Appliance were a British experimental post-rock three piece. They released three 10" vinyl EPs on various independent record labels, including their own self-financed Surveillance Records, before signing with Daniel Miller's Mute Records in 1998. On the Mute label they released four studio albums; Manual (1999), Six Modular Pieces (2000), Imperial Metric (2001) and Are You Earthed? (2003). Their music was inspired by Krautrock, a 1970s Germanic experimental movement involving minimalist song structures, mantra-like rhythms and drones. Championed by John Peel, the band recorded four sessions during their career, and one in 2003 for Jeff Cooper's radio2XS. They toured live in Europe and the UK with, amongst others; Add N to X, Goldfrapp, Snow Patrol, Six By Seven, Hefner and Wire. The band have not performed or recorded since the Montreux Jazz Festival in 2003....(Read more)
Links to Peel
"Appliance were James Brooks (Lou Reed-esque vocals/guitar), Michael Parker (bass), and David Ireland (drums). Accent is of course on ‘were’, since they split in 2003. James is following a career in art, and the other two are playing in bands called the Duds and the Nudists respectively. Hailing from Exeter, the original bassist was Stuart Christie, and they formed this Spacemen 3/Joy Division influenced combo after school in 1997. They laid down a few sessions for Peel, but only achieved one Festive Fifty entry, with the cantering slice of electronica known as Food Music (FF 1999 #44), which came from their debut album Manual: they were signed to Mute (from their own label Surveillance.com), which, given their rather obvious debt to Depeche Mode, is not surprising. Q Magazine less than enthusiastically called it ‘faux European road movie music in search of a Wim Wenders screenplay’. However, this is the kind of music that benefits from repeated listening, as its subtleties are not immediately obvious. Derivative, certainly, but what’s wrong with that? And they sent Peel a Christmas card. Nice." Teenage Kicks, Play On
Festive Fifty Entries
- 1999 Festive Fifty: 'Food Music' #44
Live
- 26 October 1999: from L2 at Sound City, Liverpool
- 31 October 2001: from Birmingham Academy
- Separate Animals (not broadcast)
- F L F
- Land Sea And Air
- Navigating The Nursery Slopes
- A Gentle Cycle Revolution
- Homing Devices
- 19 June 2003: set from Sonar, Barcelona
Sessions
- Four sessions. #1 available on 3-CD boxed set Re-Conditioned (Rroopp, 2010).
1. Recorded: 1998-09-06. First broadcast: 06 October 1998. Repeated: 11 March 1999
- Fast Music / Pre Rocket Science / Pacifica / Throwing A Curve Ball
2. Recorded: 1999-09-03. First broadcast: 03 February 2000. Repeated: 13 April 2000
- Slow Roller / Personal Stereo / Electra / Song Title
3. Recorded: 2001-07-22. First broadcast: 07 August 2001. No repeats.
- Navigating The Nursery Slopes / A Little More Information / Comrades / Homing Devices
4. Recorded: 2002-10-24. First broadcast: 19 November 2002. Repeated: 20 February 2003
- Tuesday's Nearly Over / Violins / Mountains 1 / As Far As I Can See
Other Shows Played
- 1997
- 09 July 1997: Pleasure Driving (10" - Organised Sound) Surveillance Com.
