The Vertebrats were an American rock group formed in 1979 in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, by Roy Axford Jr., Matt Brandabur, Ken Draznik, and Jim Wald. Their breakthrough came in 1981 when their song “Left in the Dark” was included on Greg Shaw’s Voxx Records anthology Battle of the Garages, introducing the band to an international audience. The same year, the group released the 7-inch single “Diamonds in the Rough” / “Jackie's Gone” on Vb Records. In 1993, Parasol Records released the compilation albums A Thousand Day Dream and Continuous Shows, which collectively feature over 40 original tracks. A remastered version of A Thousand Day Dream was published by Reaction in 2003. The band disbanded in 1982 but reunited for occasional performances in 1992, 1995, 2006, 2009, and 2010. Their discography also includes the 12-inch vinyl Screaming Like a Mad Choir (2011) and the compilation Left Right in the Dark - The Best of the Vertebrats (2018), and their songs have been covered by acts such as The Replacements and Uncle Tupelo.
