S.C.U.M (band)
Encyclopedia
S.C.U.M are a South East London based post-punk
/art rock
group. Its members are Thomas Cohen (vocals), Bradley Baker (machines, press), Samuel Kilcoyne (keyboards), Huw Webb (bass) and Melissa Rigby (drums). The band previously included Ruaridh Connellan (drums) and Joseph Williams (bass, media). S.C.U.M take their name from Valerie Solanas
' misandrous screed, SCUM Manifesto
, an ironic reference to the all-male nature of the band prior to Connellan's dismissal.
S.C.U.M's debut single "Visions Arise" was released on Loog Records
on 15th September 2008. Since then the band have toured extensively across the UK and Europe to a growing fan base and released three exclusive digital download tracks called SIGNALS. While S.C.U.M were travelling across Europe performing shows theywere taking studio time in each city they visited to record new works specific to each location. The music documented their sonic journey and acted as an audio visual scrapbook of the bands travels and musical progression. S.C.U.M have recorded a series of "SIGNALS" in Warsaw
, Berlin
, Paris
and recently in Athens
. S.C.U.M "SIGNAL (4) ATHENS" will be released later this year. Paris
was the most extreme of these; the band describing it as a painting of their minds at the time. Cohen later said "Paris was the one that started it, i just remember taking to bed one night after contemplating the early Dada artists and the lyrics came to me in a screen of emotion signals". They were featured and interviewed in the April 2010 edition of Mojo
.
S.C.U.M. had been chosen by Portishead to perform at the ATP I'll Be Your Mirror
festival that they curated in July 2011 at London's Alexandra Palace
. On July 18, 2011, "Amber Hands" was released by Mute Records
, described by Pitchfork
as "the mammoth first single from the London shoegazers
" .
By this time the band have finished recording the debut album with producers Ken and Jolyon Thomas whose production credits (individually and together) include David Bowie
, Public Image Ltd, Sigur Ros
and Psychic TV
among others. The album, Again Into Eyes, was released on September 12, 2011, via Mute
and received generally positive reviews, with a 7.3 rating from agregating website AnyDecentMusic?
(based on 9 professional reviews).
, Ghost
and Liars
.
Commenting on some British tabloids' calling him "a pretentious rocker", Cohen said: "It's because we don't make music about social issues so it comes across as unsocial and therefore pretentious. Which is rubbish." The band have also stated in past interviews that some of their songs deal with emotional fluctuations caused by visual manifestations of coloured shapes representing repressed lust.
Post-punk
Post-punk is a rock music movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...
/art rock
Art rock
Art rock is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, with influences from art, avant-garde, and classical music. The first usage of the term, according to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, was in 1968. Influenced by the work of The Beatles, most notably their Sgt...
group. Its members are Thomas Cohen (vocals), Bradley Baker (machines, press), Samuel Kilcoyne (keyboards), Huw Webb (bass) and Melissa Rigby (drums). The band previously included Ruaridh Connellan (drums) and Joseph Williams (bass, media). S.C.U.M take their name from Valerie Solanas
Valerie Solanas
Valerie Jean Solanas was an American radical feminist writer, best known for her attempted murder of Andy Warhol in 1968. She wrote the SCUM Manifesto, which called for male gendercide and the creation of an all-female society.-Early life:Solanas was born in Ventnor City, New Jersey, to Louis...
' misandrous screed, SCUM Manifesto
SCUM Manifesto
The SCUM Manifesto is a radical feminist manifesto written in 1967 by Valerie Solanas and calling for the elimination of the male sex.-Description:...
, an ironic reference to the all-male nature of the band prior to Connellan's dismissal.
