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Cable (British band)

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Cable
Background information
OriginDerby, England
GenresPost-hardcore, indie rock, noise rock
Years active1992–1999, 2012
LabelsKrunch!, Infectious (1995–1999)
Past membersMatt Bagguley
Darius Hinks
Pete Darrington
Neil Cooper
WebsiteOfficial Website

Cable were a British indie rock band originally from Derby, UK who released 3 albums in the late '90s: Down-Lift the Up-Trodden ('96), When Animals Attack ('97), and Sub-Lingual ('99), on Infectious Records. The band split up in 1999.

Formed in 1992 by Matt Bagguley and Darius Hinks, Cable were initially inspired by the art-rock leanings of indie-labels such as Touch and Go, Dischord, Blast First, Southern Records and Shimmy Disc, and also UK artists such as Spacemen 3 & My Bloody Valentine. The first settled line-up was Matt Bagguley (vocals/guitar), Darius Hinks (guitar), Pete Darrington (bass), Neil Cooper (drums) and throughout 1993 the band played regularly with underground acts from the U.S (such as Medicine, Polvo, Truman's Water, Rocket From The Crypt..) In early '94 their debut single "Sale of the Century" was released on 7", by Derby-based indie-label Krunch! Records. Radio 1 DJ John Peel played it immediately on his show saying it was the best thing he'd heard that week and phoned the band during the show to invite them to record a session. John Peel remained a loyal fan from that moment on, and altogether the band recorded 4 Peel Sessions.

Career

1995 - "Down-Lift the Up-Trodden"

In '95 Cable released their first album for Infectious Records. Down-Lift the Up-Trodden was produced by ex Membranes frontman John Robb. and in the week of release was played in its entirety on the John Peel show. The band went on to play the Reading Festival and toured the UK with Glasgow's AC Acoustics. At the end of the tour the band were involved in a near-fatal car accident when their bus was hit by a drunk driver at high-speed, flipping the vehicle onto its roof. Drummer Neil Cooper quit the band at that point in order to concentrate on his own projects, and was replaced by Richie Mills

1996-97 - "When Animals Attack"

In 1996 Cable played over 100 shows with artists such as The Wedding Present, China Drum, Reef and Garageland (Flying Nun Records). They recorded another session for Radio 1, toured Germany and appeared at The Phoenix Festival. In '97 the band played a concert in Brixton Prison and shortly after flew to New York to record album No. 2 with ex Butthole Surfer, and Shimmy Disc owner Kramer. The album ‘When Animals Attack’ was recorded in 3 weeks at Noise New Jersey, and released the following spring. Album track Freeze The Atlantic was used as the soundtrack on a TV commercial for 'Sprite' which exposed the band to a much broader audience, and was later released as a single.

1998-99 - "Sub-Lingual" and split

In 1998 cable played a sellout show at South by Southwest then returned to the UK to record album No. 3 with Paul Tipler (known for his work with Elastica and Stereolab). That same year they were nominated for Best New British Band at the Kerrang! magazine Awards. At the 1998 ‘Sound City’ festival in Oxford, John Peel joined the band onstage and the concert was broadcast live on Steve Lamacq's Radio 1 show. However, in spring '99 a long simmering legal dispute brought things to an abrupt halt, and on 19 May the band played a packed farewell concert at London Dingwalls, and split. Their 3rd album Sub-Lingual was well received by both the indie & rock press, albeit posthumously.

Matt Bagguley now lives in Oslo and plays in Je Suis Animal Other ex cable members can be found in Hudson Super Six featuring Pete Darrington, and The Lucky Nine featuring drummer Richie Mills. Mills also now fronts the band MiLLS in which he is vocalist and guitarist. Neil Cooper now drums for the alternative metal band Therapy?.

Discography

Albums

Singles

  • "Sale of the Century" (1994, Krunch! Records)
  • "Seventy/Oubliette" (1995, Krunch! Records)
  • "Seventy" (1995)
  • "Blindman" (1995)
  • "Whisper Firing Line" (1996)
  • "Blue Birds Are Blue" (1997)
  • "Freeze the Atlantic" (1997)
  • "God Gave Me Gravity" (1997)
  • "Arthur Walker" (1998)

EPs and promotional releases

  • "Soundbites" (1997, a promo pack for When Animals Attack)
  • Live at Brixton Prison (1997, live EP)
  • "Demos and Unreleased songs" (2012, available at reformation gigs)

Music Videos

  • "Whisper Firing Line" (1996)
  • "Blue Birds Are Blue" (1997)
  • "Freeze the Atlantic" (1997)
  • "God Gave Me Gravity" (1997)
  • "Arthur Walker" (1998)

References