Kitchens of Distinction
Encyclopedia
Kitchens of Distinction were a three-person alternative rock
/dream pop
band formed in Tooting
, South London
, England
in 1986. They released four studio albums and a handful of singles and EPs before disbanding in 1996.
) met Julian Swales (guitar
) at college in 1980, and Swales met Patrick Fitzgerald (vocals/bass guitar
) at a party in 1985. The trio began rehearsing together that same year, taking their name from a company of the same name that specialised in home decor and kitchen and plumbing fixtures, after Swales spotted one of their advertisements on the side of a bus while riding his bike. The Kitchens' first single
, "The Last Gasp Death Shuffle" (which featured Swales on lead vocals and bass, as well as guitar, was recorded in just one day on an eight-track
in a Kennington
basement, and was released in December 1987 on the band's own Gold Rush Records. It was named a single of the week in the NME
, and led to the band signing with the British indie label One Little Indian Records
; it was around this time that Fitzgerald, a medical doctor, put his career on hold to devote himself fully to the band. Their first singles for One Little Indian, 1988's "Prize" and 1989's "The 3rd Time We Opened the Capsule", made it onto the "NME Writers' 100 Best Indie Singles Ever" list, published 25 July 1992.
Their first full-length album
, Love Is Hell
, was released in April 1989. Fitzgerald's impassioned, wordy, often bluntly-personal vocals careened over what sounded like a mass of swirling guitars, though the band only had one guitarist. Swales' chiming, effects-laden style of playing drew him comparisons to the guitarists of The Chameleons
, Cocteau Twins
, and A R Kane
. KOD's melodic yet abstract sound was a precursor to the shoegazing
scene of the late 1980s/early 1990s.
Despite the promising start, the band faced a subdued reception from the mainstream music industry, generally due to their lyrical content. For instance, "Margaret's Injection", on the 1989 Elephantine EP, was a fantasy about killing then-Prime Minister
Margaret Thatcher
. Also, Fitzgerald was openly gay
, and his lyrics were unapologetic, especially on tracks like "Prize" and "Within the Daze of Passion". Even the more indie-focused television programs like Snub TV
and Rapido
failed to give them much coverage, although Snub TV played the video for their 1991 single "Drive That Fast
". Likewise, they were not offered a John Peel
radio session, although they eventually did get one after asking Peel personally, following a Glastonbury
performance which he appreciated.
Kitchens of Distinction sometimes performed "secret" gigs under the alter ego
Toilets of Destruction. An example was at The Bull & Gate in Kentish Town
on 6 August 1990, where the band appeared in drag
and played ABBA
, David Bowie
, and Bauhaus
covers.
In 1990, they signed with A&M Records
in the US, and went into the studio
with producer
Hugh Jones (Simple Minds
, Echo & the Bunnymen
, The Undertones
). Their second album, Strange Free World
, was released in February 1991, and spawned some moderately-successful singles in "Drive That Fast
" and "Quick as Rainbows", both of which were very well-received by college radio
in the US. The band went back into the studio in 1992, again with Jones at the helm, and their third album The Death of Cool
came out in August that year; it was named in honour of the passing of Miles Davis
, who had released an influential album titled The Birth of the Cool in 1950. A&M balked at the band's choice of "Breathing Fear" for the first single, due to its touchy subject matter (gay bashing
), so "Smiling" became the album's initial single in the US. The band toured extensively, including a high-profile slot opening for their US labelmate Suzanne Vega
, whose album 99.9F°
came out within a few weeks of theirs.
Later in 1993, KOD began work on their fourth album, co-producing it themselves with engineer
Pete Bartlett
. One Little Indian rejected the album twice, and eventually, both label and band agreed to bring in up-and-coming producer Pascal Gabriel
to work on a couple of tracks. One of the label's complaints about the album as the band originally submitted it was that they felt it lacked a potential hit single, so Gabriel produced a new song ("Come on Now") that the band had written after the rest of the album had already been recorded; Gabriel also remix
ed two of the album's other tracks (the opener "Sand on Fire" and first single "Now It's Time to Say Goodbye"). The resulting album, Cowboys and Aliens, was released in the UK in October 1994, and although the band admitted that they enjoyed working with Gabriel, the changes did nothing to help the album's dismal sales. When the album saw its US release in early 1995, it was largely ignored by the same alternative rock
radio and media that had championed them just a few years before. By the end of 1995, both A&M and OLI had dropped the band.
