Disco Inferno (band)
Encyclopedia
Disco Inferno was an English
experimental rock
band, formed in Essex
in the late 1980s, by Ian Crause (guitar and vocals), Paul Wilmott (bass), Rob Whatley (drums) and Daniel Gish (keyboards).
) the three-piece Disco Inferno recorded the single
, *"Entertainment/Arc in Round
" with record producer
Charlie McIntosh. Their first album
, Open Doors, Closed Windows
, was released in 1991 on Che and received positive reviews. The album was characterized for having influence of late 1970s post-punk
bands, particularly Joy Division
and Wire
. Disco Inferno's manager, Michael Collins, had previously managed Wire during the 1970s.
"Entertainment", Open Doors, Closed Windows and the "Science
" EP
, would later be collected on the 1995 compilation album
, In Debt
.
In 1992, the band released "Summer's Last Sound
", which saw the band's increasing use of samples
.
The band's use of sampling combined with traditional instruments - particularly Wilmott's bass - continued on the EPs "A Rock to Cling to
" and "The Last Dance
", and reached its peak on their second album D.I. Go Pop.
The melody on the album's eight tracks was often carried by the bassline, while an array of samples (including running water, breaking glass, car crashes, fax machines) built the musical collages; the music on D.I. Go Pop was harsh and concise. After D.I. Go Pop the band opted for restraint on "Second Language", which also had a new-found optimism in Crause's lyrics.
Their final single, "It's a Kid's World
" sampled the drumbeat from Iggy Pop
's "Lust for Life
" and added in a series of old children's TV themes, but despite critical acclaim the band attracted little commercial success and split before their final album, Technicolour was released in 1996.
After the split, Ian Crause formed Floorshow who recorded some material for an unreleased album which was to be called 'The Vertical Axis'. Some of these songs later appeared on his solo singles "Elemental" and "Head Over Heels", which featured drummer Ritchie Thomas (Dif Juz
, The Jesus and Mary Chain
).
Paul Wilmott formed Transformer, who recorded a cover of Wire's "Outdoor Miner", which appeared on the Wire tribute album
, Whore (1996), before making recordings under the name Lisp.
In 1999, the Tugboat label released the "The Mixing It Session
", which featured six instrumental
tracks the band had recorded for radio, while One Little Indian reissued D.I. Go Pop and gave Technicolour a belated US
release in 2004.
In September 2011, One Little Indian Records
released a compilation called The 5 EPs, featuring tracks from all five now out-of-print EPs released between 1992 and 1995. The compilation had previously been available as a bootleg
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
experimental rock
Experimental rock
Experimental rock or avant-garde rock is a type of music based on rock which experiments with the basic elements of the genre, or which pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique....
band, formed in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
in the late 1980s, by Ian Crause (guitar and vocals), Paul Wilmott (bass), Rob Whatley (drums) and Daniel Gish (keyboards).
History
After the departure of Gish (who would later join Bark PsychosisBark Psychosis
Bark Psychosis are an English post-rock band/musical project from east London formed in 1986. They were one of the bands that Simon Reynolds cited when coining "post-rock" as a musical style in 1994, and are thus considered one of the key bands defining the genre...
) the three-piece Disco Inferno recorded the single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, *"Entertainment/Arc in Round
Entertainment/Arc in Round (ep)
Entertainment/Arc in Round was released in 1990 in the UK. It was Disco Inferno's first single. -Track listing:# "Entertainment" – 4:00# "Arc in Round" – 4:50All tracks were written by Ian Crause, Paul Wilmott, and Rob Whatley...
" with record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Charlie McIntosh. Their first album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Open Doors, Closed Windows
Open Doors, Closed Windows
Open Doors, Closed Windows was released in 1991 on Ché Records in the UK. It was Disco Inferno's debut album, and would be released in the United States four years later as part of the band's compilation album, In Debt.-Track listing:...
, was released in 1991 on Che and received positive reviews. The album was characterized for having influence of late 1970s post-punk
Post-punk
Post-punk is a rock music movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...
bands, particularly Joy Division
Joy Division
Joy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. Originally named Warsaw, the band primarily consisted of Ian Curtis , Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris .Joy Division rapidly evolved from their initial punk rock influences...
and Wire
Wire (band)
Wire are an English rock band, formed in London in October 1976 by Colin Newman , Graham Lewis , Bruce Gilbert , and Robert Gotobed...
