Based in Toronto, Martha and the Muffins initially comprised Martha Johnson (vocals, keyboards), Martha Ladly (vocals, keyboards, trombone), guitarist Mark Gane, bassist Carl Finkle, drummer Tim Gane, and saxophonist Andy Haas. The group formed in 1977 and, on the strength of their debut independent single, "Insect Love"/"Suburban Dream," were signed by Virgin U.K. The band's debut album, 'Metro Music', appeared in 1980, led by "Echo Beach," which would become a new wave classic. After 1981's 'This Is the Ice Age', and 'Danseparc' two years later, Johnson and Gane moved the outfit to England and recorded 'Mystery Walk' (1984) and 'The World Is a Ball' (1986) as M+M. From then on, Martha and the Muffins recorded sporadically, releasing 'Modern Lullaby' in 1992 and 'Delicate' in 2010. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
The Leather Nun once shocked an audience by showing a porno movie at a concert. While Sweden is often seen as the country that spawned disco queens ABBA, The Leather Nun are its bastard sons. Careening from garage rock to goth and industrial, The Leather Nun became cult heroes in their native land. Naming themselves after a London stripper, The Leather Nun was formed in Goteborg, Sweden, in 1979 by Jonas Almqvist (vocals), Bengt "Aron" Aronsson (guitar), Freddie Wadling (bass), and Gert Claesson (drums). Inspired by both Throbbing Gristle and Lou Reed (Almqvist's half-spoken, half-sung vocals were obviously patterned after Reed's), The Leather Nun recorded their debut EP, 'Slow Death', in 1979. Wadling left The Leather Nun in 1982 and joined Blue for Two. A handful of singles followed before The Leather Nun released their first LP, 'Alive', in 1985. The group's imported singles found their way onto U.S. college radio stations, earning substantial airplay with "Pink House," a deadpan parody of John Mellencamp's "Pink Houses." The Leather Nun's American audience eventually eclipsed their small following in Sweden as they never took off at home. In 1988, The Leather Nun were reviewed in Rolling Stone magazine, rare mainstream media coverage for the band. Aronsson recorded a solo album, 'Purification', as Sister Aaron in 1993. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
The lush, dreamlike British pop trio Kitchens of Distinction were formed in London in 1986 by singer / bassist Patrick Fitzgerald, guitarist Julian Swales, and drummer Dan Goodwin. Taking their name from a Hygena advertisement, they issued their 1987 debut single, "Last Gasp Death Shuffle," on their own Gold Rush label, signing to One Little Indian after the record garnered Single of the Week honors in the pages of the NME. Two further singles, "Prize" and "The 3rd Time We Opened the Capsule," followed prior to the release of their 1989 debut LP, 'Love Is Hell'. Despite the critical acclaim given the album as well as its follow-up 1989 EP, 'Elephantine', much of the early media attention afforded Kitchens of Distinction swirled around Fitzgerald, openly gay at a time when such public candor was quite rare. Though widely considered a cult band, their 1991 sophomore effort, 'Strange Free World', debuted on the U.K. Top 40, but quickly tumbled off the charts. 'The Death of Cool' followed in 1992, but did little to improve their commercial fortunes, and after 1994's 'Cowboys and Aliens' also failed, Kitchens of Distinction were dropped by One Little Indian. Upon resurfacing in 1996 on Fierce Panda with the single "Feel My Genie" (released under the name Kitchens OD), the group split; Fitzgerald subsequently continued under the name Fruit. It would be almost 20 years before the band regrouped for the 2013 full-length 'Folly'. The album was less of a reunion and more the result of two years of the bandmembers casually working on tunes together in Fitzgerald's home studio. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
The Jazz Butcher was the vehicle of prolific singer/songwriter Pat Fish, an archetypal British eccentric whose sharp observational wit and melodic gifts navigated the group through over a decade of constant lineup shifts, stylistic mutations and even a series of name changes which found the band performing variously -and apparently randomly- under such titles as The Jazz Butcher Conspiracy and The Jazz Butcher & His Sikkorskis From Hell. Fish was born Patrick Huntrods in London in 1957, and raised primarily in Northampton. He first began performing while studying philosophy at Oxford in the late '70s, fronting the short-lived Nightshift; a subsequent band dubbed The Institution later joined forces with their rivals, The Sonic Tonix, establishing the nucleus of players who later formed the core of The Jazz Butcher sphere.
