Vile Imbeciles
Encyclopedia
Vile Imbeciles are an English
alternative rock
band from Brighton
, formed in 2005, consisting of ex-The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster
chief songwriter and guitarist Andy Huxley on guitar and vocals, Caspian Rospigliosi on guitar and backing vocals, Evan Reinhold on drums, Deen Lim on bass guitar, and Liam Dowling on synth. For live performances Huxley is joined on lead vocals by the rest of the group, with Dowling sharing guitar duties.
VI combine funk
, post-rock
, metal
and avant-garde
, to make a new genre they call “post-funk”, although this has often been referred to as both “junk funk” and “death jazz” by music journalists (the latter owing to their previous concept album of the same name).
The band’s work to date comprises four studio albums and three singles, all released on independent record labels. Although typically the band has been conducted as a rotating ensemble of musicians, in recent years the band have claimed the current project's line-up and sound as a new band in it's own right (reflected in their re-emphasis since 2010 of the abbreviated "VI" pseudonym to represent this).
), and Bertie Lean (drums and vocals). Their debut album
, ...Ma, was released on 4 June 2007 on White Heat Records. The follow-up single to this release "Slack Hands" was released on 18 June 2007.
The band finished recording their follow-up album in late 2007, the working title of which was 'Life Doesn't Get Any Better Than This. It Gets Worse'.
On 11 June the band announced their second album, now titled Queenie Was A Blonde, was set for release on 14 July on Tea Vee Eye Records, with Caz Rospigliosi joining the band on guitar. The first single from Queenie Was A Blonde, entitled "Bad Ideas" was released on 18 August.
On 16 March 2009 the band released the second single from Queenie Was A Blonde. A double A-side, "Jennifer" / "Tramp" with the mini album thirty minute B-Side
, "Death Jazz" featuring additional drummer and new member Evan Reinhold. Lean announced his departure from the band shortly after recording, leaving the group unable to perform the album live.
as of November 2011.
Early in 2010 the band embellished into a five-piece with the addition of Deen Lim and Liam Dowling. After relocating to a self built studio in an abandoned bank in Elephant & Castle, "D is for W" was released in October 2011. The album, produced by Cameron Devlin & former Pink Grease
songwriter Steven Santa Cruz has so far received positive reviews, and is being promoted by a UK tour.
.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p9xJNBqc2U
The video for the first single from Queenie Was A Blondie, "Bad Ideas" was released on 9 July. The video was shot by Chris Moore and features new guitarist Caz Rospigliosi.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZuyF3h01Ms
The video for "Jennifer" was released on 12 January 2009. The video was made by Jack Dixon and Millie Harvey and features new drummer Evan Reinhold.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2JP6J0dCM0
The video for "Tramp" was released on 19 January 2009. The video was made by The Softbox.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QidmCxdDJ0
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...
alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band from Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, formed in 2005, consisting of ex-The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster
The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster
The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster were an English rock band from Brighton, England, formed in 1999. They have released three full-length albums, Hörse Of the Dög , The Royal Society and Blood And Fire...
chief songwriter and guitarist Andy Huxley on guitar and vocals, Caspian Rospigliosi on guitar and backing vocals, Evan Reinhold on drums, Deen Lim on bass guitar, and Liam Dowling on synth. For live performances Huxley is joined on lead vocals by the rest of the group, with Dowling sharing guitar duties.
VI combine funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
, post-rock
Post-rock
Post-rock is a subgenre of rock music characterized by the influence and use of instruments commonly associated with rock, but using rhythms and "guitars as facilitators of timbre and textures" not traditionally found in rock...
, metal
Metal
A metal , is an element, compound, or alloy that is a good conductor of both electricity and heat. Metals are usually malleable and shiny, that is they reflect most of incident light...
and avant-garde
Avant-garde
Avant-garde means "advance guard" or "vanguard". The adjective form is used in English to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics....
, to make a new genre they call “post-funk”, although this has often been referred to as both “junk funk” and “death jazz” by music journalists (the latter owing to their previous concept album of the same name).
