Splintered
Encyclopedia
Splintered was a British experimental rock
group active between 1991 and 1998.
and Grim Humour
fanzine's Richard (Richo) Johnson's previous band, Playground, fell apart in 1989. With other ex-Playground members Paul Wright (bass), Paul Dudeney (drums, metal percussion) and James Machin (guitar), Splintered sought to push the previous band's noise excursions to denser realms. They picked up interest from several underground record labels and garnered some attention as part of a subculture of industrial and experimental groups in the UK, including Terminal Cheesecake, Skullflower, Ramleh, Loop
and Godflesh
.
The band used an array of other instruments, samples, multi-layered guitars, powerful rhythms and often submerged, shouted vocals. Other members who joined the group included Steve Pittis (Band of Pain, Dirter Promotions) and Colin Bradley (Dual). The first album featured Stefx (Headbutt) on drums when Paul Dudeney failed to make the recording sessions.
In 1997, James and the two Pauls decided they needed a break and could not face a European tour arranged for the same year. Richo, aided by Colin Bradley (tabletop guitar/electronics), assembled a final line-up for this that consisted of Stuart Carter (Heroin, Sarcasm, The Fields of Hay
) on bass, Hassni Malik (dROME, The Vitamin B12) on guitar and James Hodson (later of Faust
) on drums, percussion and flute. Once over, and following the release of another album in 1998, the group once again dissolved and during the course of the next two years got replaced by a new group, Theme, which consisted of Richo, Stuart and Hassni. Theme continue to this day and have a third album out on Israel's HCB Recordings in Autumn 2009.
Experimental rock
Experimental rock or avant-garde rock is a type of music based on rock which experiments with the basic elements of the genre, or which pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique....
group active between 1991 and 1998.
History
Splintered was formed when Fourth Dimension RecordsFourth Dimension Records
Fourth Dimension Records is a British record label, specialising in international underground music. It was founded by Gary Levermore as an offshoot of his Third Mind label before being taken over by Richard Johnson in 1984...
and Grim Humour
Grim Humour
Grim Humour was a UK based fanzine/underground magazine edited and published by Richard Johnson between 1983 and 1993...
fanzine's Richard (Richo) Johnson's previous band, Playground, fell apart in 1989. With other ex-Playground members Paul Wright (bass), Paul Dudeney (drums, metal percussion) and James Machin (guitar), Splintered sought to push the previous band's noise excursions to denser realms. They picked up interest from several underground record labels and garnered some attention as part of a subculture of industrial and experimental groups in the UK, including Terminal Cheesecake, Skullflower, Ramleh, Loop
Loop (band)
Loop was a South London band founded in 1986 by Robert Hampson and his wife, Bex, and active until 1991.-Career:The band was formed in 1986 by Robert Hampson , with wife Bex on drums. Bex was soon replaced by John Wills and Glen Ray, with James Endeacott on guitar...
and Godflesh
Godflesh
Godflesh are an English industrial metal band from Birmingham, England. Originally known as Fall of Because, they formed in 1988 by Justin K. Broadrick and G.C. Green and disbanded in 2002. Godflesh's innovative music is widely regarded as a foundational influence on industrial metal and post-metal...
.
The band used an array of other instruments, samples, multi-layered guitars, powerful rhythms and often submerged, shouted vocals. Other members who joined the group included Steve Pittis (Band of Pain, Dirter Promotions) and Colin Bradley (Dual). The first album featured Stefx (Headbutt) on drums when Paul Dudeney failed to make the recording sessions.
In 1997, James and the two Pauls decided they needed a break and could not face a European tour arranged for the same year. Richo, aided by Colin Bradley (tabletop guitar/electronics), assembled a final line-up for this that consisted of Stuart Carter (Heroin, Sarcasm, The Fields of Hay
The fields of hay
The Fields of Hay is an ambient experimental music side-project of Theme member Stuart Carter formed in Leicester,England in mid 2005. The one and only live appearance to date was in Krakow, Poland in December 2005, with Theme partner and Fourth Dimension Records label owner Richard Johnson...
) on bass, Hassni Malik (dROME, The Vitamin B12) on guitar and James Hodson (later of Faust
Faust (band)
Faust are a German krautrock band. Formed in 1971 in Wümme, the group was originally composed of Werner "Zappi" Diermaier, Hans Joachim Irmler, Arnulf Meifert, Jean-Hervé Péron, Rudolf Sosna and Gunther Wüsthoff, working with record producer Uwe Nettelbeck and engineer Kurt Graupner.-History:Faust...
) on drums, percussion and flute. Once over, and following the release of another album in 1998, the group once again dissolved and during the course of the next two years got replaced by a new group, Theme, which consisted of Richo, Stuart and Hassni. Theme continue to this day and have a third album out on Israel's HCB Recordings in Autumn 2009.
Side projects
Splintered were involved in several other projects along the way as well. These were usually activated by Richo and Steve Pittis, plus often involved other members of the group as well as others. These projects were Husk, A.S.P., Slugbait and Band Of Pain. All of them had releases out, on both Steve Pittis and Richo's respective labels and others such as Ralf Wehowsky's Selektion, Meeuw Muzak and Cold Spring Records. Band Of Pain then became the main concern for Steve Pittis and continues to record to this day, with a new album scheduled for 2010.Albums
- Parapraxis LP/CD/MC (Intellectual Convulsion, SPASM4, France, 1992).
- The Judas Cradle CD (Dirter Promotions, DPROMCD17, 1993).
- Noumena LP (Dirter Promotions, DPROMLP33, 1995).
- Moraine LP (Suggestion/No Risk No Fun, SUG013, Germany). Includes Jim O'Rourke source material.
- Splintered/RLW eponymous CD (Black Rose Recordings, BRCD96-1005, 1996). Collaborative album with Germany's Ralf Wehowsky.
- Noumena CD reissue (Amanita, Suggestion, Fourth Dimension, AMA41/SUG16/FDCD60, France/Germany/UK, 1998).
Singles
- "Nothing" (Shock, SX09, 1990).
- "Pigmeat" (Remix) (Fourth Dimension, FDS26, 1991).
- "Mouth Clamp" (Remix) (Fourth Dimension, FDS25, 1991). Split single with Cindytalk, limited to 500 hand numbered copies and sold with Richo's Grim Humour magazine.
- "Link" e.p. (Dying Earth Europe, DE001, 1991).
- "Head Wound" (Drunken Fish, DF01, USA, 1992). Split with Back Off Cupid.
- "Skin Shift" split CD single (Noiseville, N31, USA, 1992). Split with Headbutt.
- "Godsend" (Dirter Promotions, 7DPROMS13, 1993).
- "Hilt" (Pitsbull, PBR009, Belgium, 1994).
- "Comparatively Mainstream" e.p. (Aquese Recordings, AQR703, 1994). Features Death In June/NER affiliates Somewhere In Europe on 'S.H.C.'
- "Kill the Body..." (live) (Fourth Dimension, FDS29, 1994). Split release with No Tomorrow Charlie.
- "Smokescreen" e.p. (Suggestion, 009, Germany, 1996).
- "Martian Sunset" split-10 (Fourth Dimension, FDTEN53, 1997).