Levitation (band)
Encyclopedia
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
.
Levitation had a strong psychedelic element and a tendency towards complex music and unusual public pronouncements, which meant that the band were often credited - or accused - by the music press with attempting to rehabilitate progressive rock
. In fact, Levitation's influences were diverse and included Cardiacs
, Krautrock
, Television
, XTC
, Killing Joke
, Wire
, Zappa
, Swans
, Devo
, Gentle Giant
, Faust
, Public Image Limited, Echo & the Bunnymen
and Julian Cope
.
. Based in London
, they formed Levitation with a group of like-minded and established musicians - second guitarist Christian Hayes
(formerly with Ring
, Cardiacs
, and The Dave Howard Singers
), keyboard player/occasional guitarist Robert White (ex-Zag and the Coloured Beads
, Ring
), Johnny T (a violinist from The Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra), and bass player Joe Allen. The band soon set off to tour France
supporting Ride
, and Belgium
supporting Galaxie 500
.
Upon returning from Europe, Levitation signed to the small independent label Ultimate records, and in February 1991 released their first single, "Nadine", issued with additional tracks as the Coppelia EP
, making "single of the week" in Melody Maker
, only to be scorned in the New Musical Express by journalist Barbara Ellen.
Initially, Levitation received a lot of publicity from the music press because of Terry Bickers' reputation as an eccentric talent, and his fondness of various conspiracy theories
. His career in the House of Love, and standing as guitar hero to a generation of Indie fans
, put Levitation in the media spotlight from the start. The band were dropped from a tour supporting Transvision Vamp
, supposedly because their equipment required too much stage space, but other reports suggested that the headliners were worried about being overshadowed by Levitation. The band persisted in prioritising their music before their image. In an interview with Andrew Smith in Volume
magazine, Bickers explained that the band would like to "remain faceless for as long as possible. Maybe we'll take to wearing masks."
After the release of Coppelia the band underwent its first line-up change when both Johnny T and Joe Allen left. Laurence O'Keefe (ex-Jazz Butcher
) was drafted in to play bass.
, All About Eve
, the Psychedelic Furs, Hawkwind
, and in 1992 The Sugarcubes
, and earned a reputation as a hard-working live act with energetic performances. Levitations's live set usually kicked off with an adrenaline-fueled cover of Zag and the Coloured Beads
' "Sweaty Thing", which in later gigs would be replaced by the band's own breakneck opener "Twice".
Levitation's second EP on Ultimate, After Ever, was released in August 1991 to more critical acclaim, and again the band made single of the week in Melody Maker
where it was described as "blessed genius." The video for "Firefly", the first track on the EP, pictured the band levitating over a golden field.
In September 1991, two more tracks, "Squirrel" and "It's Time", were released on 7" via the new Rough Trade
mail-order singles club. In November a taster compilation album, Coterie, was released on Capitol Records in the US. It included some of the tracks from the first two EPs and the Squirrel 7". The band also crossed the Atlantic for the first time for a mini-tour of the USA, playing in Los Angeles and New York.
At the end of the year, Levitation left Ultimate and signed a deal with Rough Trade
, and released their third EP, World Around (a homophone
for "whirled around"), in February 1992. World Around reached the top five in the UK Indie Chart
.
Leviation's first studio album, Need For Not, appeared on 4 May 1992 (the adverts for the album proclaiming "May the Fourth be with you"). "The Chain With No Name" independent record stores sold the album along with a limited edition 7" featuring the track "Cutwater" on one side and an etching of a heart by David Francolini and Joanna Peacock on the other. The album featured a guest appearance from former Magazine
guitarist John McGeoch
. Throughout the summer the band toured with Cardiacs
, including playing at Reading Festival
.
Leviation were sacked from their slot supporting The Fall after three gigs, supposedly after Mark E Smith took exception to the amount of time and dry ice that Levitation took in their sound check. Smith allegedly called the band "a bunch of fucking poofs".
Following the collapse of Rough Trade, Levitation signed to Chrysalis
, and in April 1993 released their fourth EP, Even When Your Eyes Are Open. A second album, Meanwhile Gardens, was planned to be released in two parts, the first installment in summer, the second in autumn.
, Terry Bickers surprised the audience and the rest of the band by announcing his intentions to leave. Among his onstage comments and announcements were "No corporation is going to stop us, gas is our business, cars are our business, the music business is our business.." (paraphrasing Killing Joke's
1990 track Age Of Greed); "This is the last time you'll see me for a bit"; and (most infamously) "Levitation are a lost cause as far as I can tell. We've completely lost it haven't we? Haven't we?"
