Rat (Ned's Atomic Dustbin)
Encyclopedia
Rat was the preferred nickname
of the musician
Gareth Pring (born 8 November 1970, Sedgley
, West Midlands
)
Rat is most famous for being the guitarist
in the early 1990s indie
punk
band
, Ned's Atomic Dustbin
, he was a founding member of the band, and stayed in situ from 1987 to 1995. Ned's Atomic Dustbin
had a string of hit
singles
between 1990 and 1995, among them, "Grey Cell Green" and "Kill Your Television" and "Not Sleeping Around". Shortly after the success of Godfodder, Rat said, "people ask me all the time if I consider myself successful now, or need a No. 1 album before I feel I've validated myself. As long as I'm happy, I don't care. As soon as you start worrying too much about the numbers, you're bound to get miserable."
On Neds' sound, Rat elaborates, "We wanted to do a lot of things musically, one of which was to create something that was the antithesis to dance music. I think that by having two basses, our music sounds a lot heavier than other bands that only have one, and we're totally into that. Whether that was our intent when we formed the group, I can't honestly say."
In a 1992 interview, in response to the grebo label, ("In English schoolyard lingo, "grebo" is the equivalent of "dork." In pop jargon, it refers to a long-haired, smelly person.") Rat says, ""I am a dork, but at least I don't smell. Maybe in the beginning, it was meant to be derogatory, but I don't think `grebo' has bad connotations anymore.""
He further states, "We toured Japan before, and it was brilliant because the kids went mad. The only way we could communicate with them was through our music, but they understood everything we were saying, which is how music should be. It should be so powerful that you don't need a translator, you know?"
Although Rat co-wrote
and played on Ned's Atomic Dustbin
's final album, Brainbloodvolume
, he declined to play on their 1995 North American
tour.
After the Ned's split, he formed a new band Groundswell with singer Jonn Penney
(also formerly of Ned's Atomic Dustbin
), and together they wrote
a number of song
s together. However, he left the band after only a couple of live performances
. Groundswell later reunited for a performance in 2000.
Along with original bassist
Matt Cheslin
, Rat did not partake in the Ned's Atomic Dustbin reunion from 2000 - 2007. Both have now rejoined the band for a show in 2008 and shows in December 2009.
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
of the musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
Gareth Pring (born 8 November 1970, Sedgley
Sedgley
Sedgley is an urban village within the West Midlands county of England. Historically a part of Staffordshire, Sedgley was formerly an ancient manor composed of several smaller villages, including Gornal, Gospel End, Woodsetton, Ettingshall, Coseley and Brierley...
, West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
)
Rat is most famous for being the guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
in the early 1990s indie
Indie (music)
In music, independent music, often shortened to indie music or "indie" is a term used to describe independence from major commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, and an autonomous, Do-It-Yourself approach to recording and publishing....
punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
, Ned's Atomic Dustbin
Ned's Atomic Dustbin
Ned's Atomic Dustbin are an English rock band formed in Stourbridge in West Midlands in November 1987. The band took their name from an episode of The Goon Show. The band were unusual for using two bass players in their lineup: Alex Griffin played melody lines high up on one bass, and Mat Cheslin...
, he was a founding member of the band, and stayed in situ from 1987 to 1995. Ned's Atomic Dustbin
Ned's Atomic Dustbin
Ned's Atomic Dustbin are an English rock band formed in Stourbridge in West Midlands in November 1987. The band took their name from an episode of The Goon Show. The band were unusual for using two bass players in their lineup: Alex Griffin played melody lines high up on one bass, and Mat Cheslin...
had a string of hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
singles
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...
between 1990 and 1995, among them, "Grey Cell Green" and "Kill Your Television" and "Not Sleeping Around". Shortly after the success of Godfodder, Rat said, "people ask me all the time if I consider myself successful now, or need a No. 1 album before I feel I've validated myself. As long as I'm happy, I don't care. As soon as you start worrying too much about the numbers, you're bound to get miserable."
On Neds' sound, Rat elaborates, "We wanted to do a lot of things musically, one of which was to create something that was the antithesis to dance music. I think that by having two basses, our music sounds a lot heavier than other bands that only have one, and we're totally into that. Whether that was our intent when we formed the group, I can't honestly say."
In a 1992 interview, in response to the grebo label, ("In English schoolyard lingo, "grebo" is the equivalent of "dork." In pop jargon, it refers to a long-haired, smelly person.") Rat says, ""I am a dork, but at least I don't smell. Maybe in the beginning, it was meant to be derogatory, but I don't think `grebo' has bad connotations anymore.""
He further states, "We toured Japan before, and it was brilliant because the kids went mad. The only way we could communicate with them was through our music, but they understood everything we were saying, which is how music should be. It should be so powerful that you don't need a translator, you know?"
Although Rat co-wrote
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and played on Ned's Atomic Dustbin
Ned's Atomic Dustbin
Ned's Atomic Dustbin are an English rock band formed in Stourbridge in West Midlands in November 1987. The band took their name from an episode of The Goon Show. The band were unusual for using two bass players in their lineup: Alex Griffin played melody lines high up on one bass, and Mat Cheslin...
's final album, Brainbloodvolume
Brainbloodvolume
Brainbloodvolume is the third and final album from Ned's Atomic Dustbin with their original line-up. It was released on 21 March 1995.- Track listing :# "All I Ask Of Myself Is That I Hold Together" # "Floote" # "Premonition"...
, he declined to play on their 1995 North American
North American
North American generally refers to an entity, people, group, or attribute of North America, especially of the United States and Canada together.-Culture:*North American English, a collective term used to describe American English and Canadian English...
tour.
After the Ned's split, he formed a new band Groundswell with singer Jonn Penney
Jonn Penney
Jonn Penney is a musician best known as the lead singer of Ned's Atomic Dustbin....
(also formerly of Ned's Atomic Dustbin
Ned's Atomic Dustbin
Ned's Atomic Dustbin are an English rock band formed in Stourbridge in West Midlands in November 1987. The band took their name from an episode of The Goon Show. The band were unusual for using two bass players in their lineup: Alex Griffin played melody lines high up on one bass, and Mat Cheslin...
), and together they wrote
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
a number of song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
s together. However, he left the band after only a couple of live performances
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
. Groundswell later reunited for a performance in 2000.
Along with original bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Matt Cheslin
Matt Cheslin
Mat Cheslin is a musician originally based in the Stourbridge area...
, Rat did not partake in the Ned's Atomic Dustbin reunion from 2000 - 2007. Both have now rejoined the band for a show in 2008 and shows in December 2009.