. Disco Inferno's manager, Michael Collins, had previously managed Wire during the 1970s.
"Entertainment", Open Doors, Closed Windows and the "Science
Science (ep)
Science was released in 1991 in the UK. It was Disco Inferno's second single.-Track listing:# "Waking Up" – 5:58# "Glancing Away" - 5:15# "Fallen Down the Wire" – 4:38# "No Edge, No End" – 5:06...
" EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, would later be collected on the 1995 compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
, In Debt
In Debt
In Debt was released in 1995 on Ché Records in the UK and Carrot Top Records in the United States. It is a compilation of Disco Inferno's debut album, Open Doors, Closed Windows , with their "Entertainment"/"Arc In Round" 7" single , and their Science 12" EP...
.
In 1992, the band released "Summer's Last Sound
Summer's Last Sound (ep)
Summer's Last Sound was released in 1992 in the UK. It was Disco Inferno's first EP. -Track listing:# "Summer's Last Sound" – 5:43# "Love Stepping Out" – 6:23All tracks were written by Ian Crause, Paul Wilmott, and Rob Whatley-Personnel:...
", which saw the band's increasing use of samples
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
.
The band's use of sampling combined with traditional instruments - particularly Wilmott's bass - continued on the EPs "A Rock to Cling to
A Rock to Cling to (ep)
A Rock to Cling to was released in 1993 in the UK. It was Disco Inferno's second EP. -Track listing:# "A Rock to Cling To" – 3:53# "From the Devil to the Deep Blue Sky" – 9:41...
" and "The Last Dance
The Last Dance (ep)
The Last Dance was released in 1993 in the UK. It was Disco Inferno's third EP.-Track listing:# "The Last Dance"–4:11# "D.I. Go Pop"–5:07# "The Long Dance"–5:25# "Scattered Showers" - 7:16...
", and reached its peak on their second album D.I. Go Pop.
The melody on the album's eight tracks was often carried by the bassline, while an array of samples (including running water, breaking glass, car crashes, fax machines) built the musical collages; the music on D.I. Go Pop was harsh and concise. After D.I. Go Pop the band opted for restraint on "Second Language", which also had a new-found optimism in Crause's lyrics.
Their final single, "It's a Kid's World
It's a Kid's World (ep)
It's a Kid's World was released in 1994 in the UK. It was Disco Inferno's fifth and last EP. -Track listing:# "It's a Kid's World" – 4:38# "A Night on the Tiles" – 2:53# "Lost in Fog" – 5:06...
" sampled the drumbeat from Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
's "Lust for Life
Lust for Life (song)
"Lust for Life" is a 1977 song performed by Iggy Pop and co-written by David Bowie, featured on the album Lust for Life. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked it #147 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.-Music:...
" and added in a series of old children's TV themes, but despite critical acclaim the band attracted little commercial success and split before their final album, Technicolour was released in 1996.
After the split, Ian Crause formed Floorshow who recorded some material for an unreleased album which was to be called 'The Vertical Axis'. Some of these songs later appeared on his solo singles "Elemental" and "Head Over Heels", which featured drummer Ritchie Thomas (Dif Juz
Dif Juz
Dif Juz was a British instrumental band, strongly influenced by dub, who were active in the early to mid 1980s. Retroactively they can be seen to be most strongly allied with the Post-rock movement.- History :...
, The Jesus and Mary Chain
The Jesus and Mary Chain
The Jesus and Mary Chain are a Scottish alternative rock band formed in East Kilbride, Glasgow in 1983. The band revolves around the songwriting partnership of brothers Jim and William Reid...
).
Paul Wilmott formed Transformer, who recorded a cover of Wire's "Outdoor Miner", which appeared on the Wire tribute album
Tribute album
A tribute album is a recorded collection of cover versions of songs or instrumental compositions. Its concept may be either various artists making a tribute to a single artist, a single artist making a tribute to various artists, or a single artist making a tribute to another single artist.There...
, Whore (1996), before making recordings under the name Lisp.
