The God Machine (band)
Encyclopedia
The God Machine was an alternative rock
band
, active in the first half of the 1990s. Its members were all from San Diego, California
, United States
, but they all lived and performed mainly in the United Kingdom
and across Europe
.
The band consisted of three members, Robin Proper-Sheppard (born Gary Sheppard) (guitar/vocals), Jimmy Fernandez (bass) and Ronald Austin (drums), and they first performed officially under the name The God Machine in 1991. They released an EP
, Purity with the Eve record label
, and were later given a recording contract
with Fiction Records
. They released two album
s in their career, both with their trademark dark and industrial-sounding alternative rock, before Fernandez suddenly died from a cancerous brain tumour. Their single
release of "Home", peaked at #65 in the UK Singles Chart
in January 1993. Proper-Sheppard went on to form The Flower Shop Recordings label, and bands Sophia and The May Queens.
Their second album, One Last Laugh in a Place of Dying
, was recognized by Alternative Press as one of the "90 greatest albums of the 90s" (#88) in their December 1998 issue.
Their earlier San Diego incarnation was called Society Line, and also featured guitarist Albert Amman, who left the band before its move to London.
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
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
, active in the first half of the 1990s. Its members were all from San Diego, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, but they all lived and performed mainly in 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...
and across Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
The band consisted of three members, Robin Proper-Sheppard (born Gary Sheppard) (guitar/vocals), Jimmy Fernandez (bass) and Ronald Austin (drums), and they first performed officially under the name The God Machine in 1991. They released an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, Purity with the Eve record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, and were later given a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
with Fiction Records
Fiction Records
Fiction Records is a UK label founded by Chris Parry in 1978 that is best known for being the home of The Cure for over 20 years. Formerly independent, the label is now owned by Polydor, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group.-History:...
. They released two 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...
s in their career, both with their trademark dark and industrial-sounding alternative rock, before Fernandez suddenly died from a cancerous brain tumour. Their single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
release of "Home", peaked at #65 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in January 1993. Proper-Sheppard went on to form The Flower Shop Recordings label, and bands Sophia and The May Queens.
Their second album, One Last Laugh in a Place of Dying
One Last Laugh in a Place of Dying
One Last Laugh In A Place Of Dying is an album by The God Machine released in 1994 by Fiction Records/Polydor.- Track listing :# "The Tremelo Song" – 4:02# "Mama" – 2:52# "Alone" – 4:48# "In Bad Dreams" – 3:08# "Painless" – 3:58...
, was recognized by Alternative Press as one of the "90 greatest albums of the 90s" (#88) in their December 1998 issue.
Their earlier San Diego incarnation was called Society Line, and also featured guitarist Albert Amman, who left the band before its move to London.
Studio albums
- Scenes from the Second StoreyScenes from the Second StoreyScenes from the Second Storey is the debut album by The God Machine released in 1993 by Fiction Records / Polydor. It peaked at #55 in the UK Album Chart....
(Fiction Records, 1993) - UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
#55 Released as CD and double LP. A double CD version including the Home EP was released in the US. - One Last Laugh In A Place Of DyingOne Last Laugh in a Place of DyingOne Last Laugh In A Place Of Dying is an album by The God Machine released in 1994 by Fiction Records/Polydor.- Track listing :# "The Tremelo Song" – 4:02# "Mama" – 2:52# "Alone" – 4:48# "In Bad Dreams" – 3:08# "Painless" – 3:58...
(Fiction Records, 1994)
EPs
- Purity (Eve Recordings, 1991)
- 12", featuring "Home", "The Blind Man" and "Purity". These were the original versions and were subsequently re-recorded for the Scenes From The Second Storey album
- The Desert Song (Fiction Records, 1992)
- CD and 12", featuring "The Desert Song", "Prostitute", "Commitment" and "Pictures Of A Bleeding Boy". The title track was the original version and was subsequently re-recorded for the Scenes From The Second Storey album. The three B-sides were not available on any album
- Ego (Fiction Records, 1992)
- CD and 12", featuring "Ego", "Temptation" (The Experimental Zen Mix) and "The Piano Song". The two B-sides were extended versions of the tracks available in shorter form on Scenes From The Second Storey
- Home (Fiction Records, 1993)
- 7" silver vinyl, featuring "Home" (edit) and "What Time Is Love?What Time Is Love?"What Time Is Love?" is a song released, in different mixes, as a series of singles by the band The KLF. It featured prominently and repeatedly in their output from 1988 to 1992 and, under the moniker of 2K, in 1997...
" (a cover versionCover versionIn popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of The KLFThe KLFThe KLF were one of the seminal bands of the British acid house movement during the late 1980s and early 1990s....
track). The B-side was not available on any album - CD, featuring "Home", "Double Dare" (BBC Session, a cover version of a BauhausBauhaus (band)Bauhaus was an English rock band formed in Northampton in 1978. The group consisted of Peter Murphy , Daniel Ash , Kevin Haskins and David J . The band was originally Bauhaus 1919 before they dropped the numerical portion within a year of formation...
track), "All My Colours" (a cover version of Echo & the BunnymenEcho & the BunnymenEcho & the Bunnymen are an English post-punk band, formed in Liverpool in 1978. The original line-up consisted of vocalist Ian McCulloch, guitarist Will Sergeant and bass player Les Pattinson, supplemented by a drum machine. By 1980, Pete de Freitas had joined as the band's drummer, and their debut...
) and "FeverFever (1956 song)"Fever" is a song written by Eddie Cooley and Otis Blackwell, who used the pseudonym John Davenport. It was originally recorded by Little Willie John in 1956. It has been covered by numerous artists from various musical genres, notably Peggy Lee in 1958....
" (a cover version of Peggy LeePeggy LeePeggy Lee was an American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, composer, and actress in a career spanning six decades. From her beginning as a vocalist on local radio to singing with Benny Goodman's big band, she forged a sophisticated persona, evolving into a multi-faceted artist and...
). The three B-sides were not available on any album - 12", featuring "Home", "All My Colours", "Train" (a cover version of The Morlocks) and "Fever". The three B-sides were not available on any album
- Promo-CD, featuring "Home" (edit), "Home", and "What Time Is Love?". The latter B-side was not available on any album
- Promo-CD, featuring "Home" (live), "Pictures Of A Bleeding Boy", "Commitment" (BBC session) and "Fever". None of these tracks were available on any album
- 7" silver vinyl, featuring "Home" (edit) and "What Time Is Love?