Fuck Buttons

Infobox musical artist
Name = Fuck Buttons


Img_capt = Performing at Summer Sundae 2008
Img_size =
Landscape = yes
Background = group_or_band
Alias =
Origin = Bristol, England, United Kingdom
Genre = Experimental
Progressive
Noise
Drone
Years_active = 2004–present
Label = ATP Recordings
Associated_acts =
URL = [http://www.myspace.com/fuckbuttons myspace.com/fuckbuttons]
Current_members = Andrew Hung
Benjamin John Power
Past_members =

Fuck Buttons is a two-piece experimental group formed in Bristol, England in early 2004 by Andrew Hung and Benjamin John Power.

Biography

Immediately after forming they started to play live whenever possible, soon amassing a dedicated cult following throughout the UK. Time Out magazine described the band's live sound as "adrenaline pumping, ear purging slab of towering, pristine noise…" [Time Out, 8th January 2008] The duo signed to All Tomorrow's Parties-affiliated ATP Recordings in 2007, and released a limited-edition 7" single named "Bright Tomorrow", which received complimentary reviews from such sources as Drowned in Sound, Pitchfork Media (who described it as "something like the sun rising over the ocean... then going supernova" [ [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/page/forkcast/46724-fuck-buttons-bright-tomorrow-stream Pitchfork: Forkcast ] ] ), "Mojo" (it became their #1 Mojo Playlist Single for that month) and "Stereogum".

Combined with an upsurge in reviews of their live performances at the Supersonic, Truck and Portishead-curated ATP festivals in the second half of 2007, this attention resulted in Fuck Buttons being included in many end of year newspaper, magazine and online articles predicting them as a 'Hot Tip' for 2008. These included New-Noise, who said that "rarely have two men sounded so much like the end of the world" [ [http://www.new-noise.net/new-bands/top-tips-for-2008-pti/top-tips-for-2008-pti_3473.html Top Tips For 2008 Pt.I - Band Profile ] ] and British newspaper "The Observer", which called their sound "A joyous racket of swirling atmospherics and percussive gunfire" in an article highlighting them in a new wave of intelligent, literate British pop music. [Observer Music Monthly, 20th January 2008]

They started the year with a tour of slightly larger UK venues, supported by label-mate Alexander Tucker. This was done to build anticipation for their debut album, "Street Horrrsing", which was released on March 17. Recorded by John Cummings of Mogwai and mastered by Bob Weston of Shellac, it was promoted through festival appearances (including a slot at this May's [http://www.atpfestival.com ATP vs Pitchfork] festival) and a North American tour with Caribou. The band have also started to receive some airplay from mainstream BBC Radio stations, whose DJs often struggle to think of an alternative moniker to announce in place of the band's full name.

Early reviews of "Street Horrrsing" have been very positive; it was named Underground Album of the Month by Mojo Magazine, who called it "A 50 minute melange of iridescent synths, psychedelic drone, distorted vocals and tribal rhythm." Pitchfork Media awarded it with an 8.6 out of 10 rating and honored it by placing it in with their "best new music" section. Positive reviews also featured in "The Times", "The Observer", "The Wire", "NME", "Rock Sound", "Kerrang!", "Uncut", "Mojo", "The Sydney Morning Herald", and many other music publications and websites.

September 8th will see the release of the second single from "Street Horrrsing" in the form of a 12"/Digital release of "Colours Move" backed by an Andrew Weatherall remix of "Sweet Love For Planet Earth". The single will be launched at London's Rough Trade East where both Fuck Buttons and Weatherall will perform on Monday 1st September.

In September-October 2008 they are set to support Mogwai on tours of the UK, Japan, USA and Canada.

Discography

* "Bright Tomorrow" (limited picture Disc 7″ single, ATPR, 2007)
* "Sweet Love for Planet Earth" (EP, ATPR, 2007)
* "Street Horrrsing" (CD / 2×LP, ATPR, 2008)
* "Colours Move" (12″/download single, ATPR, 2008)

External links

* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:difixzl5ldae~T1 All Music Guide entry]
* [http://www.myspace.com/fuckbuttons MySpace Page]
* [http://www.fuckbuttons.co.uk Official Site]
* [http://www.atpfestival.com/atp-recordings/fuck-buttons/ ATP Recordings Page]
* [http://www.musicomh.com/interviews/fuck-buttons_0408.htm Fuck Buttons interview on musicOMH.com]
* [http://comfortcomes.com/?page=reviews&id=2210 Street Horrsing Review]
* [http://www.everythingrock.com/article/4136 Street Horrrsing review on Everythingrock.com]
* [http://polaroidsofandroids.com/reviews/158/ Street Horrrsing review on Polaroids of Androids]
* [http://blogs.lesoir.be/festivals/2008/10/06/fuck-buttons-fin-du-monde/ Fuck Buttons interview in French on www.lesoir.be]
* [http://noahm.com/2008/09/28/interview-with-fuck-buttons-terminal-5-nyc/ Fuck Buttons interview on www.noahm.com]

References