Punishment of Luxury
Encyclopedia
Punishment of Luxury, also known as Punilux, are a four-man post-punk
band from Newcastle
, England, who were active in the late 1970s and early 1980s. They released an album Laughing Academy on United Artists, and another on Red Rhino Records. They reformed in the late 1980s and again in 2007.
label in July 1978. In 1979 they signed to United Artists
and released the singles "Engine Of Excess" and "Secrets", and the album Laughing Academy. 1980 saw the release of the single "Laughing Academy". An extensive European tour followed and United Artists sent the band into the studio to record another album, a concept album to be called Gigantic Days. However while the recording was still going on, United Artists were taken over by EMI
, who dropped the band.
Neville, Bond, and Giro recruited guitarists Steve Sekrit (born Steven Robson) and Tim Magenta to a new lineup, now going by the name Punilux. They released a further album on the Red Rhino
label, 7 in 1983, with Magenta replaced by Rab Aitch, before Neville Luxury went solo, releasing the mini-album Feels Like Dancing Wartime in 1984. The album Gigantic Days was finally released, on CD, in 1998 by Overground Records.
The band took their name from an 1891 painting by Giovanni Segantini
in the Walker Art Gallery
, Liverpool.
Compilations:
Neville Luxury:
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...
band from Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, England, who were active in the late 1970s and early 1980s. They released an album Laughing Academy on United Artists, and another on Red Rhino Records. They reformed in the late 1980s and again in 2007.
History
From a background working in left-wing English fringe theatre groups, Punishment Of Luxury were a four-man post-punk band formed in December 1976 in Newcastle. The band consisted initially of Brian Bond (born Brian Rapkin - vocals), Neville Luxury (born Neville Atkinson - guitar, vocals), Red Helmet (guitar, vocals), Jimi Giro (bass guitar, vocals), and "Liquid" Les Denham (drums). They released a single, "Puppet Life" on the Small WonderSmall Wonder Records
Small Wonder Records was a UK independent record label owned and managed by Pete Stennett, that specialised in releasing records by punk rock and post-punk bands. It operated out of a record shop of the same name at 162 Hoe Street, Walthamstow, E17, east London...
label in July 1978. In 1979 they signed to United Artists
United Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
and released the singles "Engine Of Excess" and "Secrets", and the album Laughing Academy. 1980 saw the release of the single "Laughing Academy". An extensive European tour followed and United Artists sent the band into the studio to record another album, a concept album to be called Gigantic Days. However while the recording was still going on, United Artists were taken over by EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
, who dropped the band.
Neville, Bond, and Giro recruited guitarists Steve Sekrit (born Steven Robson) and Tim Magenta to a new lineup, now going by the name Punilux. They released a further album on the Red Rhino
Red Rhino Records
Red Rhino Records, also known as Red Rhino, was a British record label which was developed by the independent record shop and wholesaler of the same name, all formed and run by "Tony K"...
label, 7 in 1983, with Magenta replaced by Rab Aitch, before Neville Luxury went solo, releasing the mini-album Feels Like Dancing Wartime in 1984. The album Gigantic Days was finally released, on CD, in 1998 by Overground Records.
The band took their name from an 1891 painting by Giovanni Segantini
Giovanni Segantini
Giovanni Segantini was an Italian painter known for his large pastoral landscapes of the Alps. He was one of the most famous artists in Europe in the late 19th century, and his paintings were collected by major museums. In later life he combined a Divisionist painting style with Symbolist images...
in the Walker Art Gallery
Walker Art Gallery
The Walker Art Gallery is an art gallery in Liverpool, which houses one of the largest art collections in England, outside of London. It is part of the National Museums Liverpool group, and is promoted as "the National Gallery of the North" because it is not a local or regional gallery but is part...
, Liverpool.
Recent
In 2007 they reunited and played a few songs for the basist Jimi Giro's 50th birthday party. A little more than a year later they landed a gig at a small pub in Gateshead, in the north-east of England called The Three Tuns. The gig was considered a success and was written about in The Guardian newspaper. The band are planning on more gigs in the future and possibly introducing more new material, of which a taster was given in the form of one song called Fracture at the Three Tuns. On June 12, 2009 they played at the Luminaire in Kilburn, North London.Albums
- Laughing Academy (1979), United ArtistsUnited ArtistsUnited Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
- 7 (1984), Red Rhino - as Punilux, UK Indie #12
- Gigantic Days (the shelved LP) (1998), Overground
Compilations:
- Revolution by Numbers (1997), Overground
Neville Luxury:
- Feels Like Dancing Wartime (1985), Red Rhino
Singles
- "Puppet Life" (1978), Small WonderSmall Wonder RecordsSmall Wonder Records was a UK independent record label owned and managed by Pete Stennett, that specialised in releasing records by punk rock and post-punk bands. It operated out of a record shop of the same name at 162 Hoe Street, Walthamstow, E17, east London...
- "Engine of Excess" (1979), United Artists
- "Secrets" (1979), United Artists
- "Laughing Academy" (1980), LibertyLiberty RecordsLiberty Records was a United States-based record label. It was started by chairman Simon Waronker in 1955 with Al Bennett as president and Theodore Keep as chief engineer. It was reactivated in 2001 in the United Kingdom and had two previous revivals.-1950s:...
- "Hold Me (Never Mould Me)" (1983), Red Rhino - as Punilux, UK Indie #36
- "Alien Contact" (1989), P.U.K.