History

Formed in 1997, the original line-up consisted of Gavin Baker (guitar), Howard Monk (drums), Hywell Dinsdale (bass and guitar) and Kevin Penney (bass). Their first release was on the Fierce Panda record label, a split-single with Rothko

Rothko (band)

Rothko were a London-based instrumental ambient group. The group mainly used bass guitars and keyboards to create their soundscapes. They derived their name from the painter Mark Rothko...

, followed by a release on the Fierce Panda offshoot Livid Meercat. By 1999 they had signed with Too Pure

Too Pure

Too Pure is a London-based independent record label that was formed in 1990 by Richard Roberts and Paul Cox.-History:Too Pure started off as a small experimental label and had built their reputation by releasing primarily alternative/independent music which they felt was being ignored by the major...

, who released their debut album 'The Big Dig'.

Despite good reviews for The Big Dig, they were dropped by Too Pure, only for Southern Records

Southern Records

Southern Records is an independent record label closely associated with Crass Records, Corpus Christi Records and Dischord Records. It is based in London and previously had offices in Chicago , Le Havre and Berlin .Southern was originally a recording studio owned and operated by John Loder...

 to pick them up, and release the album 'What Becomes Before' in 2001. In 2003, a third album 'Dust' was released on Tritone Records, with a new line-up of Gavin, Howard, Duncan Brown (bass) and Anthony Barratt (guitar). A collection of singles and other rarities, 'Found', was released in 2005 on Oof Records. A compilation of demos and outtakes 'Exhale on Mare Street' came out on Unlabel in 2007; this is due for re-release in 2010 having been remastered with extra tracks.

A new album 'BM' came out in autumn 2009. The album was recorded by just Baker and Monk and was released on Static Caravan as a limited vinyl record and download. The band's original line-up reformed for a gig at the Lexington in King's Cross, London on October 8, 2009. As of summer 2010 the original line up are working on a new album.

Members

• Gavin Baker – guitar
  Guitar
  The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
  
   (1997–present)
• Howard Monk – drums (1997–present)
• Hywell Dinsdale – bass
  Bass guitar
  The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
  
   and guitar (1997–2001; 2005–present)
• Kevin Penney – bass (1997–2001; 2005–present)

Albums

• 1999: The Big Dig (Too Pure
  Too Pure
  Too Pure is a London-based independent record label that was formed in 1990 by Richard Roberts and Paul Cox.-History:Too Pure started off as a small experimental label and had built their reputation by releasing primarily alternative/independent music which they felt was being ignored by the major...
  
  )
• 2001: What Becomes Before (Southern Records
  Southern Records
  Southern Records is an independent record label closely associated with Crass Records, Corpus Christi Records and Dischord Records. It is based in London and previously had offices in Chicago , Le Havre and Berlin .Southern was originally a recording studio owned and operated by John Loder...
  
  )
• 2003: Dust, (Tritone Records)
• 2005: Found (Oof Records)
• 2007: Exhale On Mare Street (Unlabel
  Unlabel
  Unlabel is an independent record label located in Staplehurst near Tunbridge Wells. It has had releases from bands such as Joeyfat, Ye Wiles, Cove, Jason and the Astronauts, SJ and Charlottefield.- Series52 project :...
  
  )
• 2009: BM (Static Caravan
  Static Caravan Recordings
  Static Caravan Recordings is an independent record label, whose discography includes releases by Darren Hayman, The Hornblower Brothers, Shady Bard, The Yellow Moon Band, Tunng, Peter Astor, Magnetophone, Fieldhead and Serafina Steer....
  
  )
• 2011: Exhale On Mare Street (remastered with extra tracks) (Unlabel)

Singles and EPs

• 1998: Hoon - spilt single with Rothko
  Rothko (band)
  Rothko were a London-based instrumental ambient group. The group mainly used bass guitars and keyboards to create their soundscapes. They derived their name from the painter Mark Rothko...
  
   (Fierce Panda)
• 1998: Whistling Sam - single (Livid Meerkat)
• 1999: Little Feet - EP (Gold Hole)
• 1999: World Inaction - spilt EP with Jullander (Stupid Cat/Beau Rivage)
• 1999: Come On Billy Mahonie Give It Your Best Shot - 3 cd single set (Too Pure)
• 1999: 1000 Years - remix EP with Bows
  Bows (band)
  Bows are a British-based band, who have released three albums on the Too Pure label.-History:Following the dissolution of his former band Long Fin Killie, multi-instrumentalist Luke Sutherland formed Bows with the Danish singer, Signe Høirup Wille-Jørgensen...
  
   & Hefner
  Hefner (band)
  Hefner were a British indie rock and "urban folk" band formed in east London in 1995. They were active from about 1996 until 2002; since then they have played together only once, for a tribute to the DJ John Peel, who was a strong supporter of theirs....
  
   (Too Pure)
• 2000: Rot Of The Stars - spilt single with Seafood
  Seafood (band)
  Seafood were a UK band formed in London around 1996.The line-up included chief songwriter David Line , Caroline Banks and Kevin Penney who joined the band following the departure of founder-member Charles MacLeod...
  
   (Jonathan Whiskey)
• 2000: Flume (Speakerphone Recordings)
• 2001: Tribute To Jet Johnson - (actually a 32 minute album of home recordings) (Day Release Records Single Club)
• 2004: Nightmare City - download EP self released via the band's website (BM Recordings)
• 2006: New Year's Eve Song - spilt single with The Jesus Years (Theory of Nothing)
• 2006: Watching People Speaking - EP (Euphrate Records)
• 2007: Nightmare City - single (Euphrate Records)