The Spasm Band
Encyclopedia
Anthony Joseph & The Spasm Band is a band led by Trinidad
ian poet, novelist and lecturer Anthony Joseph
. The band was formed in London
in 2005 as an offshoot of his then novel-in-progress The African Origins of UFOs
. The band's musical influences include Free Jazz
, Afro-Caribbean funk, spoken word
, soca
, rapso
, Calypso
, Rock
and the hypnotic Spiritual Baptist
rhythms that were prominent in Joseph's childhood in Trinidad.
In December 2005, as a quartet, they recorded their first album The Spasm Band in London. The album was self produced and received only limited exposure. It was heard via myspace by Parisian producer and Jazz aficionado Antoine Rajon who signed Joseph to his Heavenly Sweetness label and released the Spasm Band's debut 12" EP
Spirit Lash, which featured songs from their initial recordings.
was released in April 2007 by Kindred Spirits and the Spasm Band toured Europe and the UK during 2007 in support of the album, appearing at the North Sea Jazz Festival
, Rotterdam, Les Eurockeennes, Belfort, Roskilde, Denmark and the Blue Note Jazz Festival in Paris. They also performed at the Jazz au Chellah Festival in Rabat, Morocco.
in just two days in Meudon, France, produced by Antoine Rajon. During the sessions, 20 songs were recorded live in the studio with no overdubs. The album features the now expanded Spasm Band line up as well as guest performers Keziah Jones, Defunkt founder Joseph Bowie, David Neerman and Jamika Ajalon. A 3 track EP La Diablese was released by Heavenly Sweetness in July 2008. It included the tracks "Vero", "Robberman" (both included on the Bird Head Son album) and an exclusive version of Poverty is Hell by the Mighty Shadow
.
The Bird Head Son Tour commenced in December 2008 at Rennes, France and will continue throughout 2009.
The album was released in January 2009 by Naive/Heavenly Sweetness. As with Joseph's last album, Leggo de Lion
this album is also accompanied by a new literary work; Joseph's 3rd collection of poetry, also entitled Bird Head Son which is published by Salt Publishing in February 2009 to coincide with the UK release of the album. It includes lyrics from the album.
They continue to tour throughout 2010 and are expected to release their 3rd album in early 2011.
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
ian poet, novelist and lecturer Anthony Joseph
Anthony Joseph
Anthony Joseph is a British poet, novelist, musician and lecturer.Joseph was born in Trinidad and was raised by his grandparents. He began writing as a young child and cites his main influences as the Calypso, surrealism, jazz, the spiritual Baptist church that his grandparents attended, and the...
. The band was formed 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...
in 2005 as an offshoot of his then novel-in-progress The African Origins of UFOs
The African Origins of UFOs
The African Origins Of UFOs is a book by Anthony Joseph. Published in October 2006 by Salt Publishing.The text is an experimental, time shifting narrative in poetic prose and poetry that contains elements of afro futurism, metafiction, science fiction, surrealism, mythology and written in an...
. The band's musical influences include Free Jazz
Free jazz
Free jazz is an approach to jazz music that was first developed in the 1950s and 1960s. Though the music produced by free jazz pioneers varied widely, the common feature was a dissatisfaction with the limitations of bebop, hard bop, and modal jazz, which had developed in the 1940s and 1950s...
, Afro-Caribbean funk, spoken word
Spoken word
Spoken word is a form of poetry that often uses alliterated prose or verse and occasionally uses metered verse to express social commentary. Traditionally it is in the first person, is from the poet’s point of view and is themed in current events....
, soca
Soca music
Soca is a style of music from Trinidad and Tobago. Soca is a musical development of traditional Trinidadian calypso, through loans from the 1960s onwards from predominantly black popular music....
, rapso
Rapso
Rapso is a form of Trinidadian music that grew out of the social unrest of the 1970s. It has been described as "de power of de word in the riddim of de word". Though often described as a fusion of native soca with American hip hop, rapso is uniquely Trinidadian.Black Power and unions grew in the...
, Calypso
Calypso music
Calypso is a style of Afro-Caribbean music that originated in Trinidad and Tobago from African and European roots. The roots of the genre lay in the arrival of enslaved Africans, who, not being allowed to speak with each other, communicated through song...
, 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...
and the hypnotic Spiritual Baptist
Spiritual Baptist
The Spiritual Baptists faith is an Afro-Caribbean syncretic religion which combines elements of traditional West African religions with Christianity. The Spiritual Baptist faith originated in St. Vincent....
rhythms that were prominent in Joseph's childhood in Trinidad.
