Telstar Ponies
Encyclopedia
Telstar Ponies are a rock band formed in Glasgow
, Scotland
in 1994. They were signed to Fire Records
Their musical style varies considerably but displays obvious influences from Krautrock
, folk (especially latterly), and experimental noise.
on leaving 18 Wheeler
. The original line-up included drummer Neil Grant as well as Sushil K Dade (ex-Soup Dragons, BMX Bandits
, later of Future Pilot A.K.A.
) on bass and John Hogarty (ex-BMX Bandits, later of National Park
) on guitar. Grant was replaced on drums by Brendan O'Hare
(ex-Teenage Fanclub
) in time for the recording of their first single "Maps and Starcharts". By the time this single was released Dade and Hogarty had been replaced by Gavin Laird and Rachel Devine. This line-up recorded two albums, In The Space Of A Few Minutes and Voices From The New Music, adding Richard Youngs
to the line-up for the latter. They split up in 1997 following the departures of both O'Hare and Laird, who formed Macrocosmica.
They reformed minus O'Hare in 1999. A third album was recorded, mixed by Christoph Heemann
and Andrew Chalk, but was never released. The band's current status is described as being on "long term sabbatical" by Devine, Laird and Prior, who have formed The Porch Song Anthology in the meantime. Keenan plays with Taurpis Tula
and Tight Meat Duo, curates the Subcurrent music festival and runs Volcanic Tongue
, a shop, label and distributor specialising in outsider musics.
Second line-up
Reformation line-up
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in 1994. They were signed to Fire Records
Fire Records (UK)
Fire Records is an independent record label in London, England. The label was founded by Clive Solomon in 1986 and is currently run by James Nicholls.-Current roster:*Giant Sand*Guided By Voices*Howe Gelb*Josephine Foster*Wooden Wand*Bobby Conn...
Their musical style varies considerably but displays obvious influences from Krautrock
Krautrock
Krautrock is a generic name for the experimental music scenes that appeared in Germany in the late 1960s and gained popularity throughout the 1970s, especially in Britain. The term is a result of the English-speaking world's reception of the music at the time and not a reference to any one...
, folk (especially latterly), and experimental noise.
History
They were formed in 1994 by David KeenanDavid Keenan
David Keenan is a Scottish author, critic and musician. He is the author of England's Hidden Reverse, a biography of Coil, Current 93 and Nurse With Wound, a regular contributor to The Wire since 1995, and proprietor of Volcanic Tongue, a shop, distributor, record label and mailorder business that...
on leaving 18 Wheeler
18 Wheeler
18 Wheeler were a Scottish rock band active in the early 1990s, consisting of Sean Jackson , David Keenan , Alan Hake , and Neil Halliday...
. The original line-up included drummer Neil Grant as well as Sushil K Dade (ex-Soup Dragons, BMX Bandits
BMX Bandits (band)
BMX Bandits are a Scottish 1960s-influenced guitar pop band who have been making music from 1986 to the present day. They have shared members with other Bellshill bands Teenage Fanclub and The Soup Dragons....
, later of Future Pilot A.K.A.
Future Pilot A.K.A.
Future Pilot A.K.A. is the nom de plume of Glasgow indie musician Sushil K. Dade, a former member of the Soup Dragons, BMX Bandits and Telstar Ponies...
) on bass and John Hogarty (ex-BMX Bandits, later of National Park
National Park (band)
National Park are a Scottish band formed in 1997 in Glasgow. The band's music has been described as having some similarities to Velvet Underground, Galaxie 500 and Yo La Tengo "without sounding like anything else."- History :...
) on guitar. Grant was replaced on drums by Brendan O'Hare
Brendan O'Hare
Brendan O'Hare is a Scottish musician, best known as drummer in the Scottish rock band Teenage Fanclub from 1990 until early 1994.-Career:...
(ex-Teenage Fanclub
Teenage Fanclub
Teenage Fanclub are an alternative rock band from Bellshill, Scotland. The band is composed of Norman Blake , Raymond McGinley , Gerard Love and Francis MacDonald , with songwriting duties shared equally among Blake, McGinley and Love...