Fish first concocted his Butcher persona in 1982, quickly enlisting his Oxford mates to join him in a band of the same name; even from the outset, the group's roster changed seemingly on a daily basis, although Fish found an early mainstay in guitarist Max Eider. The Jazz Butcher's eclectic 1982 debut 'In Bath of Bacon' -including early skewed pop gems such as "Love Zombie" and "Sex Engine Thing"- was essentially a Fish solo record, but by 1984's folky 'A Scandal in Bohemia', the roster had stabilized to include ex-Bauhaus bassist David J. Following 'The Gift of Music', a 1984 compilation of single sides, The Jazz Butcher resurfaced the following year with 'Sex and Travel', a marvelously odd set ranging in sound from punk ("Red Pets") to cabaret ("Holiday").
After David J left the band to join Love and Rockets, the remaining quartet -Fish, Eider, bassist Felix Ray, and drummer O.P. Jones- rechristened themselves The Jazz Butcher & His Sikkorskis From Hell and recorded the 1985 live set 'Hamburg', followed the next year by an EP, 'Hard'. Leaving the rhythm section behind, Fish and Eider then recorded 1986's 'Conspiracy' EP, credited to the "Jazz Butcher vs. Max Eider" and foreshadowing the subsequent shift to The Jazz Butcher Conspiracy aegis for 'Distressed Gentlefolk'. Eider soon exited to mount a solo career, leaving Fish to team with guitarist Kizzy O'Callaghan for 1988's 'Fishcoteque', their first release for the Creation label.
By the time of 1989's 'Big Planet Scarey Planet', the lineup also included the superb bassist Laurence O'Keefe, saxophonist Alex Green, and drummer Paul Mulreany; 1990's 'Cult of the Basement' was recorded with the same roster, but the usual disruptions soon left Fish essentially to his own devices for 1991's 'Condition Blue' and 1993's 'Waiting for the Love Bus'. Upon reuniting with David J, who produced 1995's low-key 'Illuminate', Fish decided to lay The Jazz Butcher name to rest, and performed a farewell performance in London at the end of the year. He subsequently signed on to play drums with The Stranger Tractors, but in 1999 reunited with Eider for a Jazz Butcher Conspiracy tour of the U.S. The live 'Glorious & Idiotic' appeared the following year, and 'Rotten Soul' was issued in fall 2000. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
The acerbic post-punk outfit Half Man Half Biscuit was formed in Birkenhead, England in 1984 by singer/guitarist Nigel Blackwell, his guitarist brother Si, bassist Neil Crossley and drummer Paul Wright. While still languishing in relative obscurity, in 1985 they entered the studio to record their debut LP, 'Back in the D.H.S.S.'; upon its release, the album became a favorite of DJ John Peel, and seemingly overnight Half Man Half Biscuit became stars of the British independent music scene. The album quickly grabbed the top spot on the U.K. indie charts, and eventually ranked as the best-selling independent record of 1986.