A letter to the fan club from Christian Hayes described Bickers' departure as "an unfortunate but necessary stick in the spokes... Terry no longer wishes to be in Levitation, feeling no excitement for the material and therefore uncomfortable within the band." The band maintained that Bickers' departure was positive for all involved. A later statement on 1 June read, "Terry Bickers (the one who stood in the middle) has parted company with Levitation... We believe the circumstances in which we now find ourselves presents us with the oil to lubricate our gears."
Years later, Bickers would speak about his departure with regret and shame, but claim that his mounting depression had had much to do with the manner of his departure. "It was a crap thing to do. It was unfair on the people that came to see us and on everyone in the band ... The reason I left the way I did was because I didn't want to give anyone the opportunity to talk me round."
(headlining the Powerhaus stage), and a support slot at The Cure
's Great Expectations Finsbury Park
concert, were cancelled.
Despite rumours that the band had asked Julianne Regan
from All About Eve
to take over the front spot, the band eventually selected Steve Ludwin (from the band Some Have Fins) as the new frontman in August 1993. The new line-up played a series of gigs at the Splash Club (at the Water Rats in King's Cross) during May and June 1994. A subsequent letter to the fan club stated, "The storm has passed and the voyage may begin again." The reception for Ludwin and the new-look band was mixed, but most fans were glad to have Levitation back and playing.
Back in the studio, Ludwin recorded new lead vocals for much of the Meanwhile Gardens material and it seemed that the band were back on track. However, despite a promising start the new line-up were plagued by continuing and escalating rows in the studio and rehearsal rooms. This ultimately and fatally undermined the band, and (to the dismay of their devout fans) Levitation finally split up for good in October 1994.
Plans were announced in winter 1995 to mix the second half of Meanwhile Gardens and release it with the first half as originally planned. These never came to fruition. A nine-track version of the album (featuring Ludwin on lead vocals, but with plenty of Terry Bickers' vocals and guitar parts retained in the mix) was eventually released through Festival Records in Australia and was followed by two EPs. However, much of the band's material has remained unreleased.
A year later unhappy with the band, Bickers approached Giblin to rejoin the band as well as Daniel, the former King Kurt drummer. This line up together with Caroline Tree, spent the summer of 1994 locked away in a studio in Lincolnshire recording an album for Warner Bros. This was a difficult time for all concerned as there were strong destructive external influences in several band members´ personal lives.
The end result was an album and single for Warner Bros, neither of which were released although some of the singles were pressed as it was reviewed in the music press. Giblin jumped ship and not long after Warner Bros dropped the band. Although none were ever released, there were almost 20 tracks in various forms recorded and about fifteen finished and mixed.
Terry Bickers was to move to Rye in Sussex and re-emerge with another band called Cradle in 1995 with Caroline Tree and Ian Mundwyler, releasing the Baba Yaga album in 1996, before going on to another band, the Brighton-based Monkey 7. In 2003, he reformed The House of Love
with Guy Chadwick
, touring and releasing a comeback album called Days Run Away. He also played on the debut album by former The Perfect Disaster
member Phil Parfitt's new band Oedipussy.
, Christian Hayes, David Francolini and Laurence O'Keefe formed a new band called Dark Star
. They released a number of EPs and the 1999 album Twenty Twenty Sound on EMI
. Despite some success and critical acclaim, they split up in 2001. O'Keefe then embarked on a session career, while Hayes briefly played guitar in the Pet Shop Boys
live band and subsequently released two solo albums under the name Mikrokosmos. Francolini re-surfaced in 2007 with a new band, Dragons.
. Several independent albums have been released and currently the band is releasing new material through Andy Partridge's APE label.
(which featured EMF
's Zac Foley on bass and released one album, Fear of Sound, on Island in 1998). Foley returned to EMF in 2001, and Ludwin and Carrie guitarist Dennis Dicker then formed Little Hell which in turn released the Demonic Advisory Centre album on Double Dragon Records in 2002. While Ludwin was still with Little Hell, he auditioned unsuccessfully to be the lead singer for Velvet Revolver
.
Following Little Hell's split in 2004, Ludwin moved into songwriting and production. He has been heavily involved in the careers of recent rock acts Betty Curse, The Crimea
and Good Shoes, as well as producing an MTV Europe show called "Annoying Americans". (He also wrote a song called "Warmer Than Fire" which later became a hit for Ash
.)
April 27, 1991.
"Mark E Smith punched his sound engineer in the face and told him to turn our fucking power off. The guy is a rotten cunt. I can't imagine how someone so bitter as he is has retained so much credibility. He really is the Caligula
of Pop." - Terry Bickers on Mark E Smith of The Fall
"If people are tenacious enough they can dance to anything." - Christian Hayes interviewed by Steve Sutherland Melody Maker
April 27, 1991.
