Storm Bugs
Encyclopedia
Storm Bugs were a post punk DIY industrial music
band formed in 1978 in Deptford
, London
, by Philip Sanderson and Steven Ball who had met at school in the Medway Towns, England
.
Many of Storm Bugs releases were on Snatch Tapes a cassette label run by Philip Sanderson from a basement in Paddington, London
. Snatch Tapes was part of the then burgeoning cassette culture
and as well as Storm Bugs the label also released tracks by David Jackman
(later of Organum), The Lemon Kittens, the Beach Surgeons (led by a young Graham Massey
, later of 808 State
), Alien Brains and Claire Thomas & Susan Vezey.
Aside from tape only releases on Snatch Tapes, Storm Bugs also released two 7-inch singles; the Table Matters EP (Loop Records, UK) and one year later a spoof industrial rockabilly
track called "Tin", on the French L'invitation au Suicide label. Following this release Storm Bugs went into a 20 year hibernation though Philip Sanderson & Steven Ball continued to collaborate on projects including the 1988 film Green on the Horizon.
issued a Snatch Tapes compilation called Snatch Paste and this was followed in 2007 by a Storm Bugs LP entitled Supplementary benefit featuring the two 7 inch singles as well as tracks from the early cassette releases. In 2011 the A Safe Substitute cassette on Snatch Tapes was reissued on red vinyl by Harbinger records. The band also released in 2002 an EP of new material called The Bugs Are Back on the Austrian label Klanggalerie.
and Ed Pinsent
. Storm Bugs tracks have also received numerous plays on alternative radio stations such as WFMU
and Resonance FM
.
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
band formed in 1978 in Deptford
Deptford
Deptford is a district of south London, England, located on the south bank of the River Thames. It is named after a ford of the River Ravensbourne, and from the mid 16th century to the late 19th was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Navy Dockyards.Deptford and the docks are...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, by Philip Sanderson and Steven Ball who had met at school in the Medway Towns, England
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...
.
Many of Storm Bugs releases were on Snatch Tapes a cassette label run by Philip Sanderson from a basement in Paddington, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Snatch Tapes was part of the then burgeoning cassette culture
Cassette culture
Cassette culture, or the cassette underground , refers to the practices surrounding amateur production and distribution of recorded music that emerged in the late 1970s via home-made audio cassettes...
and as well as Storm Bugs the label also released tracks by David Jackman
David Jackman
David Jackman is a British musician and visual artist with an extensive catalogue of drone works, mostly as the principal — and often sole — member of Organum....
(later of Organum), The Lemon Kittens, the Beach Surgeons (led by a young Graham Massey
Graham Massey
Graham Massey was a founding member of the British band, 808 State, formed in 1988 in Manchester, England. Originally a hip-hop group called Hit Squad Manchester, the band shifted to an acid house sound, recording their debut album, Newbuild in 1988 under the new name 808 State.-Music:The band was...
, later of 808 State
808 State
808 State are a British electronic music outfit, formed in 1987 in Manchester, taking their name from the Roland TR-808 drum machine and their common state of mind...
), Alien Brains and Claire Thomas & Susan Vezey.
Aside from tape only releases on Snatch Tapes, Storm Bugs also released two 7-inch singles; the Table Matters EP (Loop Records, UK) and one year later a spoof industrial rockabilly
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
track called "Tin", on the French L'invitation au Suicide label. Following this release Storm Bugs went into a 20 year hibernation though Philip Sanderson & Steven Ball continued to collaborate on projects including the 1988 film Green on the Horizon.
Rediscovery
Storm Bugs were rediscovered in 2000 when they were included on the bootleg LP I Hate the Pop Group, on Vertical Slum Records. A year later Snatch Tapes reactivated and released a compilation of some of the bands finer moments from the past, entitled Let's Go Outside And Get It Over this was the start of a re-issue programme that saw much of Storm Bugs original material being rereleased. In 2002 rare and previously unheard recordings were collected by the Fusetron label, and released as Up The Middle Down The Sides. In 2006 the German label Vinyl On DemandVinyl On Demand
Vinyl On Demand is a record label that targets vinyl collectors of 1970's and 80's minimal synth, industrial, and avant-garde music. Along with sales to distributor, Vinyl On Demand has a very successful subscription business...
issued a Snatch Tapes compilation called Snatch Paste and this was followed in 2007 by a Storm Bugs LP entitled Supplementary benefit featuring the two 7 inch singles as well as tracks from the early cassette releases. In 2011 the A Safe Substitute cassette on Snatch Tapes was reissued on red vinyl by Harbinger records. The band also released in 2002 an EP of new material called The Bugs Are Back on the Austrian label Klanggalerie.
Critical reception
Whilst Storm Bugs’ initial releases were obscure the re-released material has attracted far more attention including from writers such as Simon ReynoldsSimon Reynolds
Simon Reynolds is an English music critic who is well-known for his writings on electronic dance music and for coining the term "post-rock". Besides electronic dance music, Reynolds has written about a wide range of artists and musical genres, and has written books on post-punk and rock...
and Ed Pinsent
Ed Pinsent
Ed Pinsent is a British cartoonist, artist and writer born 1960 in Liverpool.-Biography:Pinsent has written and drawn his own small press comics since 1982, including characters such as Primitif, Henrietta and Windy Wilberforce...
. Storm Bugs tracks have also received numerous plays on alternative radio stations such as WFMU
WFMU
WFMU is a listener-supported, independent community radio station headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey, United States, broadcasting at 91.1 MHz FM, presenting a freeform radio format...
and Resonance FM
Resonance FM
Resonance 104.4 FM is a London based non-profit community radio station run by the London Musicians' Collective .The station is staffed by four permanent staff members, including programme controller Ed Baxter and over 300 volunteer technical and production staff.Until September 2007, ResonanceFM...
.
Releases
- A Safe Substitute – 1980 (Cassette on Snatch Tapes)
- Table Matters – 1980 (7 inch single on Loop records)
- Storm Bugs – 1980 (Cassette on Snatch Tapes)
- Gift – 1981 (Cassette on Snatch Tapes)
- Metamorphose – 1981 (7 inch single on L’Invitation au Suicide records)
- Lets go outside and get it over – 2001 (CD on Snatch Tapes)
- The Bugs are Back – 2002 (7 inch EP on Klanggalerie records)
- Up the middle down the sides - 2005 (LP on Fuestron records)
- Supplementary Benefit - 2007 (LP on Vinyl On DemandVinyl On DemandVinyl On Demand is a record label that targets vinyl collectors of 1970's and 80's minimal synth, industrial, and avant-garde music. Along with sales to distributor, Vinyl On Demand has a very successful subscription business...
records) - A Safe Substitute – 2011 (LP on Harbinger records - re-issue of the 1980 cassette)