The Snake Corps
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The Snake Corps were an indie music group based in London, England during the 1980s and 1990s.
Formed in 1984, from the ashes of the (then) broken-up Sad Lovers & Giants, Tristan Garel-Funk and Nigel Pollard conceived the band, but Pollard left prior to recording the first album. Vocalist Marc Lewis responded to an advert in Melody Maker and shared a flat with Garel-Funk, the pair becoming the band's two ever-present members.
The music was too relaxed and understated to appeal to a mass-market. Not unlike Sad Lovers & Giants before them, they focused on creating dreamy, filmic soundscapes and at least partly, discarded the post-punk influences that shackled many of their contemporaries. Consequently, the band found that the European market was more aligned to their musical style and they toured abroad extensively, receiving good support wherever they went.
Distancing themselves from Britain and shunning even a regular UK tour meant that the regular indie labels were largely uninterested. However, Midnight Music, who had been the home of early SL&G, signed the band and were able to give them the artistic freedom they craved. Unfortunately, this laissez-faire approach extended to most of the company's dealings and ultimately hastened their demise. In the wake of a messy collapse, the band found that they were not only label-less, but their publishing rights had transferred to another company without any involvement or agreement from the band members. Not surprisingly, they decided to call it a day.
A new album was already recorded, but this did not surface for some years, eventually appearing on the small Ophidian label, an offshoot of Rotator Records, thanks to a friend of Garel-Funk. The word Ophidian can mean 'snake-like'.
Marc Lewis has released a solo album of Snake Corps and other songs which is available from his website. The Snake Corps have reformed for 2010. Carl Jones has joined on guitar, Liam McGuinness the bands original bass player has rejoined on Bass with a new drummer Richie Harris. The Snake Corps made a triumphant return to live performance with a gig in Barcelona, Spain on 18th September 2010. Although the previous version of the band last performed live over fifteen years ago the band got an amazing reaction from the audience, and the anthemic “This is seagull” brought the house down.
The reformed Snake Corps with Marc on lead vocals were busy in 2011, playing gigs in London and Berlin with Steve Williams (ex- All Living Fear) on lead guitar. The current line up has also played several sell out gigs in Spain in the autumn of 2011 and now features Simon Meek on keyboards, with Liam McGuinness moving to guitar, and original bass player Jim Blanchard has also rejoined the band.
The band is playing in London’s 02 Academy in Islington on 21st April 2012 supporting Chameleons Vox.
Contents |
[edit] Personnel
- Marc Lewis - Vocals
- Tristan Garel-Funk/Carl Jones/Steve Williams- Guitars
- David Wood/Ian Gibson - Keyboards
- Liam McGuinness/Jim Blanchard - Bass
- Nigel Pollard/Jon Greville/Richard Harris - Drums
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
- 1985 Flesh On Flesh - Midnight Music - CHIME 00.14CD
- 1990 Smother Earth - Midnight Music - CHIME 00.52CD
- 1990 More Than The Ocean - Midnight Music - CHIME 1.12CD
- 1993 3rd Cup - Ophidian - OPHD 3001
- 1993 Spice 1984-1993: The Very Best Of - Anagram Records - CDMGRAM 97
[edit] Singles
- 1985 "Science Kills" - Midnight Music - DONG 13
- 1986 "Victory Parade" - Midnight Music - DONG 19
- 1987 "Testament" - Midnight Music - DONG 30
- 1989 "Calling You" - Midnight Music - DONG 50
- 1990 "Colder Than The Kiss" - Midnight Music - DONG 60
- 1992 "Some Other Time" - Midnight Music - DONG 75