"I'd like to come back as an otter." - Terry Bickers
"We're into positive negativism. You have to be aware of all the negative things that are going on, all the grimness, and then turn it all around... It's like John Lydon
said, 'Anger is an energy.'" - Terry Bickers interviewed by Steve Sutherland, Melody Maker
, April 27, 1991.
"This is speeding, hallucinating, rampaging, brilliance. You can take your Loop
s, Spacemen
and AR Kanes and drop them in the river like an armful of unwanted kittens." - Melody Maker on the Coppelia EP (single of the week)
"If we're going to be serious about the Nineties then Levitation are the sort of group we should be exalting." - David Stubbs in Melody Maker reviewing Need For Not
"Are Levitation too far out? While other bands take it one step at a time, have they leapt into space and severed the umbilical cord?" - Melody Maker
"There's a chorus of sorts, and stuff about animals turning blue in your stomach, but it's Dave's ludricously-athletic drumming that ultimately blows your mind. It's gloriously frenetic, and so fucking quick off the mark it'll take a few plays just to tame the blur into some kind of image." - Melody Maker on World Around
"Bunch of hippies. Write a song next time." - Melody Maker on Squirrel
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...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band fronted by ex-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...
guitarist 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...
. Levitation's music and attitude challenged an early 1990s UK alternative music scene dominated by 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...
and Madchester
Madchester
Madchester was a music scene that developed in Manchester, England, towards the end of the 1980s and into the early 1990s. The music that emerged from the scene mixed alternative rock, psychedelic rock and dance music...
.
Levitation had a strong psychedelic element and a tendency towards complex music and unusual public pronouncements, which meant that the band were often credited - or accused - by the music press with attempting to rehabilitate progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
. In fact, Levitation's influences were diverse and included Cardiacs
Cardiacs
Cardiacs are an English alternative rock/psychedelic pop band formed in 1977 and led by Tim Smith. Noted for their complex, varied and intense compositional style and for their eccentric, theatrical stage shows, they have been hailed as an influence by bands as diverse as Blur, Faith No More and...
, Krautrock
Krautrock
Krautrock is a generic name for the experimental music scenes that appeared in Germany in the late 1960s and gained popularity throughout the 1970s, especially in Britain. The term is a result of the English-speaking world's reception of the music at the time and not a reference to any one...
, Television
Television (band)
Television was an American rock band, formed in New York City in 1973. They are best known for the album Marquee Moon and widely regarded as one of the founders of "punk" and New Wave music. Television was part of the early 1970s New York underground rock scene, along with bands like the Patti...
, XTC
XTC
XTC were a New Wave band from Swindon, England, active between 1976 and 2005. The band enjoyed some chart success, including the UK and Canadian hits "Making Plans for Nigel" and "Senses Working Overtime" , but are perhaps even better known for their long-standing critical success.- Early years:...
, Killing Joke
Killing Joke
Killing Joke are an English post-punk band formed in October 1978 in Notting Hill, London, England; other sources report the band formed in early 1979.Related news articles: Founding members Jaz Coleman and Geordie Walker have been the only constant members.A key influence on industrial rock,...
, Wire
Wire (band)
Wire are an English rock band, formed in London in October 1976 by Colin Newman , Graham Lewis , Bruce Gilbert , and Robert Gotobed...
, Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
, Swans
Swans (band)
Swans are an influential American post-punk band initially active from 1982 to 1997, led by singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Michael Gira. The band was one of the few groups to emerge from the early 1980s New York No Wave scene and stay intact into the next decade. Formed by Gira in...
, Devo
Devo
Devo is an American band formed in 1973 consisting of members from Kent and Akron, Ohio. The classic line-up of the band includes two sets of brothers, the Mothersbaughs and the Casales . The band had a #14 Billboard chart hit in 1980 with the single "Whip It", and has maintained a cult...
, Gentle Giant
Gentle Giant
Gentle Giant were a British progressive rock band active between 1970 and 1980. The band was known for the complexity and sophistication of its music and for the varied musical skills of its members. All of the band members, except the first two drummers, were multi-instrumentalists...
, 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...
, Public Image Limited, 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...
and Julian Cope
Julian Cope
Julian Cope is a British rock musician, author, antiquary, musicologist, poet and cultural commentator...
.
Origins and first lineup
After an acrimonious departure from the House of Love in 1989, guitarist Terry Bickers teamed up with former Something Pretty Beautiful drummer David FrancoliniDavid Francolini
David Francolini also known as "Mitch Razor" is an English rock drummer, and has previously played in a number of bands, most notably Strangelove, Levitation, and Dark Star....
. Based in 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...
, they formed Levitation with a group of like-minded and established musicians - second guitarist Christian Hayes
Christian Hayes
Christian Hayes , also known as Bic Hayes, is an English rock guitarist, singer and songwriter. His highest profile musical role has been fronting the band Dark Star between 1998 and 2001, whom he formed with fellow ex-Levitation members David Francolini and Laurence O'Keefe.He has also played in a...
