The Monochrome Set
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The Monochrome Set
Featuring original Monochrome Set members Bid (Guitar/Vocals) and Andy Warren (bass) with John Paul Moran (keyboards) and Mike Urban, who was previously in the band in the early 90s, on drums, The Monochrome Set formed in 1978, and were heavily influential in the ‘post-punk’ scene that evolved after the initial scorched earth of punk.
The band’s early releases were on the legendary Rough Trade Label before signing with Virgin offshoot Din Disc. They also released several albums on the Cherry Red label, making a notable appearance on that labels’ well known ‘Pillows and Prayers’ compilation.
Though The Monochrome Set split in 1985 the next decade saw several reunions for both live gigs and further studio recordings, their album release count now being well into double figures.
After a hiatus of over a decade the band reformed full time in 2010 and have since toured all over the UK, Europe, Japan and the USA, whilst also releasing four new, critically acclaimed, studio albums, the most recent, ‘Cosmonaut’, on the German ‘Tapete’ label in September 2016”
2018 sees the 40th year since the band formed and they will be gigging worldwide to celebrate this and promote their new album due out in the Spring.
The Cathode Ray are an Edinburgh-based alternative rock band. The current line up features Jeremy Thoms (Vocals, Guitar, Keys), Steve Fraser (Guitar), Neil Baldwin (Bass) and David Mack (Drums) plus recent addition Phil Biggs (Guitar).
Originally based on a loose concept of forging late seventies New York, with late seventies Manchester, The Cathode Ray started life in 2006.
Adding 60's garage, soundtracks, glam rock, northern soul, disco and psyche to the palette, recording sessions ensued, with the band's debut double 'A' sided single 'What's It All About?'/'Mind', hailed as Single of the Year by Radio Clyde DJ and Sunday Mail columnist Billy Sloan in his round up of 2006.
A second single, 'Slipping Away' was released in April 2009 and proclaimed Single of the Year (so far) by the esteemed journalist Paul Lester in an enthusiastic piece in The Guardian.
The band's eponymous debut album came out in April 2012 through Stereogram Recordings and featured high in the end-of-year roundups on the Manic Pop Thrills, Pennyblackmusic, The Sound Project and Jock'n'Roll websites. The single 'Dispersal' was Track of the Month in April 2012 on the influential Janice Forsyth Show on BBC Radio Scotland.
They released their second album entitled 'Infinite Variety' on Stereogram Recordings in April 2015 which expanded the band’s sound further still. Accompanied by the singles 'Resist', 'Buck The Trend' and 'This Force Of Nature', it has garlanded ecstatic praise from all corners of the music press.
The band are currently working on their third album which is due for release in 2018.