Add N to (X)
Encyclopedia
Add N to were a three-piece British band
specializing in electronic music
performed on analogue synthesizers, formed in London
in 1994.
The original band members were Andrew Aveling, Barry Smith (aka Barry 7) and Ann Shenton. Steven Claydon
replaced Aveling in 1997.
After several releases on small labels, they turned down offers from major labels and signed to large independent label Mute Records
in 1998, and achieved a modest commercial success before splitting in 2003.
Several of their songs and video clips have been adult/sex-related; the video for "Metal Fingers in My Body" is an animated short featuring a woman having sex with a robot, and their video for "Plug Me In" is famous for featuring porn actresses playing with sex toys.
They kept the name but placed brackets around the X due to legal reasons. They then enlisted Steven Claydon who remained with the group until its dissolution.
1997 saw the band twice awarded Single of the Week by the NME
(for The Black Regent and King Wasp).
Second album On the Wires of Our Nerves was released in 1998, and was described as "like Stereolab
/Suicide
with a rocket shoved up their rectum". The album was played heavily by BBC Radio 1
DJ
Mary Anne Hobbs
on her show, The Breezeblock
.
The group performed live regularly, often augmenting their core three-piece line up with either one or two acoustic drummers, and sometimes additional musicians playing extra synths and/or electric guitar.
They often utilized distinctive artwork for the videos and record sleeves, a fetishistic collage of sexual imagery with analogue electronic equipment, based in part on the movie and book Demon Seed
The band signed to Mute Records and released three more albums, Avant Hard
, Add Insult to Injury
, and Loud Like Nature
. They also released the single Little Black Rocks In The Sun, which was issued on 10 inch hexagonal vinyl.
Shenton was reportedly overwhelmed by the pressures of the Loud Like Nature tour, and either left the group or was fired. In 2003 Smith and Claydon continued touring the United States without Shenton. The band broke up shortly thereafter.
Barry Smith runs the Horseglue Records store and label with his partner Ethan Reid. Ann Shenton has formed a new group, Large Number. and record label White Label Music
. Steven Claydon is now known for his artwork and in 2006 was included in a group show at Tate Modern
.
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...
specializing in electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
performed on analogue synthesizers, formed in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1994.
The original band members were Andrew Aveling, Barry Smith (aka Barry 7) and Ann Shenton. Steven Claydon
Steven Claydon
Steven Claydon is an artist and musician based in London.Claydon was born in London. He has performed and shown work internationally in exhibitions at Tate Modern in London, Art Basel in Switzerland, Barbara Gladstone Gallery in New York, Kunstverein für die Rheinlande und Westphalen in Düsseldorf...
replaced Aveling in 1997.
After several releases on small labels, they turned down offers from major labels and signed to large independent label Mute Records
Mute Records
Mute is an independent record label based in the UK. It was founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller and featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Goldfrapp, Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure and Fad Gadget.-Beginnings:...
in 1998, and achieved a modest commercial success before splitting in 2003.
Several of their songs and video clips have been adult/sex-related; the video for "Metal Fingers in My Body" is an animated short featuring a woman having sex with a robot, and their video for "Plug Me In" is famous for featuring porn actresses playing with sex toys.
Biography
In 1994 Andrew Aveling met Justin Anderson from Freaky Realistic and together they started a band named Radix Couplment. Andrew was dating Ann Shenton at this time and got her involved on the project. Andrew then asked his friend Barry (Former Radio Prague DJ Smith) if he too would be interested in joining. They then spent some time gigging under this name before a fall out which led to Justin's departure from the band. There being only three remaining Andrew then renamed the group Add N to X. They released Vero Electronics (1996) on the Blow Up label, and after did many other recordings for the next album.They kept the name but placed brackets around the X due to legal reasons. They then enlisted Steven Claydon who remained with the group until its dissolution.
1997 saw the band twice awarded Single of the Week by the 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...
(for The Black Regent and King Wasp).
Second album On the Wires of Our Nerves was released in 1998, and was described as "like Stereolab
Stereolab
Stereolab are an alternative music band formed in 1990 in London, England. The band originally comprised songwriting team Tim Gane and Lætitia Sadier , both of whom remained at the helm across many lineup changes...