In December 2005, as a quartet, they recorded their first album The Spasm Band in London. The album was self produced and received only limited exposure. It was heard via myspace by Parisian producer and Jazz aficionado Antoine Rajon who signed Joseph to his Heavenly Sweetness label and released the Spasm Band's debut 12" 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...
Spirit Lash, which featured songs from their initial recordings.
Leggo de Lion
Their debut album Leggo de LionLeggo de Lion
"Leggo de Lion" is the first commercially released album by Trinidadian poet and lecturer Anthony Joseph and the Spasm Band. It features lyrics taken from Joseph's novel The African Origins of UFOs....
was released in April 2007 by Kindred Spirits and the Spasm Band toured Europe and the UK during 2007 in support of the album, appearing at the North Sea Jazz Festival
North Sea Jazz Festival
The North Sea Jazz Festival is an annual jazz festival held each second weekend of July in the Netherlands at the Ahoy venue. It used to be in The Hague but since 2006 it has been held in Rotterdam...
, Rotterdam, Les Eurockeennes, Belfort, Roskilde, Denmark and the Blue Note Jazz Festival in Paris. They also performed at the Jazz au Chellah Festival in Rabat, Morocco.
Bird Head Son
In March 2008 they recorded their second album Bird Head SonBird Head Son
Bird Head Son is a 2009 album by poet Anthony Joseph & The Spasm Band. It was recorded in just two days in March 2008 in Meudon, France and produced by Antoine Rajon. It is the bands sophomore studio album following 2007's Leggo de Lion. During the sessions, 20 songs were recorded live in the...
in just two days in Meudon, France, produced by Antoine Rajon. During the sessions, 20 songs were recorded live in the studio with no overdubs. The album features the now expanded Spasm Band line up as well as guest performers Keziah Jones, Defunkt founder Joseph Bowie, David Neerman and Jamika Ajalon. A 3 track EP La Diablese was released by Heavenly Sweetness in July 2008. It included the tracks "Vero", "Robberman" (both included on the Bird Head Son album) and an exclusive version of Poverty is Hell by the Mighty Shadow
Mighty Shadow
Winston Bailey , better known by his stage name The Mighty Shadow or Shadow, is a calypsonian from Trinidad and Tobago. Bailey was born in Belmont, a suburb of Port of Spain in Trinidad, but grew up in Les Coteaux, Tobago with his grandparents...
.
The Bird Head Son Tour commenced in December 2008 at Rennes, France and will continue throughout 2009.
The album was released in January 2009 by Naive/Heavenly Sweetness. As with Joseph's last album, Leggo de Lion
Leggo de Lion
"Leggo de Lion" is the first commercially released album by Trinidadian poet and lecturer Anthony Joseph and the Spasm Band. It features lyrics taken from Joseph's novel The African Origins of UFOs....
this album is also accompanied by a new literary work; Joseph's 3rd collection of poetry, also entitled Bird Head Son which is published by Salt Publishing in February 2009 to coincide with the UK release of the album. It includes lyrics from the album.
Personnel changes
In early 2010 the band underwent personnel changes, introducing, for the first time a drum kit into the instrumentation.They continue to tour throughout 2010 and are expected to release their 3rd album in early 2011.
EPs & Singles
- The Bamboo Saxophone (Kidkanevil Remix) - Heavenly Sweetness, 2009
- La DiablesseLa DiablesseAccording to the folklore of Trinidad and Tobago, La Diablesse is a woman whose poise, figure and dress make her appear to be beautiful; her hideous face is hidden by a large brimmed hat. Her long dress hides the fact that she has one human foot and one cow's hoof, also she walks with one foot on...
- Heavenly Sweetness, 2008 - Spirit Lash - Heavenly Sweetness, 2006
Albums
- Anthony Joseph & The Spasm Band - Poison Engine Press, 2006
- Leggo de LionLeggo de Lion"Leggo de Lion" is the first commercially released album by Trinidadian poet and lecturer Anthony Joseph and the Spasm Band. It features lyrics taken from Joseph's novel The African Origins of UFOs....
- Kindred Spirits, 2007 - Bird Head SonBird Head SonBird Head Son is a 2009 album by poet Anthony Joseph & The Spasm Band. It was recorded in just two days in March 2008 in Meudon, France and produced by Antoine Rajon. It is the bands sophomore studio album following 2007's Leggo de Lion. During the sessions, 20 songs were recorded live in the...
- Naive/Heavenly Sweetness, 2009 - Rubber Orchestras - Naive/Heavenly Sweetness, forthcoming 2011