Bloomington, Indiana – Murder by Death, the alternative indie rock band that formed in 2000 while its members were students at Indiana University Bloomington, has come a long way since its humble beginnings. After more than two decades of touring, recording, and building a loyal following, the band is preparing to say goodbye with a farewell tour that will kick off on June 7 in Bloomington. The show will be a special event for both the band and their fans, as it marks the start of the final chapter for a group that has seen so much growth and success over the years.
In an exclusive interview with frontman Adam Turla, who is also an Indiana University alum, we dive deep into the band’s early days in Bloomington, the inspirations behind their unique sound, and what fans can expect from the farewell tour. Turla opens up about the band’s journey, the challenges of maintaining a career in music, and his thoughts on what lies ahead after the tour ends.
From Dorm Rooms to the Stage: How Murder by Death Got Started
The story of Murder by Death begins like many bands do: in the dorms of a university. Turla explains that the group of musicians that would eventually become Murder by Death came together through their shared love of punk rock and indie music, forming what Turla calls a “convergence of kids” who were united by their passion for alternative music.
“Our group was this convergence of kids who were into punk rock and indie that met up through the dorms,” Turla recalls. “Collins was the place where all the weird kids lived, and we were all weird kids. It was honestly really valuable for us to have a place like that for so many reasons, and I do wonder if the band would have started as early without some of the resources they provided. I met so many different people there.”
For Turla, the experience of living in Bloomington and attending Indiana University was transformative. It was a place that opened his mind to new experiences and introduced him to a diverse group of people who would eventually help shape his musical career. The dorms provided a sense of community that proved to be crucial for the band’s early formation.
“My favorite thing about going to IU was suddenly having more experiences and different kinds of people in my life,” Turla reflects. “It was the perfect setting for a young musician to develop.”
The Early Days: The Cheshire Café and House Shows
One of the pivotal moments in the band’s early career came when they played their first show at the Cheshire Café in Bloomington. It was a battle of the bands competition, and Murder by Death was among the winners. Turla remembers how the energy in the room was electric as they performed some of their early songs to an enthusiastic crowd.
“We played our first show at the Cheshire Café, and it was a battle of the bands that we actually won,” Turla shares. “We just played one or two songs that we had written, and it was packed. We played there pretty regularly.”
The Cheshire Café provided the perfect venue for up-and-coming bands like Murder by Death to showcase their music without the financial barriers that many smaller bands face when trying to book larger venues. According to Turla, it was a place where indie culture thrived in Bloomington, much like house shows had done in other parts of the country.
“To have that on campus — a free place to put on a show — that was a big part of indie culture at the time,” Turla explains. “Back in the ’90s, the shows that I grew up going to were often house shows, and they obviously still have shows like that today, but we would find just any room that had a PA system or that would let you bring in a PA system and do a show with basically no overhead. Then you could just have this $5 gig with 40 people in a room and still give the band some gas money.”
The experience at the Cheshire Café helped to establish Murder by Death’s name in Bloomington, and it wasn’t long before the band started hosting their own house shows. One such venue was “The Octopus Palace,” a house that had a giant furnace in the basement. The furnace, with its many arms, inspired a friend to paint an octopus face on it, and the house became a regular spot for the band and other musicians to crash and perform.
“We had some big bands play there, like My Morning Jacket, Coheed and Cambria, Motion City Soundtrack,” Turla says with a nostalgic tone. “We would have bands come through and stay all the time, just crazy people that we knew would be passing through and crashing.”
Iconic Bloomington Venues: Rhino’s, Bear’s Place, and More
In addition to their time at the Cheshire Café and The Octopus Palace, Murder by Death also performed at some of Bloomington’s most iconic venues, which were crucial to their development as a band. Places like Rhino’s, Bear’s Place, Uncle Fester’s, and The Bluebird became regular stops for the band, and they played countless shows at these spots over the years.
“We were just a little local band. We probably played 75 shows in Bloomington over the last 25 years,” Turla says. “That’s why we wanted to do this show. We really wanted to do some sort of free event to start the farewell tour in Bloomington because we thought ‘Let’s start the tour where it all started.’ And if it could be free, that’d be amazing.”