(formerly with Ring
Ring (band)
Ring were an English psychedelic rock band active during the 1980s.The band is notable for having helped to launch the subsequent musical careers of Robert White , Michael "Mik" Tubb and Christian "Bic" Hayes .-History:Ring evolved out of the south London experimental...
, Cardiacs
Cardiacs
Cardiacs are an English alternative rock/psychedelic pop band formed in 1977 and led by Tim Smith. Noted for their complex, varied and intense compositional style and for their eccentric, theatrical stage shows, they have been hailed as an influence by bands as diverse as Blur, Faith No More and...
, and The Dave Howard Singers
The Dave Howard Singers
The Dave Howard Singers is a cult Canadian alternative rock band/project originally formed in Toronto, Canada. The project is based around the talents of singer-songwriter Dave Howard and the signature sound of his Ace Tone organ...
), keyboard player/occasional guitarist Robert White (ex-Zag and the Coloured Beads
Zag And The Coloured Beads
Zag And The Coloured Beads are an English experimental rock band.Blending elements of psychedelic rock and progressive rock, the band were initially active in the 1980s London free-festival scene and featured several members who went on to subsequent projects including Ring, Levitation and The Milk...
, Ring
Ring (band)
Ring were an English psychedelic rock band active during the 1980s.The band is notable for having helped to launch the subsequent musical careers of Robert White , Michael "Mik" Tubb and Christian "Bic" Hayes .-History:Ring evolved out of the south London experimental...
), Johnny T (a violinist from The Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra), and bass player Joe Allen. The band soon set off to tour France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
supporting Ride
Ride (band)
Ride were a British alternative rock band that formed in 1988 in Oxford, England, consisting of Andy Bell, Mark Gardener, Laurence "Loz" Colbert, and Steve Queralt. The band were initially part of the "shoegazing" scene. Following the break-up of the band in 1996, members moved on to various other...
, and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
supporting Galaxie 500
Galaxie 500
Galaxie 500 was an American alternative rock band that formed in 1987 and split up in 1991 after releasing three albums.-History:Guitarist Dean Wareham, drummer Damon Krukowski and bassist Naomi Yang had met at the Dalton School in New York City in 1981, but began playing together during their time...
.
Upon returning from Europe, Levitation signed to the small independent label Ultimate records, and in February 1991 released their first single, "Nadine", issued with additional tracks as the Coppelia 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...
, making "single of the week" in 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...
, only to be scorned in the New Musical Express by journalist Barbara Ellen.
Initially, Levitation received a lot of publicity from the music press because of Terry Bickers' reputation as an eccentric talent, and his fondness of various conspiracy theories
Conspiracy theory
A conspiracy theory explains an event as being the result of an alleged plot by a covert group or organization or, more broadly, the idea that important political, social or economic events are the products of secret plots that are largely unknown to the general public.-Usage:The term "conspiracy...
. His career in the House of Love, and standing as guitar hero to a generation of Indie fans
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
, put Levitation in the media spotlight from the start. The band were dropped from a tour supporting Transvision Vamp
Transvision Vamp
Transvision Vamp were a British alternative rock group. Formed in 1986 by Nick Christian Sayer and Wendy James the band enjoyed chart success in the late 1980s...
, supposedly because their equipment required too much stage space, but other reports suggested that the headliners were worried about being overshadowed by Levitation. The band persisted in prioritising their music before their image. In an interview with Andrew Smith in Volume
Volume magazine
Volume was a magazine in the form of a series of compact disc compilation albums that were published in the UK in the early to mid 1990s. The albums typically contained exclusive tracks and remixes from a diverse range of indie artists. Each album was packaged with a 192-page booklet that contained...
magazine, Bickers explained that the band would like to "remain faceless for as long as possible. Maybe we'll take to wearing masks."
After the release of Coppelia the band underwent its first line-up change when both Johnny T and Joe Allen left. Laurence O'Keefe (ex-Jazz Butcher
Jazz Butcher
The Jazz Butcher, also known as The Jazz Butcher Conspiracy and The Jazz Butcher And His Sikkorskis From Hell, are a British musical group founded by Pat Fish.-History:...
) was drafted in to play bass.
Second lineup (Coterie and Need For Not)
Through 1991, Levitation supported bands such as Pere UbuPere Ubu (band)
Pere Ubu is an experimental rock music group formed in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1975. Despite many long-term band members, singer David Thomas is the only constant...
, All About Eve
All About Eve (band)
All About Eve were a British rock/pop band. The creative core consisted of the Coventry born Julianne Regan , and the Huddersfield born Andy Cousin , with other members changing over the years...