The band’s work to date comprises four studio albums and three singles, all released on independent record labels. Although typically the band has been conducted as a rotating ensemble of musicians, in recent years the band have claimed the current project's line-up and sound as a new band in it's own right (reflected in their re-emphasis since 2010 of the abbreviated "VI" pseudonym to represent this).
History
The band originally included Huxley, James Hair (lead bassist, formerly of Neils ChildrenNeils Children
Neils Children is an English post-punk band, founded by John Linger and Brandon Jacobs .-Career:Neils Children formed in 1999 at Harlow College in Essex, where John Linger and Brandon Jacobs were studying with Richard Hawkins...
), and Bertie Lean (drums and vocals). Their debut album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, ...Ma, was released on 4 June 2007 on White Heat Records. The follow-up single to this release "Slack Hands" was released on 18 June 2007.
The band finished recording their follow-up album in late 2007, the working title of which was 'Life Doesn't Get Any Better Than This. It Gets Worse'.
On 11 June the band announced their second album, now titled Queenie Was A Blonde, was set for release on 14 July on Tea Vee Eye Records, with Caz Rospigliosi joining the band on guitar. The first single from Queenie Was A Blonde, entitled "Bad Ideas" was released on 18 August.
On 16 March 2009 the band released the second single from Queenie Was A Blonde. A double A-side, "Jennifer" / "Tramp" with the mini album thirty minute B-Side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
, "Death Jazz" featuring additional drummer and new member Evan Reinhold. Lean announced his departure from the band shortly after recording, leaving the group unable to perform the album live.
D Is For W
In December 2009, bassist Hair announced his departure from the group midway through recording their forth studio album, with the working title 'These Are Not Cream Seizures', to launch his new company, Mr Hair's Pie Factory. . He is also rehearsing with previous band Neils ChildrenNeils Children
Neils Children is an English post-punk band, founded by John Linger and Brandon Jacobs .-Career:Neils Children formed in 1999 at Harlow College in Essex, where John Linger and Brandon Jacobs were studying with Richard Hawkins...
as of November 2011.
Early in 2010 the band embellished into a five-piece with the addition of Deen Lim and Liam Dowling. After relocating to a self built studio in an abandoned bank in Elephant & Castle, "D is for W" was released in October 2011. The album, produced by Cameron Devlin & former Pink Grease
Pink Grease
Pink Grease were a five-piece rock group from Sheffield, England. Drawing from prominent early influences like David Bowie, Iggy Pop, T.Rex, and even Kiss, the band's sound and style was often seen as glam rock while also being heavily influenced by such new wave artists like Duran Duran and punk...
songwriter Steven Santa Cruz has so far received positive reviews, and is being promoted by a UK tour.
Albums
| Date of Release | Album | Members |
|---|---|---|
| 4 June 2007 | ...Ma | Hair, Huxley, Lean |
| 14 July 2008 | Queenie Was A Blonde | Hair, Huxley, Lean, Rospigliosi |
| 16 March 2009 | Death Jazz | Hair, Huxley, Lean, Reinhold, Rospigliosi |
| 3 October 2011 | D Is For W | Dowling, Huxley, Lim, Reinhold, Rospigliosi |
Singles
| Date of Release | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 18 June 2007 | "Slack Hands" | ...Ma |
| 18 August 2008 | "Bad Ideas" | Queenie Was A Blonde |
| 16 March 2009 | "Jennifer" / "Tramp" | Queenie Was A Blonde |
Videos
The video for debut song "Slack Hands" was shot by Dave Ma in one take on a single roll of Super 8 film in BrightonBrighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p9xJNBqc2U
The video for the first single from Queenie Was A Blondie, "Bad Ideas" was released on 9 July. The video was shot by Chris Moore and features new guitarist Caz Rospigliosi.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZuyF3h01Ms
The video for "Jennifer" was released on 12 January 2009. The video was made by Jack Dixon and Millie Harvey and features new drummer Evan Reinhold.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2JP6J0dCM0
The video for "Tramp" was released on 19 January 2009. The video was made by The Softbox.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QidmCxdDJ0