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New Model Army (band)

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New Model Army

New Model Army are an English rock band. They are widely known for their unwavering commitment to their original vision of music and performance and their ethical code. Therefore they are often labelled as a punk band.

Overview

New Model Army's earliest material on their debut album Vengeance - The Independent Story could probably with some justification be regarded as modern punk, albeit more melodic than the works of many of their classic counterparts.

Through the years, however, New Model Army have experimented with a great number of musical styles and nurtured numerous different inspirations. As a rock band they generally stand out of the crowd having a greater emphasis on the rhythm section, which often contains references to R&B. Besides punk, they have also been classified as post-punk, folk rock, indie rock, gothic rock, rock noir and even metal amongst others. Their music is often regarded as intense, angry, and powerful, some might even say militant. However their repertoire is much wider and more subtle than that and also includes quieter, more emotive and softer material often featuring performed acoustically. Thus it would be inaccurate to simply classify them as any of these genres. Rather one should recognise them for what they really are; a very versatile underground cult rock band with many different musical roots. They have toured and recorded constantly for over 26 years and continue to do so and are considered a seminal influence by many contemporary younger rock bands.

Their lyrics are always very poetic, but still manage to express political and humanitarian messages. Songs like 51st State earned the band cult status in movements against American imperialism, which ironically made it more difficult for the band to tour the US. The contradiction and search for deeper truths explored in NMA's lyrics raise them head and shoulders above most rock bands and stem from lyricist Justin Sullivan's deeply religious (Quaker)and literary upbringing.

Lyrically Justin Sullivan has had a very close relationship with British artist, novelist, and poet Joolz Denby, who is often credited as a consultant or Muse and sometimes even co-writer. She is also responsible for the characteristic artwork on their covers, merchandise, t-shirts etc. The Arts Council/Yorkshire Museums & Galleries international touring exhibition of Denby's artworks for NMA and their memorabillia is entitled with some accuracy 'One Family, One Tribe - The art & Artifacts Of New Model Army', and is unique in its presentation of the art of a working rock band.

As a music group, New Model Army also stand out because they tend to see themselves as an organisation rather than a business as the name of their homepage, www.newmodelarmy.org, signifies.

Biography

The band was named after the English revolutionary army of Oliver Cromwell. Led by guitarist / vocalist, Justin Sullivan (who performed briefly under the name 'Slade The Leveller' in the early 1980s), the group has an extremely loyal, global, multi-generational cult following called The Family. The band has also collaborated with electric violinist Ed Alleyne-Johnson, who worked with them on their Top 40 single "Vagabonds", and their albums Thunder & Consolation and Impurity, as well as touring extensively with them for five years. New Model Army frequently tour with more than five band members.

The group also tours as 'Justin Sullivan and Friends', which means a more acoustic set without some players (which ones varies), and is linked to Red Sky Coven, in which Justin Sullivan also plays. In early 2003, Sullivan released Navigating By The Stars, a solo album recorded with other band members and featuring Michael Dean on drums, Dean White on guitar and keyboards, Danny Thompson on double bass, and Mark Feltham on harmonica.

After a short tour at the end of 2004, the group returned to the studio to record their ninth studio album, Carnival. EMI recently released a couple of remixed earlier albums. As the band themselves say it: "Although there is nothing new within the packages they have been very sympathetically re-packed and remastered and do sound very, very good."

The next studio album entitled 'High' has been recorded and mixed, and is due for release on August 20th 2007 (August 21st in North America).

In 2004 their one-time drummer and founding member, Robert Heaton, died of pancreatic cancer.

One of their other members, Ricky Warwick went on to form The Almighty.

Main Contributors

Discography

Albums

Studio albums

Live albums

Compilations

EPs

  • "Adrenalin" (1986)
  • "Lights Go Out" and "Poison Street" (Extended Mixes) (1987)
  • "New Model Army" (1987)

Pictorial history

VHS & DVD

  • Live 21.4.85 [VHS] (1985)
  • Videos '86-'89 [VHS] (1989)
  • History - The Videos 85-90 [VHS] (1992)
  • Bizarre 1996 [VHS] (1997)
  • Rock City 23-10-2000 Live - The 20th Anniversary Concert [VHS] (2001)
  • Here Comes The War (compilation of video clips) [VHS] (20??)
  • Live 161203 [DVD] (2004)

Trivia

References

  • Guinness Book of British Hit Singles - 16th Edition - ISBN 0-85112-190-X
  • Guinness Book of British Hit Albums - 7th Edition - ISBN 0-85112-619-7
  • The Great Rock Discography - 5th Edition - ISBN 1-84195-017-3
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