/Suicide
Suicide (band)
Suicide is an American electronic protopunk musical duo, intermittently active since 1970 and composed of vocalist Alan Vega and Martin Rev on synthesizers and drum machines. They are an early synthesizer/vocal musical duo....
with a rocket shoved up their rectum". The album was played heavily by BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
Mary Anne Hobbs
Mary Anne Hobbs
Mary Anne Hobbs is an English DJ and music journalist from Garstang, Lancashire. She launched a new Primetime show on Xfm on 9 July 2011-Early career:...
on her show, The Breezeblock
The Breezeblock
The Breezeblock was a weekly radio programme on BBC Radio 1 that premiered on 17 February 1997 and focused on electronic music. The show's earliest broadcasts were unmixed and featured individual songs, some of which were recordings of live sessions from BBC's Maida Vale Studio...
.
The group performed live regularly, often augmenting their core three-piece line up with either one or two acoustic drummers, and sometimes additional musicians playing extra synths and/or electric guitar.
They often utilized distinctive artwork for the videos and record sleeves, a fetishistic collage of sexual imagery with analogue electronic equipment, based in part on the movie and book Demon Seed
Demon Seed
Demon Seed is a 1977 American science fiction–horror film starring Julie Christie and directed by Donald Cammell. The film was based on the novel of the same name by Dean Koontz, and concerns the imprisonment and forced impregnation of a woman by an artificially-intelligent...
The band signed to Mute Records and released three more albums, Avant Hard
Avant Hard
Avant Hard is the third album by UK group Add N To . It was released in 1999 on Mute Records. The track "Metal Fingers In My Body" was used on an advertisement for Sky Digital, played as the background music for skateboarder Danny Way for a montage of tricks...
, Add Insult to Injury
Add Insult to Injury
Add Insult to Injury is the fourth album by British electronic musicians Add N to . It was released on October 16, 2000 by Mute Records...
, and Loud Like Nature
Loud Like Nature
Loud Like Nature is the fifth and final album by UK electronica group Add N to , released in 2002 through Mute Records.-Track listing:# "Total All Out Water" – 3:51# "Electric Village" – 3:36# "Sheez Mine" – 3:48...
. They also released the single Little Black Rocks In The Sun, which was issued on 10 inch hexagonal vinyl.
Shenton was reportedly overwhelmed by the pressures of the Loud Like Nature tour, and either left the group or was fired. In 2003 Smith and Claydon continued touring the United States without Shenton. The band broke up shortly thereafter.
Barry Smith runs the Horseglue Records store and label with his partner Ethan Reid. Ann Shenton has formed a new group, Large Number. and record label White Label Music
White Label Music
White Label Music is an independent record label based in the UK. The label is run by Marc Hunter and Ann Shenton, who was formerly a member of the band Add N to . -Background:...
. Steven Claydon is now known for his artwork and in 2006 was included in a group show at Tate Modern
Tate Modern
Tate Modern is a modern art gallery located in London, England. It is Britain's national gallery of international modern art and forms part of the Tate group . It is the most-visited modern art gallery in the world, with around 4.7 million visitors per year...
.
Albums
- Vero ElectronicsVero ElectronicsVero Electronics was the debut album by UK group Add N To released in 1996. Add N To were later signed by Daniel Miller to Mute Records.-Track listing:#"Inevitable Fast Access"#"A Silhouette of a Man and a Wasp"#"Meetings in Compact Boxes"...
(January 1996) Blow Up - On the Wires of Our NervesOn the Wires of Our NervesOn the Wires of Our Nerves is the second album by UK group Add N To released in 1998.-Track listing:#"We Are Add N To X"#"Murmur One"#"Sound Of Accelerating Concrete"#"Gentle Germans"#"The Black Regent"#"Planet Munich"#"King Wasp"...
(February 1998) Satellite - Avant HardAvant HardAvant Hard is the third album by UK group Add N To . It was released in 1999 on Mute Records. The track "Metal Fingers In My Body" was used on an advertisement for Sky Digital, played as the background music for skateboarder Danny Way for a montage of tricks...
(April 1999) Mute - Add Insult to InjuryAdd Insult to InjuryAdd Insult to Injury is the fourth album by British electronic musicians Add N to . It was released on October 16, 2000 by Mute Records...
(October 2000) Mute - Loud Like NatureLoud Like NatureLoud Like Nature is the fifth and final album by UK electronica group Add N to , released in 2002 through Mute Records.-Track listing:# "Total All Out Water" – 3:51# "Electric Village" – 3:36# "Sheez Mine" – 3:48...
(October 2002) Mute
Singles
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