The Membranes

The Membranes

The Membranes on stage in Manchester 2013
Background information
Origin Blackpool, England
Genres punk rock, post punk, noise rock
Years active 1977–1990, 2009 – present
Labels Cherry Red Records Creation Records, Vinyl Drip Records, Criminal Damage, Rondelet, In-tape, Constrictor, Glass Records, Clawfist
Website http://www.themembranes.co.uk/
Members John Robb (1977-1990)
Mark Tilton (1977-1985)
Coofy Sid (197?-1990)
Martyn Critchley (1977)
Martin Kelly (1977-1982)
Steve Farmery (1982)
Stan Batcow (1985-1986)
Wallas Terror (1986-1988)
Nick Brown (1982-1990)
Keith Curtis (1986-1990)
Paul Morley (1989-1990)
Peter Byrchmore (2008-)
Rob Haynes(2008-)

The Membranes are a post-punk band formed in Blackpool, Lancashire in 1977, the initial line-up being John Robb (bass guitar), Mark Tilton (guitar), Martyn Critchley (vocals) and Martin Kelly (drums).[1] Critchley soon left, with Robb and Tilton taking on vocals, and Kelly moving to keyboards, with "Coofy Sid" (Coulthart) taking over on drums.[1] Their first release was the "Flexible Membrane" flexi-disc in 1980, and over the next 11 years they would go on to release six studio albums. Their first single proper, "Muscles", was a single of the week in the UK music press[1] and a big club hit in New York being played in the Danceteria by the likes of the Beastie Boys eventual DJ Mojo and other cutting edge New York DJs. Kelly left after "Muscles", to be replaced by Steve Farmery on guitar for the follow-up Pin Stripe Hype EP. The band pioneered the avant noise scene of Big Black and Sonic Youth for several years with their critically acclaimed "Spike Milligan's Tape Recorder" single and Death To Trad Rock EP and their debut Gift Of Life album. They were the first band to be signed to Alan McGee's Creation label but the deal fell though when McGee could not afford to pay their studio bill for the "Spike Milligan's Tape Recorder" single.[1] The band relocated to Manchester in 1983, and "Spike Milligan's Tape Recorder" was issued on the Criminal Damage label, which met with a positive critical response but distribution problems limited its impact.[1]

After The Membranes, Robb went on to form Sensurround and later Goldblade.

History

In 1977 John Robb and Mark Tilton formed the band at Blackpool Sixth Form College. Inspired by punk rock and the DIY ethic of punk, they started a fanzine, Rox and The Membranes at the same time. Tilton, who lived a few doors down the road from Robb, bought a 'Woolworth's special' guitar from a junk shop, while Robb built his own bass out of spare parts and a slab of wood from a local DIY store (along with dustbin lids, the band having no drummer at this stage). They then enlisted a singer Martyn Critchley and Martin Kelly joined on drums. Critchley subsequently left, with Robb and Tilton taking over to share the vocals, Martin Kelly moving to keyboards with a WASP synthesiser and a 13-year-old kid called Coofy Sid joining on drums. Their first recording was "Ice Age", which appeared on the Blackpool Rox EP featuring Section 25, Syntax and The Kenneth Turner Set on Robb's Vinyl Drip label,[2]

After a flexi-disc debut, the Flexible Membrane EP in 1980, they released the debut single proper "Muscles" in 1982, which was raved over by both the music press and John Peel.[2] That record's success saw the band sign a deal with Rondolet Records who issues a follow-up, the Pin Stripe Hype EP (the only Membranes record to feature guitarist Steve Farmery). Rondolet folded and the band signed to Criminal Damage Records.

After Steve Farmery left, the band went deeper into their new direction. Coofy Sid's drumming became more tribal and the guitars wilder and heavier.

They would have been the first band to sign to Creation Records, and the label's first release would have been "Spike Milligan’s Tape Recorder", but Alan McGee had no money for the studio so the band stayed with Criminal Damage and released this seven inch single, described in ZigZag (magazine) as "not only have The Membranes wiped the floor with the opposition, they redesigned the tiles". They were awarded single of the week in all four music papers, and "Spike Milligan" reached number six in the John Peel Festive 50.[3]

In January 1985 The Membranes appeared on The Tube and released the Death To Trad Rock EP which went to number 8 in the UK Indie Chart and saw the band on the front cover of Sounds. At this point Mark Tilton left the band: he was replaced shortly after by Stan Batcow, who came in on bass with Robb moving to guitar.

