One Minute Silence
Encyclopedia
One Minute Silence is a four-piece band based in London
that combined influences from metal
, hardcore punk
and rap
and as of 2010 they have sold over 500,000 albums. The band consisted of vocalist Brian 'Yap' Barry from Templemore, Co. Tipperary, guitarist
Massimo Fiocco from Limerick City, drummer
Eddie Stratton and bass guitar
ist Glen Diani. The band announced its split after eight years in a press release dated 21 October 2003. The band officially reconvened, minus Stratton in 2011. Although it claimed not to be a "political band" — they are simply "political people" who are also musicians, they say — the group's lyrics have a political message which can be interpreted as generally anti-capitalist
and anarchist
.
vocalist Brian Barry got together with guitarist Chris Ignatiou under the name "Near Death Experience". After working with various rhythm section
s, they settled with Gibraltarian Glen Diani on bass guitar and Englishman Eddie Stratton on drums. Barry had befriended Stratton before the formation of the band. The band was soon forced to change its name because of an American
group who shared it, and so it became One Minute Silence. That name, originally intended to be the title of a song, was chosen to parody the practice of having a one minute silence as a mark of respect when someone considered "important or well respected" dies. The band felt that that respect was often "misplaced".
with Big Cat Records
in 1997, and released Available In All Colours
the following year. Buy Now... Saved Later
followed in 2000 after an amicable split with Ignatiou, who was ultimately replaced by Italian Massimo Fiocco, known as Massy, after original replacement Kee Payne left the band in 1999. This second album represented a noticeable step in the band's musical progression: the record's production quality and style differed from that of the first, which had used a hip-hop
producer. Buy Now... sounded more like a metal album. With its well-rounded production and matured song-writing, Buy Now... sent the band on a tour of the US, with notable acts such as Slipknot
and Mudvayne
, the latter touring with them in the UK as supporting act.
After circulating a three-track demo and signing a deal with Taste Media
, the band started recording sessions for their third album in autumn 2002. From live performances and both live and studio recordings, the new material was obviously a further progression; the group was experimenting with various time signature
s, such as 7/4, and was using more melody and a greater variation in song structure.
A single, "We Bounce", was released on 31 March 2003, with a third album, titled One Lie Fits All
, following on 7 July that year. According to the band's now-defunct website "[t]his name continues the pattern of manipulating well known marketing slogans in order to present a political statement".
One Lie Fits All showed a new direction for the band. Barry's rapping gave way to much more singing on tracks like "Price Of The King's Ticket". There are still the thunderous live songs like "We Bounce" and "I Wear My Skin".
Between these releases, One Minute Silence had toured extensively, though the last tour had to be cancelled. The group's following came largely from their energetic live shows — they have been voted "Best British Live Act" in Kerrang!
magazine.
Radio 4's Bespoken Word. However, in a statement released in October 2003, the band announced its split:
, Napster
and more than 7000 digital retailers world wide through Universal Digital and IODA (US). Pink Punk had a live show in late 2007.
In March 2008, vocalist Barry touched on the issue of a possible reunion and fourth album in an article posted on the band's unofficial Myspace
page.
In 2008, Edwin Stratton was suffering severely from coeliac disease
. He was arrested in mid-2008 after fire investigators, looking into a fire in a wine bar
below his Leyton
apartment, discovered cannabis
plants in his home. Stratton stated that he was growing for medical use
, but was charged with producing cannabis, exposing him to a potential maximum sentence of 14 years in prison. In November 2008, he is due to appear at the Waltham Forest Magistrates' Court
and challenge the charge as a contravention of Article 14 of the Human Rights Act
, which prohibits discrimination on any grounds.
On 10 January 2011, One Minute Silence announced their official reformation and tour with new material also in the pipeline. Band members for the tour and record are Barry, Fiocco, Diani and Davies.
In early February 2011, it was announced that One Minute Silence would be playing at Sonisphere Festival.
On June 9, 2011, One Minute Silence announced the cancellation of their appearance at Sonisphere Festival, due to 'life complexities'. The group is still hoping to release a new track this summer and tour in the autumn.
On July 4, 2011, the band announced their intention to record, film and release a new album "One Minute Silence : Live in the Studio", with a release date set for November 2011. Fans were given the opportunity to get involved through Pledge Music, with 50 fans standing a chance of being invited to the recording.
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...
that combined influences from metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
, hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
and rap
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
and as of 2010 they have sold over 500,000 albums. The band consisted of vocalist Brian 'Yap' Barry from Templemore, Co. Tipperary, guitarist
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...
Massimo Fiocco from Limerick City, drummer
Drum 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 ....
