Spiritualized
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| Spiritualized
<tr style="text-align: center;"><td colspan="3">Image:Spiritualized.jpg Spiritualized Circa 1997 </td></tr>
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| Background information
<tr><td>Origin</td><td colspan="2">Image:Flag of England (bordered).svg Rugby, England</td></tr><tr><td>Genre(s)</td><td colspan="2">Indie rock |
Spiritualized are an English rock band formed in 1990 in Rugby, Warwickshire by Jason Pierce - who often goes by the alias J. Spaceman - after the demise of his previous outfit, space-rockers Spacemen 3. The membership of Spiritualized has changed from album to album, with Pierce - who writes, composes and sings all of the band's material - being the only constant member.
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[edit] Biography
Following a major breakdown in relations between Spacemen 3 co-frontmen Peter Kember and Jason Pierce, the group's bassist Will Carruthers, drummer Jonny Mattock and session guitarist Mark Refoy decided to form a splinter group, before persuading Pierce to join alongside local friend Steve Evans to create Spiritualized. The band took their name from an adaptation of the text on the back label of a bottle of Pernod.
The first Spiritualized release, in 1990, was a cover of The Troggs' "Anyway That You Want Me"; the record heralded the official split of Spacemen 3 following contractual wrangles over the band's name and its use in Spiritualized-related promotional material (initial copies of "Anyway That You Want Me" came with a Spacemen 3 logo on the sleeve).
Evans was replaced on keyboards by Pierce's then-girlfriend Kate Radley for the follow-up single, "Run"/"I Want You". A number of singles followed, before the band, in early 1992, released their first LP Lazer Guided Melodies, which had been recorded in Rugby over the previous two years. A second album, Pure Phase, was released in 1995, and a third Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space emerged in 1997 to notable critical acclaim and commercial success.
The musical style of Spiritualized relies heavily on sustained 'pedal' notes and drones. Lazer Guided Melodies and Pure Phase incorporate elements of the shoegazing style, drones and tremolo. The landmark Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space saw the influence of African-American gospel and blues beginning to show, while "walls of sound" modelled after the production styles of Phil Spector and Brian Wilson also made their presence felt. Such influences dominated Spiritualized's next album, Let It Come Down which included over 120 musicians playing live for Pierce. Amazing Grace favoured a more stripped down sound with the gospel, blues, and soul influences even more dominant than before. Early 2007 will most likely see the sixth official album release by Spiritualized.
[edit] Band members
Jason Pierce has been the only constant band member. Only Pierce remains from the original line-up of the band. Will Carruthers left the band in 1992 and now records as a solo project under the name Freelovebabies, Carruthers was replaced by Rugby musician Sean Cook from local band Electrahead. During a lull in Spiritualized activities during 1991. Mark Refoy departed in 1994 to concentrate on his own fronted band Slipstream, he was initially by Kevin Cowan from fellow Rugby band the Darkside, before Cowan himself left to be replaced first by John Coxon and then later on by Michael Mooney (Coxon returned to replace Mooney following his sacking). Mattock played in The Breeders for a spell (he appears on the Safari ep) and also left Spiritualized later in 1994 during the recording of Pure Phase, working as a session musician before joining Lupine Howl, he was replaced by Damon Reece. . Radley appeared for some initial dates promoting Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space, before leaving the band in 1997 after a spell of illness. She was replaced by thighpaulsandra from Julian Cope's live band. Ray Dickaty was also added to the band circa 1997.
Following promotional activity for Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space, Sean Cook, Damon Reece and Michael Mooney threatened a strike in protest over salaries and appearance fees. New contracts of employment were drawn up between Pierce and the musicians, and the same contracts were then used to infamously fire them (to general disbelief by the music press at the time). In response, messers Cook, Reece and Mooney formed Lupine Howl.
Pierce then debuted a new (and current) line up of Spiritualized, featuring thighpaulsandra (keyboards), Doggen (guitar) , Kevin Bales, Tom Edwards (percussion), Martin Shallards. Ray Dickaty departed in 2003, and has appeared to play live with Refoy and Mattock in Slipstream.
