Neo (UK band)
Encyclopedia
Neo was an early New Wave
band which was part of the Engish musical scene originated by punk in the 1970s. The group was formed by the American-born singer Ian North, who was the frontman and the only continuous member from the band formation in 1977 to the end in 1979.
and Martin Gordon
(bass), who a few years ago founded with ex John's Children
's Andy Ellison
the glam band Jet
. Gordon created a new band called Radio and Eno invited Paul Simon
(drums), who formed part of Limmie Funk Limited (with Limmie Snell
) to join them and completed the line-up. The band was post-punk, but only after a gig (supporting Ultravox!
) in November 1976, Gordon dropped out and returned with Andy Ellison and changed the name of Jet to Radio Stars
. The band recruited George Dyner for replace him, but for short time, and, in April 1977, North took the place of him on bass and continuing singing, and Paul's brother Robert was introduced, taking the guitar place.
According to Paul Simon, Radio (nowadays credited as Ian North's Radio) recorded some songs in the studio and he recently remastered them. In mid 1977, Paul Simon accompanied Martin Gordon, forming part of Radio Stars and recording with them "Good Personality", a 7" single, and other tracks some of which was eventually released on Radio Stars' compilation "Somewhere There's A Place For Us". He was asked to stay with them, but preferred continuing with North in Neo.
members, Steve Byrd
on guitar and John McCoy
on bass, and Bryson Graham
on drums. They recorded an album in Ian Gillan
's studio, and after the proper Gillan heard them, hired Byrd and McCoy away from North. Gillan and that ex-Neo musicians formed Gillan
. Only Graham stayed with North.
North renewed Neo again with Steve Wilkin
(ex-Wired and Masterwitch) on guitar, Nick South on bass and Graham on drums, but shortly afterwards South and Graham were replaced by Mik Sweeney and Derek Quinton, respectively. Later Dan Black
completed the line-up as keyboardist. That line-up toured with Magazine
, doing gigs promoting their single "Tran-Sister", released that year.
After changes of line-ups, Neo split up in 1979 because North had to return to USA. Sweeney joined The News
and, later, Classix Nouveaux
, Steve Wilkin joined Random Hold
, Quinton joined Sector 27, with Tom Robinson
, and Black formed Psychic TV
.
Following transform to USA, Ian North have become hair dresser and also make art pictures in the USA.
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
band which was part of the Engish musical scene originated by punk in the 1970s. The group was formed by the American-born singer Ian North, who was the frontman and the only continuous member from the band formation in 1977 to the end in 1979.
Early days: Radio
In 1976, Ian North (lead vocals, guitar) travelled with the band Milk 'N' Cookies for which he was the guitarist, to London to record a new album but they never made it and the group took separate ways. Only North stayed in London , meeting Brian EnoBrian Eno
Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno , commonly known as Brian Eno or simply as Eno , is an English musician, composer, record producer, singer and visual artist, known as one of the principal innovators of ambient music.Eno studied at Colchester Institute art school in Essex,...
and Martin Gordon
Martin Gordon
Martin Gordon is an English musician, who plays bass guitar and piano.-Biography:Martin Gordon was born in Ipswich, and grew up Hitchin, Hertfordshire...
(bass), who a few years ago founded with ex John's Children
John's Children
John's Children were a 1960s pop art/mod rock band from Leatherhead, England that briefly featured future T. Rex frontman Marc Bolan. John's Children were known for their outrageous live performances and were booted off a tour with The Who in Germany in 1967 when they upstaged the headliners...
's Andy Ellison
Andy Ellison
Andrew "Andy" Ellison is a musician and vocalist best known as the frontman in John's Children, Jet and Radio Stars....
the glam band Jet
Jet (UK band)
Jet were a glam rock band from London formed in 1974. They released one album in 1975 before splitting up, with the bulk of the band going on to become the punk/new wave band Radio Stars.-History:...
. Gordon created a new band called Radio and Eno invited Paul Simon
Paul Simon (UK musician)
Paul Simon is a British drummer born in Halifax, Calderdale, West Yorkshire, who played with different punk and New Wave artists, like Ian North, Radio Stars, John Foxx and Glen Matlock...
(drums), who formed part of Limmie Funk Limited (with Limmie Snell
Limmie Snell
Limmie Snell was an American soul singer, born in Dalton, Alabama. He grew up in Canton, Ohio, and attended McKinley Senior High School, but did not graduate....
) to join them and completed the line-up. The band was post-punk, but only after a gig (supporting Ultravox!
Ultravox
Ultravox is a British New Wave rock band. They were one of the primary exponents of the British electronic pop music movement of the late 1970s/early 1980s. The band was particularly associated with the New Romantic and New Wave movements....
) in November 1976, Gordon dropped out and returned with Andy Ellison and changed the name of Jet to Radio Stars
Radio Stars
Radio Stars are an English new wave group formed in early 1977. They released three albums and had one UK Top 40 single.-Biography:Radio Stars were formed by ex-John's Children vocalist Andy Ellison, Sparks exile Martin Gordon , and Ian MacLeod in 1977, following the end of their underachieving...
. The band recruited George Dyner for replace him, but for short time, and, in April 1977, North took the place of him on bass and continuing singing, and Paul's brother Robert was introduced, taking the guitar place.
According to Paul Simon, Radio (nowadays credited as Ian North's Radio) recorded some songs in the studio and he recently remastered them. In mid 1977, Paul Simon accompanied Martin Gordon, forming part of Radio Stars and recording with them "Good Personality", a 7" single, and other tracks some of which was eventually released on Radio Stars' compilation "Somewhere There's A Place For Us". He was asked to stay with them, but preferred continuing with North in Neo.
