Funeral Diner was a screamo band from Half Moon Bay, California, located near San Francisco. During their last few years, the band established a strong cult fanbase through a near constant string of releases and a touring schedule during which they visited the United States, Europe, and Japan.

The band had a large catalog of splits and compilation tracks on various records. They rarely pressed CDs, and kept many of their releases in limited quantities and one-time pressings, jumping from label to label, though their last few major recordings were released by Alone Records. Their most recent full-length, The Underdark, was issued on Alone in 2005.

Members of the band were previously affiliated with other groups such as Nexus Six, Portraits of Past, Living War Room, Lost Ground, Sheep Squeeze, and Takaru. After the breakup, members have gone on to form Stirling Says, ...Who Calls So Loud, Pills, and Lemonade.

Though rooted in first wave emo, hardcore punk and early screamo characteristics, the band later included elements of post-rock. Funeral Diner's albums have attracted significant coverage from rock press outlets.

Members

Final lineup

  • David Manuel Mello – guitar (1998–2007)
  • Daniel Patrick Bajda – guitar (1998–2007), vocals (1998–1999, 2000–2002)
  • Matthew Martin Bajda – drums (1998–2007)
  • Seth Robert Babb – vocals (2002–2007)
  • Benjamin Rutledge Steidel – bass (2002–2007)

Former members

  • Sean O'Shea – bass (1998–1999)
  • Rob Prevail – bass (1999–2000)
  • Phil Benson – vocals (1999–2000)
  • Andrew Michael Radin – bass (2000–2002)

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

TitleAlbum DetailsNotes
Difference Of PotentialReleased: August 2002 (CD) September 2003 (LP) Label: Ape Must Not Kill Ape Formats: CD, LPLP edition limited to 1000 black colored copies
The UnderdarkReleased: March 2005 Label: Alone Records Formats: CD, LPFirst issued through Alone Records in April 2005 on CD and vinyl formats. First vinyl pressing included black and clear vinyl, 1200 copies of the black vinyl and an unknown number of copies of the clear vinyl. Also unknown amount pressed on white vinyl. In 2015, to celebrate the album's tenth anniversary, Repeater Records reissue the album on grey colored vinyl, 524 copies total.

Extended plays

TitleAlbum DetailsNotes
The WickedReleased: August 2002 (CD) May 2004 (10") Label: Sorry Records Alone Records Formats: CD, 10"First released in August 2002 on CD format through Sorry Records. Later reissued on CD and 10" vinyl formats in 2004 through Alone Records with different artwork and an extra track.
Swept UnderReleased: June 25, 2005 Label: LilacSky Records, Audio Is A War (10") Cosmic Note Records (CD) Formats: CD, 10"10" edition issued through both LilacSky Records and Audio Is A War. CD edition, issued by Cosmic Note Records, includes different artwork and extra remixed versions of Funeral Diner tracks appended to the end.
Bag Of HoldingReleased: March 2006 Label: Self-released Formats: 3" CDTour edition EP released as a home burned 3" CD. Edition of 75, all copies hand-numbered. Featured tracks from their split with Ampere and from The Emo Apocalypse compilation.
Doors OpenReleased: March 2007 Label: Self-released (CD) Vendetta Records, Adagio830 (12") Formats: CD, 12"CD edition independently released by the band for their 2007 Japan tour. The single-sided 12" edition was released between Vendetta Records and Adagio830 in Germany. This edition included different artwork from the CD edition and was released in edition of 600 black colored copies.

