Tin Pot Operation
Encyclopedia
Tin Pot Operation or TPO are an indie-punk band originally from Belfast
, Northern Ireland
, where they have a large local following.
They are notorious for the political content of their music with songs about racism
, media manipulation
and war
and so on.
The band have also played support to The Stranglers
, Aslan (rock band)
and Duke Special
and, most recently, were picked by The Damned to play as part of their Twisted Cabaret show in Belfast.
They have released a fourteen track album
entitled Manufacturing Dissent (2005) and a 6-track EP
called Here! It's the Tin Pot Operation., along with a stand alone single
"Blackeye" in December 2006.
The band were featured as part of a documentary on the music of Northern Ireland following The Troubles
They are noted as being one of the few non-traditional bands to actively write and perform in the Irish Language
. They have appeared live on BBC 2 Northern Ireland's Irish Language music show, An Stuif Ceart, and reached the final of the Irish Language band competition, "Deis Roc", judged by Horslips
member Jim Lockhart. They appeared alongside Foy Vance
, David Holmes
and Ocean Colour Scene
at the 2008 New Year's Eve celebrations in Belfast.
The political content of their music has also seen them listed at The Centre for Political Song at Glasgow Caledonian University.
The band have released Human Resources on the band's own record label
"Nought Percent Records" (a play on the fact that it was funded with a "0% for 6 months" credit card deal). The first single from the new album was "Sitting There", which was released as a free download. The album was initially released in download only form in March 2009.
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, where they have a large local following.
They are notorious for the political content of their music with songs about racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
, media manipulation
Media manipulation
Media manipulation is an aspect of public relations in which partisans create an image or argument that favours their particular interests. Such tactics may include the use of logical fallacies and propaganda techniques, and often involve the suppression of information or points of view by crowding...
and war
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
and so on.
The band have also played support to The Stranglers
The Stranglers
The Stranglers are an English punk/rock music group.Scoring some 23 UK top 40 singles and 17 UK top 40 albums to date in a career spanning five decades, the Stranglers are the longest-surviving and most "continuously successful" band to have originated in the UK punk scene of the mid to late 1970s...
, Aslan (rock band)
Aslan (rock band)
Aslan are an Irish rock band from Dublin who formed in 1982. Comprising Christy Dignam, Joe Jewell, Billy McGuinness, Alan Downey and Rodney O'Brien, the band has released five studio albums - Feel No Shame , Goodbye Charlie Moonhead , Here Comes Lucy Jones , Waiting For This Madness To End and...
and Duke Special
Duke Special
Duke Special, real name Peter Wilson, is a songwriter and performer based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. A piano-based songwriter with a romantic style and a warm, distinctly accented voice, he has a distinctive look, with his long dreadlocks, eyeliner and outfits he describes as "hobo chic"...
and, most recently, were picked by The Damned to play as part of their Twisted Cabaret show in Belfast.
They have released a fourteen track album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
entitled Manufacturing Dissent (2005) and a 6-track 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...
called Here! It's the Tin Pot Operation., along with a stand alone single
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...
"Blackeye" in December 2006.
The band were featured as part of a documentary on the music of Northern Ireland following The Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
They are noted as being one of the few non-traditional bands to actively write and perform in the Irish Language
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
. They have appeared live on BBC 2 Northern Ireland's Irish Language music show, An Stuif Ceart, and reached the final of the Irish Language band competition, "Deis Roc", judged by Horslips
Horslips
Horslips are an Irish Celtic rock band that compose, arrange and perform songs based on traditional Irish jigs and reels. The group are regarded as 'founding fathers of Celtic rock' for their fusion of traditional Irish music with rock music and went on to inspire many local and international acts....
member Jim Lockhart. They appeared alongside Foy Vance
Foy Vance
Foy Vance is a musician from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. His first single "Gabriel and the Vagabond" was released on 18 December 2006 on Wurdamouth Records. The single's B-side was "Indiscriminate Act of Kindness"...
, David Holmes
David Holmes
David Holmes is the name of:* David Holmes , stuntman and actor in the Harry Potter films* David Holmes , former Chairman of Rangers* David Holmes , former BBC Political Editor...
and Ocean Colour Scene
Ocean Colour Scene
Ocean Colour Scene are an English Britpop band formed in Moseley, Birmingham in 1989. They have had five Top 10 albums and six Top 10 singles to date.-Early days :...
at the 2008 New Year's Eve celebrations in Belfast.
The political content of their music has also seen them listed at The Centre for Political Song at Glasgow Caledonian University.
The band have released Human Resources on the band's own record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
"Nought Percent Records" (a play on the fact that it was funded with a "0% for 6 months" credit card deal). The first single from the new album was "Sitting There", which was released as a free download. The album was initially released in download only form in March 2009.
Releases
- Manufacturing Dissent - album (2005)
- Here! It's the Tin Pot Operation - EP (2006)
- "Blackeye" - single (2006)
- "Sitting There" - single (2008)
- Human Resources - album (2009)