The Martini Henry Rifles
Encyclopedia
The Martini Henry Rifles were a British
noise
-punk
band based on Cardiff
, Wales
.
and punk
(most noticeable Brainiac
, whose influence is clear in the Martinis work), hence the most common noise-punk genre classification. The band themselves never quite put any kind of convenient genre label on their work, while on the other hand some people just choose to describe their sound as chaotic, mostly derived from their very energetic live performances.
In November 2001 they released the limited edition of the single Kill/Summer/Shit. It attracted the attention of Sean McClusky, who released the Martinis subsequent Luger 6000 single and became their manager. The band featured on McClusky's Sonic Mook Experiment
compilation Future Rock & Roll.
In 2003, they signed for indie label FF Vinyl
. Reportedly the band refused to sign the contract unless it was to be done in a strip club or some place of the sort. The place chosen was a lapdancing club called Fantasy Lounge.
In December 2003 they released the single And Then We Hit A Truck, just before going on a break to record their debut-album.
In November 2004, after almost a year of recording and remixing, their debut album Superbastard is finally released. After finishing the album drummer and founder member Jason Lorch decides to leave the band (to emigrate to Australia and pursue other interests),and they started using a drum machine
as a replacement for him.
During most of 2005 they toured the UK and Europe
, and in the first few months of 2006 recorded and preparing the release of their 2nd full-length album.
Their final EP "Infomercial" was released on FF Vinyl Records at the start of 2006.
In late April 2006 the members informed fans on their MySpace
website that they have decided to put an end to the band. No particular reasons have been given.
Band members as of 2000 - 2004 were:
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
noise
Noise music
Noise music is a term used to describe varieties of avant-garde music and sound art that may use elements such as cacophony, dissonance, atonality, noise, indeterminacy, and repetition in their realization. Noise music can feature distortion, various types of acoustically or electronically...
-punk
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...
band based on Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
.
Influences & genre classification
Most of their quoted influences are noiseNoise
In common use, the word noise means any unwanted sound. In both analog and digital electronics, noise is random unwanted perturbation to a wanted signal; it is called noise as a generalisation of the acoustic noise heard when listening to a weak radio transmission with significant electrical noise...
and punk
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...
(most noticeable Brainiac
Brainiac (band)
Brainiac was an American synthpunk band formed in 1992, and disbanded after the sudden death of lead singer Tim Taylor in 1997.-Biography:...
, whose influence is clear in the Martinis work), hence the most common noise-punk genre classification. The band themselves never quite put any kind of convenient genre label on their work, while on the other hand some people just choose to describe their sound as chaotic, mostly derived from their very energetic live performances.
History of the band
Their story dates back to late 2000. Cez Mathias and Jason Lorch put up an advert to find musicians on a record shop. Chris Warlow responds and some months later Fudge Wilson joins to complete the line-up. They start by using the name Luxinterior until April 2001, when The Martini Henry Rifles was finally chosen as a permanent name.In November 2001 they released the limited edition of the single Kill/Summer/Shit. It attracted the attention of Sean McClusky, who released the Martinis subsequent Luger 6000 single and became their manager. The band featured on McClusky's Sonic Mook Experiment
Sonic Mook Experiment
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...
compilation Future Rock & Roll.
In 2003, they signed for indie label FF Vinyl
FF Vinyl
FF Vinyl Records was an independent record label based in Cardiff, UK that released 36 records between 1997 and 2006.Acts included Amy Wadge, The International Karate Plus , The Martini Henry Rifles and Tom Hingley .The label has since become a management company , dealing with The Automatic....
. Reportedly the band refused to sign the contract unless it was to be done in a strip club or some place of the sort. The place chosen was a lapdancing club called Fantasy Lounge.
In December 2003 they released the single And Then We Hit A Truck, just before going on a break to record their debut-album.
In November 2004, after almost a year of recording and remixing, their debut album Superbastard is finally released. After finishing the album drummer and founder member Jason Lorch decides to leave the band (to emigrate to Australia and pursue other interests),and they started using a drum machine
Drum machine
A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
as a replacement for him.
During most of 2005 they toured the UK and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and in the first few months of 2006 recorded and preparing the release of their 2nd full-length album.
Their final EP "Infomercial" was released on FF Vinyl Records at the start of 2006.
In late April 2006 the members informed fans on their MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
website that they have decided to put an end to the band. No particular reasons have been given.
Band members
Band members as of 2004 - 2006 were:- Chris Warlow (vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
/guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
/synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
) - Cez Mathias (vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
/guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
/drum machineDrum machineA drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
) - Fudge Wilson (bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
).
Band members as of 2000 - 2004 were:
- Jason Lorch (drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
). - Chris Warlow (vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
/guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
/synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
) - Cez Mathias (vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
/guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
/drum machineDrum machineA drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
) - Fudge Wilson (bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
).