Kevin Martin (British musician)
Kevin Martin | |
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Kevin Richard Martin, often known under his recording alias The Bug, is an English musician and music producer. Martin moved from Weymouth to London around 1990 and is now currently based in mainland Europe.
Martin's projects include
Early life
Martin first became interested in music as a teenager going to Handsome Dick's, a record store in Weymouth, Dorset, England, UK. At the same time, he was introduced to the music of Joy Division, the Sex Pistols, Captain Beefheart, the Birthday Party and Throbbing Gristle. He has described his initial interest in music as stemming from his difficult family situation during his childhood, adding, "It seemed like everything that I hated about English conservative monoculture was being burned and turned upside down through music," and "post-punk music was tearing up rule books and asking questions of everything, particularly structure in terms of music, art, politics, you know, the law."[4]
Martin first began making music after he was attracted to a do-it-yourself (DIY) aesthetic. He first worked with a four-track recorder and effects pedal, saying, "[I] was interested in everything that wasn't harmony, melody, and conservative musical structure. Dub seemed to tear everything to shreds, burn it up, and rearrange the embers" (referring to dub music). He described his early experiences of music in London as being very influential in his style and appreciation of music, especially after he experienced Iration Steppas and The Disciples in the early 1990s. He described his experience in the London music scene as taking a while to sync his ears up to ragga and digital dancehall, two genres of music in which he has become well known.[4]
Musical projects
GOD
Techno Animal
An
Ice
Ice included Martin on vocals, saxophone, synthesizer, and turntables;
Curse of the Golden Vampire
Originally a collaboration between Techno Animal and
The Bug
The Bug's music is influenced by
The Bug's second album, Pressure was released on
In 2006, The Bug launched a monthly London-based reggae club night entitled BASH, in collaboration with dubstep producer Loefah. 2008 saw the release of London Zoo, the third full release from the project, on Ninja Tune to critical acclaim.
After a six-year hiatus, The Bug returned with their fourth effort Angels & Devils, again to critical acclaim. In October 2016, The Bug brought their new project Sirens to London for a special performance.[9]
Pressure
A dub project, with releases on the Hyperdub label.
Black Chow
Reggae-dub/trip hop collaboration with Kiki Hitomi, now, under the Jahtari record label (previous releases with Hyperdub). Black Chow incorporates Lo-Fi elements into their music, which is typical of artists on the Jahtari record label.
King Midas Sound
King Midas Sound is a musical crossover project, composed of Martin, London/Trinidad poet Roger Robinson and Japanese artist and singer Kiki Hitomi. Their first 12" release "(HDB014) Cool Out" and debut album Waiting For You... are both released through Kode9's Hyperdub label. "Meltdown" also featured on the 5 Years Of Hyperdub CD release in 2009. Their 12", "Aroo," was released on Ninja Tune in 2013. Their second album, Solitude, a drone ambient album with Robinson's spoken word performances, was released on Valentine's Day of 2019 on Cosmo Rhythmatic.
Zonal
In 2017 Martin and Broadrick reformed their Techno Animal project under the name Zonal, under which they'd released The Quatermass Project in 2000.
The pair hated the Techno Animal name and had intended to use Zonal for The Brotherhood of the Bomb, but Matador Records only offered to fund the album under what they considered the stronger Techno Animal brand.[10]
In 2017 through to 2019 Zonal performed older Techno Animal material and new Zonal music, and performed at
Compilations
He also compiled the Macro Dub Infection (parts one and two), Ambient 4: Isolationism and Jazz Satellites CDs for the Virgin Ambient series.