Shortening their name to Kitchens O.D. and signing to the London
-based indie label Fierce Panda Records
, they issued a single, "Feel My Genie" in May 1996, which was named "Single of the Week" by Melody Maker
, but they officially disbanded that summer after a farewell gig at London's Kings Cross
.
n band of the same name
), a project that also featured guest vocals from Miki Berenyi
of Lush
and Isabel Monteiro of Drugstore
. He also formed Lost Girls, a project with 4AD
recording artist Heidi Berry
; one single titled "Needle's Eye" was released. Since 2000, he has been recording as Stephen Hero, and has put out several releases under that name. The latest is Apparition in the Woods, released in November 2009.
Despite rumours of a collaboration with Terry Bickers
(of The House of Love
and Levitation
), Swales moved into writing scores for film, theatre, and dance.
Notes:
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...
/dream pop
Dream pop
Dream pop is a subgenre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom in the mid-1980s, when bands like The Passions, Dif Juz, Lowlife and A.R. Kane began fusing post-punk and ethereal experiments with bittersweet pop melodies into dreamy, sensual soundscapes. The term was almost...
band formed in Tooting
Tooting
Tooting is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated south south-west of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
, South London
South London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1986. They released four studio albums and a handful of singles and EPs before disbanding in 1996.
History
Dan Goodwin (drumsDrum kit
A 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 ....
) met Julian Swales (guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
) at college in 1980, and Swales met Patrick Fitzgerald (vocals/bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
) at a party in 1985. The trio began rehearsing together that same year, taking their name from a company of the same name that specialised in home decor and kitchen and plumbing fixtures, after Swales spotted one of their advertisements on the side of a bus while riding his bike. The Kitchens' first 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...
, "The Last Gasp Death Shuffle" (which featured Swales on lead vocals and bass, as well as guitar, was recorded in just one day on an eight-track
Multitrack recording
Multitrack recording is a method of sound recording that allows for the separate recording of multiple sound sources to create a cohesive whole...
in a Kennington
Kennington
Kennington is a district of South London, England, mainly within the London Borough of Lambeth, although part of the area is within the London Borough of Southwark....
basement, and was released in December 1987 on the band's own Gold Rush Records. It was named a single of the week in 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...
, and led to the band signing with the British indie label One Little Indian Records
One Little Indian Records
One Little Indian Records is a London-based independent record label that rose from the ashes of punk record company Spiderleg Records. It was set up in 1985 by members of various anarchist punk bands, and managed by ex-Flux of Pink Indians Derek Birkett. The first success came with A.R. Kane and...
; it was around this time that Fitzgerald, a medical doctor, put his career on hold to devote himself fully to the band. Their first singles for One Little Indian, 1988's "Prize" and 1989's "The 3rd Time We Opened the Capsule", made it onto the "NME Writers' 100 Best Indie Singles Ever" list, published 25 July 1992.
Their first full-length 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...
, Love Is Hell
Love Is Hell (Kitchens of Distinction album)
-Singles:*"Prize" *# "Prize"*# "Concede"*# "Innocent"*"The 3rd Time We Opened the Capsule" *# "The 3rd Time We Opened the Capsule"*# "4 Men" *# "Into the Sea"*# "Prize"...
, was released in April 1989. Fitzgerald's impassioned, wordy, often bluntly-personal vocals careened over what sounded like a mass of swirling guitars, though the band only had one guitarist. Swales' chiming, effects-laden style of playing drew him comparisons to the guitarists of The Chameleons
The Chameleons
The Chameleons were an English post-punk band that formed in Middleton, Greater Manchester, England in 1981. They consisted of singer and bassist Mark Burgess, guitarist Reg Smithies, guitarist Dave Fielding, and drummer John Lever...
, Cocteau Twins
Cocteau Twins
Cocteau Twins were a Scottish alternative rock band active from 1979 to 1997, known for innovative instrumentation and atmospheric, non-lyrical vocals...
, and A R Kane
A R Kane
A.R. Kane were a British dream pop duo consisting of Alex Ayuli and Rudy Tambala that formed in 1986. Their name was partially derived from their first names, the "A" in Alex and the "R" in Rudy. The duo hailed from East London...
