Few bands can rival the influence that Pere Ubu has had on the underground music scene, both here and abroad. Led by the charismatic David Thomas, the band’s off-kilter, avant-garde garage rock predated the postpunk of such seminal bands as Joy Division, Gang of Four, Wire and Public Image Ltd by at least two years. With haunting dissonance and deconstructed rhythms layered below Thomas’ intensely paranoid voice, Pere Ubu’s pioneering sound has spread far and wide. Their influence has continued some thirty years on and has continued to inspire the likes of Nick Cave, Wilco and Mercury Rev.

The band was formed in 1975 out of the ashes of the now legendary Rocket From the Tombs, a Cleveland band whose ranks included Thomas and original Ubu guitarst Peter Laughner, as well as future Dead Boys Cheetah Chrome and Stiv Bators. Late in that year, the band released its debut single, the chilling and claustrophobic “30 Seconds Over Tokyo,” on Thomas’ own Hearthan label. Its followup, “Final Solution,” was equally good and, with its disaffected lyrics of alienation and pounding rhythm, is often cited as Pere Ubu’s most well known song.

David Thomas

More singles followed and, as the group gained a loyal cult following, they signed to a subsidiary of Mercury Records called Blank Records, where they released their debut album, The Modern Dance. The band’s avant-garde leanings and manic sounds yielded some of the most uncompromising music ever heard on a major label; although it sold few copies, it had immense impact on numerous bands who were just forming at the time. The album’s influence would be heard on such classics as Chairs Missing, Unknown Pleasures, Metal Box and Entertainment. Even better was the followup release, Dub Housing, which pushed the group into even more experimental terrain. Again, a surprising feat for a major label release.

Three albums followed, before Pere Ubu disbanded in 1982 and Thomas began a solo career that began with a collaboration with legendary British guitarist Richard Thompson, who was no stranger to innovative explorations of sound. However, by 1987 Thomas was working with various Ubu alumni on a solo record when the decision was made to hoist the Pere Ubu flag again. The ensuing records were surprisingly much more in the pop vein. One could easily call them accessible compared to what had come before. The 1989 single “Waiting for Mary” even earned some considerable airplay on MTV. However, the simple pop approach was all but gone by the time 1995’s Ray Gun Suitcase was released. A truly underrated gem of a record, the album revisited the themes and soundscapes of their early records without blatantly attempting to replicate them. Subsequent recordings have followed a similar route, most notably with 2002’s St Arkansas, a dark and lonely meditation on travel. Remarkable in its total lack of cliched “band on the road” lyrics, the album is one of Pere Ubu’s most daring releases and could be considered their “Americana” album, although listeners shouldn’t expect anything close to Uncle Tupelo or Whiskeytown.

Pere Ubu have now been active, off and on, for more than 30 years. They have almost always reflected the dark times of their environment. And while their music can sometimes be perceived as difficult listening, it is always truly rewarding. As a live act, they are as intense and unpredictable as they ever have been, with Thomas often stalking the stage with a manic energy that echoes a possessed fire and brimstone preacher. It is something to experience.

In support of their new record, Why I Hate Women, Pere Ubu will perform at Mohawk Place on Friday, April 6, with local support from the Exit Strategy. Doors open at 9pm.