- Sputniks Down
Infobox musical artist 2
Name = Sputniks Down
Img_capt = Left to right: Martyn Healy, Andrew Blue, David Roy
Background = group_or_band
Origin =Glasgow ,Scotland
Instruments =
Genre =Post-rock
Formed = 1996
Years_active = 1996 – 2003
Label =Human Condition Records
Associated_acts = Multiplies,Dananananaykroyd
URL =
Past_members = Andrew Blue
David Roy
Martyn HealySputniks Down were a Scottish band from
Glasgow .History
Signed to
Edinburgh 'sHuman Condition Records , Sputniks Down (named after a song byLou Barlow 'sFolk Implosion ) were a young three piece fromBishopbriggs on the outskirts ofGlasgow . They produced instrumentalelectronica with 'Eno-esque gorgeousness' [http://www.nme.com/reviews/sputniks-down/2441] . 'TheYoung Marble Giants stepping out with a prozac-ed upGodspeed You! Black Emperor while the Mary Chain bite their ankles' [http://www.sol.co.uk/c/chamber/Down.htm] . Influences also included such bands as Tortoise and Mogwai. They were one of the very first bands from the UK (along with fellow Glaswegians Mogwai) to play instrumental,post-rock and subsequently formed an important part of the early 2000s Glasgow music scene.After a handful of gigs, they were signed to Edinburgh's Human Condition record label, which also released Idlewild's debut EP along with
Eugene Kelly 's Eugenius.In January 2000, their debut EP "Monotone Mountain" was recorded by
Tony Doogan atCaVa Studios , who has also recordedBelle and Sebastian ,Delgados , Arab Strap and Mogwai. At the time, they were highly though of by the likes of Keith Cameron ("NME "), Roy Wilkinson ("Select") andVic Galloway (BBC Radio 1 Evening Session) [http://www.sol.co.uk/c/chamber/Down.htm] . 'MM' was described as 'an electropopguitary lullaby' [http://www.erasingclouds.com/23jan.html] . The EP was released On April 17 2000 [http://www.sol.co.uk/c/chamber/chamber_news.htm] . The gig to celebrate the EP launch on 27th April 2000 in Avalanche, Edinburgh was reviewed by the NME [http://www.nme.com/reviews/sputniks-down/2441]In 2001 they released their first full album - "Much Was Decided Before You Were Born". The songs "Atonement" and "Mie Scattering" feature artists from El Hombre Trajaedo and
Long Fin Killie (Luke Sutherland ) respectively.The band played a 6-date UK album tour later that year, including gigs in London (Dublin Castle), Norwich (FerryBoat) [http://212.241.204.188/$sitepreview/wombatwombat.co.uk/sputniks.html] and
Life Without Buildings LP launch in GlasgowThey did a live session for BBC1's session in Scotland playing along with
Brendan O'Hare (formerly ofTeenage Fanclub ), and took part in the 2001 Planet Pop Festival [http://www.planetpop.co.uk/listing2001.html] and the Burnt Out Electronica Festival [http://rem_ind.tripod.com/audio/brntout.htm] later that year.Their presence at a
David Pajo gig in 2002 in Glasgow was reported by the NME [http://www.nme.com/news/richard-ashcroft/348] . Live, they were described by one journalist as "almosttriphop with anAphex Twin feel while the slower stuff broods with a smoky almost film-noir feel as guitars chime and keyboards swirl". [http://www.vacant.org.uk/live/merkatfeb.html]In 2002, they went on to support
Mull Historical Society ,American Analog Set andFly Pan Am .In late 2002, they were listed in Martin Strong's "Great Scots Discography" [http://www.mercatpress.com/BookDetails.asp?ISBN=1841830410]
After a tour of Greece in 2003, the band split up.
David Roy went on to play in Multiplies [http://www.discogs.com/artist/Multiplies] [http://www.multiplies.tk/] , and is now a founder member of
Dananananaykroyd [http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/collective/A14517308]Personnel
*Andrew Blue (bass)
*David Roy (guitar)
*Martyn Healy (keyboard)Reviews
Live
* [http://www.nme.com/reviews/sputniks-down/2441 NME 2001]
* [http://www.weeredbar.co.uk/press/sputniks_down_oct_2001.htm "Sunday Mail" 2001]
* [http://rem_ind.tripod.com/audio/brntout.htm Burnt Out Festival (2001)]
* [http://www.vacant.org.uk/live/merkatfeb.html JockRock (2000)]Music Review
[http://www.erasingclouds.com/23jan.html Erasing Clouds]
Band reviews
* [http://www.jockrock.org/bands/sputniksdown.html JockRock]
* [http://www.sol.co.uk/c/chamber/Down.htm Official Press Release]
* Strong, M. (2002). The Great Scots Musicography: Mercat Press. ISBN 1-84183-041-0Interviews
* [http://www.isthismusic.com/magazine.php#51 Is this music]
Discography
tudio albums
* "Much Was Decided Before You were Born" (2003) [http://www.discogs.com/release/594879]
Compilations
* "Handbags At Dawn" (2002) [http://www.discogs.com/release/392967]
* "Big Issue" (2002)
* "Electronikshire" (2001)
* "Pleasures from an unknown planet" (2001)EPs
* "Monotone Mountain" (2000) [http://www.discogs.com/release/53671] [http://www.sol.co.uk/c/chamber/mp3.htm Download "Songs for the tiny radio children"]
* "Athens EP" (2003) - Exclusively made for Athens Gigingles
* "Pixelated" (2002) - & El Hombre Trajeado; Sardines (UK 2 track 7" split - SGC011)
*"Much Was Decided Before You were Born"
*"Monotone Mountain"
*"Pixelated"
*"Big Issue Compilation"
*" Pleasures from an unknown planet"
* "Handbags at Dawn"
*"Electronikshire.jpg"External links
* [http://www.myspace.com/sputniksdownuk MySpace entry]
* [http://www.discogs.com/artist/Sputniks+Down Discography]
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