. KOD's melodic yet abstract sound was a precursor to the shoegazing
Shoegazing
Shoegazing is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged from the United Kingdom in the late 1980s. It lasted there until the mid 1990s, with a critical zenith reached in 1990 and 1991...
scene of the late 1980s/early 1990s.
Despite the promising start, the band faced a subdued reception from the mainstream music industry, generally due to their lyrical content. For instance, "Margaret's Injection", on the 1989 Elephantine EP, was a fantasy about killing then-Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
. Also, Fitzgerald was openly gay
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
, and his lyrics were unapologetic, especially on tracks like "Prize" and "Within the Daze of Passion". Even the more indie-focused television programs like Snub TV
Snub TV
Snub TV or simply Snub was a alternative culture television programme that ran from 1987 to 1989. Originally produced as a part of the Nightflight in the USA, it went on to success in the UK and other countries...
and Rapido
Rapido
Rapido was the name of the Canadian National Railway's express passenger train service on the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor. The service was introduced on October 31, 1965, on the Montreal-Toronto route...
failed to give them much coverage, although Snub TV played the video for their 1991 single "Drive That Fast
Drive that Fast
Drive that Fast is a 1991 EP from UK alternative rock group Kitchens of Distinction. The EP follows the studio album Love is Hell. The title track later appeared on the full-length album Strange Free World....
". Likewise, they were not offered a John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
radio session, although they eventually did get one after asking Peel personally, following a Glastonbury
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
performance which he appreciated.
Kitchens of Distinction sometimes performed "secret" gigs under the alter ego
Alter ego
An alter ego is a second self, which is believe to be distinct from a person's normal or original personality. The term was coined in the early nineteenth century when dissociative identity disorder was first described by psychologists...
Toilets of Destruction. An example was at The Bull & Gate in Kentish Town
Kentish Town
Kentish Town is an area of north west London, England in the London Borough of Camden.-History:The most widely accepted explanation of the name of Kentish Town is that it derived from 'Ken-ditch' meaning the 'bed of a waterway'...
on 6 August 1990, where the band appeared in drag
Drag (clothing)
Drag is used for any clothing carrying symbolic significance but usually referring to the clothing associated with one gender role when worn by a person of another gender. The origin of the term "drag" is unknown, but it may have originated in Polari, a gay street argot in England in the early...
and played ABBA
ABBA
ABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...
, David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
, and Bauhaus
Bauhaus (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...
covers.
In 1990, they signed with A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
in the US, and went into the studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
with producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Hugh Jones (Simple Minds
Simple Minds
Simple Minds are a Scottish rock band who achieved worldwide popularity from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s. The band produced a handful of critically acclaimed albums in the early 1980s and best known for their #1 US, Canada and Netherlands hit single "Don't You ", from the soundtrack of the...
, Echo & the Bunnymen
Echo & the Bunnymen
Echo & 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...
, The Undertones
The Undertones
The Undertones are a punk rock/new wave band formed in Derry, Northern Ireland, in 1975.The original line-up of the Undertones released thirteen singles and four studio albums — The Undertones , Hypnotised , Positive Touch and The Sin of Pride — before disbanding in July 1983.Music guide Allmusic...
). Their second album, Strange Free World
Strange Free World
-Singles:*"Quick as Rainbows" ** UK single:*# "Quick as Rainbows"*# "Mainly Mornings" *# "In a Cave" *# "Shiver" ** US promo 12" single:*# "Quick as Rainbows"*# "These Drinkers"...
, was released in February 1991, and spawned some moderately-successful singles in "Drive That Fast
Drive that Fast
Drive that Fast is a 1991 EP from UK alternative rock group Kitchens of Distinction. The EP follows the studio album Love is Hell. The title track later appeared on the full-length album Strange Free World....
" and "Quick as Rainbows", both of which were very well-received by college radio
Campus radio
Campus radio is a type of radio station that is run by the students of a college, university or other educational institution. Programming may be exclusively by students, or may include programmers from the wider community in which the radio station is based...
in the US. The band went back into the studio in 1992, again with Jones at the helm, and their third album The Death of Cool
The Death of Cool
-Singles:*"Breathing Fear" ** CD and 12" single:*# "Breathing Fear"*# "Goodbye Voyager"*# "Skin"*# "Airshifting"** 7" single:*# "Breathing Fear"*# "Goodbye Voyager"*"When in Heaven" *# "When in Heaven"*# "Glittery Dust"...
came out in August that year; it was named in honour of the passing of Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
, who had released an influential album titled The Birth of the Cool in 1950. A&M balked at the band's choice of "Breathing Fear" for the first single, due to its touchy subject matter (gay bashing
Gay bashing
Gay bashing and gay bullying is verbal or physical abuse against a person who is perceived to be gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender . Such abuse is used also to bully heterosexual persons and persons of non-specific or unknown sexual orientation.A "bashing" may be a specific incident, and one...