Eddie Stratton and bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
ist Glen Diani. The band announced its split after eight years in a press release dated 21 October 2003. The band officially reconvened, minus Stratton in 2011. Although it claimed not to be a "political band" — they are simply "political people" who are also musicians, they say — the group's lyrics have a political message which can be interpreted as generally anti-capitalist
Anti-capitalism
Anti-capitalism describes a wide variety of movements, ideas, and attitudes which oppose capitalism. Anti-capitalists, in the strict sense of the word, are those who wish to completely replace capitalism with another system....
and anarchist
Anarchism
Anarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
.
Background
One Minute Silence came together in the early 1990s when IrishIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
vocalist Brian Barry got together with guitarist Chris Ignatiou under the name "Near Death Experience". After working with various rhythm section
Rhythm section
A rhythm section is a collection of musicians who make up a section of instruments which provides the accompaniment section of the music, giving the music its rhythmic texture and pulse, also serving as a rhythmic reference for the rest of the band...
s, they settled with Gibraltarian Glen Diani on bass guitar and Englishman Eddie Stratton on drums. Barry had befriended Stratton before the formation of the band. The band was soon forced to change its name because of an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
group who shared it, and so it became One Minute Silence. That name, originally intended to be the title of a song, was chosen to parody the practice of having a one minute silence as a mark of respect when someone considered "important or well respected" dies. The band felt that that respect was often "misplaced".
Musical career
The band signed a recording contractRecording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
with Big Cat Records
Big Cat Records
Big Cat Records is a UK record label. It launched around 1990 and originally specialized in industrial and noise-rock releases. Operated a US office in NYC for a few years. Purchased by V2 Records in 1996, at which point their roster became much more diverse in style...
in 1997, and released Available In All Colours
Available in All Colours
Available in All Colours is the debut album of One Minute Silence, released in 1998. It was released on Big Cat Records, and distributed by 3mv/Pinnacle in the UK, Sony Music in France, Rough Trade in Germany and Austria, M.N.W...
the following year. Buy Now... Saved Later
Buy Now... Saved Later
Buy Now... Saved Later is One Minute Silence's second album, the follow-up to Available In All Colours. It was released in 2000 on V2 Records and was dedicated "to the memory of Neville Anthony Lynch". In contrast to the hip-hop-metal tinge the first album had, Buy Now.....
followed in 2000 after an amicable split with Ignatiou, who was ultimately replaced by Italian Massimo Fiocco, known as Massy, after original replacement Kee Payne left the band in 1999. This second album represented a noticeable step in the band's musical progression: the record's production quality and style differed from that of the first, which had used a hip-hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
producer. Buy Now... sounded more like a metal album. With its well-rounded production and matured song-writing, Buy Now... sent the band on a tour of the US, with notable acts such as Slipknot
Slipknot (band)
Slipknot is an American heavy metal band from Des Moines, Iowa. Formed in 1995, the group was founded by percussionist Shawn Crahan and bassist Paul Gray...
and Mudvayne
Mudvayne
Mudvayne is an American heavy metal band. Their work is marked by the use of sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate visual appearance, which has included face and body paint, masks and uniforms...
, the latter touring with them in the UK as supporting act.
After circulating a three-track demo and signing a deal with Taste Media
Taste Media
Taste Media is a record label and production company that has released records for bands such as Muse and Shed Seven. The company was formed by Safta Jaffery and Dennis Smith, who owned the Sawmills recording studio in Cornwall.-History:Taste Media recorded three of Muse's albums, Showbiz, Origin...
, the band started recording sessions for their third album in autumn 2002. From live performances and both live and studio recordings, the new material was obviously a further progression; the group was experimenting with various time signature
Time signature
The time signature is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat....
s, such as 7/4, and was using more melody and a greater variation in song structure.
A single, "We Bounce", was released on 31 March 2003, with a third album, titled One Lie Fits All
One Lie Fits All
One Lie Fits All is the third album from One Minute Silence. It was released on July 7, 2003. Produced by John Leckie, it was the band's last album before they announced their breakup in October 2003 and interestingly never enjoyed a supporting tour, unlike the two EP's which came during the...
, following on 7 July that year. According to the band's now-defunct website "[t]his name continues the pattern of manipulating well known marketing slogans in order to present a political statement".
One Lie Fits All showed a new direction for the band. Barry's rapping gave way to much more singing on tracks like "Price Of The King's Ticket". There are still the thunderous live songs like "We Bounce" and "I Wear My Skin".
Between these releases, One Minute Silence had toured extensively, though the last tour had to be cancelled. The group's following came largely from their energetic live shows — they have been voted "Best British Live Act" in Kerrang!
Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
magazine.
Break up
More recently, Barry has been following his spoken-word career, appearing on BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Radio 4's Bespoken Word. However, in a statement released in October 2003, the band announced its split:
- Although we are still the best of friends, and cannot rule out the possibility of working together in the future, for now we are dispersing to pursue other projects and interests. We're still in love, we're just not married any more!! There are no musical differences, and no personal conflicts affecting our friendship with each other, just a desire to branch out and explore other areas of life and music.
- The band would like to extend their infinite love and respect to those who have championed OMS over the years, whether from within the industry and the media or from without. Your support has been life-giving. An extra-special acknowledgement is due to the people who have come to our shows, and especially to the people in the pit, because without you there would have been no OMS, and without people to listen, music would be meaningless. You rule, we love you, and we miss you already!!
- Looking to the future; Yap is going full-throttle into spoken word performances, and he is also working on a number of political and philosophical media projects.
- Glen Diani and Massy Fiocco are currently considering and inviting other options. Eddie Stratton is currently filling in on drums with his friends in New DiseaseNew Disease"New Disease" is a single and music video by the nu metal band Spineshank.The video includes the band in the room singing and playing the song, a man fixing a CCTV camera which the band are looking at whilst playing, the lead singer talking to a girl who is sitting down alone...
.
Post One Minute Silence
After One Minute Silence, Barry began to write and perform new material as a slam poet and public speaker. The new material began to grow into a music project when he met producer John Hendicott and vocalist Donna Williams in 2005. A new band, Pink Punk, was formed and in 2006 the first album, Zoo Politics, emerged as an independent release on Freeport Records. The band's website, PPunk.com went live later in 2006 and by the end of the year the album was on iTunesITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
, Napster
Napster
Napster is an online music store and a Best Buy company. It was originally founded as a pioneering peer-to-peer file sharing Internet service that emphasized sharing audio files that were typically digitally encoded music as MP3 format files...
and more than 7000 digital retailers world wide through Universal Digital and IODA (US). Pink Punk had a live show in late 2007.
In March 2008, vocalist Barry touched on the issue of a possible reunion and fourth album in an article posted on the band's unofficial Myspace
Myspace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
page.
In 2008, Edwin Stratton was suffering severely from coeliac disease
Coeliac disease
Coeliac disease , is an autoimmune disorder of the small intestine that occurs in genetically predisposed people of all ages from middle infancy onward...
. He was arrested in mid-2008 after fire investigators, looking into a fire in a wine bar
Wine bar
A wine bar is a tavern-like business focusing on selling wine, rather than liquor or beer. A typical feature of many wine bars is a wide selection of wines available by the glass. Some wine bars are profiled on wines of a certain type of origin, such as Italian wine or Champagne...
below his Leyton
Leyton
Leyton is an area of north-east London and part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest, located north east of Charing Cross. It borders Walthamstow and Leytonstone; Stratford in Newham; and Homerton and Lower Clapton in the London Borough of Hackney....
apartment, discovered cannabis
Cannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
plants in his home. Stratton stated that he was growing for medical use
Medical cannabis
Medical cannabis refers to the use of parts of the herb cannabis as a physician-recommended form of medicine or herbal therapy, or to synthetic forms of specific cannabinoids such as THC as a physician-recommended form of medicine...
, but was charged with producing cannabis, exposing him to a potential maximum sentence of 14 years in prison. In November 2008, he is due to appear at the Waltham Forest Magistrates' Court
Magistrates' Court
A magistrates' court or court of petty sessions, formerly known as a police court, is the lowest level of court in England and Wales and many other common law jurisdictions...
and challenge the charge as a contravention of Article 14 of the Human Rights Act
Human Rights Act
A human rights act is a statute that sets out individual rights and freedoms under the law. Many jurisdictions have bills of rights enshrined into law and called the "Human Rights Act". This naming convention is commonly used in Commonwealth nations...
, which prohibits discrimination on any grounds.
Reformation
According to a post made on the 25 May 2010 on the band's Myspace page, Barry, Diani and Fiocco are recording new material with new drummer Martin Davies. New pictures have also appeared on the band's Myspace of the band rehearsing.On 10 January 2011, One Minute Silence announced their official reformation and tour with new material also in the pipeline. Band members for the tour and record are Barry, Fiocco, Diani and Davies.
In early February 2011, it was announced that One Minute Silence would be playing at Sonisphere Festival.
On June 9, 2011, One Minute Silence announced the cancellation of their appearance at Sonisphere Festival, due to 'life complexities'. The group is still hoping to release a new track this summer and tour in the autumn.
