Josef K (band)
Josef K | |
---|---|
Origin | Edinburgh, Scotland |
Genres | Post-punk |
Years active | 1979–1982 |
Labels | Postcard Records Les Disques du Crépuscule |
Past members | Paul Haig - Guitar, vocals Malcolm Ross - Guitar, Violin David Weddell - Bass Ronnie Torrance - Drums |
Website | Josef K (unofficial site) Josef K Facebook Page |
Josef K were a Scottish post-punk band, active between 1979 and 1982, who released singles on the Postcard Records label. The band was named after the protagonist of Franz Kafka's novel The Trial. Although they released just one album while together and achieved only moderate success, they have since proved influential on many bands that followed.
History
The band was formed in 1979 originally as TV Art by
The band split prior to the release of the 1982 single, "The Farewell Single" through
Musical style
Musically, they resembled their label mates Orange Juice in fusing
The band adopted what was described as an "anti-rock stance", most members eschewing drink and (most) drugs, and the band never doing encores, which Ross considered "patronizing".[3]
Influence
Josef K would prove to be a major influence on several later 1980s bands, including The June Brides and The Wedding Present (who also never do encores).[3] They also influenced later bands such as Franz Ferdinand,[7] The Futureheads, and The Rapture, and they were described in 2006 as "one of the most influential bands in Britain".[8]
"Sorry for Laughing" was covered by German synth pop group Propaganda on their 1985 album A Secret Wish (and the remix album Wishful Thinking), and again in 2004 by French New Wave/bossa nova band Nouvelle Vague.[9]
In an interview with
Several notable labels have reissued Josef K albums and compilations, including Creation, Domino and LTM Recordings. In 2014 Les Disques du Crépuscule issued remastered vinyl and CD editions of The Only Fun in Town. The history of Josef K is covered in 2015 documentary film Big Gold Dream, with Malcolm Ross featuring prominently as an interviewee.
Band members
- Paul Haig – guitar, vocals, songwriting
- Malcolm Ross – guitar, violin
- David Weddell – bass
- Ronnie Torrance – drums
Original founding members included Neil Shah-Shah (Guitar) and Matthew Cocks[11][unreliable source?] (Bass), who left the band due to increasing press interest.[citation needed] Gary McCormack briefly played bass before joining The Exploited.
All of their songs were written by either Paul Haig or Paul Haig/Malcolm Ross.
Discography
Studio albums
Year | Title | UK Indie Chart Position[12]
| |
---|---|---|---|
Jun | 1981 | The Only Fun in Town | No. 3 |
Compilation and live albums
Year | Title | UK Indie Chart Position[12] | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jun | 1987 | Young and Stupid | (1979–1981 singles/session cuts, released with different track listing on CD in Sep 1990) | |
Mar | 1989 | Endless Soul | No. 7 | (best of) |
Sep | 1990 | Only Fun in Town | (contains the album "The Only Fun in Town" and the unreleased album "Sorry For Laughing" from 1980) | |
Oct | 2002 | Crazy to Exist | (live recordings from 1981) | |
Sep | 2003 | Live at Valentino's | (live recordings from 1981) | |
Nov | 2006 | Entomology | (mainly culled from Postcard and Les Disques Du Crepuscule 1980–81) | |
Nov | 2012 | Sorry For Laughing | First vinyl issue of their unreleased debut album (includes 12-track bonus CD of TV Art's original 1979 demo recordings) | |
May | 2016 | It`s Kinda Funny | Compilation of singles released between 1979 and 1982 |
Singles
Year | Title | UK Indie Chart Position[12]
| |
---|---|---|---|
Dec | 1979 | "Chance Meeting / Romance" | |
Aug | 1980 | "Radio Drill Time / Crazy To Exist (Live)" | No. 27 |
Dec | 1980 | "It's Kinda Funny / Final Request" | No. 12 |
Feb | 1981 | "Sorry For Laughing / Revelation" | |
May | 1981 | "Chance Meeting / Pictures (of Cindy)" | No. 12 |
Feb | 1982 | "The Missionary / One Angle / Second Angle" ¹ | No. 5 |
Mar | 1987 | "Heaven Sent" ¹ | No. 12 |
¹ post split
References
- ^ ISBN 1-84195-335-0, p. 386
- ^ ISBN 0-7535-0231-3, p. 232
- ^ ISBN 978-0-571-21570-6, p. 349
- ^ a b c Smith, Aidan (2006) "With Franz like these...", Scotland on Sunday, 15 October 2006, retrieved 27 May 2011
- ^ Allmusic, retrieved 27 May 2011
- ^ "Sorry For Laughing [LTMLP 2549] | Josef K | LTM". Retrieved 22 June 2021.
- Glasgow Herald, 9 December 2006, p. 2 ('Guide' section)
- ^ Petridis, Alexis (2006) "Josef K, Entomology", The Guardian, 15 December 2006, retrieved 27 May 2011
- ^ "Nouvelle Vague - Best Of". Discogs. 13 July 2010. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
- ^ NardwuarServiette, Nardwuar vs. King Krule, retrieved 7 December 2018
- ^ "All The Acts / Bands Who Played The Kinema Ballroom Dunfermline – 'J'". Kinemagigz.com. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
- ^ ISBN 0-9517206-9-4, p. 124
External links
- Josef-K.org – official site
- Josef K biography at Crepuscule
- Rhythm of Life Paul Haig's record label
- Big Gold Dream on YouTube
- Postcard Records : Big Gold Dream Bonus - The Glasgow School Full Film on YouTube