), so "Smiling" became the album's initial single in the US. The band toured extensively, including a high-profile slot opening for their US labelmate Suzanne Vega
Suzanne Vega
Suzanne Nadine Vega is an American songwriter and singer known for her eclectic folk-inspired music.Two of Vega's songs reached the top 10 of various international chart listings: "Luka" and "Tom's Diner"...
, whose album 99.9F°
99.9F°
99.9F° is the fourth album by the American singer/songwriter Suzanne Vega. Released in 1992, the album marked a significant departure for Vega, as she embraced a more electronic-influenced, experimental sound. It peaked at #86 on Billboard Magazine album charts, as well as two songs to their Modern...
came out within a few weeks of theirs.
Later in 1993, KOD began work on their fourth album, co-producing it themselves with engineer
Audio engineering
An audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
Pete Bartlett
Pete Bartlett
Pete Bartlett is a record producer and sound engineer from Brighton, who is now based in Salisbury. He is best known for his work with Lush and Therapy?.- Albums Produced :* Lush - Lovelife * Therapy? - High Anxiety...
. One Little Indian rejected the album twice, and eventually, both label and band agreed to bring in up-and-coming producer Pascal Gabriel
Pascal Gabriel
Pascal Richard Marcel Gabriel is a Belgian-born musician based in London. His musical career began in 1977 in the punk rock band The Razors...
to work on a couple of tracks. One of the label's complaints about the album as the band originally submitted it was that they felt it lacked a potential hit single, so Gabriel produced a new song ("Come on Now") that the band had written after the rest of the album had already been recorded; Gabriel also remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
ed two of the album's other tracks (the opener "Sand on Fire" and first single "Now It's Time to Say Goodbye"). The resulting album, Cowboys and Aliens, was released in the UK in October 1994, and although the band admitted that they enjoyed working with Gabriel, the changes did nothing to help the album's dismal sales. When the album saw its US release in early 1995, it was largely ignored by the same alternative rock
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...
radio and media that had championed them just a few years before. By the end of 1995, both A&M and OLI had dropped the band.
Shortening their name to Kitchens O.D. and signing to the 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...
-based indie label Fierce Panda Records
Fierce Panda Records
Fierce Panda Records is a London-based independent record label, with its first release in February 1994. It also produced a small number of releases that year by now famous artists such as Ash, The Bluetones, Baby Bird and Supergrass...
, they issued a single, "Feel My Genie" in May 1996, which was named "Single of the Week" by Melody Maker
Melody Maker
Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
, but they officially disbanded that summer after a farewell gig at London's Kings Cross
Kings Cross, London
King's Cross is an area of London partly in the London Borough of Camden and partly in the London Borough of Islington. It is an inner-city district located 2.5 miles north of Charing Cross. The area formerly had a reputation for being a red light district and run-down. However, rapid regeneration...
.
Post dissolution
Fitzgerald continued to record and release music under the name Fruit (not to be confused with the AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n band of the same name
Fruit (band)
Fruit are an indie folk rock band from Adelaide, Australia. The group was formed in 1995, and consists of Mel Watson , Susie Keynes , Sam Lohs , Yanya Boston , and Brian Ruiz...
), a project that also featured guest vocals from Miki Berenyi
Miki Berenyi
Miki Berenyi is an English musician, singer, songwriter and guitarist.- Music :At the age of 14, Berenyi met her friend and future bandmate, Emma Anderson. They became interested in music and together wrote the music fanzine Alphabet Soup...
of Lush
Lush (band)
Lush were an English alternative rock band, formed in 1987 and disbanded in 1998. They were one of the first bands to attract the "shoegazing" label...
and Isabel Monteiro of Drugstore
Drugstore (band)
Drugstore are a London-based alternative and dream pop band led by Brazilian singer-songwriter and bassist Isabel Monteiro , who relocated to England in 1990s, with Dave Hunter on guitar and Mike Chylinski on drums...
