The Snake Corps
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The Snake Corps were an indie music group based in London, England during the 1980s and 1990s.
Formed in 1984, from the ashes of the (then) broken-up Sad Lovers & Giants, Tristan Garel-Funk and Nigel Pollard conceived the band, but Pollard left prior to recording the first album. Vocalist Marc Lewis responded to an advert in Melody Maker and shared a flat with Garel-Funk, the pair becoming the band's two ever-present members.
The music was too relaxed and understated to appeal to a mass-market. Not unlike Sad Lovers & Giants before them, they focused on creating dreamy, filmic soundscapes and at least partly, discarded the post-punk influences that shackled many of their contemporaries. Consequently, the band found that the european market was more aligned to their musical style and they toured abroad extensively, receiving good support wherever they went.
Distancing themselves from Britain and shunning even a regular UK tour meant that the regular indie labels were largely uninterested. However, Midnight Music, who had been the home of early SL&G, signed the band and were able to give them the artistic freedom they craved. Unfortunately, this laissez-faire approach extended to most of the company's dealings and ultimately hastened their demise. In the wake of a messy collapse, the band found that they were not only label-less, but their publishing rights had transferred to another company without any involvement or agreement from the band members. Not surprisingly, they decided to call it a day.
A new album was already recorded, but this did not surface for some years, eventually appearing on the small Ophidian label, an offshoot of Rotator Records, thanks to a friend of Garel-Funk. The word Ophidian can mean 'snake-like'.
Mark Lewis is releasing a solo album through the official SC site in the new year.
Contents |
[edit] Personnel
- Marc Lewis - Vocals
- Tristan Garel-Funk - Guitars
- David Wood/Ian Gibson - Keyboards
- Liam McGuinness/Jim Blanchard - Bass
- Nigel Pollard/Jon Greville - Drums
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
- 1985 Flesh On Flesh - Midnight Music - CHIME 00.14CD
- 1990 Smother Earth - Midnight Music - CHIME 00.52CD
- 1990 More Than The Ocean - Midnight Music - CHIME 1.12CD
- 1993 3rd Cup - Ophidian - OPHD 3001
- 1993 Spice 1984-1993: The Very Best Of - Anagram Records - CDMGRAM 97
[edit] Singles
- 1985 Science Kills 12" - Midnight Music - DONG 13
- 1986 Victory Parade 12" - Midnight Music - DONG 19
- 1987 Testament 12" - Midnight Music - DONG 30
- 1989 Calling You 12" - Midnight Music - DONG 50
- 1990 Colder Than The Kiss - Midnight Music - DONG 60
- 1992 Some Other Time - Midnight Music - DONG 75
