Unextraordinary Gentlemen
Encyclopedia
Unextraordinary Gentlemen (UXG) is a musical project formed in Los Angeles
in 2005 by bassist/keyboardist Richard Pilawski (previously with the surf punk band Sex with Lurch) & vocalist/lyricist Eric Schreeck to "...explore our love for post-punk, synth-pop, industrial & experimental music combined with the literary genre of Victorian fantasy." The project went public in early 2007, joined by Jennifer Pomerantz (of Demonika & The Darklings) on violin. The band's name is a tongue-in-cheek nod to Alan Moore
's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
.
UXG has been called one of the "foremost of the musical assets of... steampunk" and has been interviewed by or featured in several genre and local scene publications. Their first CD, 5 Tales from God-Only-Knows received positive reviews from several sources, most notably ReGen magazine, Mick Mercer
and Sepiachord. Mick Mercer called their second release, No Hands To Guide Us, "most impressive", and they are featured in Mercer's latest book, Music To Die For.
set in a fictional area based on a mixture of Victorian England and American Old West
, with the band members taking on alternate identities that relate to that back-story. In character, the band members are time travellers who have come from that past using one of Professor Mangrove's amazing inventions. Most of their songs are set in and tell stories about this fictional 19th century place, sung from the points-of-view of characters like "Clive the Barker", "Dread Penny" and "Elwood Lovekraken". A page on their website contains "The Unextraordinary Encyclopedia", a list of names, places and events in this fictional world that are referred to in their music.
and the Derby, and have performed at major goth and steampunk events including Eccentrik Festival
, Bats Day
and The Edwardian Ball. They can often be heard on a number of steampunk radio broadcasts that stream worldwide, such as The Clockwork Cabaret
, and were recently featured in the SmallWORLD podcast's focus on steampunk.
Festival appearances have included:
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in 2005 by bassist/keyboardist Richard Pilawski (previously with the surf punk band Sex with Lurch) & vocalist/lyricist Eric Schreeck to "...explore our love for post-punk, synth-pop, industrial & experimental music combined with the literary genre of Victorian fantasy." The project went public in early 2007, joined by Jennifer Pomerantz (of Demonika & The Darklings) on violin. The band's name is a tongue-in-cheek nod to Alan Moore
Alan Moore
Alan Oswald Moore is an English writer primarily known for his work in comic books, a medium where he has produced a number of critically acclaimed and popular series, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell...
's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is a comic book series written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Kevin O'Neill, publication of which began in 1999. The series spans two six-issue limited series and a graphic novel from the America's Best Comics imprint of Wildstorm/DC, and a third miniseries...
.
UXG has been called one of the "foremost of the musical assets of... steampunk" and has been interviewed by or featured in several genre and local scene publications. Their first CD, 5 Tales from God-Only-Knows received positive reviews from several sources, most notably ReGen magazine, Mick Mercer
Mick Mercer
Mick Mercer is a journalist and author best known for his photos and reviews of the goth, punk, and indie music scenes. He has photographed the bands Tragic Venus and Blondie in the UK and Europe.He publishes a monthly online magazine called "The Mick"....
and Sepiachord. Mick Mercer called their second release, No Hands To Guide Us, "most impressive", and they are featured in Mercer's latest book, Music To Die For.
Back-story
The band has created a back-storyBack-story
A back-story, background story, or backstory is the literary device of a narrative chronologically earlier than, and related to, a narrative of primary interest. Generally, it is the history of characters or other elements that underlie the situation existing at the main narrative's start...
set in a fictional area based on a mixture of Victorian England and American Old West
American Old West
The American Old West, or the Wild West, comprises the history, geography, people, lore, and cultural expression of life in the Western United States, most often referring to the latter half of the 19th century, between the American Civil War and the end of the century...
, with the band members taking on alternate identities that relate to that back-story. In character, the band members are time travellers who have come from that past using one of Professor Mangrove's amazing inventions. Most of their songs are set in and tell stories about this fictional 19th century place, sung from the points-of-view of characters like "Clive the Barker", "Dread Penny" and "Elwood Lovekraken". A page on their website contains "The Unextraordinary Encyclopedia", a list of names, places and events in this fictional world that are referred to in their music.
Career
UXG has performed in notable venues such as the CIA, the Knitting FactoryKnitting Factory
The Knitting Factory is a music venue and concert house with locations in Brooklyn, Boise, Reno, and Spokane. The club originally specialized in jazz and experimental music and has expanded to showcasing all genres of music, performing arts and comedy....
and the Derby, and have performed at major goth and steampunk events including Eccentrik Festival
Eccentrik
The Eccentrik Festival is an annual 3-day goth and industrial music festival held in the Raleigh, North Carolina area and has in some years been spread out between several different venues. The festival started in October 2004...