. He also formed Lost Girls, a project with 4AD
4AD
4AD is a British independent record label that was started in 1979 by Ivo Watts-Russell and Peter Kent, funded by Beggars Banquet Records, and is still active today...
recording artist Heidi Berry
Heidi Berry
Heidi Berry is an American singer-songwriter who recorded for Creation Records and 4AD in the late 1980s and 1990s.-Biography:Born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1958, Berry's mother was a jazz singer with French-Canadian roots, and her father was an actor. Her mother re-married and the family moved...
; one single titled "Needle's Eye" was released. Since 2000, he has been recording as Stephen Hero, and has put out several releases under that name. The latest is Apparition in the Woods, released in November 2009.
Despite rumours of a collaboration with Terry Bickers
Terry Bickers
Terry Bickers is an English guitarist, singer and songwriter, best known as a member of the rock bands The House of Love and Levitation...
(of The House of Love
The House of Love
The House of Love is an English alternative rock band. Formed in 1986, the band rose to prominence in the UK as a leading indie rock band in 1988 and split up in 1993, eventually reforming a decade later in 2003. The band is best known for its detailed psychedelic guitar sound and for the...
and Levitation
Levitation (band)
Levitation were an English rock band fronted by ex-House of Love guitarist Terry Bickers. Levitation's music and attitude challenged an early 1990s UK alternative music scene dominated by shoegazing and Madchester....
), Swales moved into writing scores for film, theatre, and dance.
Members
- Patrick Fitzgerald (born 7 April 1964, BaselBaselBasel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
, SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
) - vocals, bass guitar - Julian Swales (born 23 March 1964, MonmouthshireMonmouthshire (historic)Monmouthshire , also known as the County of Monmouth , is one of thirteen ancient counties of Wales and a former administrative county....
, United KingdomUnited KingdomThe 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...
) - guitar, vocals (occasionally) - Daniel Goodwin (born 22 July 1964, SalamancaSalamancaSalamanca is a city in western Spain, in the community of Castile and León. Because it is known for its beautiful buildings and urban environment, the Old City was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. It is the most important university city in Spain and is known for its contributions to...
, SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
) - drums, percussion
Albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK UK Albums Chart The 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... |
|||||||||||||||
| 1989 | Love Is Hell Love Is Hell (Kitchens of Distinction album) -Singles:*"Prize" *# "Prize"*# "Concede"*# "Innocent"*"The 3rd Time We Opened the Capsule" *# "The 3rd Time We Opened the Capsule"*# "4 Men" *# "Into the Sea"*# "Prize"...
|
— | |||||||||||||
| 1991 | Strange Free World Strange Free World -Singles:*"Quick as Rainbows" ** UK single:*# "Quick as Rainbows"*# "Mainly Mornings" *# "In a Cave" *# "Shiver" ** US promo 12" single:*# "Quick as Rainbows"*# "These Drinkers"... One Little Indian Records One Little Indian Records is a London-based independent record label that rose from the ashes of punk record company Spiderleg Records. It was set up in 1985 by members of various anarchist punk bands, and managed by ex-Flux of Pink Indians Derek Birkett. The first success came with A.R. Kane and... (TPLP19) Compact Disc The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,... , LP LP album The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry... , Cassette |
45 | |||||||||||||
| 1992 | The Death of Cool The Death of Cool -Singles:*"Breathing Fear" ** CD and 12" single:*# "Breathing Fear"*# "Goodbye Voyager"*# "Skin"*# "Airshifting"** 7" single:*# "Breathing Fear"*# "Goodbye Voyager"*"When in Heaven" *# "When in Heaven"*# "Glittery Dust"... One Little Indian Records One Little Indian Records is a London-based independent record label that rose from the ashes of punk record company Spiderleg Records. It was set up in 1985 by members of various anarchist punk bands, and managed by ex-Flux of Pink Indians Derek Birkett. The first success came with A.R. Kane and... (TPLP39) Compact Disc The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,... , LP LP album The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry... , Cassette |
72 | |||||||||||||
| 1994 | Cowboys and Aliens
