Kevin Martin (British musician)

Infobox musical artist


Name = Kevin Martin
Img_size =
Background = solo_singer
Alias =
Born =
Died =
Origin =
Instrument = Saxophone, computer, vocals, turntables, synthesizer
Genre = Dub music
Jazzcore
Illbient
Industrial hip-hop
Dubstep
Occupation = Producer, Musician
Years_active =
Label = Pathological Records
Virgin Records
Blue Angel Records
Morpheus
Crashh
Position/Chrome
City Slang
Digital Hardcore Recordings
Matador
Tigerbeat6
Rephlex
Ninja Tune
Soul Jazz
Fat Cat Records
Wordsound
Hyperdub
Associated_acts = God
Ice
Techno Animal
The Bug
Pressure
Godflesh
Justin Broadrick
Curse of the Golden Vampire
URL =
Notable_instruments =

Kevin Martin is a London-based musician, record producer, and journalist. He has been active for over a decade, in the genres of dub, jazzcore, industrial hip-hop, and dubstep. His main projects include God, Techno Animal, Ice, Curse of the Golden Vampire, The Bug, and Pressure. He has collaborated with such figures as John Zorn, [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:0bfwxqw5ldhe allmusic ((( Possession > Overview ))) ] ] Justin Broadrick, Experimental Audio Research, [Jason Ankeny, Experimental Audio Research bio, Allmusic. [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:jnfrxqqgldfe~T1] Access date: September 14, 2008.] El-P, Blixa Bargeld, Alec Empire, Dälek, Vast Aire, Anti-Pop Consortium, DJ Vadim, Cutty Ranks, Flow Dan, Mark Stewart and Keith Levene.

Musical projects

God

God was a jazzcore group that was part of the grindcore and industrial metal scenes. Justin Broadrick, formerly of Napalm Death and later of Godflesh, eventually joined. This was the first of Martin's collaborations with Broadrick, Techno Animal and Ice being subsequent. John Zorn also worked with this group. [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:0bfwxqw5ldhe allmusic ((( Possession > Overview ))) ] ]

Techno Animal

"1991-Present"
(with Justin Broadrick)
An industrial hip-hop group, which eventually collaborated with Dälek, Vast Aire, and Anti-Pop Consortium. John Jobaggy also participated in the group.

Ice

"1993-1998"
(with Justin Broadrick)
Ice included Martin on vocals, saxophone, synthesizer, and turntables; Justin Broadrick on guitar; David Cochrane on bass; and Lou Ciccotelli on drums. Their first album, "Under The Skin", was somewhat similar to the industrial rock of Broadrick's Godflesh, but with a more experimentalist bent, notably via Martin's free jazz-influenced saxophone. By "Bad Blood", their second album, the band had absorbed a great deal of hip hop influence, and nearly all the songs featured contributions from guests well-known in underground rap, including El-P. However, the experimentalism continued, with singer Blixa Bargeld of legendary experimentalists Einsturzende Neubauten appearing as well, often alongside the rappers. According to critic Ned Raggett, [ [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:fbfwxqyjldhe] ] the experiments aren't always successful, but he credits the band for expanding their sound.

Curse of the Golden Vampire

(with Justin Broadrick)
Another industrial hip-hop group, similar to Techno Animal. The first album also included the contribution of Alec Empire.

The Bug

The Bug's music draws influence from dancehall, noise, grime, and hip hop. More subtle influences include dubstep and the dubtronica and broken techno of Basic Channel and Pole.

The Bug's first album, "Tapping The Conversation", was released in 1997 on the seminal Wordsound label. The album was conceived as an alternative soundtrack to the 1974 Francis Ford Coppola film "The Conversation". In this incarnation The Bug consisted of Kevin Martin and DJ Vadim. From 2001-2004 The Bug collaborated with UK reggae soundsystem veteran The Rootsman on a number of limited edition 7" singles, released on the Razor X label. These releases were characterised by their harsh, aggressive nature both musically and vocally (vocal artists including Jamaican MCs such as He-Man and Wayne Lonesome). The Bug's second album, "Pressure" was released on Rephlex Records in 2003. It included a number of more ambient, dub-influenced tracks alongside the ragga-tinged onslaughts. The Razor X singles were compiled on the "Killing Sound" album (along with newer material) which was released by Rephlex in 2006. Bug projects have included collaborations with a number of singers and MCs including Cutty Ranks, Flow Dan, Warrior Queen and Ras B. In 2005 he collaborated with Mark Stewart and Keith Levene and has released records on Rephlex, Tigerbeat6 and Klien Records. "The Bug" produced some radio sessions, including a clash with Soundmurderer on John Peel and a 2006 Breezeblock session with 10 MCs. In 2006, The Bug launched a monthly London-based reggae club night entitled BASH, in collaboration with dubstep producer Loefah.

