executed than nearly anything on BoG, while Quercio's production was a great complement to songs like "The Red Baron," "Nine Lives to Rigel Five," and "Shark Pretty" (the latter featuring a guitar solo from David Bowie sideman Earl Slick). And while Miller was clearly the leader of this band, bassist Fred Juhos, keyboardist Nan Becker, and drummer Dave Gill were more than capable accompanists who gave these songs the flavors they needed. One could certainly hear Game Theory's talent and potential on Blaze of Glory, but the material that formed Dead Center represented a major step forward for Miller and his group, and this music suggested they were maturing into the great smart pop band that would emerge on 1985's Real Nighttime. ~ Mark Deming

Product Details

Release Date:	08/18/2023
Label:	Omnivore
UPC:	0810075113372
Rank:	61468

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Game Theory   Primary Artist
Earl Slick   Guitar,Soloist
Scott Miller   Guitar,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Dave Gill   Drums
Gil Ray   Drums
Shelley LaFreniere   Vocals,Keyboards
Fred Juhos   Bass,Guitar,Vocals (Background)
Suzi Ziegler   Bass,Vocals
Nan Becker   Vocals,Keyboards,Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Cheryl Pawelski   Compilation Producer
Michael Quercio   Mixing,Producer,Liner Notes
Greg Allen   Design,Art Direction
Gavin Lurssen   Mastering
Cat Stevens   Composer
Wayne Carson   Composer
Scott Miller   Composer,Engineer,Producer
Van Morrison   Composer
Peter Buck   Composer
Mike Mills   Composer
Michael Stipe   Composer
Bryan Ferry   Composer
Murray Head   Composer
Pat Thomas   Compilation Producer
Pete Ham   Composer
Bradley Skaught   Project Assistant
Reuben Cohen   Mastering
Bill Berry   Composer
Dan Vallor   Mixing,Engineer,Liner Notes,Compilation Producer
Robert Toren   Photography
Lee Lodyga   Project Assistant
Dave Gill   Engineer,Project Assistant
Michael Graves   Restoration
Fred Juhos   Composer
Eileen Lucero   Editorial
Dave Millington   Mixing,Engineer,Project Assistant
Audrey Bilger   Project Assistant
Dutch Cramblitt   Project Assistant
Nikki Nieves   Project Assistant
Brad Rosenberger   Project Assistant
Nan Becker   Composer
Jennifer Beecroft Polishook   Photography
Shannon Vallor   Project Assistant