- Secret Shine
Infobox musical artist
Name = Secret Shine
Img_capt = Recent photo of the band
Background = group_or_band
Origin =Bristol
Genre =Indie rock Shoegazing
Years_active = 1991-1996
2004-2007
Label = Sarah
A Turntable Friend
Clairecords
Razorblade
Associated_acts = Junkie
Collide
Dreamscape
URL = [http://www.secretshine.co.uk/ Official Site]
Current_members = Scott Purnell
Jamie Gingell
Kathryn Smith
Dean Purnell
Richy Lee
Past_members = Nick Dyte
Paul Vowles
Dean Tyler
Tim MorrisSecret Shine are a British
shoegazer band formed in the early 1990s, who were signed toSarah Records . Although early releases with both "Sarah" and "A Turntable Friend" followed the more linear "Sarah" pop stylings, the 1992 release Untouched broke into unapologetic shoegaze territory, earning the band many comparisons withSlowdive andMy Bloody Valentine .Career
1990 to 1996
After sending a 3-song demo to
Sarah Records , Scott Purnell and Jamie Gingell recorded their first single for the label, "After Years". After recruiting three more members (Nick Dyte, Dean Purnell, and Paul Vowles) they recorded the "Unbearable" single for the "A Turntable Friend" label in Germany. The addition of Dean Tyler to the lineup resulted in the "Ephemeral" single on Sarah. Later, Jamie and Scott recorded some demos that became the "Untouched" album.In 1993 the album, along with the "Loveblind" single, was recorded and released. The addition of vocalist Kathryn Smith to the band added a new dimension, and this period saw them enter the Indie charts and become part of the burgeoning "shoegazing" scene.
"Untouched" tracks:
*1. Suck Me Down
*2. Temporal
*3. Spellbound
*4. So Close I Come
*5. Into the Ether
*6. Toward the Sky
*7. Underworld
*8. Sun Warmed WaterJust as things were starting to grow, Jamie and Scott felt it was necessary to go back to University for their final year, which slowed things down somewhat. After University, however, the band got back together and recorded the "Greater than God" EP, which they regard as their most accomplished work [http://www.secretshine.co.uk/biography/greater-than-god 1] .
After the recording of the "Each to the Other" flexidisc, Dean Tyler left the band, followed by Nick Dyte. Tim Morris joined, on drums, the rest of the lineup being Jamie (vocals and bass), Scott (guitars), Dean Purnell (guitars), and Kathryn (vocals). The single "Wasted Away" was recorded, released on Spoiler Records as Sarah had recently folded. After playing a gig in Oxford in early 1996, the band decided to call it a day, though they never officially split.
2004 to Present
In 2004, a retrospective collection was released by the Clairecords label, containing all their Sarah material (apart from the first single, and including the "Untouched" album).
Though not the main reason for the band reforming, it was certainly a "catalyst" [http://www.secretshine.co.uk/biography/back-for-good 2] . To begin with, events were fluid. Scott left for a while, and, tragically, Tim Morris died. This made the band get back together again, and as a tribute to Tim they recorded the 8-song, acoustic "Morris" album.
"Morris" tracks:
*1. You are inside
*2. Lost all your friends
*3. Loveblind
*4. Silver machine
*5. Take me slowly
*6. Ignite the air
*7. Tim’s song
*8. DecayThe band are still together and their new album "All of The Stars" was released April 8, 2008.
Discography
Albums
Tracks on Compilations
External links
* [http://www.secretshine.co.uk Official Site]
* [http://www.myspace.com/secretshine Band MySpace page]
* [http://wm07.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:wjfqxqwjldhe~T1 Secret Shine on the All Music Guide]
* [http://home.clara.net/koogy/sarah/bands/secretsh.htm Sarah Records entry]
* [http://www.opuszine.com/music_reviews/review/secret_shine_beyond_sea_and_sky/ OpusZine review]
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