, the Psychedelic Furs, Hawkwind
Hawkwind
Hawkwind are an English rock band, one of the earliest space rock groups. Their lyrics favour urban and science fiction themes. They are also a noted precursor to punk rock and now are considered a link between the hippie and punk cultures....
, and in 1992 The Sugarcubes
The Sugarcubes
The Sugarcubes were an Icelandic alternative rock band formed in 1986 and disbanded in 1992. They received critical and popular acclaim internationally.-History:...
, and earned a reputation as a hard-working live act with energetic performances. Levitations's live set usually kicked off with an adrenaline-fueled cover of Zag and the Coloured Beads
Zag And The Coloured Beads
Zag And The Coloured Beads are an English experimental rock band.Blending elements of psychedelic rock and progressive rock, the band were initially active in the 1980s London free-festival scene and featured several members who went on to subsequent projects including Ring, Levitation and The Milk...
' "Sweaty Thing", which in later gigs would be replaced by the band's own breakneck opener "Twice".
Levitation's second EP on Ultimate, After Ever, was released in August 1991 to more critical acclaim, and again the band made single of the week in 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...
where it was described as "blessed genius." The video for "Firefly", the first track on the EP, pictured the band levitating over a golden field.
In September 1991, two more tracks, "Squirrel" and "It's Time", were released on 7" via the new Rough Trade
Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...
mail-order singles club. In November a taster compilation album, Coterie, was released on Capitol Records in the US. It included some of the tracks from the first two EPs and the Squirrel 7". The band also crossed the Atlantic for the first time for a mini-tour of the USA, playing in Los Angeles and New York.
At the end of the year, Levitation left Ultimate and signed a deal with Rough Trade
Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...
, and released their third EP, World Around (a homophone
Homonym
In linguistics, a homonym is, in the strict sense, one of a group of words that often but not necessarily share the same spelling and the same pronunciation but have different meanings...
for "whirled around"), in February 1992. World Around reached the top five in the UK Indie Chart
UK Indie Chart
The UK Independent Chart or Indie Chart is a chart of the best-selling independent record releases in the UK.- History :In the wake of punk, small record labels began to spring up, as an outlet for artists that were unwilling to sign contracts with major record companies, or were not considered...
.
Leviation's first studio album, Need For Not, appeared on 4 May 1992 (the adverts for the album proclaiming "May the Fourth be with you"). "The Chain With No Name" independent record stores sold the album along with a limited edition 7" featuring the track "Cutwater" on one side and an etching of a heart by David Francolini and Joanna Peacock on the other. The album featured a guest appearance from former Magazine
Magazine (band)
Magazine are an English post-punk group active from 1977 to 1981, then reformed in 2009. Their debut single, "Shot by Both Sides", is now acknowledged as a classic and their debut album, Real Life, is still widely admired as one of the greatest albums of all time...
guitarist John McGeoch
John McGeoch
John Alexander McGeoch, , was a Scottish guitarist who played with a number of bands of the post-punk era, including Magazine, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Visage and Public Image Ltd....
. Throughout the summer the band toured with Cardiacs
Cardiacs
Cardiacs are an English alternative rock/psychedelic pop band formed in 1977 and led by Tim Smith. Noted for their complex, varied and intense compositional style and for their eccentric, theatrical stage shows, they have been hailed as an influence by bands as diverse as Blur, Faith No More and...
, including playing at Reading Festival
Reading and Leeds Festivals
The Reading and Leeds Festivals are a pair of annual music festivals that take place in Reading and Leeds in England. The events take place simultaneously on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend, sharing the same bill. The Reading Festival is held at Little John's Farm...
.
Leviation were sacked from their slot supporting The Fall after three gigs, supposedly after Mark E Smith took exception to the amount of time and dry ice that Levitation took in their sound check. Smith allegedly called the band "a bunch of fucking poofs".
Following the collapse of Rough Trade, Levitation signed to Chrysalis
Chrysalis Records
Chrysalis Records was a British record label that was created in 1969. The name was both a reference to the pupal stage of a butterfly and a combination of its founders names, Chris Wright and Terry Ellis...
, and in April 1993 released their fourth EP, Even When Your Eyes Are Open. A second album, Meanwhile Gardens, was planned to be released in two parts, the first installment in summer, the second in autumn.
Terry Bickers quits
After playing a bad-tempered fifty-minute set at Tufnell Park Dome in north London on May 14, 1993, where the band were co-headlining with EatEat (band)
Eat were a British alternative rock band who were active in the late 1980s and early 1990s. They released two albums on The Cure's label Fiction...