One Little Indian Records One Little Indian Records is a London-based independent record label that rose from the ashes of punk record company Spiderleg Records. It was set up in 1985 by members of various anarchist punk bands, and managed by ex-Flux of Pink Indians Derek Birkett. The first success came with A.R. Kane and... (TPLP53) Compact Disc The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,... , LP LP album The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry... |
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| "—" denotes a release that did not chart. | |||||||||||||||
Compilations
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK UK Albums Chart The 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... |
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| 2003 | Capsule: The Best of KOD 1988–94
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| "—" denotes a release that did not chart. | |||||||||||||||
Singles and EPs
| Song | Release date | Release info | Formats | 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 ... |
US Modern Rock | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "The Last Gasp Death Shuffle"/"Escape" | December 1987 | Gold Rush (GRR3) | 7" | — | — | Non-album single |
| "Prize" | October 1988 | One Little Indian One Little Indian Records One Little Indian Records is a London-based independent record label that rose from the ashes of punk record company Spiderleg Records. It was set up in 1985 by members of various anarchist punk bands, and managed by ex-Flux of Pink Indians Derek Birkett. The first success came with A.R. Kane and... (12TP) |
12" | — | — | Love Is Hell |
| "The 3rd Time We Opened the Capsule" | May 1989 | One Little Indian (19TP) | 12" | — | — | |
| "Elephantine" EP | October 1989 | One Little Indian (29TP) | CD, 12" | — | — | Non-album single |
| "Quick as Rainbows" | March 1990 | One Little Indian (43TP) | CD, 12" | — | 18 | Strange Free World |
| "Gorgeous Love"1 | December 1990 | A&M A&M Records A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:... |
Promo CD, promo 12" | — | — | |
| "Drive That Fast Drive that Fast Drive that Fast is a 1991 EP from UK alternative rock group Kitchens of Distinction. The EP follows the studio album Love is Hell. The title track later appeared on the full-length album Strange Free World.... " |
January 1991 | One Little Indian (49TP) | CD, 7", 12" | 93 | 12 | |
| "Breathing Fear" | May 1992 | One Little Indian (59TP) | CD, 7", 12" | — | — | The Death of Cool |
| "When in Heaven" | August 1992 | One Little Indian (69TP) | CD, 12" | — | — | |
| "Smiling"1 | September 1992 | A&M | Promo 12" | — | 15 | |
| "4 Men"1 | October 1992 | A&M | Promo CD | — | 28 | |
| "Now It's Time to Say Goodbye" | September 1994 | One Little Indian (111TP) | CD, 12" | — | — | Cowboys and Aliens |
| "Cowboys and Aliens"1 | January 1995 | A&M | Promo CD | — | — | |
| "Feel My Genie"/"To Love a Star"2 | May 1996 | Fierce Panda (NING 19) | CD, 7" | — | — | Non-album single |
| "—" denotes a release that did not chart. | ||||||
Notes:
- 1 Promotional-only releases.
- 2 "Feel My Genie"/"To Love a Star" was released under the name Kitchens O.D.
Non-album tracks
- "Pastor NiemöllerMartin NiemöllerFriedrich Gustav Emil Martin Niemöller was a German anti-Nazi theologian and Lutheran pastor. He is best known as the author of the poem "First they came…"....
's Lament (Never Again)" - found on [ The Disagreement of the People], a compilation album of artists against the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994The Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It introduced a number of changes to the existing law, most notably in the restriction and reduction of existing rights and in greater penalties for certain "anti-social" behaviours...
(November 1995, Cooking VinylCooking VinylCooking Vinyl is a UK-based independent record company, founded in 1986. Its original orientation was toward contemporary folk music—notably Billy Bragg, and Michelle Shocked's Texas Campfire Tapes, recorded on a Sony Walkman, one of its first releases...
)
Cover songs
- "The White Horses" (1994; B-side to the UK single of "Now It's Time to Say Goodbye" and the US single for the song "Cowboys and Aliens")
- Kitchens covered the theme songTheme musicTheme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...
from the 1960s television series The White HorsesThe White HorsesThe White Horses is a 1965 television series co-produced by RTV Ljubljana of Yugoslavia and German TV .-Plotline:...
(originally performed by Jackie Lee; it was a UK top 10 hit during April 1968). Featuring a rare lead vocal by Swales, it was first included on a free cassette given away with a UK music paper before being issued as a B-side.
- Kitchens covered the theme song