Quintessential English shoegazer band formed in 1988 by Stephen Lawrie (born 28 March 1969, East Hartford, Northumberland, England; vocals), Joanna Doran (b. Wednesbury, West Midlands, England; guitar/vocals), David Fitzgerald (b. 30 August 1966, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, England; bass), Robert Brooks (b. 11 April 1969, Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire, England) and Dominic Dillon (b. 26 September 1964, Bolton, Lancashire, England).
The Telescopes started out peddling a fearsome noise which owed much to the path laid earlier in the decade by "The Jesus and Mary Chain". Their first release was a flexidisc shared with "Loop" and sold with the Sowing Seeds fanzine, after which came two temperamental singles on Cheree records followed by a deal with the American What Goes On label. Unfortunately, after a further brace of singles and one album in 1989, What Goes on succumbed to bankcruptcy, leaving "The Telescopes" to battle for the rights to their own songs and sign to Creation Records.
The change of label coincided with a change in musical style as the group added lighter shades and harmonies to their intense guitar-based sound, a development which paid dividends when their 8th single, 'Flying' reached number 79 in the UK charts in 1991.
The Telescopes - Flying
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