Urusei Yatsura (band)
Urusei Yatsura were a Glaswegian alternative rock, indie rock band.
History
Founding members Fergus Lawrie and Graham Kemp met in the summer of 1993, whilst attending the University of Glasgow. They recruited Elaine Graham as bassist, and the line-up was completed with the subsequent addition of Elaine's brother, Ian Graham, on drums. They took their band name from the manga Urusei Yatsura, written by Rumiko Takahashi, and contributed their first recording, Guitars Are Boring, to a compilation album released by the Kazoo Club. This was based in Glasgow, and run at one point by the future Franz Ferdinand singer Alex Kapranos. This record in turn brought them to the attention of the BBC Radio DJ John Peel, who brought them in to do a session.
Over the years they released three albums: We Are Urusei Yatsura (1996), Slain By Urusei Yatsura (1998) and Everybody Loves Urusei Yatsura (2000). Albums in America and Japan were released under the name of Yatsura for legal reasons. The band had one Top 40 hit single, 1997's "Hello Tiger", which reached #40 in the UK Singles Chart.[1] Other singles released by the band include "Strategic Hamlets" and "Slain By Elf".[1]
Urusei Yatsura split in June 2001, leaving Kemp to work on solo material and the other band members to form Projekt A-ko.
Discography[2]
Albums
EPs
Singles
- Siamese (1995 - Ché 38 - 7" - Siamese / Lo-Fi)
- Pampered Adolescent (1995 - M.I.R. 001 - 7" - Pampered Adolescent split single Blisters)
- Stolen Ecstasy 45 Chapter 3 (1995 - DAWN-03 - 7" - Silver Krest- split single Delgados)
- Kernel (1995 - PUBE08 - 7" - Kernel / Teen Dream)
- Plastic Ashtray (1995 - Ché 46 - CD / 7" - Plastic Ashtray / Got the Sun / Miramar (CD) / Yatsura Kill Taster (CD))
- Kewpies Like Watermelon (1996 - Ché 53 - CD / 7" - Kewpies Like Watermelon / Majesty / Sucker (CD) / Burriko Girl (demo) (CD))
- Tour EP (Ché 59 - 7" - Phasers on Stun (live)
- Phasers on Sun (1996 - Ché 62 - CD / double 7" - Phasers on Stun / The Power of Negative Thinking / The Love That Brings You Down / Sid & Nancy)
- Strategic Hamlets (1997 - Ché 67 - CD / 7" (x2) - Strategic Hamlets / Down Home Kitty / Kozee Heart / Revir)
- Fake Fur (1997 - Ché 70 - CD1/10"/7" - Fake Fur / Silver Krest / Nova Static (not 7") / Secret Crush (not 7"))
- Fake Fur (1997 - Ché 70 - CD2/10" Fake Fur / Pampered Adolescent / Bewitched / Saki & Cremola))
- Hello Tiger (1997 - Ché 75 - CD1/7" - Hello Tiger / Vanilla Starlet / Vent Axial (not 7"))
- Hello Tiger (1997 - Ché 75 - CD2 - Hello Tiger (Peel session version) / Dice, Nae Dice (Peel session version) / Everybody Hang Out)
- Slain By Elf (1998 - Ché 80 - CD1 Slain By Elf / Subatomic / Nu Style)
- Slain By Elf (1998 - Ché 80 - CD2 / 7" Slain By Elf / Hail To The New Poor / What's Wrong With Me?)
- Yon Kyoku Iri EP (1999 - CD / double 7" - Kaytronika / Still Exploding / Nobody Knows We're Stars / Mother of the MBK)|
- Louche 33 (2000 - ONIV71 - CD / 7" - Louche 33 / Planet Of The Skulls / I'm Vexed)
- Eastern Youth (2000 - ONIV73 - 7" - Eastern Youth / The Hearts You Break)
Compilation appearances
- Guitars Are Boring on Kazoo Collection 12"
- First Day on a New Planet on Camden Crawl II CD
- Kozee Hearts on Noises From the Sound Cupboard 12"
- Powerball (demo) and Black Hole Love (demo) on Does The Word 'Duh' Mean Anything To You? CD
- Exidor (live) on Abuse Your Friends CD
- Phasers on Stun on Japanese Magazine CD
- Skull in Action on NME C96
- Plastic Ashtray (live) on Phoenix: The Album
- Plastic Ashtray on Generation X - The Definitive Sound of 90s Indie
- Low Fi on 12 into 10 cassette
References
- ^ a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 577. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ Urusei Yatsura at Discogs