Kinetic Ideals
Encyclopedia
Kinetic Ideals was a Canadian new wave
band from Mississauga, Ontario
. They released one single and three EP
s on the Mannequin record label, formed by Paul Abrahams
, manager of the new romantic group Spoons (band)
.
Their first single, "Life In Shadow" / "Maze of Ways" was the second release on Burlington-based Mannequin, following on the Spoons debut. It had a rough and ready quality with a one-two punk beat that sounded a little retro even in 1980.
In 1981 they issued a five-track EP, Reason that established the sound they became known for, a moodier post-Joy Division
groove that fit with other locals like Sheep Look Up and Breeding Ground. Brett Wickens was by now working for Peter Saville Associates in England, and designed an angular modernist cover in the mold of early New Order
releases.
This combination of compelling music, improved production and visual design garnered the band critical acclaim. Mike Rullman (vocals), Jean-Claude Chambers (guitars), Alan Murrell (bass) and Jon Davies (drums) found themselves opening for visiting bands including A Teardrop Explodes, The Stranglers and Gang of Four. The song "Animalistic" topped the dance-club charts in Toronto in 1981, and was a live favourite.
Kinetic Ideals toured Canada and the USA before heading to London, England for a series of showcase gigs. While there, Jon Davies was struck by an automobile just after sound-check for a gig at the 101 Club. He did not return to Canada with the band.
In 1982 "Angular Sky" / "Fade Away" was released as a 12" but the sprawling disjointed songs did little to build an audience. A session steel drum player replaced the keyboard parts played live by Bruce PM.
Jon Davies left the band for good to join Breeding Ground and was replaced by a drum machine.
Their final release was the EP A Personal View in 1983. Pressed on white vinyl this included "Me And The Sky", "Together" and "In A Second", songs that were more contemplative and less angry than earlier exercises in tension. The band's use of the Oberheim
DMX drum machine is distinctive.
This recording was produced by Brett Wickens and engineered by Greg Roberts at Grant Avenue Studios, home of Daniel Lanois
and various Brian Eno
recordings.
Patrick Duffy was recruited as a new drummer, but no recordings of this lineup were made.
Kinetic Ideals disbanded in 1986 after the vocalist was turfed from the band. The others continued as First Man Over.
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
band from Mississauga, Ontario
Mississauga, Ontario
Mississauga is a city in Southern Ontario located in the Regional Municipality of Peel, and in the western part of the Greater Toronto Area. With an estimated population of 734,000, it is Canada's sixth-most populous municipality, and has almost doubled in population in each of the last two decades...
. They released one single and three 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...
s on the Mannequin record label, formed by Paul Abrahams
Paul Abrahams (musician)
Paul Abrahams is an Australian musician and bass player for The Reels-Biography:Abrahams joined The Reels in 1978 and recorded 2 Albums and 1 EP between 1979-1981...
, manager of the new romantic group Spoons (band)
Spoons (band)
Spoons are a Canadian New Wave new romantic synth pop music group, formed in 1979 in Burlington, Ontario. They recorded several Canadian chart hits between 1982 and 1989, and in 1983, they won Group of the Year at the U-Know awards...
.
Their first single, "Life In Shadow" / "Maze of Ways" was the second release on Burlington-based Mannequin, following on the Spoons debut. It had a rough and ready quality with a one-two punk beat that sounded a little retro even in 1980.
In 1981 they issued a five-track EP, Reason that established the sound they became known for, a moodier post-Joy Division
Joy Division
Joy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. Originally named Warsaw, the band primarily consisted of Ian Curtis , Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris .Joy Division rapidly evolved from their initial punk rock influences...
groove that fit with other locals like Sheep Look Up and Breeding Ground. Brett Wickens was by now working for Peter Saville Associates in England, and designed an angular modernist cover in the mold of early New Order
New Order
New Order are an English rock band formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris...
releases.
This combination of compelling music, improved production and visual design garnered the band critical acclaim. Mike Rullman (vocals), Jean-Claude Chambers (guitars), Alan Murrell (bass) and Jon Davies (drums) found themselves opening for visiting bands including A Teardrop Explodes, The Stranglers and Gang of Four. The song "Animalistic" topped the dance-club charts in Toronto in 1981, and was a live favourite.
Kinetic Ideals toured Canada and the USA before heading to London, England for a series of showcase gigs. While there, Jon Davies was struck by an automobile just after sound-check for a gig at the 101 Club. He did not return to Canada with the band.
In 1982 "Angular Sky" / "Fade Away" was released as a 12" but the sprawling disjointed songs did little to build an audience. A session steel drum player replaced the keyboard parts played live by Bruce PM.
Jon Davies left the band for good to join Breeding Ground and was replaced by a drum machine.
Their final release was the EP A Personal View in 1983. Pressed on white vinyl this included "Me And The Sky", "Together" and "In A Second", songs that were more contemplative and less angry than earlier exercises in tension. The band's use of the Oberheim
Oberheim
Oberheim Electronics is an American company, founded in 1969 by Tom Oberheim , which manufactured audio synthesizers and a variety of other electronic musical instruments.-Oberheim Electronics:...
DMX drum machine is distinctive.
This recording was produced by Brett Wickens and engineered by Greg Roberts at Grant Avenue Studios, home of Daniel Lanois
Daniel Lanois
Daniel Lanois born September 19, 1951 in Hull, Quebec) is a Canadian record producer, guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. He has released a number of albums of his own work and has produced albums for a wide variety of artists, including Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Peter Gabriel, Emmylou Harris, Willie...
and various Brian Eno
Brian Eno
Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno , commonly known as Brian Eno or simply as Eno , is an English musician, composer, record producer, singer and visual artist, known as one of the principal innovators of ambient music.Eno studied at Colchester Institute art school in Essex,...
recordings.
Patrick Duffy was recruited as a new drummer, but no recordings of this lineup were made.
Kinetic Ideals disbanded in 1986 after the vocalist was turfed from the band. The others continued as First Man Over.
- Canuckistan Music review of "Life in Shadow" / "Maze of Ways" single