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[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
| Title | Format | Label | Date | Chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lazer Guided Melodies | 2LP/CD | Dedicated | Mar 92 | UK #27 |
| Fucked Up Inside | LP/CD | Dedicated | Jun 93 | |
| Pure Phase | Sampler 12"/2x12"/CD/Ltd.CD | Dedicated | Feb 95 | |
| Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space | Cassette/2x12"/CD/Ltd.CD/12x3"CD | Dedicated | Mar 97 | UK #4 |
| Royal Albert Hall October 10, 1997 | 2LP/2CD | Dedicated | Oct 98 | UK #38 |
| Let It Come Down | 2LP/CD/Ltd.CD | Spacemen/Arista | Sep 01 | UK #3; US #133 |
| Complete Works Vol. 1 | 2CD | Spaceman/Arista | Mar 03 | |
| Amazing Grace | CD/LP/3x12” | Sanctuary | Aug 03 | UK #25 |
| Complete Works Vol. 2 | 2CD | Spaceman/Arista | Jan 04 |
[edit] All Releases
| Title | Format | Label | Release | Chartpos. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Anyway That You Want Me" | Promo 7"/7"/12"/CD | Dedicated | Jun 90 | ||
| "Anyway That You Want Me" | Remix 12" | Dedicated | Jul 90 | ||
| "Feel So Sad/I Want You" | 7"/CD | Fierce | May 91 | ||
| "Feel So Sad" | 12"/CD | Dedicated | Jun 91 | ||
| "Run/I Want You" | 7"/12"/CD | Dedicated | Aug 91 | ||
| "Smile/Sway" | 7"/12"/CD | Dedicated | Nov 91 | ||
| "Run/Angel Sigh" | Promo CD | Dedicated | Mar 92 | ||
| "Feel So Bad" | Promo CD | Dedicated | Mar 92 | ||
| "I Want You" | 7"/CD | Dedicated | Mar 92 | ||
| Lazer Guided Melodies | 2LP/CD | Dedicated | Mar 92 | UK #27 | |
| "Medication" | 7”/12"/CD | Dedicated | Jul 92 | ||
| Fucked Up Inside | LP/CD | Dedicated | Jun 93 | ||
| "Smiles/100 Bars" | 7" Flexi | Dedicated | Jun 93 | ||
| "Good Dope, Good Fun" | 7" | Greenpeace Records | Oct 93 | ||
| "Electric Mainline EP" | 7"/12"/CD | Dedicated | Oct 93 | ||
| "Let It Flow" | Promo CD/10"/CD1/CD2/CD3 | Dedicated | Jan 95 | ||
| Pure Phase | Sampler 12"/2x12"/CD/Ltd.CD | Dedicated | Feb 95 | ||
| "Lay Back In The Sun" | Promo CD/7"/CD | Dedicated | Sep 95 | ||
| "Anyway That You Want Me" | 7" | Sub-Pop | Oct 95 | ||
| "Pure Phase Tones For DJs" | 12" | Dedicated | Feb 96 | ||
| Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space | Cassette/2x12"/CD/Ltd.CD/12x3"CD | Dedicated | Mar 97 | UK #4 | |
| "Broken Heart" | Promo CD | Dedicated | Jul 97 | ||
| "Electricity" | Promo CD/7”/CD1/CD2 | Dedicated | Aug 97 | ||
| "Supplementary Dosage EP" | CD | Arista/Dedicated | Oct 97 | ||
| "I Think I'm In Love" | Promo 12"/CD | Arista/Dedicated | Nov 97 | ||
| "I Think I'm In Love" | 12"/CD | Dedicated | Feb 98 | ||
| "Come Together" | Promo CD | Arista/Dedicated | Mar 98 | ||
| "Abbey Road EP" | 12"/CD | Deconstruction | Jun 98 | ||
| "Abbey Road EP" | CD (Germany) | Deconstruction | Aug 98 | ||
| "Abbey Road EP" | CD | Arista/Dedicated | Aug 98 | ||
| "Come Together Remix Single" | 12" | Dedicated | Aug 98 | ||
| Live At The Royal Albert Hall | Promo CD 4-track album sampler | Dedicated Spirit017CDP LC 8280 | 1998 | ||
| Royal Albert Hall October 10, 1997 | 2LP/2CD | Dedicated | Oct 98 | UK #38 | |
| "Electricity/Come Together" | DVD | Arista | Dec 00 | ||
| "Stop Your Crying" | Promo CD/12”/CD | Spaceman | Aug 01 | ||
| Let It Come Down | 2LP/CD/Ltd.CD | Spacemen/Arista | Sep 01 | UK #3; US #133 | |
| "Out Of Sight" | 12"/CD | Spaceman | Nov 01 | ||
| "Do It All Over Again" | 7"/CD1/CD2 | Spaceman | Feb 02 | ||
| "KFSD Presents The First-Ever Spiritualized Radio Session" | Promo CD | Spaceman | Apr 02 | ||
| "Amazing Grace" | 12" | Spaceman | Nov 02 | ||
| Complete Works Vol. 1 | 2CD | Spaceman/Arista | Mar 03 | ||
| Amazing Grace | CD/LP/3x12” | Sanctuary | Aug 03 | UK #25 | |
| "She Kissed Me (It Felt Like A Hit)" | 12"/CD | Sanctuary | Sep 03 | ||
| "Cheapster" | 7" | Sanctuary | Jan 04 | ||
| Complete Works Vol. 2 | 2CD | Spaceman/Arista | Jan 04 |
