The brainchild of guitarist
Brad Laner, Los Angeles trio
Medicine play a melodic, rhythmic style of noise-rock that has been tagged "dream-pop."
Laner began performing in his early teens in such local bands as
Vox Pop and
Nervous Gender after developing a taste for such avant-garde rock performers as
Captain Beefheart,
Throbbing Gristle,
Yoko Ono, and
the Residents. Over the years,
Laner played on more than 300 albums, the most famous of which belonged to industrial-rock outfit
Savage Republic, for whom he served as the drummer.
Medicine was formed in 1991 with drummer
Jim Goodall; its early lineup included guitarist
Jim Putnam, bassist
Eddie Ruscha, and singer
Annette Zalinskas, an original member of the
Bangles.
Putnam,
Ruscha, and Zalinskas eventually left; the latter was replaced by former
Fourwaycross singer
Beth Thompson. The band's debut, Shot Forth Self Living, was released in the U.K. several months after the band formed; it was picked up in America by
Rick Rubin's American label, which signed
Medicine in 1992. 1993 saw an EP, 5ive, which was followed a year later by the band's second full-length album, The Buried Life, featuring more collaborations within the group. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide