Vibracathedral Orchestra

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Vibracathedral Orchestra (a/k/a VCO)is a UK-based drone ensemble that has been active since the late 1990s. The original group came together when Mick Flower began recording with Neil Campbell and Julian Bradley, who had released a number of homemade cassettes and an LP of their duo work. They self-released 2 CDR albums before Campbell suggested merging the nascent group with the trio Flower was working with alongside Bridget Hayden and Adam Davenport. This sealed the best known 5 piece VCO line-up. The group quickly became known for their prolific output on a vast array of independent labels and their incendiary live performances. They attracted the attention of Julian Cope, whose essay on the group can still be read at his Head Heritage website. Vibracathedral Orchestra has many self-released albums but has made music available through many key underground labels, including VHF Records, Giardia, Eclipse, U-Sound, Qbico, Textile and Freedom From. They have twice been featured in session on Resonance FM, given an hour long slot each time.

Although very much a fixed unit, the line-up has been occasionally augmented by the likes of Matthew Bower, John Godbert, Richard Youngs, John Clyde Evans (latterly known as Tirath Singh Nirmala) and Tom Greenwood (of Jackie-O Motherfucker). Julian Bradley left the group in 2004 with both Neil Campbell and Bridget Hayden following him in 2006. A new album, Wisdom Thunderbolt will be released on VHF shortly.


[edit] Discography

All releases feature, at least predominantly, a line-up of Campbell, Bradley, Flower, Hayden & Davenport unless otherwise indicated.

  • Mothing CDR (self released, Campbell, Bradley, Flower - 1998)
  • Copse CDR (self-released, Campbell, Bradley Flower - 1998)
  • Falling free you and me/Filling sacks with coloured scraps 10" LP (self-released - side one - Campbell, Bradley, Flower side two - Flower, Hayden, Davenport - 1999)
  • The Vibracathedral String Quartet CDR (self released, Campbell, Flower, Hayden, Davenport - 1999)
  • Music For Red Breath CDR (self released - 2000)
  • Vibracathedral String Band / Vibracathedral Drum Troupe 7" (Freedom From - 2000)
  • Lino Hi CD (Giardia 2000)
  • Hollin CDR (self-released 2000 - companion volume to the above release)
  • Versatile Arab Chord Chart CD (VHF - 2001)
  • Long Live The Weeds CDR (self-released - 2001)
  • Their Spines Crumble For A Hug cassette (self-released - 2001)
  • My Gate's Open, Tremble By My Side LP (Roaratorio - 2001) CD (Lexicon Devil - 2003)
  • Hot Booty CDR (VHF - 2001)
  • Live In Newcastle And Leeds 1999 cassette (Matching Head Tapes - 2001)
  • The One You Call The Ghost Train 7" (Tonschact - 2001)
  • Dabbling With Gravity And Who You Are CD (VHF - 2002)
  • Wearing Clothes Of Ash/Baptism Bar Blues - split LP with Jackie O Motherfucker (Textile - 2002)
  • Stole Some Sentimental Jewellery - split 7" with Low (Misplaced Music - 2002)
  • MMICD CDR (self-released 2003)
  • Girls With Rocks In Their Hands 7" (Great Pop Supplement - 2003)
  • Rain Gutter Teasing Rusty Cat Sneezing split 7" with Phonophani (Safe As Milk - 2003)
  • Hex Hostess CDR (self-released - 2003)
  • Wings Over America split CD with Sunroof! (VHF - 2003)
  • The Queen Of Guess CD (VHF - 2003)
  • U-Sound Volume 13, Live In Manchester/Leeds CDR (U-Sound - 2003)
  • Ragged And Right CDR (self-released - 2003) A vinyl edition surfaced in 2006 but it was not sanctioned by the group.
  • Royal Park / Brudenell 7" (Gold Soundz - 2003)
  • untitled Double LP (self-released - 2004)
  • Live On WFMU LP (Eclipse - 2004)
  • Pontiac Lady triple CDR (VHF - Bradley, Flower, Hayden, Davenport, Tom Greenwood - 2004
  • Resonance Session CDR (self-released 2005)
  • Qbico U-Night 2LP, 2 sides by VCO (Qbico 2005)
  • øyenstikker utbrudd CDR (self-released - 2005)
  • Live At Audioscope '04 split 10" LP with The Telescopes (Audioscope - 2005)
  • Smash! Smash! Smash! CDR (self-released, each track with different line-up - 2005)
  • Tuning To The Rooster CD (Important - 2005 - recordings from 2002)
  • Saved By The Bird CDR (self-released - Campbell, Flower, Hayden, Davenport 2005)
  • VCO @ ATP 2004 CDR (Spirit Of Orr - 2006)
  • The Sun Balance/The Open Knot LP (Qbico 2007 - no line-up listed on sleeve)
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