Sons of Selina
Encyclopedia
The Sons of Selina were a psychedelic-punk group formed in Colwyn Bay
in 1990. They were very hard to pigeon-hole into a musical genre as their sound swept from Punk rock
to Electro Pop (sometimes in the same song!).
, both respected the psyche sounds but felt they’d be a better band if they had a harder edge. This became the basis of the Sons of Selina sound, although that was as far as the Hawkwind comparison went as Crud’s punk influence complimented Hemuss’ classical training.
Both members were previously in the notorious North Wales punk band 4Q.
in 1992, it was described as Hawkwind meets New Model Army
and was remarkable by the points that only the 2 members played on the recordings and it was recorded on a 4-track cassette and pressed onto 7” vinyl. The single earned regular national airplay on BBC
Radio One
by DJs Mark Radcliffe
, John Peel
, Mark Goodier
and Annie Nightingale
.
They were subsequently signed to the underground label Delerium Records
and released a further 2 singles and the critically acclaimed albums “Nour d'Oui” (in 1994) and “Fire In The Hole” (in 1998).
The band became more popular in Europe than at home; “Anxiety” reached No.5 in the Belgian Alternative Charts, “Jam Tomorrow” received airplay in Germany and “Of The First Water” sold about 30,000 copies in Greece after featuring on a compilation album.
Electro-punk band Psychosexual Sex Terrestrials recorded an early Sons of Selina song “Creatures of The Night” in 2004 and invited Neil Crud to write and record new lyrics for the song. The release became a minor nightclub classic. This version was subsequently remixed by Head In The Shed in 2008.
A 'mash-up' version with Snoop Dogg
featuring on "Of The First Water" was available on-line in the late 1990s, but has since disappeared. The same track resurfaced in 2009 being mashed up with Eminem
.
The track “The Last Ditch” was used as a signature tune to advertise a Ski-ing show on Sky Sports
TV in 2001.
Cherry Red Records acquired the rights to Delerium's back catalogue and on 28.02.2011 released a triple CD Last Daze of The Underground, which features Sons of Selina's second single "Life is But". Record Collector
magazine described the song as 'gruff, strident and almost a hit single.'
Bassist Ken left after three gigs to work for Reuters
in London and the band became a six-piece. Robin took over and he too was eventually replaced by ex-Pocket Venus
bassist Chris Bainbridge.
With Robin gone, Neil and Steve Sync became the working nucleus of the band and put together the second and final album “Fire In the Hole” but family constraints and line-up issues began taking their toll the band and things fizzled out by 1999.
Colwyn Bay
- Demography :Prior to local government reorganisation on 1 April 1974 Colwyn Bay was a municipal borough with a population of c.25,000, but in 1974 this designation disappeared leaving five separate parishes, known as communities in Wales, of which the one bearing the name Colwyn Bay encompassed...
in 1990. They were very hard to pigeon-hole into a musical genre as their sound swept from Punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
to Electro Pop (sometimes in the same song!).
Formation
Original members Neil Crud (Neil Birchall), and Robin Hemuss formed the band after discussing the merits of HawkwindHawkwind
Hawkwind are an English rock band, one of the earliest space rock groups. Their lyrics favour urban and science fiction themes. They are also a noted precursor to punk rock and now are considered a link between the hippie and punk cultures....
, both respected the psyche sounds but felt they’d be a better band if they had a harder edge. This became the basis of the Sons of Selina sound, although that was as far as the Hawkwind comparison went as Crud’s punk influence complimented Hemuss’ classical training.
Both members were previously in the notorious North Wales punk band 4Q.
Releases
The Sons of Selina released their debut single “Anxiety” on Crud’s label Secrets of SoundSecrets of Sound
Secrets of Sound is a record label set up by Neil Crud in Rhyl, North Wales in 1992. Crud created the label as an outlet for his own band Sons of Selina, hence the label's initials SOS...
in 1992, it was described as Hawkwind meets New Model Army
New Model Army
The New Model Army of England was formed in 1645 by the Parliamentarians in the English Civil War, and was disbanded in 1660 after the Restoration...
and was remarkable by the points that only the 2 members played on the recordings and it was recorded on a 4-track cassette and pressed onto 7” vinyl. The single earned regular national airplay on BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Radio One
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
by DJs Mark Radcliffe
Mark Radcliffe
Mark Radcliffe is an English broadcaster who has worked in various roles for the BBC since the 1980s and remains one of Britain's most recognised DJs. He is currently a presenter on BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music, where he hosts an afternoon show five times a week alongside Stuart Maconie, called...
, John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
, Mark Goodier
Mark Goodier
-Early career:Mark Goodier was born in Rhodesia . His family moved to the UK when he was a child, eventually settling in Scotland. He was educated at George Heriot's School, in Edinburgh. He became a mobile DJ in Edinburgh and then joined local station Radio Forth at the age of 19...
and Annie Nightingale
Annie Nightingale
Anne "Annie" Nightingale MBE is an English radio broadcaster. She is most commonly known by the more informal name of Annie...
.
They were subsequently signed to the underground label Delerium Records
Delerium Records
Delerium Records was a UK record label, that specialised in psychedelic music which ran from 1991 to 2003, and was notable in promoting the careers of bands including Porcupine Tree, Ozric Tentacles, Kava Kava, Mandragora, Sons of Selina and Moom and for starting the Freak Emporium and Molten...
and released a further 2 singles and the critically acclaimed albums “Nour d'Oui” (in 1994) and “Fire In The Hole” (in 1998).
The band became more popular in Europe than at home; “Anxiety” reached No.5 in the Belgian Alternative Charts, “Jam Tomorrow” received airplay in Germany and “Of The First Water” sold about 30,000 copies in Greece after featuring on a compilation album.
