45 Grave formed in Los Angeles in 1979 with Dinah Cancer on vocals, Rob Graves on guitar, Paul Beahm on bass, and Don Bolles on drums. Their name came from a line in Johnny Cash's 'In the Jailhouse Now.' They put out their first single, 'Sleep in Safety,' in 1980.
Their sound mixed punk energy with a gothic atmosphere, and songs like 'Party Time' and 'Evil' had that unsettling, theatrical quality. Dinah Cancer's stage presence and look were a big part of their live shows.
They released albums through the 1980s, including 'Party Time' in 1983 and 'Souvenirs' in 1989. Their music connected with the darker corners of the LA punk scene at the time.
Keep it compact: a lyric you come back to, a live memory, or the part of the catalog you would point someone toward first.
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