, Bats Day
Bats Day in the Fun Park
Bats Day in the Fun Park, also known as Bats Day, Goth Day, Bats Day in the Park and Bats Day Out, started in August 1999 as a joint effort between the promoters of the goth/industrial and deathrock clubs Absynthe and Release the Bats. It has become an annual three-day event taking place in...
and The Edwardian Ball. They can often be heard on a number of steampunk radio broadcasts that stream worldwide, such as The Clockwork Cabaret
The Clockwork Cabaret
The Clockwork Cabaret is a live radio variety show focusing on steampunk music, created and hosted by the Davenport sisters. The show runs two hours on Mondays from 11pm to 1am Eastern Time, and usually originates from the studio of WCOM Community Radio in Carrboro, North Carolina, although it is...
, and were recently featured in the SmallWORLD podcast's focus on steampunk.
Festival appearances have included:
- The 2008 Edwardian Ball in San Francisco, CA.
- The 5th Annual EccentrikEccentrikThe Eccentrik Festival is an annual 3-day goth and industrial music festival held in the Raleigh, North Carolina area and has in some years been spread out between several different venues. The festival started in October 2004...
Festival in Chapel Hill, NC 2008. - Bats Day in the Fun ParkBats Day in the Fun ParkBats Day in the Fun Park, also known as Bats Day, Goth Day, Bats Day in the Park and Bats Day Out, started in August 1999 as a joint effort between the promoters of the goth/industrial and deathrock clubs Absynthe and Release the Bats. It has become an annual three-day event taking place in...
Dark Park Festival 2008 in Anaheim, CA. - Gothla: The Divining: Cogs In Motion in Pomona, CA 2009.
- Comic Con's steampunk after-party "The Ventricular Engine", in San Diego, CA, July 2009.
- The Steampunk World's FairSteampunk World's FairThe Steampunk World's Fair is a Steampunk convention produced by Oneiroi Productions It was held in Piscataway, New Jersey in 2010 and Somerset, New Jersey in 2011, both times during the month of May....
in Piscataway, NJ, May 2010. - Comic Con's steampunk after-party "The League of Temporal Adventurers First Society Gala", in San Diego, CA, July 2010, headlining with VoltaireVoltaire (musician)Voltaire , is a popular dark cabaret Cuban-American musician...
and The Slow PoisonerAndrew GoldfarbAndrew Goldfarb is a musician, artist, and novelist living in San Francisco, California. He is a member of the bizarro fiction movement in literature....
. - Wild Wild West Con at Old Tucson StudiosOld Tucson StudiosOld Tucson Studios is a movie studio and theme park just west of Tucson, Arizona, adjacent to the Tucson Mountains and close to the western portion of Saguaro National Park. Built in 1939 for the movie Arizona, it has been used for the filming of several movies and television westerns since then,...
in Tucson, Arizona, March 2011. - Comic Con's steampunk after-party "The Time Machine", in San Diego, CA, July 2011, headlining with Abney ParkAbney Park (band)Abney Park is a band based in Seattle that mixes elements of industrial dance, world music, and steampunk influenced lyrics in their work. Their name comes from Abney Park Cemetery in London...
.
Collaboration
- Their song "Open Arms, Empty Air" was remixed by Vernian ProcessVernian ProcessVernian Process is an Avant-Garde band formed in San Francisco in 2003. Taking its name from the works of 19th century author Jules Verne, Vernian Process is a band that creates music themed around Victorian scientific romance and its modern counterpart steampunk...
. - Their song "Mr. Soot's Little Black Book" was also included on the steampunk compilation, An Age Remembered: A Steampunk and Neo-Victorian Mix (2007)
- Malcom Schreeck helped write the lyrics on two songs by Vernian Process ("The Alchemist's Vision", and "Crime of the Century") and is credited with vocals on versions of those tracks.
- In 2011, their song "Open Arms, Empty Air" was again remixed, this time by Barry AdamsonBarry AdamsonBarry Adamson is a British rock musician who has worked with rock bands such as Magazine, Visage, The Birthday Party, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, and the electronic musicians Pan sonic and Depeche Mode. Adamson created the seven-minute opus "Useless " remix for the latter band in 1997...
, as well as their song, "Goodbye 1870's", a reworking of YazooYazoo (band)Yazoo are a British synthpop duo from Basildon, Essex. They had a number of Top 10 hits in the UK charts in the early 1980s...
's "Goodbye Seventies". - Adamson also remixed their song, "Black Iron Road", for the upcoming "Projekt Presents: A Dark Cabaret 2" (September 2011 release date).