Split releases

TitleAlbum DetailsNotes
Nexus Six/Funeral DinerReleased: January 1999 Label: Old Glory Records Format: LPEdition of 1000 black colored copies. Split with Nexus Six.
The World of FormsReleased: August 2000 Label: Ape Must Not Kill Ape Format: LPEdition of 1000 black colored copies, 50 of which came packaged in hand-stamped sleeves. Split with Staircase.
The Shivering/Funeral DinerReleased: November 2001 Label: Into The Hurricane Unfun Records City Boot Records Format: LPEdition of 600 hand-numbered black colored copies. Split with The Shivering.
A Split Seven InchReleased: October 2002 Label: Vendetta Records Format: 7"Three pressings total: 525 make up the first, 440 for the second, and 520 for the third, all of which adding up to 1485 black colored vinyl copies total. The second and third pressings were hand-numbered. Split with Zann. The song "Lie In Headlights" is the only song from a split release to not be compiled in any of the band's compilation releases.
Music Inspired by Rites of Spring Part OneReleased: September 2003 Label: Fire Walk With Me Format: 7"Rites of Spring tribute 7" split with the Saddest Landscape. Edition of 780 black colored copies.
Dead City/Funeral DinerReleased: September 2003 Label: Old Glory Records So Much To Give Format: LP1000 black colored copies and about 140 test pressings. About 130 of the test pressings were sold by Dead City on tour with unique artwork and inserts. About 12 copies were packaged in manilla envelopes and had artwork done by Dan Davis of Kodan Armada. Including these two "artwork variations", about 6 different variations of artwork exist for this release. Split with Dead City.
I Just Want To Feel This Way ForeverReleased: June 2004 (CD) May 2005 (10") Label: Falling Leaves (CD) Somberlain (10") Format: CD, 10"First issued as a CD through Falling Leaves in 2004. Reissued on 10" vinyl format through Somberlain with alternative artwork in 2005 as an edition of 675: 340 black, 335 mint-green. Split with Evylock.
A Seven Inch SplitReleased: June 2004 Label: Red Cars Go Faster Records Format: 7"Edition of 1030 copies: 570 black, 460 champagne clear. 141 of the black copies were hand-numbered European tour editions, and 123 of the clear copies were hand-numbered as well. All copies of the split were pressed on thick 70 gram vinyl. Split with Raein.
Welcome The Plague Year/Funeral DinerReleased: July 2004 Label: Electric Human Project Format: 7"2000 copies total: 1000 blue, 700 black, 200 clear, and 100 white. Split with Welcome The Plague Year.
Ampere/Funeral DinerReleased: July 2007 Label: Clean Plate Records, Electric Human Project Format: 9"Released in edition of 1000: 800 black, 200 green. All copies were actually single-sided with etching all over the B-side and some even on the A-side. Split with Ampere.

Compilation albums

TitleAlbum DetailsNotes
Three Sides DeadReleased: September 2003 Label: LilacSky Records Formats: CDCompilation album composed of all of Funeral Diner's tracks from their splits with Nexus Six, Staircase, and The Shivering.
...Is DeadReleased: September 2003 Label: Self-released Formats: CD-RTour edition homeburned CD-R, edition of 200. Sold through the band's 2003 European tour. Compilation composed of tracks that will later appear on their splits with Evylock, Raein, and Welcome The Plague Year.

Compilation Appearances

TitleAlbum DetailsSong
Inspiration From ForestReleased: November 2004 Label: Falling Leaves Formats: CD"Shifting"
A Sequel Of A StoryReleased: August 2003 (CD) February 2004 (LP) Label: Cosmic Note (CD) City Boot Records, Correlation Records, Coldbringer Recordings (LP) Formats: CD, LP"This Truly Is God's Country"
The Emo ApocalypseReleased: May 2006 Label: React With Protest Formats: LP"Addendum"
Droning Earth Vol. 4Released: October 2008 Label: Droning Earth Formats: DL"Two Houses"

Associated Acts

  • Stirling Says - Seth Robert Babb
  • ...Who Calls So Loud - Matthew Martin Bajda, David Manuel Mello
  • Portraits of Past - Matthew Martin Bajda
  • Nexus Six - David Manuel Mello, Daniel Patrick Bajda, Matthew Martin Bajda
  • Lemonade - Benjamin Rutledge Steidel
  • Sheep Squeeze
  • Living War Room
  • Lost Ground
  • Takaru
  • Pills

External links

  • [permanent dead link]