The A Band
 

I've listened to them for the first time today and I am completely and utterly blown away. Recommend me anything by them. Thanks.

i saw them support ashtray navigations last year, i don't think i've ever seen another band who looked like they were having as much fun as the a band appeared to be that night.

YES!! They're fantastic. I have and love these two albums, "S/T", and "TV Set for Winter". I havn't heard much else, if there is much else. Very important band in the evolution of strange and unusual British music. Let's not forget, Neil Cambell and Richard Youns BOTH started in these bands. To signify the importance of this quote, I'll reference a quote from an article in the Wire (and I usually hate Wire, but this applys), "Neil Cambell, Richard Youns, and Matthe Bower had provided the map co-ordinates for much of what passed for a post-punk UK underground during most of the 80s and 90s".

As a recent Ashtray Navigations convert (muchly due to the good word of those on here), and someone who's never really been able to Love the more aggressive noise stuff ive heard (Wolf Eyes, Yellow Swans etc), im encouraged by the idea of an associated band being fun.

I dont think thats a constructive point, but i thought id say it anyway

I think I know what you mean. If you're put off by the more Academic-like Noise bands such as Birchville Cat Motel and thing like that, I would highly suggest to you any of the bands associated with the To Live and Shave in LA camp. Tom Smith established To Live and Shave in LA as an Experimental Unit that was still fun and sleazy while still being remarkably intense in opposition to the more Academic-bred experimentalists like Nihilist Spasm Band and Merzbow. They called this the "Free Glam" aesthetic.

Check Out These:
Pussy Galore-i forget the name of it, but Tom Smith, founder of TLASILA, played with the Galore during this period and released this amazing rehersal tape to lend proof to the belief that the Pussy Galore rehersals were as chaotic as thier live shows. This is nuts; as youd expect from a band with Neil Hagerty and Jon Spencer this is a total Opiate-induced psych-Noise Blues improv explosion. Nuts. Prollymy second favorite Pussy Galore release.

All To Live and Shave in LA releases.

Miss High Heel-The Family's Hot Daughter (super chaos noise band feautring every good musician who played noise in chicago in the 90s and led by Tom Smith and Marlon Magas of Couch and Lake of Dracula)

Lake of Dracula-Savage Land

To Live and Shave in LA 2-Kill Misty Martinez

Ohne-Ohne

All Laundry Room Squelchers releases

All Scraping Teeth releases

etc.. These bands all make amazing Noise and other forms of experimental music that is actually in the great tradition of the sleaziest and grimiest Rock n Roll bands. Tom Smith is a musical genius, donchaknow?

seen them a few times over the years and they always seem like fun. last time someone with very long hair who was playing some instrument or other accidentaly set his hair on fire but carried on the gig. thats dedication for you and thats all you need if you want to be a record breaker if memory serves me.

it's been a long time since i pulled out that first LP....i'll give it a spin this weekend!

You must spread some attack minded ferrets around before giving it to batreleaser again.

Thanks for that actually properly constructive interesting comment. Hey maybe this place isnt doomed

Mate, why do you not try writing more like a human being and less like a pompous, encyclopedic gay art journalist?

Was that the gig at Gramophone? If so, I was there too, and the A Band were both ace and highly entertaining. Stewart Keith is some kind of genius, for sure. The Ashtrays were great that night, too.

Classic sarramkrop, heavily influenced by the early works of Horus (who was the first person to write noise EVER!) and massively important to the ohican'tevenbefucked.

The Wire 300: David Keenan locates the roots of the UK’s current DIY underground in the anarchic activities of The A Band
http://www.thewire.co.uk/articles/2263/

im very surprised you just got into them since you seem quite keen on british experimental music, but yes fantastic band.

I'm keen on a lot of music, not just British, but I won't beat myself up if I don't happen to know a band, unlike a certain someone. Or should I?

buwahahahaha

Aye Of The Hurricane - Live 15th August 2009 @ The Brixton Windmill
And Of The Non Arabs - A Band outtake from Brighton Session Aug 08
19-01-94 - A Band Cassette, 90mins

http://theaband.50g.com/index2.html

According to Stewart, there should also be a a DVD box set coming out sometime next year, which will span through the years.

Thankyou!

I expected them to be awesome, but I saw them supporting Keiji Haino and Merzbow and it was hands down one of the worst gigs I've even been too. However, considering the improvised nature of the music and the ever shifting line-up, it's entirely possible that it was just an off night from from what people are saying here. I'll give them a proper chance at some point.

I've seen them live only once, and they were really great in a completely ridiculous way. I suppose it also depends on who is doing what where, with them. Stewart recruited some random 17 volunteers to travel all the way to Edinburgh, last summer. I would have loved to hear what came out of that.

Just got around to listening to a CD of the A Band at the Canning Factory, '91 - very good indeed.

Sprawling discography here: http://www.hostingphpbb.com/forum/vi...rum=th eaband - If I find the more readable one I'll re-post it here.

Also, the DVD mentioned earlier is gone - I know the lass who got the last copy. A shame, as it's a beauty to look at.