Brendan Perry was born in Whitechapel, London in 1959 to Anglo-Irish parents and subsequently raised and schooled in the East End of London, until his family emigrated to Auckland, New Zealand, seeking a new life and new opportunities.



Having received no prior formal musical education, Perry began to play the guitar under the guiding influence of Maori and Polynesian muscians at the catholic school he attended in Ponsonby. After half hearted attempts to become a primary school teacher and then join the civil service, he drifted through a series of jobs until Perry was asked to join The Scavengers in 1977.



At first he played bass guitar later taking on the duties of lead vocalist when the original singer left the band. Apart from a handful of original songs they would cover music from the Stooges, New York Dolls, and the late 60's Psychadelia. After two years of entertaining controversy, unable to secure a recording deal or live dates (largely due to the media's sensationalist attitude towards punk) the band decided to move to Melbourne, Australia, in 1979 and changed our name to the Marching Girls.



In 1980 Brendan Perry left the Marching Girls to pursue a more creative personal musical odyssey, experimenting with tape loops, synthesis and alternative forms of rhythm. In 1981 he formed Dead Can Dance with Simon Monroe and Paul Erikson (both of whom were to leave within the year soon after they had relocated to London) and of course Lisa Gerrard, who was to become his fellow navigator and soul musical companion for the next fifteen years.



Today Perry lives in Rural Ireland where he can be found indulging himself in mythological and natural interests such as Dragon Hunting.