A Witness
| A Witness | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Stockport, England |
| Genres | Alternative rock Indie rock |
| Years active | 1982–1989 |
| Labels | Ron Johnson Communion Vinyl Drip Strange Fruit Records |
| Associated acts | The Membranes |
| Website | www.awitness.co.uk |
| Past members | |
| Rick Aitken (1956 - 1989) Keith Curtis Vince Hunt Alan Brown Noel Kilbride |
|
A Witness were an alternative rock band formed in 1982 in Stockport, Greater Manchester, England, by Rick Aitken (guitar), Vince Hunt (bass) and a drum machine, in 1986 replaced by Alan Brown (of Big Flame fame).[1] Keith Curtis (vocals) and Noel Kilbride (guitar) joined the group in 1983.[2]
Contents |
[edit] Career
Initially signing to the Ron Johnson label, debut EP Loudhailer Songs put them at the forefront of a wave of Beefheart-influenced bands that emerged in the mid-1980s, and won praise from the NME.[1] They gained further attention due to the inclusion of the track "Sharpened Sticks" on the NME's C86 cassette in the following year.[3]
Debut album I Am John's Pancreas followed in October 1986, entering the NME charts, with a further two 12" singles released on the Ron Johnson label (one each in 1987 and 1988) before its collapse. Communion issued the US-only Sacred Cow Heart compilation in 1988.
Guitarist Rick Aitken died aged 33 in a climbing accident in 1989, and the band split. The band's third and fourth radio sessions for John Peel were collected on an album (The Peel Sessions), and a single "I Love You Mr. Disposable Razors" which had been due for release at the time of Aitken's death was delayed so it could be dedicated to him. The single was issued in November 1989 on the Vinyl Drip label. The Imaginary compilation series Through the Looking Glass 1966 included their cover version of The Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows" and Through The Looking Glass 1967 compilation (1990) included their cover of The Doors' track "Break on Through (To the Other Side)".[3]
Keith Curtis went on to play guitar for John Robb's Membranes and bass in Goldblade. Vince Hunt recorded three critically acclaimed soundscape albums as Pure Sound (Yukon (2006), Submarine (2007), Acts of New Noise (2008) then converted the band into a live unit featuring Harry Stafford (keyboards, Inca Babies), Rob Haynes (drums, Goldblade) and Boz Hayward (guitar, HoundGod). The band is due to release a fourth album in late 2009. Hunt was also a founder member of Marshall Smith in 1997, with Alan Brown and former Pram drummer Daren Garratt, recording a debut album 'Colours'.[4] Hunt joined the Inca Babies in 2009 replacing Bill Marten.
Interest in A Witness has never waned, and a retrospective, Threaphurst Lane, was issued on Overground Records in 2002, while 2006 saw the reissue of I Am John's Pancreas for the first time on CD on Hunt's own Euphonium label, home to his various musical interests.
[edit] Paris concert footage
In September 2011 footage of A Witness in concert in Paris recorded twenty five years earlier was uploaded to YouTube. The concert - from December 1986 - featured five tracks, two from the album 'I Am John's Pancreas.' ‘Sharpened Sticks’ was included on the NME’s collection C-86 and ‘The Loudhailer Song’ was part of a collection of tracks from the period included in a compilation Death To Trad Rock, accompanying John Robb’s 2010 book.
The three other tracks – ‘Nodding Dog Moustache’, ‘Faglane Morris Wind’ and ‘Raw Patch’ – formed the bulk of the following A Witness 12” single One Foot in the Groove, their 1988 final release with Ron Johnson.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
- I Am John's Pancreas (1986, Ron Johnson, LP, ZRON 12) (2006, Euphonium, CD, EUPH001) UK Indie #18[5]
- "Smelt Like A Pedestrian", "O'Grady's Dream", "Car Skidding", "Red Snake", "Dipping Bird", "Sharpened Sticks", "The Loudhailer Song", "Legs Be Sturdy", "4.49 Stool", "Hard Days' Love"
- The Peel Sessions (1989, Strange Fruit, LP/CD, SFPMA 206)
- "I Love You Mr Disposable Razors", "Life - The Final Frontier", "Helicopter Tealeaf", "Prince Microwave Bollard", "Take Me To The Earth", "McManus Octaphone", "Sunbed Sentimental", "Zip Up"[6]
[edit] Compilation albums
- Sacred Cow Heart (1986, Communion, LP/C, COMM003/C)
- "Smelt Like A Pedestrian", "Red Snake", "Dipping Bird", "Sharpened Sticks", "Legs Be Sturdy", "Hard Days Love", "Faglane Morris Wind", "Nodding Dog Moustache", "Raw Patch", "The Loudhailer Song". Extra tracks for cassette only: "O'Grady's Dream", "Smelt Like A Pedestrian 2", "Sharpened Sticks 2", "Hard Days Love 2".
- Threaphurst Lane: The Best Of A Witness (2002, Overground, CD, OVERVPCD88)
- "Sharpened Sticks", "I Love You, Mr Disposable Razors", "Tomorrow Never Knows", "O'Grady's Dream", "The Loudhailer Song", "Car Skidding", "Dipping Bird", "Lucky In London", "Hard Days' Love", "4.49 Stool", "Smelt Like A Pedestrian", "Faglane Morris Wind", "Nodding Dog Moustache", "Red Snake", "Zip Up", "Threaphurst Lane", "Tomorrow Never Knows", "Dudefield"
[edit] EPs and singles
- "Loudhailer Songs" (Nov. 1984, Ron Johnson, 12", ZRON 5) UK Indie #9[5]
- "Lucky in London ", "Camera", "Kitchen Sink Drama", "Regular Round" "Drill One"
- "Red Snake" (1987, Ron Johnson, 12", ZRON26)
- "Red Snake", "Regular Round", "Hard Days' Love"
- "One Foot In The Groove" (May 1988, Ron Johnson, 12", ZRON 30)
- "Nodding Dog Moustache", "Faglane Morris Wind", "Zip Up", "Raw Patch"
- "I Love You Mr. Disposable Razors" (Nov. 1989, Vinyl Drip, 12", SUK 010)
- "I Love You, Mr Disposable Razors", "Disposable dance version", "Tomorrow Never Knows"
[edit] References
- ^ a b Strong, Martin C. (1999). The Great Alternative & Indie Discography. Canongate. ISBN 0-86241-913-1.
- ^ Biography
- ^ a b Larkin, Colin (1992). The Guinness Who's Who of Indie and New Wave Music. Guinness Publishing. ISBN 0-85112-579-4.
- ^ "Marshall Smith - Colours" (review), Soundsxp
- ^ a b Lazell, Barry (1997). Indie Hits 1980–1999. Cherry Red Books. ISBN 0-9517206-9-4.
- ^ Homepage