Neo
As a three piece band, Radio immediately transformed to Neo. North became the bassist, and in this way the group continued until February/March 1978, when Robert Simon dropped out and formed part of Ultravox. North sacked Paul Simon, and included session players in his project: ex-ZZebraZZebra
Zzebra were a British fusion and afro prog band active in the UK in the early 1970s.The band was formed when Terry Smith and Dave Quincy , both left the band If, when it broke up, and joined Lasisi "Loughty" Amao ex-Osibisa , Gus Yeadon ex-The Love Affair , Liam Genockey and John McCoy .They...
members, Steve Byrd
Steve Byrd
Stephen John Byrd is a British guitarist and session musician who has worked with artists including Kim Wilde, Ian Gillan, ZZebra and many others....
on guitar and John McCoy
John McCoy (musician)
John McCoy is a British bass guitarist who is best known for his work with Ian Gillan and Mammoth as well as numerous other bands and sessions since the late 1960s. He currently plays in British rock trio Guy McCoy Torme with former Gillan/Ozzy guitarist Bernie Torme and Bruce Dickinson/Sack Trick...
on bass, and Bryson Graham
Bryson Graham
Bryson Graham was a rock drummer, most notable as a member of Spooky Tooth, Girl and as a session musician.- History :Bryson Graham commenced his professional recording career, at the age of seventeen as a member of Mainhorse Airplane, with David Kubinec . He was later with Mainhorse with...
on drums. They recorded an album in Ian Gillan
Ian Gillan
Ian Gillan is an English rock music vocalist and songwriter, best known as the lead singer and lyricist for Deep Purple. During his career Gillan also fronted his own band, had a year-long stint as the vocalist for Black Sabbath, and sang the role of Jesus in the original recording of Andrew Lloyd...
's studio, and after the proper Gillan heard them, hired Byrd and McCoy away from North. Gillan and that ex-Neo musicians formed Gillan
Gillan
Gillan was a rock band formed in 1978 by Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan.-History:In 1978 Ian Gillan had become dissatisfied with the jazz fusion style of his band called the Ian Gillan Band and dissolved it, retaining only keyboard player Colin Towns, and formed a new band entitled Gillan...
. Only Graham stayed with North.
North renewed Neo again with Steve Wilkin
Steve Wilkin (guitarist)
Steve Wilkin is a British guitarist who took part of the punk and new wave, now member of Vmat2, along Stuart Thorneycroft.In the early 1970s he formed Wired. In 1976 he founded Masterwitch, a punk band, which released an only single in 1978, called Action Replay...
(ex-Wired and Masterwitch) on guitar, Nick South on bass and Graham on drums, but shortly afterwards South and Graham were replaced by Mik Sweeney and Derek Quinton, respectively. Later Dan Black
Dan Black
Dan Black is a British wonky pop artist. He was also a member of alternative rock band The Servant, before their 2007 split. He has also been a guest vocalist for the Italian group Planet Funk....
completed the line-up as keyboardist. That line-up toured with Magazine
Magazine (band)
Magazine are an English post-punk group active from 1977 to 1981, then reformed in 2009. Their debut single, "Shot by Both Sides", is now acknowledged as a classic and their debut album, Real Life, is still widely admired as one of the greatest albums of all time...
, doing gigs promoting their single "Tran-Sister", released that year.
After changes of line-ups, Neo split up in 1979 because North had to return to USA. Sweeney joined The News
The News (band)
The News was a short-lived New Wave band formed in 1977, by Sam Smith , Graham Culpin , Lindsay Elliott , Richard James Burgess and Michael Taylor .In the early days of 1978, the band signed a recording contract with GTO and, in the first weeks of the year, they recorded...
and, later, Classix Nouveaux
Classix Nouveaux
Classix Nouveaux were an English 1980s new wave band. They had number one hits in Poland, Portugal, the former Yugoslavia, Israel, Iceland, and other countries...
, Steve Wilkin joined Random Hold
Random Hold
Random Hold was a British rock band from 1977 to 1980.-History:The first line-up featured David Ferguson and David Rhodes , plus Simon Ainley , Bill MacCormick and David Leach...
, Quinton joined Sector 27, with Tom Robinson
Tom Robinson
Tom Robinson is an English singer-songwriter, bassist and radio presenter, better known for the hits "Glad to Be Gay", "2-4-6-8 Motorway", and "Don't Take No for an Answer", with his Tom Robinson Band...
, and Black formed Psychic TV
Psychic TV
Psychic TV or PTV, is a video art and music group that primarily performs psychedelic, punk, electronic and experimental music...
.
Following transform to USA, Ian North have become hair dresser and also make art pictures in the USA.
Discography
- Live At The Vortex (songs "Small Lives" and "Tell Me The Truth") (Nems Records, December 1977)
- Tran-SisterTran-SisterTran-Sister was the first and only single released by the New Wave band Neo, fronted by ex-Milk 'N' Cookies guitarist Ian North . Then, North, born in New York, was living in England since 1976, after the demise of his proto punk band Milk 'N' Cookies. Recorded by North and session musicians, who...
(7" single)(Jet Records, 1978) - NeoNeo (album)Neo is a 1979 music album by the American punk musician Ian North and his first solo album. It was recorded in 1978 in Ian Gillan's studio and released in 1979 by Aura Records...
(only as Ian North as artist name) (Aura, 1979)
External links
- Ian's page
- Simon brothers' band, Ajanta music, page
- DharmaJester.com Steve Wilkinson's homepage in which commented his days with Neo
- Punk77: Neo About the first encarnation of Neo