Electro-punk band Psychosexual Sex Terrestrials recorded an early Sons of Selina song “Creatures of The Night” in 2004 and invited Neil Crud to write and record new lyrics for the song. The release became a minor nightclub classic. This version was subsequently remixed by Head In The Shed in 2008.
A 'mash-up' version with Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
featuring on "Of The First Water" was available on-line in the late 1990s, but has since disappeared. The same track resurfaced in 2009 being mashed up with Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
.
The track “The Last Ditch” was used as a signature tune to advertise a Ski-ing show on Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
TV in 2001.
Cherry Red Records acquired the rights to Delerium's back catalogue and on 28.02.2011 released a triple CD Last Daze of The Underground, which features Sons of Selina's second single "Life is But". Record Collector
Record Collector
Record Collector is the United Kingdom's longest-running monthly music magazine. It distributes both within the UK and worldwide. It started in 1979.-The early years:...
magazine described the song as 'gruff, strident and almost a hit single.'
Line up
With radio airplay aplenty, BBC DJ Mark Radcliffe invited the band to perform a live session on his Radio One show. At the time being only a two-piece studio project Neil and Robin had to recruit a live band and did so, adding Steve Sync, Martin Wilding, Steve ‘Bonehead’ Jones, Ken Maynardis and Cumi Pants. This line up began playing live and it was noted the stage performances were better than the recorded work.Bassist Ken left after three gigs to work for Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
in London and the band became a six-piece. Robin took over and he too was eventually replaced by ex-Pocket Venus
Pocket Venus
Pocket Venus are a Welsh rock band from Conwy in North Wales. The band's sound has been difficult to pigeonhole as they have such a diverse range of sounds, however, many critics have compared the group to classic rock bands such as Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin for the progressive rock dynamics and...
bassist Chris Bainbridge.
With Robin gone, Neil and Steve Sync became the working nucleus of the band and put together the second and final album “Fire In the Hole” but family constraints and line-up issues began taking their toll the band and things fizzled out by 1999.
Recent years
- Neil Crud began concentrating on media work (including at BBC Radio WalesBBC Radio WalesBBC Radio Wales is the BBC's national radio station broadcasting to Wales in the English language. Operated by BBC Wales, it began broadcasting on 12 November 1978 following the demise of the old "Radio 4 Wales" when BBC Radio 4 became a national network and moved from medium wave to long wave...
), producing videos for bands (The AlarmThe AlarmThe Alarm are an alternative rock band that emerged from North Wales in the late 1970s. They started as a mod band and stayed together for over ten years. As a rock band, they displayed marked influences from Welsh language and culture...
, Spear of Destiny, Global Parasite, Homespun and compiling the link2wales archive website). He also had a brief spell managing Pocket VenusPocket VenusPocket Venus are a Welsh rock band from Conwy in North Wales. The band's sound has been difficult to pigeonhole as they have such a diverse range of sounds, however, many critics have compared the group to classic rock bands such as Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin for the progressive rock dynamics and...
, releasing two singles on his Secrets of SoundSecrets of SoundSecrets of Sound is a record label set up by Neil Crud in Rhyl, North Wales in 1992. Crud created the label as an outlet for his own band Sons of Selina, hence the label's initials SOS...
Record Label.
- Steve Sync along with ex-4Q member Cumi Pants (not his real name!) joined punk band Alien Matter and their Sons of Selina influence played heavily on the band’s sound, turning them into a heavier, punkier version of the Sons. Both went on to join The Affliction.
- Martin Wilding is now a studio engineer/producer for The AlarmThe AlarmThe Alarm are an alternative rock band that emerged from North Wales in the late 1970s. They started as a mod band and stayed together for over ten years. As a rock band, they displayed marked influences from Welsh language and culture...
and has worked with The Stone RosesThe Stone RosesThe Stone Roses are an English alternative rock band formed in Manchester in 1983. They were one of the pioneering groups of the Madchester movement that was active during the late 1980s and early 1990s...
, Doves, The Damned, ReefReef (band)Reef are an English band from Glastonbury. The band members includes Gary Stringer on vocals, Kenwyn House on guitar, Jack Bessant on bass and Dominic Greensmith on drums.-Early days:...
, The LevellersThe Levellers (band)The Levellers are an English rock band, founded in 1988 and based in Brighton, England. Their musical style is said to be influenced by punk and traditional English music.-1988-1990:...
.
- Steve 'Bonehead' Jones is now a guitar technician for Stiff Little FingersStiff Little FingersStiff Little Fingers are a punk rock band from Belfast, Northern Ireland. They formed in 1977, at the height of the Troubles. They started out as a schoolboy band called Highway Star , doing rock covers, until they discovered punk. They split up after six years and four albums, although they...
and has also worked for The Alarm and the Sex PistolsSex PistolsThe Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
.
Discography
This is a discography of Sons of Selina official releases. There have been many other unofficial bootleg and cassette releases along with countless compilation album appearances.- Anxiety – 7” single - May 1992
- Life is But – 7” single - June 1993
- Jam Tomorrow – 7” EP - October 1993
- Nour d’Oui – CD / LP - June 1994
- Terminus – EP CD - September 1996
- Our Glass – CD single – March 1998
- Fire In The Hole – CD Album – September 1999
Members
- Neil Crud − vocals, bass, guitar (1990–1999)
- Robin Hemuss − guitar, keyboards, bass (1990–1997)
- Steve Sync − keyboards (1994–1999)
- Steve Bonehead Jones − guitar (1994–1999)
- Martin Wilding − guitar (1994–1999)
- Cumi Pants – drums (1994–1999)