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 Healy

Sputniks Down were a Scottish band from Glasgow.

History

Signed to Edinburgh's Human Condition Records, Sputniks Down (named after a song by Lou Barlow's Folk Implosion) were a young three piece from Bishopbriggs on the outskirts of Glasgow. They produced instrumental electronica with 'Eno-esque gorgeousness' [http://www.nme.com/reviews/sputniks-down/2441] . 'The Young Marble Giants stepping out with a prozac-ed up Godspeed 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 at CaVa Studios, who has also recorded Belle 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") and Vic 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 Glasgow

They did a live session for BBC1's session in Scotland playing along with Brendan O'Hare (formerly of Teenage 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 "almost triphop with an Aphex 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 and Fly 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 1-84183-041-0

Interviews

* [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 Gig

ingles

* "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]