Tyson Meade

Tyson Todd Meade (born September 15, 1962) is an American musician, painter, writer, teacher, and disc jockey best known as the principal singer and songwriter for pioneering alternative rock bands Defenestration and Chainsaw Kittens. Defenestration is credited in the book Road to Nirvana as one of the bands that influenced Kurt Cobain's music and Billy Corgan often credited Chainsaw Kittens as one of his favorite bands—Corgan even once wrote Meade when he was working the first Smashing Pumpkins album lauding the brilliance of Chainsaw Kittens first album, Violent Religion. Meade has been referred to as a Godfather of alternative rock music.

Background

Meade was born in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, the youngest of five children. Before settling into retirement, his father worked as an architect, and his mother pursued a career as a nurse. Both parents, according to Meade, instilled in their son the values of treating others with respect, as well as frugality. Meade's childhood was filled by music: “[Music] was the only thing I was into" says Meade, "It consumed me." His sister Connie—16 when he was born in 1962—would yank him out of the crib when the Beatles came on the radio. His mom would do the same with groups like the Supremes. "She really loved 'Love Is Like an Itching in My Heart,'" says Meade. His first two rock shows were Elvis at the Tulsa Assembly Center in 1972 and a night with Alice Cooper's harrowing Welcome to My Nightmare tour in 1975 . Meade's musical interest eventually gravitated to musicians like New York Dolls, David Bowie, T-Rex (band), and Patti Smith. According to Meade, music was the only place where he could find people who thought and dressed like him.