membranes

The Membranes
Detailed Membranes hisory on Wikipedia...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Membranes
Death To Trad Rock
the book about the post post punk scene featuring the Membranes/Nightingales/Bogshed/A Witness/STretcheads/The Ex/Big Flame/Phillip Boa and 50 others out on Cherry Red in the autumn of 2008!
History now shows that The Membranes were wonderfully ahead of their time. Three years before Big Black and The Butthole Surfers they were baffling audiences with their noise rock...at their classic gigs during 82/85 period they were inspiring the likes of The Wedding Rresent, Bogshed, A Witness, Steve Albini, Lambchop, Therapy, and many more with their insane energy and ideas..
If ever a band deserved more recognition at the time, then it was The Membranes.
Formed in Lancashire, England in 1977 by 16yr old front-man John ROBB who having felt the initial rush of punk rock, set about delivering his own skewed version. Recruiting fellow musicians; a 15yr old Mark Tilton (Gtr, Vocals), Martin Kelly (Gtr, Keys) and Martin Critchley (Drums)
The Membranes were never an easy listen constantly challenging their audience, but despite this they rapidly made a name for themselves and were signed to local Blackpool label Vinyl Drip, releasing ‘Ice Age’ on the compilation EP ‘Blackpool Rox’. Shortly after the EP release Critchley was replaced with Sid Coulhart (Coofy) and the band returned to the studio, the results being released as a flexi single ‘Flexible Membrane’ in Dec 1980. This attracted the attention of the UK music press, and also BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel who championed the band from this point onwards. This deserved attention resulted in a further single; 1982’s ‘Muscles’ once more released on Vinyl Drip, but in the more friendly 7”format, with a 12” also being released. The band also toured extensively, building a fan-base that was prepared to accept the bands challenges to more traditional musical score.
By this point a bidding war had begun to sign the Membranes with the then UK indie Rondelet coming to the fore and signing the band. ‘Muscles’ was re-released, but the label change also produced a further line up change as Steve Farmby replaced Martin Kelly. This new line up recorded and released ‘Pin Stripe Hype’ again in 7” & 12” format. But despite encouraging sales figures the deal with Rondolet, and the position of Farmby were equally short. The group slimmed down to a trio and signed a deal with Criminal Damage Records. The first release being the Dec 1983 mini-album ‘Crack House’ which was followed in June 1984 by the now legendary ‘Spike Milligan’s Tape Recorder’. This track was instantly picked up by John Peel who played it endlessly, it remaining a favourite of the DJ until his untimely death in 2004. Peel also invited the band into the Maida Vale Studios to record a Peel Session. This was transmitted to a stunned nation on the 19th May 1984 – this session was later released on the Strange Fruit label. A further EP ‘Death To Trad Rock’ was issued the following year which made a healthy impression on the UK Indie Charts, though the band were not selling as well as perhaps expected; this primarily being down to poor distribution Despite this success, retaining members continued to be problematic, as Mark Tilton departed to be replaced by Stan Batcow. This new line-up recorded their first full length album ‘The Gift Of Life’ and in an effort to solve the distribution problem signed to Alan McGee’s Creation Records.
The band continued with their hectic touring schedule, both in the UK and into Europe, and continued to create headlines, but and perhaps understandably they didn’t really generate any radio airplay. They returned to the studio and managed to make time for a further single ‘Everything’s Brilliant’ - Obviously things weren’t; as Batcow exited to be replaced by Wallis Terror, who was then augmented by a series of guest musicians including Keith Curtis, Nick Brown & Ted Chippington. Another new line up, another new album, this time on another new label; In Tape who released ‘Songs Of love And Fury’ in Oct 1986, shortly after this Keith and Nick were added to the band full time. Despite the success of the album it was not long before they band were hunting for yet another record label. The Membranes found a home by signing to London based Glass Records, the result being a single ‘Time Warp’ and then the Steve Albini produced album ‘Kiss Ass…Godhead!’ Perhaps the attention of Albini was enough; for it prompted the albums release in the USA on the Homestead label. During the time this album was released the band were touring Europe and America constantly. Their tours were somewhat colourful involving fights with skinheads in Lisbon and being arrested in Italy!!! The album however sold well in each country and was a top ten Indie chart smash in most places and worldwide it ultimately sold 50,000 copies.
John Robb “Looking back now I love this record, the ratty songs, the euphoric rush through the dirty grind of sound, that awesome grinding bass sound and Coofy Sid's fab drumming. There’s something great about its merciless euphoric pop brawl. It'll never make us hip, it'll never make us any money, but that wasn't the point”
Wallis Terror then departed, perhaps this prompted front-man John Robb to concentrate more on his writing, as by now he had become a well respected scribe for the UK music weekly Sounds. Robb and Curtis had also begun to discuss the possibility of working together ‘after The Membranes, either way the band seemed to collapse, though not before the release of a final album ‘To Slay the Rock Pig’ which came out on Vinyl Drip Records in Nov 1989.
Over the years The Membranes stature has risen, which has led to a number of compilation albums being made available on CD, including the Anagram Records ‘The Best Of’ in 1997, and most recently 'Kiss Ass, Godhead!' a twenty track CD compilation released in 2002 by Overground Records. Both compilations are widely available at all decent stores and at Amazon etc. ‘Tatty Seaside Town’ has been covered by numerous bands, the most prominent being Therapy who released it as a B-Side to ‘Trigger Inside’ which was a 1994 UK Top 20 hit, making The Membranes a chart act by proxy!!
Whilst these re-issue CD’s are available in the UK, foreign demand for the bands sonic noise continues. To this end material will be made available in a digital download format throughout 2007.
Robb has also just about completed his book ‘Mad, Beautiful Fools’ – Which will be the complete story of The Membranes – Due for publication in 2008.
Robb and Curtis went onto to form the very successful Goldblade. www.goldblade.com Robb also continued to write for both the music press and also produced a number of books including the critically acclaimed biography of the Stone Roses and also ‘Punk Rock – An Oral History’