- 23 July 1997: 'Open (10"-Organised Sound)' (Surveillance Com)
- 02 October 1997: 'This Is The Place (10" EP-Into Your Home)' (Plastic Cowboy)
- 1998
- 26 February 1998: 'Outer (7")' (Earworm)
- 04 March 1998: 'Outer (7")' (Earworm)
- 01 April 1998: 'Outer (7")' (Earworm)
- 11 June 1998: 'King Of The Flight Simulator (EP-Time & Space)' (Rocket)
- 16 June 1998: 'Number 3 Channel Is Clear (EP-Time And Space)' (Enraptured)
- 24 June 1998 (BFBS): 'Number Three Channel Is Clear (CDS-In Session)' (Mute)
- 27 June 1998: Number Three Channel Is Clear (EP - Time And Space) Enraptured
- June 1998 (FSK): 'Number Three Channel Is Clear (CD-Time And Space EP)' (Enraptured)
- 16 July 1998: 'Number Three Channel Is Clear (CD-Time And Space EP)' (Rocket)
- 1999
- 09 March 1999: 'Throwing A Curve Ball (Compilation LP-Will Our Children Thank Us?)' (Foundry)
- 23 March 1999: 'Food Music (CDS)' (Mute)
- 13 May 1999: 'Food Music (CDS)' (Mute)
- 25 August 1999: 'Pacifica (CDS)' (Mute)
- August 1999 (FSK): 'Pacifica (CDS)' (Mute)
- 09 September 1999: 'Heroes Of Telemark (LP-Manual)' (Mute)
- 15 September 1999: 'Food Music (LP-Manual)' (Mute)
- 16 September 1999: 'Throwing A Curve Ball (LP-Manual)' (Mute)
- 21 September 1999: 'Aquaplane (LP-Manual)' (Mute)
- 22 September 1999: 'Heroes of Telemark (LP-Manual)' (Mute)
- 23 September 1999 (Radio Eins): 'Food Music'
- 29 September 1999: 'Hot Pursuit (LP-Manual)' (Mute)
- September 1999 (FSK): 'Pre-Rocket Science (CD-Manual)' (Mute)
- 30 September 1999 (Radio Eins): Soyuz (LP – Manual) Mute
- 13 October 1999: 'Pre-Rocket Science (LP-Manual)' (Mute)
- 31 October 1999 (BFBS): 'Soyuz (CD-Manual)' (Mute)
- October 1999 (FSK): 'Hot Pursuit (CD-Manual)' (Mute)
- 02 November 1999 (BBC World Service): 'Soyuz (CD-Manual)' (Mute)
- 07 November 1999 (BFBS): 'Food Music (LP-Manual)' (Mute)
- 23 December 1999: 'Food Music (CDS)' (Mute) 1999 Festive Fifty #44
- 2000
- 25 January 2000: 'Heroes Of Telemark (Pole Remix) (12"-D4)' (Mute)
- 09 February 2000: 'Soft Landing (To Rococo Rot remix) (12"-D4)' (Mute)
- 12 April 2000: 'Ex4 (LP-Six Modular Pieces)' (Mute)
- 09 May 2000: 'Ex4 (LP-Six Modular Pieces)' (Mute)
- 17 May 2000: 'Derailleur, King Of The Mountain (LP-Six Modular Pieces)' (Mute)
- May 2000 (FSK): 'Derailleur, King Of The Mountain (LP-Six Modular Pieces)' (Mute)
- 2001
- 02 January 2001: 'Hot Pursuit (Kreidler remix) (Compilation EP)' (Mute)
- 07 January 2001 (BFBS): 'Hot Pursuit ● Kriedler (12"-D4)' (Mute)
- 14 January 2001 (BFBS): 'Throwing A Curve Ball ● Tarwater (12"-D4)' (Mute)
- 18 January 2001 (Radio Eins): 'Heroes Of Telemark'
- 17 May 2001: 'Separate Animals (LP-Imperial Metric)' (Mute)
- 29 May 2001: 'Am/Pm (CD-Imperial Metric)' (Mute)
- 06 June 2001: 'Where Has The Space Race Gone? (CD-Imperial Metric)' (Mute)
- 24 June 2001 (BBC World Service): 'AM/PM (LP-Imperial Metric)' (Mute)
- 17 July 2001: 'A Gentle Cycle Revolution (CDS)' (Mute)
- 2003
- 01 May 2003: 'Go Native' (LP - Are You Earthed) (Mute)
- 07 May 2003: 'Fruits Of The Sea (LP - Are You Earthed?)' (Mute)
- 14 May 2003: 'As Far As I Can See (LP- Are You Earthed?)' (Mute)
