Sonic Mook Experiment
Encyclopedia
The Sonic Mook Experiment is a music enterprise overseen by Sean McLusky which encompasses a club night and several albums.
The club claims that "like many great clubs in that it was about good music, drugs, scoop live performances, attractive fashionable people and quirky fad-inspiring outfits".
The first Sonic Mook Experiment was held at a venue called The Wheel in Holborn
in early 1997, taking place alongside Heavenly Records'
Social. The emphasis was very much on eclecticism, with Sigue Sigue Sputnik
playing against a backdrop of guitar, beats and hip hop music. The club's move to 333 in Shoreditch
saw live bands like Clinic
, Asian Dub Foundation
and Suicide
play, as well as boundary-breaking underground electronic music, such as J Saul Kane
, Jerry Dammers
and Andrew Weatherall
. The club segued from the collision of electronic and indie in the late 90s into the more pronounced rock and roll of 2001 onwards.
In early 2002 Sonic Mook Relocated to the 93 Feet East
club on Brick Lane
in the East End of London. There it produced exclusive first live performances in London from bands like the New York
punk-funk outfit The Rapture
.
In June of 2002 it staged an event at the Institute of Contemporary Arts
on The Mall in London, during the Queen's Golden Jubilee
. The event, held over four days, launched the second CD in the Future Rock & Roll series. The new album featured 25 tracks from some of the hottest new bands around, many for the first time on CD. Capturing the energy and attitude of the club night that spawned it and the nascent rock and roll scene in London and New York, it included tracks from The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster
, The Liars
, The Martini Henry Rifles
, Yeah Yeah Yeahs
, Some Product by Anne McCloy, Fat Truckers
, and The Buff Medways. Several disturbances during the festival saw armed police escorting attendees away during the high security Jubilee celebrations nearby.
After a hiatus, aside from occasional get-togethers, the night returned to 333, more recently the Dogstar in Brixton
.
The club claims that "like many great clubs in that it was about good music, drugs, scoop live performances, attractive fashionable people and quirky fad-inspiring outfits".
The first Sonic Mook Experiment was held at a venue called The Wheel in Holborn
Holborn
Holborn is an area of Central London. Holborn is also the name of the area's principal east-west street, running as High Holborn from St Giles's High Street to Gray's Inn Road and then on to Holborn Viaduct...
in early 1997, taking place alongside Heavenly Records'
Heavenly Records
Heavenly Records, aka Heavenly Recordings, is a London-based record label, distributed by EMI. Founded by Jeff Barrett, a former press officer for Creation Records and many successful indie bands of the time including Happy Mondays, Heavenly Recordings' first releases were 7" and 12" singles for...
Social. The emphasis was very much on eclecticism, with Sigue Sigue Sputnik
Sigue Sigue Sputnik
Sigue Sigue Sputnik were a British new wave band created in 1982 by the former Generation X bassist Tony James. The band had three UK Top 40 hit singles, including the song "Love Missile F1-11".-Early years:...
playing against a backdrop of guitar, beats and hip hop music. The club's move to 333 in Shoreditch
Shoreditch
Shoreditch is an area of London within the London Borough of Hackney in England. It is a built-up part of the inner city immediately to the north of the City of London, located east-northeast of Charing Cross.-Etymology:...
saw live bands like Clinic
Clinic (band)
Clinic are a Liverpool based post-punk revival band noted for their often fast-paced, eclectic sound. Their sound is often distinguished by the prominent use of vintage keyboards/organs, most notably the Philips Philicorda, and peculiar off-scale chord progressions.-Formation and early...
, Asian Dub Foundation
Asian Dub Foundation
Asian Dub Foundation are a British electronica band that plays a mix of rapcore, dub, dancehall and ragga, also using rock instruments, acknowledging a punk influence...
and Suicide
Suicide (band)
Suicide is an American electronic protopunk musical duo, intermittently active since 1970 and composed of vocalist Alan Vega and Martin Rev on synthesizers and drum machines. They are an early synthesizer/vocal musical duo....
play, as well as boundary-breaking underground electronic music, such as J Saul Kane
Jonathan Saul Kane
Jonathan Saul Kane is an English DJ, musician - releasing material since 1989 as Depth Charge and The Octagon Man, amongst others. He is also the owner of the record labels DC Recordings and Electron Industries....
