David Devant & His Spirit Wife

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David Devant and His Spirit Wife are an indie/art rock band from Brighton, England. They are named after the English magician and early film exhibitor, David Devant (1868-1941)

Contents

[edit] History

In their early days they were well known for outlandish onstage antics and elaborate props employed by the onstage Spectral Roadies, such as carrots grated into their hair during performance of the song "Ginger", but the theatrics had been scaled back by the release of their second album, Shiney on the Inside.

They were the "house band" for the single-series sitcom Asylum, performing segments in every episode from their first album. The lead-in track "Ginger" provided the programme's title music.

The band were behind a short film, Light On The Surface, in the early-mid nineties set in a motorway service station and featuring the original pop video to their first single, "Cookie". They were also the subject of a Channel 4 documentary in the late nineties which followed them on tour with Work, Lovelife, Miscellaneous and finished ominously with their lead singer, The Vessel, burning his Bela Lugosi-style wig as they planned to change their uniquely theatrical performances, possibly as a result of a cutting NME review which implied they were "hiding behind" the theatrics.

After this, lead guitarist, Foz?, left and was briefly replaced by John Pope during the recording of Shiney On The Inside. Foz?, however, returned to the band after this and was involved in the recording of Power Words For Better Living for which he wrote the music for the track "Social Comet".

The friendship between Vessel and Eddie Argos, lead singer of the art rock band, Art Brut, saw the two bands unite for a gig at the Tate Britain in 2004.

[edit] Side projects

Vessel began collaborating with Jyoti Mishra in 2001, under the band name of Carfax. The duo released two albums, Memento From The Digital Age and Minky Pauve.

While the band continue to do live performances, The Vessel has recently launched a solo career under the pseudonym of Mr Solo. In November 2005 Mr Solo took part in a benefit show for War Child at The Oxford House of Bethnal Green on the same bill as comedian Richard Herring and Chris Difford of Squeeze. Solo kicked off the evening with a brilliant version of "Whole Wide World" and also sang the old Devant favourite, "Pimlico". His next performance was as the support act for a David Devant show at Brighton's Komedia club in July 2006. Mr Solo has since gone on to perform regularly at venues across London with plans to tour the country with his album, All Will Be Revealed, in early 2007. The album includes several tracks ("Three Wishes", "Genius") which were previously recorded for Minky Pauve.

[edit] Personnel

  • The Vessel (Mikey Georgeson) (lead vocals, keyboards, guitar)
  • Foz? (James Foster) (guitar)
  • The Colonel (Jem) (bass)
  • Professor Rimschott (Graham) (drums)
  • ICEman (Nick Curry) (spectral roadie)
  • Cocky Young'un (Gary) (spectral roadie)
  • Lantern (projections)
  • John Pope

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

  • Don Spirit Specs Now! (1993) [Cassette Only]
  • Work, Lovelife, Miscellaneous (1997)
  • Shiney On The Inside (1998)
  • Power Words For Better Living (2004)
  • The Lost World Of David Devant (2006)

[edit] Singles

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
  • "Pimlico" Humbug Records HUM4 1995
  • "My Magic Life"
  • "David's Coming Back"
  • "Cookie"
  • "Ginger"
  • "This Is For Real"
  • "Lie Detector"
  • "Contact" Outstanding Records OSTRS002 10 May 2004
  • "About It" Outstanding Records OSTRS003 8 November 2004

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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