History

Caroline Finch and Paul Jones first met in 1991, and began writing songs together. Finch (vocals, guitar) and Jones (guitar) were joined in 1994 by Dave Nice (drums), and in 1995 by Emma Tornaro (bass guitar), and the band signed a management deal with CMO at the end of 1995. The band set up their own Lino Vinyl label and all reelases were on this label between 1996 and 1997. The first singles, "Dissent" and "Smear", came in sleeves made from linoleum

Linoleum

Linoleum is a floor covering made from renewable materials such as solidified linseed oil , pine rosin, ground cork dust, wood flour, and mineral fillers such as calcium carbonate, most commonly on a burlap or canvas backing; pigments are often added to the materials.The finest linoleum floors,...

.

The band's debut album, Dissent, was released in 1997 on Lino Vinyl, and was released in the United States by Geffen Records

Geffen Records

Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...

. Dissent

Dissent (album)

Dissent is an EP by Maryland deathgrind band Misery Index.-Track listing:# Sheep and Wolves # Exception To The Ruled # The Imperial Ambition# Multiply By Fire # Defector# Screaming at a Wall Bonus track available only on vinyl...

was recorded at Fort Apache Studios

Fort Apache Studios

Fort Apache Studios is a New England recording studio internationally renowned for alternative rock sessions produced there since 1986. The studio is currently located in the village of Bellows Falls, Vermont in space leased in an old hotel called The Windham, owned by the town of Rockingham,...

 in Cambridge, Massachusetts

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...

 with Paul Kolderie and Sean Slade

Sean Slade

Sean Slade is a record producer, engineer, and mixer. He has worked with artists including Hole, Radiohead, Warren Zevon, Juliana Hatfield, Dinosaur Jr., Uncle Tupelo, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, The Boo Radleys, Sebadoh, Lush, the Go-Go's, and The Dictators among others. In 2005 he produced The...

 producing, whose previous efforts included projects with Radiohead

Radiohead

Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...

, Hole

Hole (band)

Hole is an American alternative rock band that originally formed in Los Angeles in 1989. The band is fronted by vocalist/songwriter and rhythm guitarist Courtney Love, who co-founded Hole with former songwriter/lead guitarist Eric Erlandson...

 and the Pixies among others. It received a mixed reaction and failed to make the breakthrough hoped for, leading to a change of label with Fierce Panda

Fierce Panda Records

Fierce Panda Records is a London-based independent record label, with its first release in February 1994. It also produced a small number of releases that year by now famous artists such as Ash, The Bluetones, Baby Bird and Supergrass...

 releasing later singles and second album The Race from the Burning Building (2000). Jones left in 2000 to join Elastica

Elastica

Elastica were an English alternative rock band that played punk rock-influenced music. They were best known for their 1995 album Elastica, which produced singles that charted in the US and the UK.-History:...

; He was replaced by Gavin Pearce.

Linoleum played their last gig at the Union Chapel, Islington

Union Chapel, Islington

The Union Chapel is a Grade II* listed church and music venue in Islington, North London, England, located on Compton Terrace.An example of Victorian gothic architecture, it was designed by James Cubitt, and constructed between 1874 and 1877, with further additions 1877-90, providing an ambitious...

 in 2001.

After Elastica split in 2001 Paul Jones went on to work as an A&R man for Sanctuary Records

Sanctuary Records

Sanctuary Records Group Limited was a record label based in the United Kingdom and a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. Until June 2007, it was the largest independent record label in the UK and the largest independent music management company in the world...

 and started Slogan Records, releasing his favourite band The Fall's Fall Heads Roll album to critical acclaim in 2005. In 2006 he sat on the judging panel for an X-Factor type competition run by MySpace shown on Channel 4.

He is currently the head of A&R at Rough Trade Records

Rough Trade Records

Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...

.

In 2002 Caroline Finch composed the score for the short British film Rosie by Lauren Pushkin.

The current status of the band in unknown, although since 2000 Caroline Finch has been involved in the composition of soundtracks for various films.

Dave Nice has played live a number of times with singer-songwriter Sid Stronach, playing guitar and bass as well as the drums. He is a member of Oblong, and plays on the album Indicator (Expanding Records, 2006). He also plays guitar and provides some backing vocals on the Under Cambrian Sky album by Aberystwyth-based band The Lowland Hundred.

In 2010 the KEELERTORNERO gallery opened online featuring works by Emma Tornero who it appears is now working as an artist.

Musical style

The band have variously been compared the Elastica

Elastica

Elastica were an English alternative rock band that played punk rock-influenced music. They were best known for their 1995 album Elastica, which produced singles that charted in the US and the UK.-History:...

, Sonic Youth

Sonic Youth

Sonic Youth is an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Steve Shelley , and Mark Ibold .In their early career, Sonic Youth was associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City...

, The Pretenders

The Pretenders

The Pretenders are an English rock band formed in Hereford, England in March 1978. The original band consisted of initiator and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde , James Honeyman-Scott , Pete Farndon , and Martin Chambers...

, PJ Harvey

PJ Harvey

Polly Jean Harvey is an English musician, singer-songwriter, composer and occasional artist. Primarily known as a vocalist and guitarist, she is also proficient with a wide range of instruments including piano, organ, bass, saxophone, and most recently, the autoharp.Harvey began her career in...

 and the Pixies. New Wave and 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 of the late 1970s and early 1980s have also been identified as an influence, and on the band's second album they covered The Passions

The Passions

The Passions were a British band which formed in 1978, and disbanded in 1983. They were one-hit wonders with their misty song, "I'm in Love with a German Film Star". which was released in early 1981.-Career:...

' "I'm in Love with a German Film Star

I'm in love with a German film star

"I'm in Love with a German Film Star" is a song by the British pop band The Passions. It was released as a single in 1981 and reached number twenty-five on the UK Singles Chart. It was the band's only single to reach the charts. Sam Taylor-Wood recorded a cover version which was released a single...

".

Singles

• "Dissent" (1996), Lino Vinyl UK
  UK Singles Chart
  The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
  
   #171
• "Smear" (1996), Lino Vinyl UK
  UK Singles Chart
  The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
  
   #129
• "On A Tuesday" (1997) Lino Vinyl UK
  UK Singles Chart
  The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
  
   #83
• "Marquis" (1997) Lino Vinyl - UK
  UK Singles Chart
  The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
  
   #73
• "Your Back Again" (1999), Fierce Panda - split single with Sing-Sing
  Sing-Sing (band)
  Sing-Sing were an English indie pop/dream pop band formed in 1997 in London. It consisted of vocalist Lisa O'Neill and guitarist/vocalist Emma Anderson, formerly of Lush. They worked with a variety of musicians to achieve a unique and eclectic sound which nodded to 60's girl groups, electronica...
  
  
• "I'm In Love With a German Film Star" (2000), Fierce Panda

Albums

• Dissent (1997), Lino Vinyl

Track listing:

"Restriction"

"Marquis"

"Dissent"

"Stay Awhile"

"On a Tuesday"

"Dangerous Shoes"

"Ray Liotta"

"She's Sick"

"Twisted"

"Beds"

"Unresolved"

"Ways to Escape"

"Ether"

"On a Tuesday" (French version)

• The Race from the Burning Building (2000), Fierce Panda

Track listing:

"Your Back Again"

"Black Dress"

"Don't Come Down"

"Sirens"

"29"

"I'm in Love with a German Film Star"

"Libertine"

"Sing to Me"

"Til Daylight Found Them"

"This Scene"

"FIN"

External links

• Dangerous Shoes Fansite
• Linovinyl - Band Videos