Ring (band)
Encyclopedia
Ring were an English
psychedelic rock
band active during the 1980s.
The band is notable for having helped to launch the subsequent musical careers of Robert White (Levitation
, The Milk And Honey Band
), Michael "Mik" Tubb (also of The Milk And Honey Band
) and Christian "Bic" Hayes
(Cardiacs
, Levitation
, Dark Star
, Mikrokosmos).
The band were noted for their diverse music "blending all manner of riffs and noises" and for their tendency to use circus-style face-paint. This sometimes resulted in them being accused of copying Cardiacs
, a fellow musical act of the time that had emerged some years previously and were already renowned for their eclectic and unique sound, as well as their manically exaggerated stagecraft and use of face-paint. Commenting on the Zag And The Coloured Beads
homepage, one unidentified member or associate of Ring (allegedly singer Jonny Karma) has admitted that Ring's final cassette album, Nervous Recreations, sounded "transparently in awe of Cardiacs
."
The band released three cassette albums and had a shifting line-up in which members used a variety of pseudonyms. The two consistent core members were Ian "Zag" Faichne (guitar, synthesizer, vocals, percussion) and Robert White (bass, synthesizer, vocals and guitar). Other key members included Bronwen Greaves (synthesizer and vocals) and Mick Oynugulos (drums), both of whom played on the first two cassette albums. Mik Tubb contributed to the middle period of Ring activity, playing guitar on the second cassette album (O De Dun Dun).
Greaves and Oynuglos left the band before the third cassette album Nervous Recreations, for which White and Zag were joined by a new line-up including Christian "Bic" Hayes
(guitar, synthesizer, vocals), Adrian (percussion) and Stompy and Jonny Karma (vocals).
It is not precisely recorded when Ring came to an end, but it seems likely that the band petered out in 1990 following White and Hayes' recruitment into Levitation
- a band with much more music industry interest (and consequently larger demands regarding time and commitment) than their other projects).
with whom they shared three members at various times (Zag, Robert White, and Mik Tubb) and Bing Organ's Beastly Scrapings (two members - Mik Tubb and Rachel Howard) during the middle period.
As previously mentioned, Robert White and Christian Hayes both joined Levitation
in 1990, from which Hayes went on to form Dark Star
. White later set up The Milk And Honey Band
in 1994, in which he was joined by Mik Tubb sometime between then and 2001.
Roughly parallel to his time with Ring, Christian Hayes was working with The Dave Howard Singers
and subsequently Cardiacs
. He would also work with Panixsphere, Heather Nova
and The Pet Shop Boys. He currently works as a solo artist under the name of Mikrokosmos.
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...
psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
band active during the 1980s.
The band is notable for having helped to launch the subsequent musical careers of Robert White (Levitation
Levitation (band)
Levitation were an English rock band fronted by ex-House of Love guitarist Terry Bickers. Levitation's music and attitude challenged an early 1990s UK alternative music scene dominated by shoegazing and Madchester....
, The Milk And Honey Band
The Milk And Honey Band
The Milk And Honey Band is an English rock band centred around the talents of singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Robert White .-Sound:...
), Michael "Mik" Tubb (also of The Milk And Honey Band
The Milk And Honey Band
The Milk And Honey Band is an English rock band centred around the talents of singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Robert White .-Sound:...
) and Christian "Bic" Hayes
Christian Hayes
Christian Hayes , also known as Bic Hayes, is an English rock guitarist, singer and songwriter. His highest profile musical role has been fronting the band Dark Star between 1998 and 2001, whom he formed with fellow ex-Levitation members David Francolini and Laurence O'Keefe.He has also played in a...
(Cardiacs
Cardiacs
Cardiacs are an English alternative rock/psychedelic pop band formed in 1977 and led by Tim Smith. Noted for their complex, varied and intense compositional style and for their eccentric, theatrical stage shows, they have been hailed as an influence by bands as diverse as Blur, Faith No More and...
, Levitation
Levitation (band)
Levitation were an English rock band fronted by ex-House of Love guitarist Terry Bickers. Levitation's music and attitude challenged an early 1990s UK alternative music scene dominated by shoegazing and Madchester....