Pressure

A dubstep project, with releases on the Hyperdub label.

He also compiled the "Macro Dub Infection" (parts one and two), "Isolationism" and "Jazz Satellites" CDs for the Virgin Ambient series.

Influences

Kevin Martin has discussed his admiration for Jah Shaka, Adrian Sherwood, King Tubby, Lee Perry, Swans, and Public Enemy. [Interview with Kevin Martin, David, Dubstep.fr, June 27, 2007. [http://dubstep.fr/index.php/the-bug-itv-part1] Access date: August 28, 2008.]

Journalism

He has previously written for music magazines such as "Muzik" and "Jockey Slut".

Discography

Techno Animal

Albums

*1991 - Ghosts
*1995 - Re-Entry
*1996 - Babylon Seeker
*1998 - Radio Hades
*1998 - Techno Animal Versus Reality
*1999 - Symbiotics (with Porter Ricks)
*2001 - The Brotherhood Of The Bomb

ingles & EPs

*1996 - Unmanned
*1997 - Demonoid
*1997 - Phobic
*1998 - Cyclops
*2001 - Dead Man's Curse
*2001 - We Can Build You

Ice

*"Under the Skin" (1993)
*"Bad Blood" (1998)

The Bug

Albums

*"Tapping The Conversation" (WordSound, 1997)
*"Pressure" (Rephlex Records, 2003)
*"London Zoo" (Ninja Tune, 2008)

ingles (Incomplete)

*"Low Rider" - 12" Single (Fat Cat, 1999)
*"Seismic" - 12" Single (Morpheus, 2001)
*"Beats, Bombs, Bass, Weapons" - 7" Single (Klein, 2003)
*"Buckle Up" - 12" Single (Buckout, 2003)
*"Gun Disease" - 12" Single (Rephlex Records, 2003)
*"Aktion Pak" - 12" Single (Rephlex Records, 2004)
*"Dem A Bomb We" - 12" Single (Soul Jazz Records, 2005)
*"Fire" - 12" Single (Klein, 2005)
*"Poison Dart" - 12" Single (Ninja Tune, 2007)
*"Jah War" - 12" Single (Ninja Tune, 2007)
*"Skeng" - 12" Single (Hyperdub, 2007)

Curse of the Golden Vampire

*"Curse of the Golden Vampire", 1998
*"Mass Destruction", 2003

References

Reviews

* [http://brainwashed.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6930&Itemid=90 The Bug review at Brainwashed.com]
* [http://www.reggae-reviews.com/bug.html The Bug reviewed on reggae-reviews.com]
* [http://www.exclaim.ca/articles/multiarticlesub.aspx?csid1=124&csid2=4&fid1=32736 The Bug's Painful Sting article at www.exclaim.ca]
* [http://auralstates.com/2008/09/the-bug-london-zoo-ninja-tune.html The Bug - London Zoo] reviewed at Aural States, Recommended Album
* [http://www.ninjatune.net/ninja/artist.php?id=135]
* [http://www.uncarved.org/dub/bug/bug.html]

External links

* [http://www.discogs.com/artist/Kevin+Martin]
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* [http://www.uncarved.org/dub/bug/bug.html John Eden interviews Kevin]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/maryannehobbs/galleries/27/ photos from the 2006 Breezeblock session]
* [http://www.posteverything.com/sackbutblues/article.php?id=5568 Bug interview on Post Everything]
* [http://www.tigerbeat6.com/index.php?id=2_20 Tigerbeat 6 Bug Primer]
* [http://www.woebot.com/movabletype/archives/000717.html Interesting take on The Bug material - last half of page]