Nigel Simpkins

Nigel Simpkins, (real name Martin 'Cally' Callomon) started off as the drummer and songwriter for 70s punk band The Bears and 80s indie band The Tea Set. Formerly manager to Julian Cope whom he signed to Island, Cally also was the co-founder of Bam-Caruso Records, A&R for EastWest/WEA and head of Island Art, Island Records' art department. He is the executor of Nick Drake's estate. He currently works for the Bill Drummond arts project Penkiln Burn. 

 

Nigel Simpkins had released the first ever sampling record in 1978, to tremendous applause from the underground scene. "Time’s Encounter" (the A-side of single 'X. ENC.') had taken a drum demonstration record and added snippets of every hip record in the world to its Krautrock stew. The sleeve featured Nigel as a guy with 'Madcap Laughs'-period Syd Barrett hair, wearing seven pairs of shades at the same time -it was an image that Robyn Hitchcock would copy a year or so later.