Influences
Kevin Martin has discussed his admiration for
Journalism
He has previously written for music magazines such as The Wire, Muzik and Jockey Slut.[15]
Partial discography
God
- Loco(Pathological Records, 1991)
- Possession (Caroline, 1992)
- Consumed (Sentrax/Blazer Corps,1993)
- The Anatomy of Addiction (Big Cat, 1994)
Techno Animal
- Ghosts (Pathological, 1991)
- Re-Entry (Virgin, 1995)
- Techno Animal Versus Reality (City Slang, 1998)
- Symbiotics (with Porter Ricks) (Force Inc. Music Works, 1999)
- The Brotherhood of the Bomb (Matador, 2001)
Ice
- Albums
- Under the Skin (Pathological, 1993)
- Warner Bros. Records, 1998)
- Singles & EPs
- "Quarantine" (Carcrashh, 1995)
- "Bad Blood Transfusion" (with Underdog) (Morpheus, 1998)
- "Headwreck" (Morpheus, 1998)
- "Trapped in Three Dimensions" (Morpheus, 1999)
Curse of the Golden Vampire
- Curse of the Golden Vampire, (Digital Hardcore Recordings, 1998)
- Mass Destruction, (Ipecac, 2003)
The Bug
- Albums
- Tapping The Conversation (WordSound, 1997)
- Pressure (Rephlex Records, 2003)
- London Zoo (Ninja Tune, 2008)
- Filthy EP : "Freakshow" "Louder" "Dirty" "Kill Them" (2013)
- Angels & Devils (Ninja Tune, 2014)
- Concrete Desert (with Earth) (Ninja Tune, 2017)
- In Blue (with Dis Fig) (Hyperdub, 2020)
- Fire (Ninja Tune, 2021)
Featuring – Daddy Freddy
- Singles (incomplete)
- "Low Rider" – 12" single (Fat Cat, 1999)
- "Seismic" – 12" single (Morpheus, 2001)
- "Beats, Bombs, Bass, Weapons" – 7" single (Klein, 2003)
- "Buckle Up" – 12" single (Buckout, 2003)
- "Gun Disease" – 12" single (Rephlex Records, 2003)
- "Aktion Pak" – 12" single (Rephlex Records, 2004)
- "Dem A Bomb We" – 12" single (Soul Jazz Records, 2005)
- "Fire" – 12" single (Klein, 2005)
- "Poison Dart" – 12" single (Ninja Tune, 2007)
- "Jah War" – 12" single (Ninja Tune, 2007)
- "Skeng" – 12" single (Hyperdub, 2007)
- "Ganja / Flying" – 12" single (Ninja Tune, 2008)
- "Infected" – 12" single (Ninja Tune, 2010)
- "Run" – 12" single (Swamp81, 2010)
- "Can't Take This No More/Rise Up" (Acid Ragga/Ninja Tune, 2012)
- "Ganja Baby/Diss Mi Army" (Acid Ragga/Ninja Tune, 2012)
- "Hardcore Lover/Goodbye" (Acid Ragga/Ninja Tune, 2013)
- "Boa/Cold" (with Earth) (Ninja Tune, 2014)
- Remixes (incomplete)
- "Harrowdown Hill" – Originally by Thom Yorke
- "Satellite" – Originally by The Kills
- "Malarkey" – Originally by The Earlyman
- "Emergency Room" – Originally by Ford & Lopatin
- "Make Some Noise" – Originally by Beastie Boys
- "Black Stacey" – Originally by Saul Williams
- "Le Haine" – Originally by Asian Dub Foundation
Black Chow
- Hyperdub 5.1 – 12", EP (Hyperdub, August 2009)
- Wonderland – Featuring Pupajim, 12", EP (Jahtari, 2011)
King Midas Sound
- Albums
- Waiting For You... (Hyperdub, 2009)
- Without You (Hyperdub, 2011)
- Christian Fennesz(Ninja Tune, 2015)
- Solitude (Cosmo Rhythmatic, 2019)
- Singles & EPs
- "Cool Out" (Hyperdub, 2008)
- "Dub Heavy – Hearts & Ghosts" (Hyperdub, 2009)
- "Lost" (Hyperdub, 2010)
- "Goodbye Girl" (Hyperdub, 2011)
References
- ^ "The Quietus - News - Kevin Martin Releases Two New Albums". The Quietus. Archived from the original on 13 October 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
- ^ Clayton, Jace (Winter 2011). "Kevin Martin in Bomb Magazine". Archived from the original on 18 October 2011. Retrieved 21 September 2014.
- ^ London Zoo review, The Wire, July 2008, p. 44.
- ^ a b "BOMB Magazine – The Bug by Jace Clayton". Bombsite.com. Archived from the original on 18 October 2011. Retrieved 21 September 2014.
- ^ "Possession – God – Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 15 February 2015. Retrieved 21 September 2014.
- ^ Eede, Christian. "The Bug And JK Flesh To Reunite On Stage". The Quietus. The Quietus. Archived from the original on 13 October 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
- ^ "Bad Blood – Ice – Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 3 March 2015. Retrieved 21 September 2014.
- ^ Warren, Emma. "The Bug on Soundsystems, Miss Red and the Creative Process - Red Bull Music Academy". YouTube. Archived from the original on 17 February 2020. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
- ^ Murray, Robin (28 October 2016). "The Bug To Bring 'Sirens' To London". Clashmusic.com. Archived from the original on 22 November 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
- ^ Mahfix, Alif Omar (9 May 2012). "A Bug in the sound system". The Juice. Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
- ^ "Zonal ft. Moor Mother". Roadburn. Archived from the original on 13 October 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
- ^ Rosenberg, Axl (21 August 2019). "Meet Justin Broadrick's Latest Project: Zonal". Metal Sucks. Archived from the original on 17 January 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
- ^ Cluness, Bob. "Reviews ZONAL feat. Moor Mother: Wrecked". The Quietus. Archived from the original on 13 October 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
- ^ [1] Archived 16 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Martin, Kevin. "Aesop's Fable". Mushrecords.com. Archived from the original on 13 October 2021. Retrieved 12 October 2016.