In 1999, the Tugboat label released the "The Mixing It Session
The Mixing It Session
The Mixing It Session was released in 1999 on Tugboat Records in the UK. A six-song EP single taken from a BBC Radio 3 session recorded in 1994, it was the final release from Disco Inferno.-Track listing:# Shark – 0:58# Elephant – 1:59...
", which featured six instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
tracks the band had recorded for radio, while One Little Indian reissued D.I. Go Pop and gave Technicolour a belated US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
release in 2004.
In September 2011, One Little Indian Records
One Little Indian Records
One Little Indian Records is a London-based independent record label that rose from the ashes of punk record company Spiderleg Records. It was set up in 1985 by members of various anarchist punk bands, and managed by ex-Flux of Pink Indians Derek Birkett. The first success came with A.R. Kane and...
released a compilation called The 5 EPs, featuring tracks from all five now out-of-print EPs released between 1992 and 1995. The compilation had previously been available as a bootleg
Bootleg recording
A bootleg recording is an audio or video recording of a performance that was not officially released by the artist or under other legal authority. The process of making and distributing such recordings is known as bootlegging...
.
Albums
- Open Doors, Closed WindowsOpen Doors, Closed WindowsOpen Doors, Closed Windows was released in 1991 on Ché Records in the UK. It was Disco Inferno's debut album, and would be released in the United States four years later as part of the band's compilation album, In Debt.-Track listing:...
(Che, 1991) - D. I. Go PopD. I. Go PopD. I. Go Pop was released in 1994 on Rough Trade Records in the UK and Bar/None Records in the United States. It was Disco Inferno's second album.-Track listing:# "In Sharky Water" – 4:40# "New Clothes For The New World" – 2:00...
(Rough Trade and Bar/None [US], 1994) - Technicolour (Rough Trade, 1996)
Singles and EPs
- "Entertainment/Arc in RoundEntertainment/Arc in Round (ep)Entertainment/Arc in Round was released in 1990 in the UK. It was Disco Inferno's first single. -Track listing:# "Entertainment" – 4:00# "Arc in Round" – 4:50All tracks were written by Ian Crause, Paul Wilmott, and Rob Whatley...
" (Che, 1990 single) - "ScienceScience (ep)Science was released in 1991 in the UK. It was Disco Inferno's second single.-Track listing:# "Waking Up" – 5:58# "Glancing Away" - 5:15# "Fallen Down the Wire" – 4:38# "No Edge, No End" – 5:06...
" (Che, 1991 single) - "Summer's Last SoundSummer's Last Sound (ep)Summer's Last Sound was released in 1992 in the UK. It was Disco Inferno's first EP. -Track listing:# "Summer's Last Sound" – 5:43# "Love Stepping Out" – 6:23All tracks were written by Ian Crause, Paul Wilmott, and Rob Whatley-Personnel:...
" (Cheree, 1992 EP) - "A Rock to Cling toA Rock to Cling to (ep)A Rock to Cling to was released in 1993 in the UK. It was Disco Inferno's second EP. -Track listing:# "A Rock to Cling To" – 3:53# "From the Devil to the Deep Blue Sky" – 9:41...
" (Rough Trade, 1993 EP) - "The Last DanceThe Last Dance (ep)The Last Dance was released in 1993 in the UK. It was Disco Inferno's third EP.-Track listing:# "The Last Dance"–4:11# "D.I. Go Pop"–5:07# "The Long Dance"–5:25# "Scattered Showers" - 7:16...
" (Rough Trade, 1993 EP) - "Second Language" (Rough Trade, 1994 EP)
- "It's a Kid's WorldIt's a Kid's World (ep)It's a Kid's World was released in 1994 in the UK. It was Disco Inferno's fifth and last EP. -Track listing:# "It's a Kid's World" – 4:38# "A Night on the Tiles" – 2:53# "Lost in Fog" – 5:06...
" (Rough Trade, 1994 EP) - "The Mixing It SessionThe Mixing It SessionThe Mixing It Session was released in 1999 on Tugboat Records in the UK. A six-song EP single taken from a BBC Radio 3 session recorded in 1994, it was the final release from Disco Inferno.-Track listing:# Shark – 0:58# Elephant – 1:59...
" (Tugboat, 1999 EP)