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The Table (punk band)
Encyclopedia
The Table were a punk rock
band
from Cardiff
, Wales
, best known for their 1977 single
"Do The Standing Still (Classics Illustrated)".
They consisted of Russell Young (vocals, guitar, keyboards, bass), Tony Barnes (guitars, bass), Len Lewis (drums) and Mickey O'Connor (guitars). Young and Barnes had been performing together since 1971 in the band John Stabber, and formed Do You Want This Table (later shortened to The Table) in 1972. However, they did not own any instruments
, refused to tour, and stated that they were not a "real" band and had no future in the music industry. Despite this, they were signed to Virgin Records
and released "Do The Standing Still (Classics Illustrated)", first recorded as a demo
in 1975. The record
became an NME
'Single Of The Week', rapidly became a cult
favourite, and subsequently appeared on several punk compilation album
s.
Record label
pressure saw them reluctantly become a well received live act. However, their uncompromising stance led to disagreements with Virgin, and they left, signing to Chiswick Records
in 1978 and releasing a second single, "Sex Cells". The band ceased to exist after several line-up changes and a policy of playing increasingly uncommercial and distasteful material. Young's later band, Flying Colours, released a single, "Abstract Art", on No Records in 1981.
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
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
from 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...
, best known for their 1977 single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
"Do The Standing Still (Classics Illustrated)".
Musical instrument
A musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
, refused to tour, and stated that they were not a "real" band and had no future in the music industry. Despite this, they were signed to Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
and released "Do The Standing Still (Classics Illustrated)", first recorded as a demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
in 1975. The record
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
became an NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
'Single Of The Week', rapidly became a cult
Cult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
favourite, and subsequently appeared on several punk compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
s.
Record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
pressure saw them reluctantly become a well received live act. However, their uncompromising stance led to disagreements with Virgin, and they left, signing to Chiswick Records
Chiswick Records
Chiswick Records was a British record company. Chiswick was the "first true 'indie' label" to be established in Britain for nearly a decade". The label has been described as "significant" in the "punk era"...
in 1978 and releasing a second single, "Sex Cells". The band ceased to exist after several line-up changes and a policy of playing increasingly uncommercial and distasteful material. Young's later band, Flying Colours, released a single, "Abstract Art", on No Records in 1981.