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Elastica

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For the theory relating to large scale deformations of elastic structures, see Elastica Theory.

Elastica
Elastica in 2000
Elastica in 2000
Background information
OriginLondon, England
GenresBritpop, alternative rock, punk rock, post-punk, indie rock
Years active1992–2001
LabelsDeceptive, Geffen, Atlantic, Wichita
Past membersJustine Frischmann
Justin Welch
Donna Matthews
Annie Holland
David Bush
Sheila Chipperfield
Paul Jones
Sharon Mew

Elastica were an English alternative rock band that played punk rock, post-punk and new wave-influenced music.[1] They were best known for their 1995 album Elastica, which produced singles that charted in the United Kingdom and the United States.

History

Elastica logo

In mid-1992 ex-Suede band members Justine Frischmann and Justin Welch decided to form a group. By the autumn of that year, bassist Annie Holland and guitarist Donna Matthews were added. After initially gigging under names such as "Onk", the band settled on the name "Elastica" in October 1992. Elastica released their first single, "Stutter," in October 1993, which benefited from the promotional efforts of BBC Radio 1 DJ and Deceptive Records label boss Steve Lamacq, who had discovered the band earlier in the year. In 1994, Elastica released two UK Top 20 singles ("Line Up" and "Connection") and performed on numerous radio shows. In addition, Frischmann's relationship with Blur frontman Damon Albarn made tabloid headlines.[2]

Elastica's first LP, Elastica, was released in March 1995, and entered the UK Albums Chart at No. 1;[2] it became the fastest-selling debut album since Oasis' Definitely Maybe and kept the position for another 10 years.[3] The album was preceded by their fourth single "Waking Up" which went to No. 13 on the UK Singles Chart, their highest placing therein.[2]

The band became subject to controversy when several bands sued them for plagiarism. Specifically, the post-punk band Wire (whom Elastica counted as one of their main influences) claimed that many of the band's melodies were taken from Wire compositions, as well as by The Stranglers. Notably, Wire's "I Am the Fly" has a chorus similar to Elastica's "Line Up" and the intro synthesizer part in Elastica's "Connection" (later also repeated on guitar) is lifted from the guitar riff in Wire's "Three Girl Rhumba" and transposed a semitone, and The Stranglers also passed comment that Elastica's "Waking Up" bore a marked resemblance to their song "No More Heroes". The disputes were resolved by out-of-court settlements.[2][3]

In the US, "Connection" and "Stutter" received airplay on modern rock radio and also both charted on the pop charts, as did their debut album (which was later certified gold). After performing at the 1995 Glastonbury Festival, the band joined the Lollapalooza tour continuing an almost solid year of constant gigs. Citing exhaustion, original bassist Annie Holland quit the band in early August 1995 and was replaced for the remainder of the tour by session bassist Abby Travis. Holland was not permanently replaced until the arrival of Sheila Chipperfield in the spring of 1996. Also around this time keyboardist David Bush (ex-The Fall) was added to the line-up.[2]

After playing more shows and demoing new material in the first half of 1996, Elastica entered the studio in the later part of the year to begin work on their second album. By late 1998 Matthews had left the band. She was replaced by guitarist Paul Jones and keyboardist Sharon Mew. Also around this time Chipperfield was replaced with a returning Annie Holland.[2]

As a tribute to the "lost years" of the band, a self-titled six-track EP appeared in August 1999, collecting a variety of recordings from a multitude of aborted sessions. This EP marked the first new material from the band in over four years. After re-recording most of these songs in mid-1999, along with new compositions, the band played their first set of shows in years. Their second proper album, The Menace, was released in April 2000. After the release of the farewell single "The Bitch Don't Work" in 2001, the band announced their amicable break-up.

According to a Mojo article on Elastica in 2009, Frischmann emigrated to Colorado to study visual arts and psychology. She is married and lives and works in California's Bay Area.[4] Matthews is a pastor in Totnes and according to a recent BBC 6 show has been linked romantically to Lawrence Chandler of Bowery Electric. Holland lives in Brighton. Welch and Mew are married and live in Devon. Jones is the A&R man at Rough Trade joining after managing his Slogan label, which released The Fall's Fall Heads Roll. His latest signing is Warpaint. Welch is set to join Lush for a reunion show in May 2016.[5]

Members

Past members
Guest/Touring musicians

Discography

Studio albums

Year Album details Peak chart positions Certificates
UK
[6] 		AUS
[7] 		CAN
[8] 		NZ
[9] 		SWE
[10] 		US
[11]
1995 Elastica 1 57 31 20 34 66
2000 The Menace
  • Released: 3 April 2000
  • Label: Deceptive/Atlantic
 24 — — — — —

Compilations/EPs

Singles

Year Song Peak chart positions Album
UK
[6] 		CAN
[15] 		CAN
Alt
[16] 		US
[17] 		US Mod[17] US Main[17] AUS
[7]
1993 "Stutter" — — 41 671 101 — — Elastica
1994 "Line Up" 20 — — — — — —
"Connection" 17 9 11 53 2 40 71
1995 "Waking Up" 13 — — — — — —
"Car Song" — — 14 — 33 — 106
1999 "How He Wrote Elastica Man" 123 — — — — — — 6 Track EP
2000 "Mad Dog God Dam" 44 — — — — — — The Menace
2001 "The Bitch Don't Work" 87 — — — — — — Non-album single
1.^ Did not chart until 1995.

References

  1. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. [Elastica at AllMusic "Elastica > Biography"]. AllMusic. Retrieved 2 February 2012. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  2. ^ a b c d e f Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. pp. 312–313. ISBN 1-84195-017-3.
  3. ^ a b "Artist Profile Elastica". Retrieved 11 May 2009.
  4. ^ "Spin's Where Are They Now?: Justine Frischmann". 26 February 2010. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
  5. ^ http://www.uncut.co.uk/news/lush-announce-first-live-show-for-almost-twenty-years-70941
  6. ^ a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 180. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  7. ^ a b Australian (ARIA Chart) peaks:
  8. ^ "Elastica Canadian position". RPM. Retrieved 19 February 2009.
  9. ^ "New Zealand album positions". charts.org.nz. Retrieved 22 February 2009.
  10. ^ "Swedish album positions". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 22 February 2009. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  11. ^ "US Billboard: albums". billboard.com. Retrieved 22 February 2009.
  12. ^ "Search for 'Elastica'". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
  13. ^ "Canadian Certificates". CRIA. Retrieved 22 February 2009.
  14. ^ "US Certificates". RIAA. Retrieved 22 February 2009.
  15. ^ "Canadian Single Positions". RPM. Retrieved 29 April 2009.
  16. ^ "Search Term(s): "Elastica" and "Rock/Alternative"". RPM. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
  17. ^ a b c "US Single Positions". allmusic.com. Retrieved 29 April 2009.
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