Subgiant (band)
Encyclopedia
Subgiant are Olly Maw, Dan Hayes, and Tushar Joshi, a live dance music
band from the UK, formed in 2000.
grunge
band Spire
) and Dan Hayes met as bassist and DJ (respectively) in 2000, and formed what, in its early days, was a dub
act with two further members, Steve Barnes (guitar
) and Bren O'Donnell (drums
). One gig was performed under this line-up, and the band promptly folded. Within 6 months, Maw and Hayes took up the project as an electronic duo, and started music production and live gigging. In 2004, Tushar Joshi joined on electro drums, and the band concentrated on the live performance
of trance
-orientated music.
The band soon found themselves on the UK festival
circuit, with appearances at the infamous Kingston Green Fair, the Ambient Green Picnic, and the Big Green Gathering
. Their acceptance into the festival scene led them to a high-profile slot at the Glastonbury Festival
in the Summer of 2004. This was soon followed by the band's first album, 'Advances in Twig Technology', on Blissfields Records. BBC Radio 1
DJ Rob Da Bank
booked the band for two consecutive years at the Bestival
on the Isle of Wight
, and this was followed by appearances at the The Levellers
` own festival Beautiful Days (festival)
, and the Larmer Tree Festival
. The band continue to play at many festivals in the summer months, and at clubs up and down the country throughout the year.
, techno
, dub
, and some drum and bass
.
As of 2010, Subgiant continue to tour their live act.
and for Human Rights
.
Tushar Joshi is a founder member of Lonix, the London
Linux
User Group and Director of Turtle Networks.
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
band from the UK, formed in 2000.
History
Olly Maw (previously with South LondonSouth London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
band Spire
Spire
A spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from the Old English word spir, meaning a sprout, shoot, or stalk of grass....
) and Dan Hayes met as bassist and DJ (respectively) in 2000, and formed what, in its early days, was a dub
Dub music
Dub is a genre of music which grew out of reggae music in the 1960s, and is commonly considered a subgenre, though it has developed to extend beyond the scope of reggae...
act with two further members, Steve Barnes (guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
) and Bren O'Donnell (drums
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 ....
). One gig was performed under this line-up, and the band promptly folded. Within 6 months, Maw and Hayes took up the project as an electronic duo, and started music production and live gigging. In 2004, Tushar Joshi joined on electro drums, and the band concentrated on the live performance
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...
of trance
Trance music
Trance is a genre of electronic dance music that developed in the 1990s.:251 It is generally characterized by a tempo of between 125 and 150 bpm,:252 repeating melodic synthesizer phrases, and a musical form that builds up and breaks down throughout a track...
-orientated music.
The band soon found themselves on the UK festival
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
circuit, with appearances at the infamous Kingston Green Fair, the Ambient Green Picnic, and the Big Green Gathering
Big Green Gathering
The Big Green Gathering was a festival with an environmental focus which happened during most summers between 1994 and 2007. It was held at various locations in Somerset and Wiltshire in England...
. Their acceptance into the festival scene led them to a high-profile slot at the Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
in the Summer of 2004. This was soon followed by the band's first album, 'Advances in Twig Technology', on Blissfields Records. BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
DJ Rob Da Bank
Rob da Bank
Robert John Gorham, known by the pseudonym Rob da Bank, is a British disc jockey. He presents a Friday-night/Saturday-morning show, Rob da Bank, on BBC Radio 1 from 5am-7am, focused on promoting new left field music...
booked the band for two consecutive years at the Bestival
Bestival
Bestival is a four-day music festival held at the Robin Hill country park on the Isle of Wight, England. It has been held annually in late summer since 2004. The event is organized by DJ and record producer Rob da Bank and is an off-shoot of his Sunday Best record label and club nights. The initial...
on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
, and this was followed by appearances at the The Levellers
The Levellers (band)
The Levellers are an English rock band, founded in 1988 and based in Brighton, England. Their musical style is said to be influenced by punk and traditional English music.-1988-1990:...
` own festival Beautiful Days (festival)
Beautiful Days (festival)
This article is about the music festival. For other uses, see Beautiful Days .The Beautiful Days is a music festival that takes place in August at Escot Park, Ottery St Mary, Devon...
, and the Larmer Tree Festival
Larmer Tree Festival
The Larmer Tree Festival is a five-day music and arts festival held annually at the Larmer Tree Gardens near Tollard Royal on the Wiltshire-Dorset border in England. Described as "One of the most family-friendly festivals around", it is also noted for its "stunning location .....
. The band continue to play at many festivals in the summer months, and at clubs up and down the country throughout the year.
Musicology
Although most often associated with the breaks genre, the band actually span almost all forms of dance music, including tranceTrance music
Trance is a genre of electronic dance music that developed in the 1990s.:251 It is generally characterized by a tempo of between 125 and 150 bpm,:252 repeating melodic synthesizer phrases, and a musical form that builds up and breaks down throughout a track...
, techno
Techno
Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...
, dub
Dub music
Dub is a genre of music which grew out of reggae music in the 1960s, and is commonly considered a subgenre, though it has developed to extend beyond the scope of reggae...
, and some drum and bass
Drum and bass
Drum and bass is a type of electronic music which emerged in the late 1980s. The genre is characterized by fast breakbeats , with heavy bass and sub-bass lines...
.
As of 2010, Subgiant continue to tour their live act.
CD
- Advances in Twig Technology (Blissfields Records 2004)
- Global Control (Blissfields Records 2006)
Other projects
Olly Maw is also webmaster for the Media Lens website, and is an active protester against Climate ChangeClimate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
and for Human Rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
.
Tushar Joshi is a founder member of Lonix, the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
User Group and Director of Turtle Networks.
External links
- www.subgiant.co.uk - official website
- Subgiant's MySpace site
- www.frusion.co.uk - live agent
- www.blissfieldsrecords.co.uk - record label