Felt (band)

Infobox musical artist
Name = Felt


Img_size = 160
Img_capt = Lawrence
Background = group_or_band
Origin = Birmingham, England
Instrument = Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Drums, Organ, Keyboards
Genre = Alternative
Post-punk
Indie pop
Years_active = 1979–1989
Label = Cherry Red Creation
Associated_acts = Denim Go Kart Mozart
Current_members = Lawrence Maurice Deebank Gary Ainge Marco Thomas Martin Duffy Mick Lloyd Nick Gilbert

Felt were a 1980s British alternative rock band, named after the way Tom Verlaine enunciated the word "felt" in the Television song "Venus", and led by Lawrence (his surname, Hayward, was never listed in any record credits or press). Lawrence and drummer Gary Ainge were the only constant members (though Ainge is not featured on Felt's first release, recorded solo by Lawrence before the band formed).

Felt are often cited as a major influence by Belle & Sebastian's Stuart Murdoch, as well as by American alternative rock group The Tyde. The band released ten albums and ten singles in ten years and then disbanded.

History

Over the course of its ten-year existence, the band included classically-trained guitarist and co-songwriter Maurice Deebank (who left in 1986), keyboard player Martin Duffy, bassist-turned-lead guitarist Marco Thomas, and a variety of other bassists and guitarists.

During its years with Deebank, Felt cultivated an atmospheric, delicate sound built around Deebank's intricate guitar playing. After firmly establishing themselves on the indie scene, Felt recruited the services of Robin Guthrie as producer for their album "Ignite the Seven Cannons," which remains one of the group's most popular albums (although it apparently didn't impress Deebank, who left the band soon afterwards to pursue a solo career). Guthrie's most notable influence is arguably heard in the single "Primitive Painters," which offers the listener a Guthrie-infused 'sonic cathedral of sound,' complete with backing vocals from Guthrie's Cocteau Twins partner Elizabeth Fraser.

With the arrival of Martin Duffy (later of Primal Scream), keyboards (especially the electronic organ) became a more important part of the band's sound, and they dominate the band's two instrumental albums, "Let the Snakes Crinkle Their Heads to Death" and "Train Above The City" (the latter not featuring Lawrence in any capacity except for naming the tracks). It was during this period that the band recorded "Forever Breathes The Lonely Word" and the follow-up "Poem of the River", which are often cited as their masterpieces.

The band recorded their last album, "Me and a Monkey on the Moon" in 1989. Lawrence went on to form Denim, and subsequently Go Kart Mozart.

Discography

Albums

*"Crumbling the Antiseptic Beauty" (Cherry Red, 1981)
*"The Splendour of Fear" (Cherry Red, 1984)
*"The Strange Idols Pattern and Other Short Stories" (Cherry Red, 1984)
*"Ignite the Seven Cannons" (Cherry Red, 1985)
*"Let the Snakes Crinkle Their Heads to Death" (Creation Records, 1986)
*"Forever Breathes the Lonely Word" (Creation Records, 1986)
*"Poem of the River" (Creation Records, 1987)
*"The Pictorial Jackson Review" (Creation Records, 1988)
*"Train Above the City" (Creation Records, 1988)
*"Me and a Monkey on the Moon" (Cherry Red, 1989)

Compilations

*"Gold Mine Trash" (Cherry Red, 1987)
*"Bubblegum Perfume" (Creation Records, 1990)
*"Absolute Classic Masterpieces" (Cherry Red, 1992)
*"Absolute Classic Masterpieces Volume II" (Creation Records, 1993)
*"Stains on a Decade" (Cherry Red, 2003)

ingles

*"Index" (Shanghai Records, September 1979):7" "Index" / "Break It":"Released as by Felt though recorded solo by Lawrence before band formed."

*"Something Sends Me to Sleep" (Cherry Red, July 1981):7" "Something Sends Me to Sleep" / "Red Indians" / "Something Sends Me to Sleep" (different version) / "Red Indians"

*"My Face Is on Fire" (Cherry Red, September 1982):7" "My Face Is on Fire" / "Trails of Colour Dissolve"

*"Penelope Tree" (Cherry Red, June 1983):7" "Penelope Tree" / "A Preacher in New England":12" "Penelope Tree" / "A Preacher in New England" / "Now Summer's Spread Its Wings Again"

*"Mexican Bandits" (Cherry Red, March 1984):7" "Mexican Bandits" / "The World Is As Soft As Lace"

*"Sunlight Bathed the Golden Glow" (Cherry Red, July 1984):7" "Sunlight Bathed the Golden Glow" / "Fortune":12" "Sunlight Bathed the Golden Glow" / "Fortune" / "Sunlight Strings":"Fortune" is a new recording of the song from the band's first album."

*"Primitive Painters" (Cherry Red, August 1985):12" "Primitive Painters" / "Cathedral":CD "Primitive Painters" / "Cathedral" (August 1988):"Cathedral" is a new recording of the song from the band's first album."

*"Ballad of the Band" (Creation Records, May 1986):7" "Ballad of the Band" / "I Didn't Mean to Hurt You":12" "Ballad of the Band" / "I Didn't Mean to Hurt You" / "Candles in a Church" / "Ferdinand Magellan"

*"Rain of Crystal Spires" (Creation Records, September 1986):7" "Rain of Crystal Spires" / "I Will Die with My Head in Flames":12" "Rain of Crystal Spires" / "Gather up Your Wings and Fly" / "Sandman's on the Rise Again" / "I Will Die With My Head in Flames"

*"The Final Resting of the Ark" (Creation Records, September 1987):12" "The Final Resting of the Ark" / "Autumn" / "Fire Circle" / "There's No Such Thing As Victory" / "Buried Wild Blind"

*"Space Blues" (Creation Records, August 1988):7" "Space Blues" / "Be Still":12" "Space Blues" / "Be Still" / "Female Star" / "Tuesday's Secret":"Be Still" originally by The Beach Boys; the only cover recorded by Felt."

*"Get out of My Mirror" (Cherry Red, October 1989):7" "Get out of My Mirror":"Free one-sided flexidisc."

*"Primitive Painters" reissue (Cherry Red, March 1992):12" "Primitive Painters" / "Dismantled King Is Off The Throne" (demo) / "Sunlight Bathed The Golden Glow" (demo):CD "Primitive Painters" / "Dismantled King Is Off The Throne" (demo) / "Sunlight Bathed The Golden Glow" (demo):"The two demos first appeared on the "Gold Mine Trash" compilation album."

Videos

*"A Declaration" - Live In Concert, London, February 1987 (DVD, Cherry Red, 2003)

External links

* [http://felt.planetaclix.pt Felt - a tribute] - News on Felt, Denim, Lawrence, etc.
* [http://www.glassdarkly.com/feltfolder/feltbody.html Felt discography]
* [http://www.adriandenning.co.uk/felt.html The Felt, Denim & Go Kart Mozart reviews page]
* [http://www.belleandsebastian.com/recordings.php?release=3&view=info Liner Notes for Belle & Sebastian's "Dear Catastrophe Waitress"]
* [http://absolutzine.com/columnas/felt History of Felt in Spanish]