The timing of their farewell tour lined up perfectly with the Granfalloon festival, an annual Bloomington event inspired by legendary author Kurt Vonnegut Jr. Turla expresses his excitement about the opportunity to perform at the festival, especially given the band’s deep connection to Bloomington’s music scene.
“It’s the perfect event for this, and I’m really excited and honored to play with Mavis Staples and Thee Sacred Souls,” Turla says.
The Evolution of the Band: From Little Joe Gould to Murder by Death
Before they became known as Murder by Death, the band originally went by the name Little Joe Gould, a reference to an E.E. Cummings poem. At the time, the band’s sound was more mellow and dreamy, leaning towards sleepy indie music. However, as they began to experiment with their sound, they found themselves gravitating toward darker, more intense themes.
“We started as Little Joe Gould, which was a reference to an E.E. Cummings poem,” Turla explains. “I was obsessed with E.E. Cummings at that time, and we started the band playing really sleepy, dreamy indie music. We really had no idea what we were doing. We certainly had no idea that we were going to be doing this for a long time.”
As their sound began to evolve, the band embraced a darker aesthetic, and that shift in tone inspired them to change their name to Murder by Death. The name, inspired by the 1976 cult film of the same name, was both a joke and a reflection of the band’s growing musical direction.
“We agonized over the band name. We wanted something that made fun of the fact that we were making darker music,” Turla says. “We remembered that ridiculous movie ‘Murder By Death,’ and we were like, ‘Well, that’s like a joke about murder and darkness.’”
While the name helped establish the band’s identity, it also led to some challenges. The controversial name often resulted in Murder by Death being excluded from various events and festivals, but Turla reflects on how it has shaped the band’s unique identity.
“We ended up being more of a cult band. Maybe if we had more mainstream opportunities we wouldn’t be the band that we are now, so, hey, we did pretty good,” Turla says. “I never thought that I would be in my mid-40s and have had this successful career and feel so much love from the audience.”
The Future: What’s Next for Adam Turla and Murder by Death?
As the band embarks on their farewell tour, many fans are wondering what’s next for the members of Murder by Death. For Turla, the idea of stepping away from touring full-time is both exciting and daunting.
“We’ve just been overworked for several decades, and we’ve just had too many projects. Our favorite part of being in a band is the creative work,” Turla admits. “Some people live to perform, and it’s not that I hate it. It’s just that it’s harder to do as you get older. I don’t know what a normal life looks like, and I would love to see what it’s like to just be home for a year.”
While the farewell tour marks the end of an era for Murder by Death, Turla reassures fans that the band won’t completely disappear. They plan to continue their annual cave shows in Tennessee, which have become a beloved tradition among their fans. These intimate, special events will keep the band’s spirit alive, even as they step away from the traditional touring grind.
“We’ll continue that so that the band isn’t just totally dead,” Turla says. “And maybe someday we’ll make music.”
Returning to Bloomington: A Fond Farewell
When asked about returning to Bloomington for the farewell tour, Turla expresses a deep sense of nostalgia for the town that helped shape the band. For him, Bloomington in the summer was paradise, and the memories of those years spent in the town will always be cherished.
“Bloomington in the summer was paradise,” Turla reflects. “When I picture Bloomington, one of the first things I always think about is having my window open in the summer and hearing all the bugs and sounds, like the train in the distance.”
After years of living and performing all over the world, Turla is excited to return to Bloomington, a place that will always hold a special place in his heart.
“Bloomington was a grounding place for a bunch of people who were literally flying all over the world playing gigs in these huge cities,” he says. “You’d come home to this quiet town, and you could just sit on your porch and watch people walk by.”
As Murder by Death prepares to say goodbye, their legacy as one of the most unique and beloved indie rock bands will undoubtedly endure. For Turla and his bandmates, this farewell tour is a celebration of everything they’ve achieved and a chance to reflect on the journey that began in a dorm room at Indiana University.