A 1986 EP, 'Trumpton Riots', followed 'Back in the D.H.S.S.' to number one, but Half Man Half Biscuit shunned the spotlight; they refused several offers to perform on TV, and while enjoying a major hit with the single "Dickie Davies' Eyes" announced their break-up in the autumn of 1986. A collection of B-sides and unreleased material, 'Back Again in the D.H.S.S.', followed a year later; finally, in 1990 the Blackwell brothers and Crossley reformed the band, issuing the LP 'McIntyre, Treadmore and Davitt' in 1991. 'This Leaden Pall' appeared two years later, with 'Some Call It Godcore' following in 1995. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
An explosion of sounds and styles, Britain's Gaye Bykers on Acid were among the leaders of the short-lived "grebo" scene, which proved instrumental in bridging the gap between rock and hip-hop. Formed in Leicester, England, in 1986, the Bykers -whose image did indeed fuse Hell's Angels grunge with the psychedelic excesses of the hippie counterculture- were fronted by the flamboyant vocalist Mary Mary (born Ian Garfield Hoxley), supposedly a former runner-up in a local Alternative Miss Universe competition who frequently took the stage in dresses and platform shoes. In addition to co-founders Robber (a bassist born Ian Reynolds), guitarist Tony (Anthony Horsfall), and drummer Kevin Hyde, the group was later joined by DJ William Samuel Ronald Morrow, better known as Rocket Ronnie.
Gaye Bykers on Acid debuted in 1986 with the EP 'Everythang's Groovy', produced by The Mekons' Jon Langford; the follow-up, 1987's 'Nosedive Karma', was the group's breakthrough, garnering considerable press attention for its use of hip-hop and dance beats -a major innovation in mid-'80s alternative rock. The resulting publicity won the Bykers a contract with Virgin, where they began work on their eagerly anticipated major-label debut; remaining media darlings, the band also toyed with public perceptions by creating a pair of alter egos -one, supposedly from New Zealand, was dubbed the Lesbian Dopeheads on Mopeds, while the other, an Eastern European thrash metal band, was christened Rektum.
Finally, 'Drill Your Own Hole' -which required vinyl purchasers to do just that, as no hole was machine-cut in the center of the record- appeared in late 1987; reviews were mixed, and the Bykers quickly left Virgin to return to their own label, PFX (later, the name PFX also became another of the group's many aliases, this time as a guise for its more dub-oriented dance records). Despite the loss of momentum, the Bykers continued, although subsequent efforts like 1989's 'Skewed to the Gills' and 1990's 'Cancer Planet Mission' (issued on another self-owned imprint, Naked Brain) failed to attract much interest. Eventually, Gaye Bikers on Acid disintegrated; Hyde formed G.R.O.W.T.H., Tony joined Camp Collision, and Mary Mary resurfaced in Pigface. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
This band from Birmingham, England, blended offbeat funk with an independent spirit that seemed destined to ensure them commercial success. Originally a trio comprising John Mulligan (bass), Dix (drums) and Luke (guitar), Fashion issued three diverse singles on their own label, spurred on by the do-it-yourself attitudes in the wake of punk. After November 1978’s ‘Steady Eddie Steady’ came ‘Citinite’ in June and then 'Perfect Product', an impressive debut album. ‘Silver Blades’ followed in March 1980, ensuring a contract with Arista Records. Now swelled to a six-piece with Martin Stoker (ex-Dance; Bureau) on drums, vocalist Tony (ex-Neon Hearts) and main songwriter De Harriss, many predicted that their resultant singles would break the band on the back of the futurist scene of the early 80s. ‘Street Player - Mechanik’ in March 1982, ‘Love Shadow’ in August and later, ‘Eye Talk’ in January 1984, all scraped the lower reaches of the chart, but failed to establish the band in the public eye. Despite this, Fashion enjoyed a strong undercurrent of support, reflected in a UK Top 10 album, 'Fabrique', in June 1982. However, interest gradually waned, the band moved to Epic, and 'Twilight Of The Idols', issued exactly two years later, was not as warmly received, despite two singles, ‘Dreaming’ in April 1984 and ‘You In The Night’ in June. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
Along with Cabaret Voltaire and Throbbing Gristle, Germany's Einstürzende Neubauten ("collapsing new buildings") helped pioneer industrial music with an avant-garde mix of white-noise guitar drones, vocals verging on the unlistenable at times, and a clanging, rhythmic din produced by a percussion section consisting of construction materials, power tools, and various metal objects. Einstürzende Neubauten were founded by vocalist / guitarist Blixa Bargeld and percussionist / American expatriate N.U. Unruh in Berlin as a performance art collective; their early activities included a seemingly inexplicable half-naked appearance on the Berlin Autobahn, where the duo spent some time beating on the sides of a hole in an overpass. The group's early lineup also included percussionists Beate Bartel and Gudrun Gut, plus contributor and sound engineer Alexander Van Borsig.