, Jerry Dammers
Jerry Dammers
Jeremy David Hounsell "Jerry" Dammers is a British musician who is a founder and keyboard player of the Coventry, England based ska revival band The Specials, The Special A.K.A...
and Andrew Weatherall
Andrew Weatherall
Andrew Weatherall is a DJ, producer, and remixer.Andrew, Terry Farley, Cymon Eckel and Steve Mayes started Boy's Own initially as a fanzine commenting on fashion, records, football, and other issues...
. The club segued from the collision of electronic and indie in the late 90s into the more pronounced rock and roll of 2001 onwards.
In early 2002 Sonic Mook Relocated to the 93 Feet East
93 Feet East
93 Feet East is a live music venue on Brick Lane in East London. It is a conversion of part of the Old Truman Brewery, and plays host to new and established acts. It has a courtyard with a BBQ.-External links:**...
club on Brick Lane
Brick Lane
Brick Lane is a street in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, in the East End of London. It runs from Swanfield Street in the northern part of Bethnal Green, crosses Bethnal Green Road, passes through Spitalfields and is linked to Whitechapel High Street to the south by the short stretch of...
in the East End of London. There it produced exclusive first live performances in London from bands like the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
punk-funk outfit The Rapture
The Rapture (band)
The Rapture is an Indie rock band based in New York City. The band mixes influences from many genres including post-punk, acid house, disco, electronica and rock, pioneering the post-punk revival genre...
.
In June of 2002 it staged an event at the Institute of Contemporary Arts
Institute of Contemporary Arts
The Institute of Contemporary Arts is an artistic and cultural centre on The Mall in London, just off Trafalgar Square. It is located within Nash House, part of Carlton House Terrace, near the Duke of York Steps and Admiralty Arch...
on The Mall in London, during the Queen's Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee
A Golden Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 50th anniversary.- In Thailand :King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-reigning monarch, celebrated his Golden Jubilee on 9 June 1996.- In the Commonwealth Realms :...
. The event, held over four days, launched the second CD in the Future Rock & Roll series. The new album featured 25 tracks from some of the hottest new bands around, many for the first time on CD. Capturing the energy and attitude of the club night that spawned it and the nascent rock and roll scene in London and New York, it included tracks from The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster
The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster
The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster were an English rock band from Brighton, England, formed in 1999. They have released three full-length albums, Hörse Of the Dög , The Royal Society and Blood And Fire...
, The Liars
Liars (band)
Liars is a three-piece band formed in 2000 consisting of Angus Andrew , Aaron Hemphill , and Julian Gross...
, The Martini Henry Rifles
The Martini Henry Rifles
The Martini Henry Rifles were a British noise-punk band based on Cardiff, Wales.-Influences & genre classification:Most of their quoted influences are noise and punk , hence the most common noise-punk genre classification...
, Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Yeah Yeah Yeahs are an American indie rock band formed in New York City in 2000. The group is composed of vocalist and pianist Karen O, guitarist and keyboardist Nick Zinner, and drummer Brian Chase. They are complemented in live performances by second guitarist David Pajo, who joined as a touring...
, Some Product by Anne McCloy, Fat Truckers
Fat Truckers
The Fat Truckers were a British electroclash band from Sheffield, comprising Ben Rymer, Mark Hudson and Ross Orton and briefly augmented by Jason Buckle and Ginger Dave as a part-time members....
, and The Buff Medways. Several disturbances during the festival saw armed police escorting attendees away during the high security Jubilee celebrations nearby.
After a hiatus, aside from occasional get-togethers, the night returned to 333, more recently the Dogstar in Brixton
Brixton
Brixton is a district in the London Borough of Lambeth in south London, England. It is south south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
.