Scraper (band)
Encyclopedia
Scraper were a band hailing from the West Midlands
of the United Kingdom
, specialising in 100 Mph Hardcore punk
. Influenced by a variety of Punk rock
and Hardcore punk
bands, Scraper were likened to Snuff
, Leatherface
, China Drum
, Hüsker Dü
and even Fast Eddie period Motörhead. Scraper became popular throughout the latter half of the 1990s with strong followings around Birmingham
, London
and Cardiff
. Towards the end of the 90's Scraper renamed themselves "Turnbull ACs". Scraper's 1996 album "Built with Hate" received 4 and a half out of 5 in Terroriser Magazine and 4 out of 5 in Kerrang!
.
hardcore punk band Chuckie Pig. They recruited Nigel (ex Giant Leap) via an ad placed on the wall at Robannas Studios in Birmingham. Scraper's recording career got of to a rocky start with several aborted attempts to release a single on the Tribal War label due to funding issues and differences of opinion relating to the genre of acts to be represented by the label. The fledgling Household Name Records
label took over and after including Scraper on the "Last House on the Left" compilation, released a full 10 track album, Built With Hate
on 10 inch vinyl. The album is notable that the first 500 were released on blue vinyl and are hand numbered.
All of Scraper’s songs were recorded and performed in "D" or in the case of Leave It and Let It Go "Drop C" tuning (to be technically accurate, dropped D tuned down one whole step), contributing to their trademark sound.
The members of Scraper also performed as a covers band, Columbo, playing mainly 80’s punk and new wave covers (usually at breakneck pace), and featured Andy Lane (Ex Zodiac Motel, Giant Leap, The Village) on vocals.
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
of the United Kingdom
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...
, specialising in 100 Mph Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
. Influenced by a variety of Punk rock
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...
and Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
bands, Scraper were likened to Snuff
Snuff (band)
Snuff are a British punk rock band formed in Hendon in 1986. Their name reportedly came about after a long discussion about names ended up with one of them claiming "That's Enough", which was then shortened to Snuff...
, Leatherface
Leatherface (band)
Leatherface is a British punk rock band from Sunderland fronted by Frankie Stubbs. The band is known for an eclectic style spanning American folk music, hardcore punk and post-hardcore.-History and background:...
, China Drum
China Drum
China Drum were an English punk rock band from Ovingham in Northumberland active from 1989–2001, playing their final years under the name The Drum.-History:...
, Hüsker Dü
Hüsker Dü
Hüsker Dü was an American rock band formed in Saint Paul, Minnesota in 1979. The band's continual members were guitarist Bob Mould, bassist Greg Norton, and drummer Grant Hart....
and even Fast Eddie period Motörhead. Scraper became popular throughout the latter half of the 1990s with strong followings around Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, 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...
and 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...
. Towards the end of the 90's Scraper renamed themselves "Turnbull ACs". Scraper's 1996 album "Built with Hate" received 4 and a half out of 5 in Terroriser Magazine and 4 out of 5 in Kerrang!
Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
.
Band members
Scraper consisted of the following members.- Nigel Smethills: 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...
/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...
1993-1999 - Richard Childe: 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 ....
/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...
1993-1999 - Paul Green: Bass GuitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
1993-1999
History
Scraper formed in Birmingham, West Midlands late 1993. Rich & Paul met whilst playing in RedditchRedditch
Redditch is a town and local government district in north-east Worcestershire, England, approximately south of Birmingham. The district had a population of 79,216 in 2005. In the 19th century it became the international centre for the needle and fishing tackle industry...
hardcore punk band Chuckie Pig. They recruited Nigel (ex Giant Leap) via an ad placed on the wall at Robannas Studios in Birmingham. Scraper's recording career got of to a rocky start with several aborted attempts to release a single on the Tribal War label due to funding issues and differences of opinion relating to the genre of acts to be represented by the label. The fledgling Household Name Records
Household Name Records
Household Name Records is a DIY punk rock record label, based in London, UK. It has been home to notable artists including Howards Alias, Lightyear, and Adequate Seven. It was started in 1996 by David "Lil" Giles and Katherine "Kafren" Vik to promote unknown UK bands...
label took over and after including Scraper on the "Last House on the Left" compilation, released a full 10 track album, Built With Hate
Built With Hate
Built With Hate is an album by the band Scraper, released on Household Name Records on August 5, 1996. The first 500 were released on 10" blue vinyl.-Side one:#Backbreaker#Thicker Than Mud#Seven Years#Reach For The Bar#Spitting Teeth#Nut Roast...
on 10 inch vinyl. The album is notable that the first 500 were released on blue vinyl and are hand numbered.
All of Scraper’s songs were recorded and performed in "D" or in the case of Leave It and Let It Go "Drop C" tuning (to be technically accurate, dropped D tuned down one whole step), contributing to their trademark sound.
The members of Scraper also performed as a covers band, Columbo, playing mainly 80’s punk and new wave covers (usually at breakneck pace), and featured Andy Lane (Ex Zodiac Motel, Giant Leap, The Village) on vocals.
Discography
Scraper Released Several Demo Cassettes, an Album, a single, and appeared on a couple of compilations.Demos
- First Demo (August 1994)
- Second Demo (April 1995)
- The Full Johnny Turk (December 1997)
Compilations
- Last House on the Left (1996, Household Name RecordsHousehold Name RecordsHousehold Name Records is a DIY punk rock record label, based in London, UK. It has been home to notable artists including Howards Alias, Lightyear, and Adequate Seven. It was started in 1996 by David "Lil" Giles and Katherine "Kafren" Vik to promote unknown UK bands...
, features the Scraper track The Shocks) - Fuck Off Household Name (1999, Household Name RecordsHousehold Name RecordsHousehold Name Records is a DIY punk rock record label, based in London, UK. It has been home to notable artists including Howards Alias, Lightyear, and Adequate Seven. It was started in 1996 by David "Lil" Giles and Katherine "Kafren" Vik to promote unknown UK bands...
, features the Scraper track Nut Roast) - Punk Kills Volume 16 (2010, 272 Records, features the Scraper track In The Blood)
Singles
- Asleep At The Wheel. (June 1998, Home Made Records)