The new line-up recorded the album but without the studio engineer John Brierley who had worked on their last two releases. With a rookie engineer on board, the band's resulting debut album didn't capture their massive sound but still came out to rave reviews and went to number one in the indie chart.

After a gig in London, a Creation Records night, the band left/were sacked from the label after an argument. The gig was booked as The Membranes headlining with The Pastels and Slaughter Joe on the bill. It was decided by someone, not the promoter, to draw lots for the billing and the lots surprisingly came out with The Membranes going on first and Slaughter Joe headlining. This meant that the bulk of the audience who had come to see The Membranes missed the band, and let their feelings be heard during Slaughter Joe's set and because Joe was Alan McGee's best friend The Membranes were off the label. The Pastels walked out in support of The Membranes.

The band then signed to In Tape, the label run by Marc Riley and released their critically acclaimed 'Songs Of Love And Fury' album which was their breakthrough album in the USA>

Sharing a house in West Didsbury (in the garden of which Dinosaur Jr recorded their "Freak Scene" video), The Membranes created a scene and got themselves back to their leanest and meanest since Mark Tilton left. The resulting Kiss Ass Godhead was far better for the constant touring. It was also one of the first records that Steve Albini recorded and the band spent time in his cellar in Chicago recording some of the tracks. They were surprised to find that Albini had all their records as well as several early copies of the Rox fanzine.

Kiss Ass Godhead was licensed all over the world and the band toured worldwide and made quite an impact in countries like Germany, Greece and the USA where they were released by Homestead records along with contemporary bands like Big Black and Sonic Youth. The band's next album was their last, 'To Slay the Rock Pig'.

2009 Reunion

In 2009 the band were asked to reform for the All Tomorrows Parties music festival, curated by My Bloody Valentine and then they played ATP at the request of Shellac. This successful show was followed up by a gig in Istanbul, supported by Sean Parker Band, and a sold out 2010 gig in London. The Membranes current situation is ongoing.

In 2012 the band reconvened to record a triple AAA side single for Louder Than War Records for release on Record Store Day and performed at the Incubate festival.

In June 2015 the band released an acclaimed album called Dark Matter/Dark Energy on Cherry Red records in Europe and Metropolis Records in the USA and South America. The album made many of the year end best album lists for 2015.

This double album was built around the "The Universe Explained" gig they did last year where they got Higgs Boson scientists to explain the universe before the Membranes played a set to finish which was a sellout show-many venues and festivals are interested in this as well. The album was launched by a gig at the top of Blackpool Tower - the first time a band has played at the top of the famous building. The album was critically acclaimed with the website The Quietus calling it 'one of the albums of the year' and the NME calling it 'an extraordinary comeback' and was regularly played on BBC 6music.

There is also a dark cartoon being made about the Membranes as a feature film about the universe.

The band played a unique concert in Estonia with a 30 piece choir in September 2015 and have been touring the world in 2015/16.

They supported The Stranglers on their UK tour in March 2015.

In Feb 2016 the band released a joint single with the Sireen choir from Estonia called 'The Universe Explodes Into A Billion Photons Of Pure White Light' which was recorded at their second session for marc Riley on his 6music show.

The band will play several festivals in 2016 and are supporting Therapy on their sold out February UK tour.

At the end of April they will be releasing a remix of the whole of their acclaimed Dark Matter/Dark Energy album with mixes from Manic Street Preachers, Einsturzende Neubauten, Bad Seeds, Therapy, Killing Joke, Phillip Boa, Reverend And The Makers, Keith Levene, The Pop Group, Godflesh, Clint Mansell, Cosey Fanni Tutti and many others

Discography

UK Independent Chart positions in brackets.[4]

Albums

Singles/EPs

Compilations

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Larkin, Colin: "The Guinness Who's Who of Indie and New Wave Music", 1992, Guinness Publishing, ISBN 0-85112-579-4
  2. 1 2 Strong, Martin C.:"The Great Alternative & Indie Discography", 1999, Canongate, ISBN 0-86241-913-1
  3. ↑ 1984 Festive Fifty, BBC
  4. ↑ Lazell, Barry (1997) Indie Hits 1980-1989, Cherry Red Books, ISBN 0-9517206-9-4
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