Scrash

Scrash were a three piece rock band hailing from Stourbridge in the West Midlands, UK.

Personnel

Scrash were made up of Michael Fox (guitar; drum-machine, synth and sampler programming), Luke Sweeney (vocals), Darren Pataki (bass guitar; backing vocals; drum-machine, synth and sampler programming). They were later augmented by Tim Gascoigne (drums).

History

They were active between 1991 & 1994, and performed music that was a fusion of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_music indie] , techno, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternative_metal metal] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_music industrial] .

Scrash toured the UK extensively during that period playing many concerts alongside other well regarded luminaries of the then indie music scene such as Pop Will Eat Itself, Meat Beat Manifesto, Senser, Back To The Planet, Babylon Zoo, Giggolo Aunts, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scorpio_Rising,_Sonic_Liverpool_Rock_Band_1990-1994 Scorpio Rising] , [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidi_Bou_Said_(band) Sidi Bou Said] , [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collapsed_Lung_(band) Collapsed Lung] , FMB, Fretblanket, Machine Gun Feedback and many others.

As well as being support on tour with Pop Will Eat Itself during January 1993, Scrash had also been the opening act during Pop Will Eat Itself's record breaking five night residency at the Marquee Club, London in April the previous year.

Scrash were described in the national and music press at that time as "... (they) effortlessly blend sonic walls of noise and samples of phlegm into finely crafted pop songs ... (they are) as glamourous as a donkey on Skegness Beach, but marginally less attractive"NME - New Musical Express - Scrash live concert review by journalist Jonny Cigarettes, August 1992] , "One of the best live bands around this year"Express & Star - interview with Pop Will Eat Itself's Clint Mansell, August 1992] , "New recruits to the Stourbridge Mafia"Melody Maker - in reference to Scrash tour dates, March 1993] , in reference to the then endless stream of top indie bands eminating from the small West Midlands town (such as Pop Will Eat Itself, The Wonderstuff, Neds Atomic Dustbin, Fretblanket), "The new Stourbridge Wunderkind"Vox - comment made by Pop Will Eat Itself's Clint Mansell in a diary article, October 1993]

Radio & Media

In addition to their live work, Scrash came to national prominence in May 1992 when a previously unreleased demo version of their track "Funtime" won the "Soundclash" competition on [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_London_94.9 GLR Radio (BBC 94.9)] 's weekly [http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2005/05/04/gary_crowley_person_profile.shtml Gary Crowley] show. The song was then played numerous times on the show in the following weeks. Previous winners of the "Soundclash" competition include [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suede_(band) Suede] and Sidi Bou Said.

The video to "Funtime" was also aired on early evening Central TV during a focus on local bands in the West Midlands.

Deals

Scrash were signed to the Doofer You management company and to the XS Press press agency, as well as to the ITB concert agency. They were courted for 18 months by most of the UK major labels at that time and were offered two record deals during that period - one with independant record label Behemoth Records and one with German industrial label Dynamica (who also had the successful UK industrial band Cubanate on their books at that time). Scrash refused to sign both deals.

Scrash also produced a number of remixes for other artists during this period - most notably two remixes (the first in a techno style, the second in a sample heavy industrial style) for the London based indie band Boomslang's "Rage" single.

Notes