, Terry Bickers surprised the audience and the rest of the band by announcing his intentions to leave. Among his onstage comments and announcements were "No corporation is going to stop us, gas is our business, cars are our business, the music business is our business.." (paraphrasing Killing Joke's
Killing Joke
Killing Joke are an English post-punk band formed in October 1978 in Notting Hill, London, England; other sources report the band formed in early 1979.Related news articles: Founding members Jaz Coleman and Geordie Walker have been the only constant members.A key influence on industrial rock,...
1990 track Age Of Greed); "This is the last time you'll see me for a bit"; and (most infamously) "Levitation are a lost cause as far as I can tell. We've completely lost it haven't we? Haven't we?"
A letter to the fan club from Christian Hayes described Bickers' departure as "an unfortunate but necessary stick in the spokes... Terry no longer wishes to be in Levitation, feeling no excitement for the material and therefore uncomfortable within the band." The band maintained that Bickers' departure was positive for all involved. A later statement on 1 June read, "Terry Bickers (the one who stood in the middle) has parted company with Levitation... We believe the circumstances in which we now find ourselves presents us with the oil to lubricate our gears."
Years later, Bickers would speak about his departure with regret and shame, but claim that his mounting depression had had much to do with the manner of his departure. "It was a crap thing to do. It was unfair on the people that came to see us and on everyone in the band ... The reason I left the way I did was because I didn't want to give anyone the opportunity to talk me round."
The third lineup (with Steve Ludwin) and final split
In the aftermath of Bickers' abrupt departure the Meanwhile Gardens LP was temporarily shelved, and scheduled appearances, including the Phoenix FestivalPhoenix Festival
The Phoenix Festival was set up by Vince Power of the Mean Fiddler Music Group in 1993 as an alternative to the established Glastonbury and Reading Festivals...
(headlining the Powerhaus stage), and a support slot at The Cure
The Cure
The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member...
's Great Expectations Finsbury Park
Finsbury Park
Finsbury Park is a 46 hectare public park in the London Borough of Haringey. Officially part of the London area of Harringay, it is also adjacent to Stroud Green, the Finsbury Park district and Manor House. It was one of the first of the great London parks laid out in the Victorian...
concert, were cancelled.
Despite rumours that the band had asked Julianne Regan
Julianne Regan
Julianne Regan is an English singer, song writer, guitarist, bass guitarist and keyboard player. She is best known for being the lead singer of the band, All About Eve.- Early life :...
from All About Eve
All About Eve (band)
All About Eve were a British rock/pop band. The creative core consisted of the Coventry born Julianne Regan , and the Huddersfield born Andy Cousin , with other members changing over the years...
to take over the front spot, the band eventually selected Steve Ludwin (from the band Some Have Fins) as the new frontman in August 1993. The new line-up played a series of gigs at the Splash Club (at the Water Rats in King's Cross) during May and June 1994. A subsequent letter to the fan club stated, "The storm has passed and the voyage may begin again." The reception for Ludwin and the new-look band was mixed, but most fans were glad to have Levitation back and playing.
Back in the studio, Ludwin recorded new lead vocals for much of the Meanwhile Gardens material and it seemed that the band were back on track. However, despite a promising start the new line-up were plagued by continuing and escalating rows in the studio and rehearsal rooms. This ultimately and fatally undermined the band, and (to the dismay of their devout fans) Levitation finally split up for good in October 1994.
Plans were announced in winter 1995 to mix the second half of Meanwhile Gardens and release it with the first half as originally planned. These never came to fruition. A nine-track version of the album (featuring Ludwin on lead vocals, but with plenty of Terry Bickers' vocals and guitar parts retained in the mix) was eventually released through Festival Records in Australia and was followed by two EPs. However, much of the band's material has remained unreleased.
Terry Bickers (Cradle, Monkey 7, etc)
Within a week of leaving Levitation in 1993 Bickers teamed up with guitarist Clive Giblin (Alternative TV, Shockheaded Peters, Two Worlds Collide, Sol Invictus) and formed a band called Paradise Estate, named after the Television Personalities´ track as they were both fans. They spent about six weeks writing and recording the songs that would convince Warner Bros to sign Bickers. The pair drifted apart and Bickers re-named the project Cradle and drafted in three new members.A year later unhappy with the band, Bickers approached Giblin to rejoin the band as well as Daniel, the former King Kurt drummer. This line up together with Caroline Tree, spent the summer of 1994 locked away in a studio in Lincolnshire recording an album for Warner Bros. This was a difficult time for all concerned as there were strong destructive external influences in several band members´ personal lives.
The end result was an album and single for Warner Bros, neither of which were released although some of the singles were pressed as it was reviewed in the music press. Giblin jumped ship and not long after Warner Bros dropped the band. Although none were ever released, there were almost 20 tracks in various forms recorded and about fifteen finished and mixed.