) in time for the recording of their first single "Maps and Starcharts". By the time this single was released Dade and Hogarty had been replaced by Gavin Laird and Rachel Devine. This line-up recorded two albums, In The Space Of A Few Minutes and Voices From The New Music, adding Richard Youngs
Richard Youngs
Richard Youngs is a British musician with a prolific and diverse output, including many collaborations. Based in Glasgow since the early 1990s, his extensive back catalogue of solo and collaborative work formally begins with Advent, first issued in 1990...
to the line-up for the latter. They split up in 1997 following the departures of both O'Hare and Laird, who formed Macrocosmica.
They reformed minus O'Hare in 1999. A third album was recorded, mixed by Christoph Heemann
Christoph Heemann
Christoph Heemann , is a German musician.Heemann has recorded under his own name, with the tape music group H.N.A.S., and with many collaborators in alternative rock, soundtrack production and visual arts....
and Andrew Chalk, but was never released. The band's current status is described as being on "long term sabbatical" by Devine, Laird and Prior, who have formed The Porch Song Anthology in the meantime. Keenan plays with Taurpis Tula
Taurpis Tula
Taurpis Tula is a Glasgow-based band currently comprising David Keenan, Heather Leigh Murray and Alex Neilson. Initially a duo of Keenan and Murray , they expanded to a trio in 2005 with the Steel Rods Bruise Butterflies CDR on Chocolate Monk being the first document of this incarnation...
and Tight Meat Duo, curates the Subcurrent music festival and runs Volcanic Tongue
Volcanic Tongue
Volcanic Tongue is a record shop, distribution company and record label located in Glasgow, Scotland. It specialises in underground music from the UK, US, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Japan...
, a shop, label and distributor specialising in outsider musics.
Members
First line-up- David KeenanDavid KeenanDavid Keenan is a Scottish author, critic and musician. He is the author of England's Hidden Reverse, a biography of Coil, Current 93 and Nurse With Wound, a regular contributor to The Wire since 1995, and proprietor of Volcanic Tongue, a shop, distributor, record label and mailorder business that...
(vocals, guitar) - Neil Grant (drums)
- Sushil K Dade (bass)
- John Hogarty (guitar)
Second line-up
- David KeenanDavid KeenanDavid Keenan is a Scottish author, critic and musician. He is the author of England's Hidden Reverse, a biography of Coil, Current 93 and Nurse With Wound, a regular contributor to The Wire since 1995, and proprietor of Volcanic Tongue, a shop, distributor, record label and mailorder business that...
(vocals, guitar) - Rachel Devine (vocals, guitar, violin)
- Gavin Laird (bass, vocals)
- Brendan O’Hare (drums, guitar, vocals)
- Richard YoungsRichard YoungsRichard Youngs is a British musician with a prolific and diverse output, including many collaborations. Based in Glasgow since the early 1990s, his extensive back catalogue of solo and collaborative work formally begins with Advent, first issued in 1990...
- (vocals, keyboards, violin, guitar—2nd album only)
Reformation line-up
- David Keenan (vocals, guitar)
- Rachel Devine (vocals, guitar)
- Gavin Laird (guitar, vocals)
- Kenneth Broom - (drums, saxophone)
- Raymond Prior (bass, vocals)
Singles
- "Maps and Starcharts" (1994) Fire RecordsFire Records (UK)Fire Records is an independent record label in London, England. The label was founded by Clive Solomon in 1986 and is currently run by James Nicholls.-Current roster:*Giant Sand*Guided By Voices*Howe Gelb*Josephine Foster*Wooden Wand*Bobby Conn...
- Not Even Starcrossed EP (1995) Fire
- "Her Name" (1995) Fire
- Mors Factum Musica EP (1996) Instant Mayhem
- "Does Your Heart Have Wings?" (1996) Fire
- "Brewery of Eggshells" (1996) Fire
- "Voices From the New Music" (1997) Fire (withdrawn)
- "Farewell Farewell" (1999) Geographic
- Hares on the Mountain EP (2002) Static Caravan-Obelisk
Albums
- In the Space of a Few Minutes (1995) Fire
- Voices From the New Music (1996) Fire