On July 4, 2011, the band announced their intention to record, film and release a new album "One Minute Silence : Live in the Studio", with a release date set for November 2011. Fans were given the opportunity to get involved through Pledge Music, with 50 fans standing a chance of being invited to the recording.
Discography
- Available in All ColoursAvailable in All ColoursAvailable in All Colours is the debut album of One Minute Silence, released in 1998. It was released on Big Cat Records, and distributed by 3mv/Pinnacle in the UK, Sony Music in France, Rough Trade in Germany and Austria, M.N.W...
, 1998 album, Big Cat RecordsBig Cat RecordsBig Cat Records is a UK record label. It launched around 1990 and originally specialized in industrial and noise-rock releases. Operated a US office in NYC for a few years. Purchased by V2 Records in 1996, at which point their roster became much more diverse in style...
- "South Central", singleSingle (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...
, Big Cat Records - "A Waste of Things to Come", singleSingle (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...
, Big Cat Records - "Stuck Between A Rock And A White Face", singleSingle (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...
, Big Cat Records
- "South Central", single
- Buy Now... Saved LaterBuy Now... Saved LaterBuy Now... Saved Later is One Minute Silence's second album, the follow-up to Available In All Colours. It was released in 2000 on V2 Records and was dedicated "to the memory of Neville Anthony Lynch". In contrast to the hip-hop-metal tinge the first album had, Buy Now.....
, 2000 album, V2 RecordsV2 RecordsV2 Records is a record label that is owned by Universal Music Group as of October 2007. The label was founded in 1996 by Richard Branson, five years after he sold Virgin Records to EMI....
- UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
#61- "Holy Man", 2001 single, V2 RecordsV2 RecordsV2 Records is a record label that is owned by Universal Music Group as of October 2007. The label was founded in 1996 by Richard Branson, five years after he sold Virgin Records to EMI....
- "Fish Out Of WaterFish Out of Water (song)"Fish Out Of Water" is the sixth song from One Minute Silence's 2000 album Buy Now... Saved Later. It was released as a single on January 8th 2001. There were two versions of the single released by V2 Records.-CD2:# "Fish Out Of Water"...
", 2001 single, V2 RecordsV2 RecordsV2 Records is a record label that is owned by Universal Music Group as of October 2007. The label was founded in 1996 by Richard Branson, five years after he sold Virgin Records to EMI....
- UKUK Singles ChartThe 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 ...
#56 - "Rise and Shine", 2001 single, V2 RecordsV2 RecordsV2 Records is a record label that is owned by Universal Music Group as of October 2007. The label was founded in 1996 by Richard Branson, five years after he sold Virgin Records to EMI....
- "Holy Man", 2001 single, V2 Records
- One Lie Fits AllOne Lie Fits AllOne Lie Fits All is the third album from One Minute Silence. It was released on July 7, 2003. Produced by John Leckie, it was the band's last album before they announced their breakup in October 2003 and interestingly never enjoyed a supporting tour, unlike the two EP's which came during the...
, 2003 album, Taste MediaTaste MediaTaste Media is a record label and production company that has released records for bands such as Muse and Shed Seven. The company was formed by Safta Jaffery and Dennis Smith, who owned the Sawmills recording studio in Cornwall.-History:Taste Media recorded three of Muse's albums, Showbiz, Origin...
- "RevolutionRevolution (EP)Revolution is a 2003 EP by the UK band One Minute Silence.-Track listing:# "Revolution "# "Into Our Own "# "Rise And Shine "# "1845 "...
", 2003, EP, Taste MediaTaste MediaTaste Media is a record label and production company that has released records for bands such as Muse and Shed Seven. The company was formed by Safta Jaffery and Dennis Smith, who owned the Sawmills recording studio in Cornwall.-History:Taste Media recorded three of Muse's albums, Showbiz, Origin... - "We Bounce", 2003 single, Taste MediaTaste MediaTaste Media is a record label and production company that has released records for bands such as Muse and Shed Seven. The company was formed by Safta Jaffery and Dennis Smith, who owned the Sawmills recording studio in Cornwall.-History:Taste Media recorded three of Muse's albums, Showbiz, Origin...
- "I Wear My Skin", 2003 single, Taste MediaTaste MediaTaste Media is a record label and production company that has released records for bands such as Muse and Shed Seven. The company was formed by Safta Jaffery and Dennis Smith, who owned the Sawmills recording studio in Cornwall.-History:Taste Media recorded three of Muse's albums, Showbiz, Origin...
- UKUK Singles ChartThe 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 ...
#44
- "Revolution
- One Minute Silence : Live in the Studio, November 2011, album