, Dark Star
Dark Star (band)
Dark Star were an English rock band from London, whose music mixed dark psychedelica, with a dub undertow and noisy effects-laden guitar.-History:...
, Mikrokosmos).
History
Ring evolved out of the south London experimental rock scene of the 1980s and played frequently at London free festivals of the time.The band were noted for their diverse music "blending all manner of riffs and noises" and for their tendency to use circus-style face-paint. This sometimes resulted in them being accused of copying Cardiacs
Cardiacs
Cardiacs are an English alternative rock/psychedelic pop band formed in 1977 and led by Tim Smith. Noted for their complex, varied and intense compositional style and for their eccentric, theatrical stage shows, they have been hailed as an influence by bands as diverse as Blur, Faith No More and...
, a fellow musical act of the time that had emerged some years previously and were already renowned for their eclectic and unique sound, as well as their manically exaggerated stagecraft and use of face-paint. Commenting on the Zag And The Coloured Beads
Zag And The Coloured Beads
Zag And The Coloured Beads are an English experimental rock band.Blending elements of psychedelic rock and progressive rock, the band were initially active in the 1980s London free-festival scene and featured several members who went on to subsequent projects including Ring, Levitation and The Milk...
homepage, one unidentified member or associate of Ring (allegedly singer Jonny Karma) has admitted that Ring's final cassette album, Nervous Recreations, sounded "transparently in awe of Cardiacs
Cardiacs
Cardiacs are an English alternative rock/psychedelic pop band formed in 1977 and led by Tim Smith. Noted for their complex, varied and intense compositional style and for their eccentric, theatrical stage shows, they have been hailed as an influence by bands as diverse as Blur, Faith No More and...
."
The band released three cassette albums and had a shifting line-up in which members used a variety of pseudonyms. The two consistent core members were Ian "Zag" Faichne (guitar, synthesizer, vocals, percussion) and Robert White (bass, synthesizer, vocals and guitar). Other key members included Bronwen Greaves (synthesizer and vocals) and Mick Oynugulos (drums), both of whom played on the first two cassette albums. Mik Tubb contributed to the middle period of Ring activity, playing guitar on the second cassette album (O De Dun Dun).
Greaves and Oynuglos left the band before the third cassette album Nervous Recreations, for which White and Zag were joined by a new line-up including Christian "Bic" Hayes
Christian Hayes
Christian Hayes , also known as Bic Hayes, is an English rock guitarist, singer and songwriter. His highest profile musical role has been fronting the band Dark Star between 1998 and 2001, whom he formed with fellow ex-Levitation members David Francolini and Laurence O'Keefe.He has also played in a...
(guitar, synthesizer, vocals), Adrian (percussion) and Stompy and Jonny Karma (vocals).
It is not precisely recorded when Ring came to an end, but it seems likely that the band petered out in 1990 following White and Hayes' recruitment into Levitation
Levitation (band)
Levitation were an English rock band fronted by ex-House of Love guitarist Terry Bickers. Levitation's music and attitude challenged an early 1990s UK alternative music scene dominated by shoegazing and Madchester....
- a band with much more music industry interest (and consequently larger demands regarding time and commitment) than their other projects).
Musical connections and further activity
Ring had a longstanding connection with Zag And The Coloured BeadsZag And The Coloured Beads
Zag And The Coloured Beads are an English experimental rock band.Blending elements of psychedelic rock and progressive rock, the band were initially active in the 1980s London free-festival scene and featured several members who went on to subsequent projects including Ring, Levitation and The Milk...
with whom they shared three members at various times (Zag, Robert White, and Mik Tubb) and Bing Organ's Beastly Scrapings (two members - Mik Tubb and Rachel Howard) during the middle period.
As previously mentioned, Robert White and Christian Hayes both joined Levitation
Levitation (band)
Levitation were an English rock band fronted by ex-House of Love guitarist Terry Bickers. Levitation's music and attitude challenged an early 1990s UK alternative music scene dominated by shoegazing and Madchester....
in 1990, from which Hayes went on to form Dark Star
Dark Star (band)
Dark Star were an English rock band from London, whose music mixed dark psychedelica, with a dub undertow and noisy effects-laden guitar.-History:...