Terry Bickers was to move to Rye in Sussex and re-emerge with another band called Cradle in 1995 with Caroline Tree and Ian Mundwyler, releasing the Baba Yaga album in 1996, before going on to another band, the Brighton-based Monkey 7. In 2003, he reformed 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...
with Guy Chadwick
Guy Chadwick
Guy Chadwick was the guitarist and vocalist with the British alternative band, The House of Love. He wrote the majority of the band's material....
, touring and releasing a comeback album called Days Run Away. He also played on the debut album by former The Perfect Disaster
The Perfect Disaster
The Perfect Disaster were an alternative rock band from London, England, formed in 1980; they released four albums before splitting up in 1991. The only constant member was singer/guitarist Phil Parfitt.-History:...
member Phil Parfitt's new band Oedipussy.
Christian Hayes, Laurence O'Keefe, David Francolini (Dark Star, Mikrokosmos & Dragons)
Circa 1998, after a spell working with Heather NovaHeather Nova
Heather Nova, is a Bermudian singer-songwriter and poet. She has released eight full-length albums and has found lasting success in Germany where two of her albums South and Storm have made their way into the Top-5 of German official album chart.-Biography:Heather Nova was born in Bermuda...
, Christian Hayes, David Francolini and Laurence O'Keefe formed a new band called Dark Star
Dark Star (band)
Dark Star were an English rock band from London, whose music mixed dark psychedelica, with a dub undertow and noisy effects-laden guitar.-History:...
. They released a number of EPs and the 1999 album Twenty Twenty Sound on EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
. Despite some success and critical acclaim, they split up in 2001. O'Keefe then embarked on a session career, while Hayes briefly played guitar in the Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
live band and subsequently released two solo albums under the name Mikrokosmos. Francolini re-surfaced in 2007 with a new band, Dragons.
Robert White (The Milk And Honey Band)
Robert White went on to front the Brighton-based The Milk And Honey BandThe Milk And Honey Band
The Milk And Honey Band is an English rock band centred around the talents of singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Robert White .-Sound:...
. Several independent albums have been released and currently the band is releasing new material through Andy Partridge's APE label.
Steve Ludwin (Pura Vida, Carrie, Little Hell etc.)
Steve Ludwin went on to form the band Pura Vida, which released several EPs on Org Records and subsequently evolved into CarrieCarrie (band)
Carrie was a British based rock music band, featuring the former Levitation and Some Have Fins singer/guitarist Steve Ludwin, ex-EMF bass player Zac Foley, guitarist Dennis Dicker and Australian drummer, Bruce Pawsey. Their sound was characterised by a juxtaposition of glossy production and...
(which featured EMF
EMF (band)
EMF were an indie dance band from the United Kingdom. The band, from the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, came to prominence at the beginning of the 1990s. During its initial eight year run , EMF had released three studio albums and had gone on hiatus and reformed twice...
's Zac Foley on bass and released one album, Fear of Sound, on Island in 1998). Foley returned to EMF in 2001, and Ludwin and Carrie guitarist Dennis Dicker then formed Little Hell which in turn released the Demonic Advisory Centre album on Double Dragon Records in 2002. While Ludwin was still with Little Hell, he auditioned unsuccessfully to be the lead singer for Velvet Revolver
Velvet Revolver
Velvet Revolver is an American hard rock supergroup consisting of former Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan, and Matt Sorum, alongside Dave Kushner formerly of punk band Wasted Youth. Stone Temple Pilots vocalist Scott Weiland was Velvet Revolver's lead singer from their formation until...
.
Following Little Hell's split in 2004, Ludwin moved into songwriting and production. He has been heavily involved in the careers of recent rock acts Betty Curse, The Crimea
The Crimea (band)
The Crimea are a British indie band, based in Camden, London. The band were featured in the late John Peel's Festive Fifty, ranking higher than bands such as The White Stripes and all eleven of the initial album demos were played on his show...
and Good Shoes, as well as producing an MTV Europe show called "Annoying Americans". (He also wrote a song called "Warmer Than Fire" which later became a hit for Ash
Ash (band)
Ash are an alternative rock band that formed in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland in 1992. The band has sold 8 million albums worldwide.-Band beginning, Trailer and 1977 :...
.)
Reissues
In 2007, David Francolini mentioned the possibility of a Levitation re-issue program on Rough Trade (including the original, never released, version of Meanwhile Gardens). However in 2009, David explained that Rough Trade was bought by Beggars Banquet who weren't interested in doing the re-release.Members
- Joe Allen - bass (1990–1991)
- Terry Bickers - vocals, guitar (1990–1993)
- David Francolini - drums (1990–1994)
- Christian Hayes (aka Bic) - guitar, backing vocals (1990–1994)
- Laurence O'Keefe - bass (1990–1994)
- Steve Ludwin - vocals, guitar (1993–1994)
- Johnny T - violin (1990–1991)
- Robert White - keyboards, bass, backing vocals (1990–1994)
Quotes from the band
"You can be progressive without being pompous. It sounds like a cliché but I don't care - we are a progressive band and we're in the here and now." - Terry Bickers interviewed by Steve Sutherland Melody MakerMelody 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...