Einstürzende Neubauten's earliest recordings are mostly unstructured, free-form noise issued on various cassettes and singles, including their first single "Fuer den Untergang," the 1981 EP 'Schwarz', and the 1982 album 'Kollaps'. Some of these recordings are compiled on the 'Strategies Against Architecture '80-'83' collection, with live shows on the cassette-only '2x4'. Bartel and Gut were replaced by ex-Abwärts member F.M. Einheit (who served as Neubauten's chief machinery operator) in 1983, when guitarist and electronics expert Alexander Hacke and Abwärts bassist Mark Chung also joined. A tour of England opening for The Birthday Party resulted in a contract with Some Bizarre Records, which released the slightly more structured 'Zeichnungen des Patienten O.T.', as well as consternation from club owners and journalists over Neubauten's stage demolitions and frequent ensuing violence.
When Nick Cave left The Birthday Party and formed his backing band The Bad Seeds, Bargeld became the guitarist and toured and recorded with Cave over most of the decade. He remained with Neubauten, however, who released 'Halber Mensch' in 1986, showcasing their wider range of expression. The group disbanded briefly but soon re-formed, releasing albums off and on for Elektra and signing to Trent Reznor's Nothing label for 1998's 'Ende Neu'. While Bargeld remained a Bad Seed, Van Borsig and Hacke contributed to the remainder of The Birthday Party's recordings as Crime & the City Solution. In May 2000, Einstürzende Neubauten released the full-length 'Silence Is Sexy' on Mute Records. Two years later, they announced they were no longer interested in working with a traditional label and that their next recording would be made with the help of supporters. These supporters would pay a fee, receive exclusive material, and help fund the next official album.
Despite their best intentions, Einstürzende Neubauten released their 2004 album, 'Perpetuum Mobile', on Mute. The releases for supporters that appeared over the next few years helped fund the official album 'Alles Wieder Offen', which was released on the band's own label in 2007. Elektra reissued both 'Strategies Against Architecture' compilations on CD, and another supporter album, 'Einstürzende Neubauten', arrived in mid-2007. 'The Jewels' arrived in 2008. It was compiled from a series of single-track digital downloads the band offered via its website one at a time using a game called DAVE, where deliberate and enigmatic instructions were inscribed on cards the members drew and generated ideas from -without telling one another what their cards were inscribed with. They were then used to construct and complete tracks within a day or two. In 2010, Mute released the compilation 'Strategies Against Architecture, Vol. 4', and the album 'Kollaps' was remastered and reissued by Potomak. Their 2014 effort, 'Lament', was based on music composed for a World War I memorial exhibition held in Diksmuide, Belgium.[SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
With their Beatles-influenced vocal harmonies and hook-laden melodies, The Darling Buds were one of the most promising bands in Wales during the late '80s and early '90s. Firmly entrenched in the "blonde" period of British indie music, the group is remembered for the singing of blonde female vocalist, Andrea Lewis (born: March 25, 1967) and the beatnik-like black clothing worn by the band's instrumentalists.
Formed in Cardiff, Wales in 1986, The Darling Buds took their name from a comic novel, "Darling Buds of May" by British author H.E. Bates. Releasing their debut single, "If I Said," on their own label in February 1987, the group began attracting considerable attention. Reissued by the Native record label, the single was heard numerous times on John Peel's BBC Radio 1 show.