. White later set up The Milk And Honey Band
The Milk And Honey Band
The Milk And Honey Band is an English rock band centred around the talents of singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Robert White .-Sound:...
in 1994, in which he was joined by Mik Tubb sometime between then and 2001.
Roughly parallel to his time with Ring, Christian Hayes was working with The Dave Howard Singers
The Dave Howard Singers
The Dave Howard Singers is a cult Canadian alternative rock band/project originally formed in Toronto, Canada. The project is based around the talents of singer-songwriter Dave Howard and the signature sound of his Ace Tone organ...
and subsequently Cardiacs
Cardiacs
Cardiacs are an English alternative rock/psychedelic pop band formed in 1977 and led by Tim Smith. Noted for their complex, varied and intense compositional style and for their eccentric, theatrical stage shows, they have been hailed as an influence by bands as diverse as Blur, Faith No More and...
. He would also work with Panixsphere, Heather Nova
Heather Nova
Heather Nova, is a Bermudian singer-songwriter and poet. She has released eight full-length albums and has found lasting success in Germany where two of her albums South and Storm have made their way into the Top-5 of German official album chart.-Biography:Heather Nova was born in Bermuda...
and The Pet Shop Boys. He currently works as a solo artist under the name of Mikrokosmos.
Pseudonyms
In addition to Faichne and Hayes being universally known as "Zag" and "Bic" respectively, Ring members and guest contributors tended to operate under a variety of pseudonyms (in particular when listed in sleevenotes). Here are the pseudonyms used for the main members (pseudonyms used by guests and associates are listed in the Members section below).- Ian "Zag" Faichne - a.k.a. "ZagRing" or "Zaggo Raggetty Crowman"
- Robert White - a.k.a. "Bob White", "Bob The Duke Chalky White", "Duke Bob Chalky White"
- Bronwen Greaves - a.k.a. "Bronisynthi" or "BronWen Greavsy"
- Mick Oynugulos - ak.a. "Micky"
- Flat hat - a.k.a.
Albums
- Demo Tape No. 1 October 1984 (cassette-only album)
- O De Dun Dun (cassette-only album)
- Nervous Recreations (cassette-only album)
List of members
- Ian "Zag" Faichne - guitar, synths, vocals, percussion
- Robert White - bass, synths, voice, percussion, guitar
- Mick Oynugulos - drums, percussion, voice (Demo Tape No. 1 October 1984, O De Dun Dun)
- Bronwen Greaves - synths, voice (Demo Tape No. 1 October 1984, O De Dun Dun)
- "John-a-gram" - sax, voice (Demo Tape No. 1 October 1984)
- "Steve Ring" - guitar, percussion, voice (Demo Tape No. 1 October 1984)
- "Rory Cavity Store" - vocals (Demo Tape No. 1 October 1984
- "Adrian" - percussion (Demo Tape No. 1 October 1984, Nervous Recreations)
- "Taff Swansea" - percussion (O De Dun Dun - possibly a pseudonym for Andrew Gooding)
- Rachel Howard - vocals (O De Dun Dun)
- Michael "Mik" Tubb - guitar (O De Dun Dun)
- "Big Ron" - electronic drums (O De Dun Dun)
- "Mr Timothy Whiskers" - vocals (O De Dun Dun)
- Christian "Bic" HayesChristian HayesChristian Hayes , also known as Bic Hayes, is an English rock guitarist, singer and songwriter. His highest profile musical role has been fronting the band Dark Star between 1998 and 2001, whom he formed with fellow ex-Levitation members David Francolini and Laurence O'Keefe.He has also played in a...
- guitar, synths, voice (Nervous Recreations) - "Matt" - guitar (Nervous Recreations)
- "Tom" - drums (Nervous Recreations)
- "Flathat" - drums Nervous Recreations)
- "Mark" - keyboards (Nervous Recreations)
- "Jonny Karma" - vocals (Nervous Recreations)
- "Stompy" - vocals (Nervous Recreations)
- "Trog A.K.A. Trogledyte Cave-Dweller" - Synths
External links
- Ring biography on Zag And The Coloured Beads homepage