W@ is a band who cannot easily be described in a few words. It's
origins can be traced as far back as the late 1980s when friends
first met in pubs and often boasted about how they would rule the
world etc, although like all dreams they never come out they are
meant to be usually just a series of whats?
Fast forward to 1999, and what began as a duo having a laugh
(later a trio) slowly became very serious as the trio used all
of their musical influences (which vary as wide ranging from
Guns and Roses to Madonna to less commercial known acts such
God speed you Black Emperor) to develop a sound that contains a
whiff of ambience through which vocals are spread out gently
across a ever-widening change and flurry of sound of which
distorted basses play out across a sea of spiralling
guitars and keyboards which flood the air with the
sound of bliss.
The band itself over the 1999 and 2000 period created a whole
host of recordings, which started off when Andy N and Tony
mucked around with drum machines and guitars (badly) before
gathering a bit more focus when Wika (aka Rick) came board
in 2000 to add some balance to the recordings.
One very funny gig followed in 2001, which a bootleg recording
exists which does provide a good laugh to those who have heard
it.
Sadly the trio splintered again towards 2002 or 2003 when
Tony (Vocals) moved to Cambridge and although the trio stayed
good friends, the music died just as the trio expanded into a
4 piece with Sectoid Medic (aka Wayne) on Second Guitar.
Speaking from a personal perespective, it is difficult to
listen to some of the tracks as they were very much of their
time and speaking from my perspective (Andy) I have done
better stuff since, but the memories are very important with
those stuff and me and Tony (Vocals) still work on 'Distance'
and 'Grey Ear, White Noise'
One track which isn't on here is a remix done of a Third
Eye Foundation track - this can be downloaded from
1. Alone in Company (Extract) - this appeared on a comp. CD
on the theme of God as a 15 second track, which was then
expanded later on to a full length track which can be heard
elsewhere on this comp.
2. Seasons - there is another version of this knocking around
somewhere which I may well post in the future if I can find
it, but Seasons was one of my very early lyrics and this
was backed by Wik's improvised guitars and sound affects
which may well have being recorded live which possibly
explains why Wik's guitar is a little low.
5. Cold Bloody November - a rare piece without Wik as if
my memory is correct really hated Tony's lyrics so I was
left to do these by myself. We had a review done on 8 of
the tracks which tickled me as it compared this to the
music from 'The Crow' which made me laugh as it was only
after I had finished that I realised I had actually the
score to it for it without even realising - lol
6. Cody's World - a instrumental featuring Wik on Guitar
and me on everything else. Another Jack Kerouac homage.
7. Echo - A solo piece by Wik who only the other day
accused me of nagging to keep hitting the delay pedals
and see what happened, which is what really happened but
is funny in hindsight.
8. I dream you - vocals by Tony about a lost love I guess
slowed down guitar and everything else by me. One of my
personal favourites.
9. Alone in Company - full version of track 1. The original
15 second track was done for a comp CD.. this full version
came sometime later. Tony knows what the lyrics are about.
Was mentioned in a review here that there was a rare occasion
where Wik's guitar didn't provide the melody and was used
to scare people in contrast to some of the noise provided
by Andy.
10. Untitled 3 - third in a series of untitled instrumentals.
There are a further three knocking around somewhere which
may get released someday.
11. Looking back with Cody - Wik apparently samples 'The
Good, the bad and the Ugly' here with his guitar - see
if you can spot it. The lyrics are a Jack Kerouac homage.
12. Echo (Version 2) is Wik again on his echo trip this
time with Sect Med (Wayne on second guitar)
13. Cody's Father is me by myself on another Kerouac homage.
14. In P - Wik on instrumental mode I think, though it may
well me being clever by myself.
15. 'And the Rest is Silence' is a cover of a song by my
other band 'DIH'
16. Cody's Father (Instrumental) - Instrumental version of Cody's
Father... I like the waves in this track and the guitar bends
it around beauitfully for me. One of my favourite tracks!
17. 'The Thornest Rose' is a instrumental version of
a vocal led song which has vanished for the moment but
will be released some day.
24. is Sectoid Medic by himself - the title says it all.
For more info : please contact Andy N - aen1mpo@yahoo.co.uk
