Recoil (band)

Infobox musical artist
Name = Recoil


Img_capt = Alan Wilder, circa 2006
Background = group_or_band
Origin = Sussex, England
Genre = Electronica
Avant-garde
Years_active = 1986–present
Label = Mute Records
URL = [http://www.recoil.co.uk/ www.recoil.co.uk]
Current_members = Alan Wilder

Recoil is a musical project created by former Depeche Mode member Alan Wilder. Essentially a solo venture, Recoil began whilst Wilder was still in Depeche Mode, as an outlet for his experimental, less pop-oriented compositions. Once he announced his departure from the group in 1995, Recoil was transformed from a small side-project, into Wilder's primary musical enterprise.

80s and 90s

Recoil effectively began in 1986, when Daniel Miller (record producer and founder of Mute Records) heard some of Alan Wilder's demo recordings, which he had made on a 4-track cassette machine. These recordings were substantially different from anything Depeche Mode had released — whilst they were still created using synthesizers and sampling, they featured little of Depeche Mode's catchy pop songwriting, instead opting for an experimental, John Cage-esque style. Due to the primitive and decidedly uncommercial nature of these pieces, Wilder and the record label decided to release the album inconspicuously, naming it "1+2". It eventually came out in mid-1986, not long after the release of Depeche Mode's well-received "Black Celebration".

In January 1988, during the middle of Depeche Mode's hugely successful "Tour for the Masses", Mute released the second Recoil album — "Hydrology". This followed in a similar vein to the previous Recoil record, consisting of entirely instrumental, synthesized landscapes. Unfortunately, due to Wilder's busy touring schedule, he was unable to effectively promote the record.

Recoil's first single was from his third album "Bloodline", a cover of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band's "Faith Healer", with Douglas McCarthy from Nitzer Ebb on vocals. McCarthy would later reappear for two songs on the next album, "Unsound Methods", including the single "Stalker". 1997's "Unsound Methods" was the first release after Wilder's decision to leave Depeche Mode. The fifth album, "Liquid" was released in 2000.

2000s on

Although there had been no releases for some time, in 2005 Alan Wilder confirmed that he would start work on a new album. [ [http://www.side-line.com/news_comments.php?id=8762_0_2_0_C Recoil returns with new album] ] On October 20, 2006, Alan appeared on a web greeting confirming a Summer 2007 target date for the next Recoil album. [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAf2RUyw7zo YouTube video-Recoil - new album in 2007] ] On April 22, 2007, Wilder released a statement on his MySpace page that the new album would be entitled "subHuman" and has been provisionally set for release on July 9th, 2007. [ [http://www.myspace.com/recoil Recoil's MySpace] ] Included as guest vocalists this time are Carla Trevaskis and Joe Richardson, the latter will also deliver the vocals for a track titled "Prey" [ [http://www.side-line.com/news_comments.php?id=P22828_0_2_0 First track new Recoil album "subHuman" revealed] ] which is believed to feature on the first single taken from "subHuman". A sample from the song was also put on Recoil's MySpace page. 2007 also saw the re-release of "Bloodline" (originally released in 1991) and "Hydrology Plus 1+2" (originally released in 1988) [ [http://www.side-line.com/news_comments.php?id=20019_0_2_0_C Mute re-releases 2 classic Recoil albums] ] .

Out on June 27th via iTunes and related download portals is "Prey", the newest single from Recoil. iTunes also prepared a special Recoil pack (similar to the Depeche Mode iTunes pack) holding all Recoil releases. [ [http://www.side-line.com/news_comments.php?id=23298_0_2_0_C Recoil catalogue in special iTunes pack] ] It will be the first time that all the Recoil material is available via iTunes. The packet doesn't hold exclusives but does come in the DRM free high download quality version. [ [http://www.side-line.com/news_comments.php?id=23605_0_2_0_C Recoil iTunes digital bundle out on July 9th] ]

A special download-only remix of "subHuman" track "Killing Ground" by The Slips was released on start date|2007|10|1 on The Slips' MySpace page. The news also got out Alan Wilder was to start work on a new album pretty soon. [ [http://www.side-line.com/news_comments.php?id=26161_0_2_0_C Free Recoil remix 'The Killing Ground' available for download - new album in the pipeline] ]

Late 2007, IGN, a unit of Fox Interactive Media, Inc., selected Recoil's "subHuman album as 'Best Electronic Album' for the year 2007 [ [http://www.side-line.com/news_comments.php?id=28156_0_2_0_C Recoil wins IGN's best of 2007 electronic album award] ] .

2008

In February Alan Wilder (ex-Depeche Mode) announces [ [http://www.side-line.com/news_comments.php?id=28882_0_2_1_C Limited Russian CD release for Recoil single 'Prey'/'Allelujah'] ] , due to popular demand, a limited edition CD release of the double sided Recoil single "Prey"/"Allelujah" out on 25th February 2008. The CD is being issued, with the support of Mute, through the Russian label Gala Records in conjunction with depeche-mode.ru and is exclusively available on-line only via their website.

Also in February, the ex-Depeche Mode member released an open letter [ [http://www.side-line.com/interviews_comments.php?id=29640_0_16_0_C Recoil / Alan Wilder - "Music For The Masses - I think not."] ] on the Side-Line Magazine website, titled "Music For The Masses - I think not". In the article Wilder handles his vision on today's shifting music market and the position of the artist in this. In the small essay Wilder touches the volume war, the effect of excessive compression, the download spiral, alternative ways to release music, the birth of the fan powered release of the limited enhanced single 'Prey'/'Allelujah' in Russia, Mute Records, Depeche Mode, and much more.

Discography

Albums

*"1+2" (August 18, 1986 / Stumm 31)
*"Hydrology" (January 25, 1988 / Stumm 51)
*"Bloodline" (April 13, 1992 / Stumm 94)
*"Unsound Methods" (October 27, 1997 / Stumm 159)
*"Liquid" (March 6, 2000 / Stumm 173)
*"subHuman" (July 9, 2007 / Stumm 279)
*"iTunes Recoil package" (June 2007) [ [http://www.side-line.com/news_comments.php?id=23298_0_2_0_C Recoil catalogue in special iTunes pack] ]

- The CD release "1+2" and "Hydrology" were released as one.

Singles

* "Faith Healer" (March 9, 1992 / Mute 110) UK #60
* "Drifting" (October 13, 1997 / Mute 209)
* "Stalker"/"Missing Piece" (March 9, 1998 / Mute 214)
* "Strange Hours" (April 3, 2000 / Mute 232)
* "Jezebel" (August 21, 2000 / Mute 233)
* "Prey" (June 25, 2007 / iMute 372) [ [http://www.side-line.com/news_comments.php?id=23298_0_2_0_C Recoil to release download single only] ]
* "Prey/Allelujah" (enhanced CD) (March 2008 / CDMute372)

References

External links

* [http://www.recoil.co.uk/ Shunt - The Official Recoil website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/recoil The Official Recoil MySpace Page]
* [http://www.alanwilder.de/ Black Box - german Recoil website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/recoild german Recoil MySpace Page]
* [http://recoil19.net/ RECOIL19.NET - A Visual RECOIL Discography]
* [http://recoiline.free.fr/ Recoiline - french Recoil website]
* [http://recoil.tv/ Recoil.tv]
* [http://www.side-line.com/interviews_comments.php?id=24132_0_16_0_C Alan Wilder interview Side-Line Magazine June 2007]
* [http://www.shout.ru/exclusives/special_interview_with_alan_wilder_recoil_2007_e.htm Alan Wilder interview Shout! Online Magazine June 2007]