Eat Static is an electronic music project from Frome, Somerset, England formed in 1989 by Merv Pepler and Joie Hinton. Pepler and Hinton met as drummer and keyboard player (respectively) for Ozric Tentacles, a long-standing psychedelic rock band from Somerset. Although Ozric Tentacles incorporated elements of electronic music, Pepler and Hinton were drawn towards the rave-oriented dance music. In 1988 they collaborated on a project under the name of Wooden Baby which hinted at early rave and acid house sounds as well as numerous other styles, and by 1990, the project had evolved into Eat Static. The duo toured in parallel with Ozric Tentacles for several years until 1994, when they left the band to pursue Eat Static full-time. Pepler and Hinton are often joined in the studio by Eat Static's third member Steve Everitt. Pepler is featured on the 2006 Ozric Tentacles album The Floor's Too Far Away, playing percussion on the track "Armchair Journey".
Their first album release, Abduction, immediately established the extraterrestrial/U.F.O. theme which is a running motif in their samples, track and album titles, and release artwork. The band's name is taken from a sample (as found on the track "Eat Static") from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
On 6 February 2008, Pepler announced on the Eat Static website that Hinton was leaving as "he has had enough of all the travelling and being away from home and family". However, Pepler stated that he would continue to perform and produce under the Eat Static name as a solo project. He also hinted that there would be more scope for collaborations in the future.
Links to Peel
The album Abduction was found in Peel's Record Collection after his death. Their CD De-Classified features this tribute: "Dedicated to the memory of John Peel, a true maverick and a lover of all music wacky'n weird...You will be sorely missed."
Festive Fifty Entries
Sessions
- Two sessions. #1 available on Planet Dog - Peel Your Head: The Peel Sessions (Strange Fruit).
1. Recorded: 1993-08-22. First broadcast: 28 August 1993. Repeat: 21 October 1994, 22 September 1995.
- Bioforms / Area 51 (& Zarbi, first TX on repeat)
2. First broadcast: 16 October 1997 (live from Maida Vale). No repeats.
- Science Of The Gods / Peristalsis / Interceptor / Delta Volany
Other Shows Played
- 1993
- 08 May 1993: 'Gulf Breeze (2xLP-Abduction)' (Ultimate Records)
- 15 May 1993 / Ewan Tape 1: 'Kalika (2xLP - Abduction)' (Planet Dog)
- 31 July 1993: ‘Nucleus Trance (Various Artists CD - Volume Seven)’ (Volume)
- 07 August 1993: ‘Nucleus Trance (Various Artists CD -Volume 7)’ (Volume)
- 08 August 1993 (BFBS): Nucleus Trance (v/a album - Volume Seven) Volume
- 08 October 1993: Kothluwalawa (v/a album Feed Your Head) Planet Dog
- 29 October 1993: Lost In Time (12") Planet Dog
- 06 November 1993: 'Lost in Time (12")' (Planet Dog) announced as Gulf Breeze but that was on the b side
- 06 November 1993 (BFBS): Lost In Time (12") Planet Dog
- 03 December 1993: Lost In Time (12") Planet Dog
- 1994
- 27 May 1994: ‘Cydonia (CD – Implant )’ Planet Dog
- 11 June 1994: Abnormal Interference (CD - Implant) Planet Dog
- 18 June 1994: Element 115 (Various Artists 4xLP - Trance Europe Express 2 ) Volume
- 02 July 1994 (BFBS): Abnormal Interference (album - Implant) Planet Dog
- 30 July 1994: ‘Survivors (Single sided 12 inch)’ Planet Dog
- 1995
- 18 February 1995: Dionysiac (2x12" - Epsylon EP) Planet Dog
- 11 March 1995: Peeow! (CD – Epsylon) Planet Dog
- 1996
- 20 January 1996: Bony Incus (Man With No Name Remix) (EP) Planet Dog
- 28 January 1996 (BFBS): 'Bony Incus (Man With No Name Remix) (12"-Subject Status...Bony Incus)' (Planet Dog) a wrong speed moment
- 09 March 1996: Bony Incus (Man With No Name Remix) (2x12") Planet Dog
- 16 March 1996 (BFBS): 'Bony Incus (Man With No Name Remix) (2x12")' (Planet Dog)
- 29 December 1996: Hybrid (The Infinity Project Remix) (12") Planet Dog
- 1997
- 18 January 1997: Hybrid (The Infinity Project Remix) (12") Planet Dog
- 27 November 1997: 'Spawn (CD-Science Of The Gods)' (Planet Dog)