April 27, 1991.
"Mark E Smith punched his sound engineer in the face and told him to turn our fucking power off. The guy is a rotten cunt. I can't imagine how someone so bitter as he is has retained so much credibility. He really is the Caligula
Caligula
Caligula , also known as Gaius, was Roman Emperor from 37 AD to 41 AD. Caligula was a member of the house of rulers conventionally known as the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Caligula's father Germanicus, the nephew and adopted son of Emperor Tiberius, was a very successful general and one of Rome's most...
of Pop." - Terry Bickers on Mark E Smith of The Fall
"If people are tenacious enough they can dance to anything." - Christian Hayes interviewed by Steve Sutherland 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...
April 27, 1991.
"I'd like to come back as an otter." - Terry Bickers
"We're into positive negativism. You have to be aware of all the negative things that are going on, all the grimness, and then turn it all around... It's like John Lydon
John Lydon
John Joseph Lydon , also known by the former stage name Johnny Rotten, is a singer-songwriter and television presenter, best known as the lead singer of punk rock band the Sex Pistols from 1975 until 1978, and again for various revivals during the 1990s and 2000s...
said, 'Anger is an energy.'" - Terry Bickers interviewed by Steve Sutherland, 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...
, April 27, 1991.
Quotes from the press
"Levitation are all the bands you ever wished for.." - Andy O'Reilly in Lime Lizard March 1992"This is speeding, hallucinating, rampaging, brilliance. You can take your 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...
s, Spacemen
Spacemen 3
Spacemen 3 were an English alternative rock band, formed in 1982 in Rugby, Warwickshire by Peter Kember and Jason Pierce. Their music was "colorfully mind-altering, but not in the sense of the acid rock of the '60s; instead, the band developed its own minimalistic psychedelia"...
and AR Kanes and drop them in the river like an armful of unwanted kittens." - Melody Maker on the Coppelia EP (single of the week)
"If we're going to be serious about the Nineties then Levitation are the sort of group we should be exalting." - David Stubbs in Melody Maker reviewing Need For Not
"Are Levitation too far out? While other bands take it one step at a time, have they leapt into space and severed the umbilical cord?" - Melody Maker
"There's a chorus of sorts, and stuff about animals turning blue in your stomach, but it's Dave's ludricously-athletic drumming that ultimately blows your mind. It's gloriously frenetic, and so fucking quick off the mark it'll take a few plays just to tame the blur into some kind of image." - Melody Maker on World Around
"Bunch of hippies. Write a song next time." - Melody Maker on Squirrel
Singles and EPs
- "Nadine" / "Smile" ltd. (1000) 7" Ultimate (February 1991)
- Coppelia EP 12" and CD Ultimate (February 1991)
- After Ever EP 12" and CD Ultimate (August 1991)
- "Firefly" / "Attached" ltd. (1000) 7" Ultimate (August 1991)
- "Squirrel" / "It's Time" 7" Rough Trade singles club (September 1991) (some mispressed with Mercury Rev track on b-side)
- World Around EP 7", 12", CD, Rough trade in UK (February 1992)
- World Around 12", CD, cassette Capitol in USA, (February 1992) EMI in Germany (February 1992) {Capitol cassette existence is unconfirmed}
- "Cloudshine" on Volume CD magazine No.3 (May 1992)
- Even When Your Eyes Are Open EP (April 1993) Chrysalis UK, Capitol USA
- King of Mice EP EMI, Germany (1994)
- Chain by Day EP Festival Records, Australia
Albums
- Coterie - CD (50,000 pressed) only on Capitol Records, USA (November 1991) a taster compilation of the first two EPs and the "Squirrel" single.
- Coterie LP, CD (ltd. 5000) Ultimate (March 1992)
- Need For Not LP (May 1992) Rough Trade/Capitol (came with CWNN ltd. 7" Cutwater and etching) (UK #45)
- Meanwhile Gardens - Festival Records, Australia only (1994)
Cassette albums
- Demos 1989-1991, fanclub cassette (ltd. run of 800).
- Live at Reading University 29 February 1992, (fanclub cassette ltd. run of 800).
Radio Sessions
- Radio 1, Mark Goodier's Evening Session May 1992 "Resist", "Pieces of Mary", "Evergreen", "Hangnail"
- Radio 1, Mark Goodier's Evening Session July 1992 "Sacred Lover", "Hieronymous Bop" (Terry and Bob playing acoustically).