The Dentists profile picture

The Dentists

About Me

This was written for a recent first album re-issue ;

“The Dentists existed, from the mid-eighties to the mid-nineties, on the fringes of numerous "renaissance of guitar music" movements, psychedelia, trash, mod, C86, paisley underground, britpop, but never threw in their lot with any of them. Who wants to live and die with a scene? The Dentists were different; their own band. Not for them a headlong rush from obscurity to fame and back to oblivion in 2 or 3 years. They spent eleven years on the backburner plotting a slow career trajectory, usually on an upward incline but ultimately not enough to propel them into orbit. It all happened around them as they observed but never quite got to be on the inside looking out.”

'Bout sums it up!

After Bob's departure, Mick, Mark and Rob recruited a new guitarist and continued for an album as Coax, while Bob became a founder member of Fortune West. After Coax, Mick went on to form Fortress Madonna, with major help from Bob and a little help from Mark. FM released an album and an EP. He now lives and works in Kenya.   In 2005, Mark and Bob collaborated in The Great Lines, who appeared at SXSW 2005, and there's an unreleased album sitting around waiting, hoping. Mark went on to front The Echo Heights, whose first album "Your Fortune As Told By The Stars" was released in 2008. Ian continues to drum for The Armitage Shanks and Bob pursues his own solo endeavours helped out by Mr Rob Grigg on drums.

But of course now they are all coming together again for a wonderful weekend of Dentistry in March with two very long awaited reunion gigs in the UK.


Myspace Layouts - Myspace Editor - Hot Comments - Image Hosting

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 15/01/2006
Band Website: www.thedentistsweb.com
Band Members: Mark Matthews - bass guitar, backing vox, Bob Collins - lead guitar, backing vox, Michael Murphy - guitar and vocals, Ian Smith - drums (ver 1), Alun Jones - drums (ver 2), Rob Grigg - drums (ver 3),
Influences: Really hard to say - The Kinks, Joy Division, Sammy Davis Jr, The Doors, Go Betweens, Smiths, Pavement, Love, and if we're being honest probably Gong, Human League, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Sparks, The Action, The Prisoners, The Milkshakes, Teardrop Explodes, Prefab Sprout, Echo and The Bunnymen, the Fall.... These influences don't mean we tried to sound like these people, but they're in the collective psyche of the band, especially attitude and approach to our art. You could also list Chatham, Gillingham FC, Billy Liar, any major football tournament and the England team, C86, punks, mods, second hand clothes, Blue Peter, Billy Childish, Belgium, The Rutles, bitter, salt and vinegar crisps, Peter Osgood, subbuteo, the lay-dees, James Patrick McGarry, bereavement, old films, curry, Cotter, and an initial distrust of anything digital including watches.
Sounds Like: The sound of true pop, now sounding like Badger, The Great Lines, Echo Heights, Spitfire 4, and Fortress Madonna....
Record Label: East West, Cherry Red, Spruck, Tambourine, Antler
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

rehearsal

Tonight the Dentists - without Mick yet - rehearsed for the first time in nearly 15 years.Shall I tell you what we did? OK then.....Strawberries, Doreen, Flowers Around Me, I'm Not The Devil, Little ...
Posted by on Thu, 14 Jan 2010 16:55:00 GMT

Second (and final) reunion date announced

Hello everyoneWe've now added a second date to our two-gig reunion tour in our home turf of the Medway Towns. It's on Friday 26 March, the day after the Dingwalls gig, at the Beacon Court Tavern, Gill...
Posted by on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 01:16:00 GMT

We're playing!

Well, the unthinkable is happening and there will be at least one show if not more in March at the legendary London venue, Dingwalls. Spurred on by the efforts of our partners in crime The Claim, we'r...
Posted by on Sun, 15 Nov 2009 02:41:00 GMT

Album

Well the rarities comp is finished and mastered. We're just deciding the best way to put it out. Anyone got any good ideas?
Posted by on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:37:00 GMT

If all the flies

We're actually starting work on the unreleased/rare/downright bizarre lost recordings of the Dentists. Work begins on April 28th and prior to this you can go Dentist spotting at Ian's book launch, det...
Posted by on Fri, 17 Apr 2009 11:22:00 GMT

One Dentist with new record out

Mark's band, the Echo Heights, have their new album out on Bedroom14 records. It's called "Your Fortune As Told By The Stars" and is distributed through Shellshock. Bedroom14's next planned release i...
Posted by on Mon, 22 Sep 2008 19:38:00 GMT

Red Hot Dentists Action

Marks band, The Echo Heights have gigs in London on July 24th and Tunbridge Wells on Monday July 28th. First album due out on September 8th - go to www.theechoheights.co.uk Bob is organising a Medway ...
Posted by on Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:52:00 GMT

Alive & Well

So there it was. Five out of six Dentists, along with managerial legend Pat Meagher, together again in a London pub. Everyone's looking pretty fine and we downed a few pints of "Winter Warmer" and lau...
Posted by on Sat, 10 Nov 2007 10:29:00 GMT

Two Sense

Two bits of stuff The Dentists are having a reunion of sorts over a few pints in a London pub on Nov 9th. 5 out of 6 Dentists will be there and a key topic of conversation will be the legendary "lost ...
Posted by on Mon, 22 Oct 2007 15:39:00 GMT

Videos from 1979 night

Check out Mark & Bob See Mark play  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meNfi0ltmJE See Bob Play  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2I6-C6h_DM It's all good clean fun!
Posted by on Wed, 10 Oct 2007 10:57:00 GMT