Signing with Epic in 1988, The Darling Buds released several singles before issuing their debut full-length album, 'Pop Said', in January 1989. The album quickly reached the British Top 30 and led to an appearance on popular British TV music show, Top of the Pops.
Just as it looked as though The Darling Buds were headed for stardom, things began to fall apart. Original drummer Bloss was replaced by Jimmy Hughes, formerly with British rock band, Black. Although they reached for a more-sophisticated sound with their second album, 'Crawdaddy', they lost the raw edge of their initial sound. The release of their third album, 'Erotica', in 1992, did little to recapture The Darling Buds' early glory. Released a few weeks before a Madonna album with the same name, it faded into obscurity before making a dent on the charts. Although they toured the United States in support of the album for a year, the members of The Darling Buds grew increasingly frustrated by their lack of commercial success and disbanded.
Moving into acting, Lewis worked for a Cardiff theater company before agreeing to host a show, "The Slate", for BBC Wales. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
Australian indie pop legends The Cannanes formed in Sydney in late 1984, originally comprising singers / guitarists Stephen O'Neil and Annabel Bleach, bassist Michelle Cannane, and drummer David Nichols; namesake Cannane left the loose-knit group early the following year, the first in a seemingly never-ending series of lineup changes which became as much a trademark as the band's resolute D.I.Y. defiance and primitivist pop aesthetic. With new bassist Frances Gibson, The Cannanes began writing and rehearsing on a more regular basis, releasing their first single 'Life / It's Hardly Worth It' in a limited edition of just 12 cassettes; another cassette, 'The Cannanes Came Across with the Goods', appeared in 1985. In April 1986 the band entered the studio for its first official session, with the resulting EP, 'Bored Angry & Jealous', declared "Single of the Year!" in NME.
While Nichols spent the better part of the year studying in the UK, drummer Foxy signed on as his replacement; following Nichols' return, The Cannanes booked studio time to record their first proper LP, 1987's 'The African Man's Tomato', but because it was a beautiful day outside Bleach chose not to attend the sessions, with O'Neil's friend Randall Lee tapped to handle lead vocal duties instead. Coinciding with the simultaneous release of the singles "Cardboard" and "Weather," the group mounted its first live dates outside of Sydney, briefly disbanding before reuniting (minus Lee, who went on to form Nice) to cut 1989's 'A Love Affair with Nature'. Frustrated by their continuing lack of success at home -despite cult followings in the U.S. and Europe- The Cannanes then vowed to quit touring, focusing solely on recording; tapes for a planned third album were lost, however, and so the band started 'Caveat Emptor' (recorded with French horn player Nick Kidd) from scratch.
Completed in early 1991 and planned to coincide with The Cannanes' first tour of the U.S., 'Caveat Emptor' did not see official release until mid-1993; by that time bassist Gavin Roy Butler had joined the line-up, appearing on 1994's much-acclaimed 'Short Poppy Syndrome'. Nichols then left the group -he and his brother Michael later recorded as Blairmailer- and in the wake of his exit The Cannanes went on a nine-month hiatus, during which time Butler departed as well; O'Neil and Gibson then worked briefly as a duo before recruiting bassist Francesca and drummer Ivor Moulds to record a 1996 self-titled effort. 'Arty Barbecue' -a long-in-the-works release actually predating 'Short Poppy Syndrome'- appeared later that same year, and following a brief American tour, Francesca left to have a baby; new bassist Andrew Coffey and violinist Sally Cameron signed on soon after. Trudging into the new millennium, the band released 'Communicating at an Unknown Rate' in fall 2000. The group played on occasion throughout the next decade without releasing too much new music. Shows and tours in Australia, Japan, Mexico and the U.S. filled much of the time until a resurgence of studio work in 2013 when the band released both the 'Small Batch' EP in March and the 'Howling at all Hours' full length in July of the same year. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
