It is with a heavy heart that we mourn the passing of Jeffrey Runnings, bassist and vocalist of Nebraska-based post-punk/dream pop band For Against. He is survived by husband Sean Appelgate, who has been a massive pillar of support for him during his long battle with cancer. Runnings was 61 when he passed peacefully into the night.
Runnings was a beacon of bright light in the US post-punk scene, a passionate fan of music, a devoted husband, a caring friend, and a wonderful cat dad. His band For Against formed in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1984, originally performing as a quintet under the name Four Against One, with Runnings originally playing keyboards. After the departure of Four Against One’s original vocalist and bassist, Runnings would step into both roles, solidifying For Against as a trio alongside guitarist Harry Dingman III and drummer Gregory Hill.
For Against’s sound drew heavily from the early UK post-punk scene and labels such as 4AD and Factory. Runnings’ striking tenor and deep, melodic bass playing were among the driving forces of the band, who carved out vast microcosms of sound across their entire body of work. During an era where dance pop and hair metal reigned supreme in the United States, For Against were a delightful anomaly, tapping into underground music culture and celebrating melodic, yet edgy guitar pop. Runnings’ occasionally scathing lyrics and the band’s breakneck rhythms and glimmering guitar textures gave the band a distinct edge among their contemporaries.
For Against released their first single, the blistering “Autocrat/It’s A Lie” in 1985, signing with Independent Project Records in 1987 for their debut, the excellent Echelons. The band quickly followed up their debut with 1988’s shimmering December, a landmark recording that’s still cherished to date. This lineup of the band would split after the release of 1990’s In the Marshes, which collected early demos and recordings.
Runnings would reshape the band soon after, switching briefly to guitar and adding Stephen Hinrichs (formerly of The Gladstones), bassist Jeff Gaskins, and drummer Paul Engelhard, who recorded a handful of singles between 1991 and 1993. Gaskins would depart by the time of the release of 1993’s Aperture LP, which saw the band expanding their palate to incorporate dreamier textures, aligning themselves with the vibrant indie rock and dream pop scenes of the era.
A trio once more, this lineup of the band would record three more albums (1995’s Mason’s California Lunchroom, 1997’s Shelf Life, and 2002’s wonderful Coalesced) before Hinrichs and Engelhard departed. Engelhard was replaced by Nick Buller, while Harry Dingman III would rejoin soon after for the band’s final albums, 2008’s Shade Side Sunny Side and 2009’s Never Been. The band’s final show took place in 2010 in New York City as part of the Big Takeover festival, put together by longtime supporter and friend Jack Rabid.
Runnings recorded a solo LP, 2016’s Primitives and Smalls released on Saint Marie Records. Before passing, Runnings announced a second solo LP titled Piqued, which is due out later this year on Independent Project Records. We look forward to hearing these parting sounds from one of post-punk’s best and brightest.
Much love to Jeffrey, his friends, and his family. He will be deeply missed, but may his music forever live on in our hearts….
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