History
S.C.U.M formed in early 2008, its initial line-up consisting of Thomas Cohen, Bradley Baker, Samuel Kilcoyne (founder of the Underage club nights and the festival spin off as well as the son of Add N to X's Barry 7), drummer Ruaridh Connellan and bassist Joseph Williams who left early on in the band's career due to his priorities, which lay in his desire to become a Barrister.S.C.U.M's debut single "Visions Arise" was released on Loog Records
Loog Records
Loog Records is a British independent record label. Loog was created by former NME editor James Oldham in 2003. It is named after former Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham...
on 15th September 2008. Since then the band have toured extensively across the UK and Europe to a growing fan base and released three exclusive digital download tracks called SIGNALS. While S.C.U.M were travelling across Europe performing shows theywere taking studio time in each city they visited to record new works specific to each location. The music documented their sonic journey and acted as an audio visual scrapbook of the bands travels and musical progression. S.C.U.M have recorded a series of "SIGNALS" in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and recently in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
. S.C.U.M "SIGNAL (4) ATHENS" will be released later this year. Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
was the most extreme of these; the band describing it as a painting of their minds at the time. Cohen later said "Paris was the one that started it, i just remember taking to bed one night after contemplating the early Dada artists and the lyrics came to me in a screen of emotion signals". They were featured and interviewed in the April 2010 edition of Mojo
Mojo (magazine)
MOJO is a popular music magazine published initially by Emap, and since January 2008 by Bauer, monthly in the United Kingdom. Following the success of the magazine Q, publishers Emap were looking for a title which would cater for the burgeoning interest in classic rock music...
.
S.C.U.M. had been chosen by Portishead to perform at the ATP I'll Be Your Mirror
All Tomorrow's Parties (music festival)
All Tomorrow's Parties is a music festival which takes place at Camber Sands holiday camp in East Sussex and Butlin's holiday camp in Minehead, Somerset, England....
festival that they curated in July 2011 at London's Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace is a building in North London, England. It stands in Alexandra Park, in an area between Hornsey, Muswell Hill and Wood Green...
. On July 18, 2011, "Amber Hands" was released by Mute Records
Mute Records
Mute is an independent record label based in the UK. It was founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller and featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Goldfrapp, Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure and Fad Gadget.-Beginnings:...
, described by Pitchfork
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
as "the mammoth first single from the London shoegazers
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...
" .
By this time the band have finished recording the debut album with producers Ken and Jolyon Thomas whose production credits (individually and together) include 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...
, Public Image Ltd, Sigur Ros
Sigur Rós
Sigur Rós is an Icelandic post-rock band with classicaland minimalist elements. The band is known for its ethereal sound, and frontman Jónsi Birgisson's falsetto vocals and use of bowed guitar. In January 2010, the band announced that they will be on hiatus. Since then, it has since been announced...
and Psychic TV
Psychic TV
Psychic TV or PTV, is a video art and music group that primarily performs psychedelic, punk, electronic and experimental music...
among others. The album, Again Into Eyes, was released on September 12, 2011, via Mute
Mute Records
Mute is an independent record label based in the UK. It was founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller and featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Goldfrapp, Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure and Fad Gadget.-Beginnings:...
and received generally positive reviews, with a 7.3 rating from agregating website AnyDecentMusic?
AnyDecentMusic?
AnyDecentMusic? is a website that collates reviews of contemporary music albums, covering rock, pop, electronic, dance, folk, country, roots and urban...
(based on 9 professional reviews).
Musical Style and Influences
S.C.U.M have claimed that they are not influenced by anyone musically. Though they have spoken of a love for Throbbing GristleThrobbing Gristle
Throbbing Gristle were an English industrial, avant-garde music and visual arts group that evolved from the performance art group COUM Transmissions...
, Ghost
Ghost
In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to...
and Liars
Liars (band)
Liars is a three-piece band formed in 2000 consisting of Angus Andrew , Aaron Hemphill , and Julian Gross...
.
Commenting on some British tabloids' calling him "a pretentious rocker", Cohen said: "It's because we don't make music about social issues so it comes across as unsocial and therefore pretentious. Which is rubbish." The band have also stated in past interviews that some of their songs deal with emotional fluctuations caused by visual manifestations of coloured shapes representing repressed lust.
Singles
| Name | Release date | Label |
|---|---|---|
| "Visions Arise" | September 15th, 2008 | Loog/Polydor |
| "Amber Hands" | July 18th, 2011 | Mute Mute Records Mute is an independent record label based in the UK. It was founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller and featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Goldfrapp, Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure and Fad Gadget.-Beginnings:... |
| "Whitechapel" | September 26th, 2011 | |
Albums
| Name | Release date | Label | UK Chart Peak |
|---|---|---|---|
| Again into Eyes | September 12th, 2011 | Mute | #192 |