Bis ( ) (stylised as bis) are a Scottish

indie pop Indie pop (also typeset as indie-pop or indiepop) is a music genre and subculture that combines guitar pop with DIY ethic in opposition to the style and tone of mainstream pop music. It originated from British post-punk in the late 1970s and sub ...

band composed of Steven Clark (Sci-Fi Steven), John Clark (

John Disco John Clark (born 21 August 1978, better known as John Disco) is a Scottish record producer, sound engineer and songwriter. He started out his career as a member of the band Bis, and has worked in the recording studio with Fangs, Franz Ferdinan ...

), and Amanda MacKinnon (

Manda Rin Manda Rin (real name Amanda MacKinnon, born 22 March 1977) is a Scottish singer, artist and songwriter. She is the singer and keyboard player of the Scottish indie rock band Bis, later fronted the Kitchen and also released a solo album. She al ...

), formed in 1994. The band's name, rhyming with 'this', derives from "black iron skyline", a lyric from the song "Twilight of a Champion" by

The The () are an English post-punk band. They have been active in various forms since 1979, with singer-songwriter Matt Johnson being the only constant band member. achieved critical acclaim and commercial success in the UK, with 15 chart singles ...

. After releasing numerous cult EPs and three studio albums (1997's ''

The New Transistor Heroes ''The New Transistor Heroes'' is the debut studio album by Scottish indie pop Indie pop (also typeset as indie-pop or indiepop) is a music genre and subculture that combines guitar pop with DIY ethic in opposition to the style and tone of ma ...

'', 1999's ''

Social Dancing Social dances are dances that have a social functions and context. Social dances are intended for participation rather than performance. They are often danced merely to socialise and for entertainment, though they may have ceremonial, competi ...

'', and 2001's '' Return To Central'') the band broke up in 2003, but re-formed briefly in 2007 for a series of concerts. In 2009 they once again re-formed (adding a bass player and a drummer to the band lineup) and released the album ''

data Panik etcetera ''Data Panik Etcetera'' (stylised as ''data Panik etcetera'') is the fourth studio album by the Scottish pop group Bis, released in 2014. The album was the group's first since the band broke up in 2003. Critical reception ''The Line of Best F ...

'' in 2014. The album ''Slight Disconnects'' was released in February 2019 with the band lineup returning to the original core three-piece. An archival album, ''Music For Animations'', consisting of music recorded in 2004 for CBBC kids TV show ''

BB3B ''BB3B '' was an animated UK children's television series produced by Tell-Tale Productions in 2005. The entire series consists of thirteen episodes of twenty minutes each. It is shown on CBBC in the UK and ABC Kids in Australia. It first wen ...

'', was released in 2020. In 2021 the band self-released a cassette-only live album entitled ''The Fan Club Tapes Vol. 1 - Live In Toulouse 1997'' (their second self-released live album after ''Play Some Real Songs'' in 2001). ''Low Level (A Return To Central Travel Companion)'' - a CD consisting of previously unreleased material recorded during the ''Return To Central'' sessions - was also released in 2021. In October 2022 ''Systems Music For Home Defence'' was released, which Sci-Fi Steven has described as the band's "

rave A rave (from the verb: '' to rave'') is a dance party at a warehouse, club, or other public or private venue, typically featuring performances by DJs playing electronic dance music. The style is most associated with the early 1990s dance mus ...

" album.

History

1994–1997: Formation and early history

The three musicians formed Bis in late 1994 while Rin and Disco were in secondary school,

Woodfarm High School Woodfarm High School is a Scottish comprehensive secondary school in Woodfarm, East Renfrewshire. It has a roll of approximately 800 pupils. Gillian Boyle is the acting Headmistress, taking over from Nicola MacGlashan who left to join nearb ...

, and Steven who had recently finished there. After releasing their first singles ''Transmissions On The Teen-C Tip!'' and ''Disco Nation 45'' the following year, they appeared on

BBC Television BBC Television is a service of the BBC. The corporation has operated a public broadcast television service in the United Kingdom, under the terms of a royal charter, since 1927. It produced television programmes from its own studios from 193 ...

's ''

Top of the Pops ''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British Record chart, music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show ...

'' in 1996 performing "Kandy Pop" from their '' The Secret Vampire Soundtrack'' EP ahead of its release. Additionally in 1996 Steven contributed drums and keyboards to post-rock band Ganger’s 12" EP ''Half Nelson''. Bis were the first unsigned band ever on Top of the Pops. Kandy Pop came 49th in a reader poll of the 50 Greatest Britpop Songs Ever (https://www.nme.com/photos/50-greatest-britpop-songs-ever-as-voted-by-you-1434108) Bis released a number of EPs (''The Secret Vampire Soundtrack'', '' Bis vs. The D.I.Y Corps'', '' Atom-Powered Action!'' and '' This Is Teen-C Power!''), three of which entered the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

in 1996, followed by several singles between 1997 and 1999. They contributed a song to the

Gary Numan Gary Anthony James Webb (born 8 March 1958), known professionally as Gary Numan, is an English musician. He entered the music industry as frontman of the new wave band Tubeway Army. After releasing two albums with the band, he released his d ...

tribute album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records coll ...

Random In common usage, randomness is the apparent or actual lack of pattern or predictability in events. A random sequence of events, symbols or steps often has no :wikt:order, order and does not follow an intelligible pattern or combination. Ind ...

'' in 1997. Two of the band's early releases (''Disco Nation 45'' and ''The Secret Vampire Soundtrack'') were on

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

Chemikal Underground Chemikal Underground is an independent record label set up in 1994 at Glasgow, Scotland by rock band The Delgados. It was set up to release their first single, "Monica Webster" / "Brand New Car" and went on to break many new Scottish bands in ...

label, run by

the Delgados The Delgados are a Scottish indie rock band formed in Glasgow in 1994. The band is composed of Alun Woodward (vocals, guitar), Emma Pollock (vocals, guitar), Stewart Henderson (bass guitar), and Paul Savage (drums). Biography The band was fo ...

, and the band released one EP (''Bis Vs. The D.I.Y Corps'') on their own Teen-C Recordings label, before they transferred to Wiiija where labelmates included

Cornershop Cornershop are a British indie rock band best known for their single "Brimful of Asha", originally released in 1997 and, in a remixed version, topping the UK chart in 1998. The band was formed in 1991 by Wolverhampton-born Tjinder Singh (singe ...

. In the United States, their records appeared on the underground label

K Records K Records is an independent record label in Olympia, Washington founded in 1982. Artists on the label included early releases by Beck, Modest Mouse and Built to Spill. The record label has been called "key to the development of independent music ...

, and on the

Beastie Boys Beastie Boys were an American rap rock group from New York City, formed in 1978. The group was composed of Mike D, Michael "Mike D" Diamond (vocals, drums), Adam Yauch, Adam "MCA" Yauch (vocals, bass), and Ad-Rock, Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz (voca ...

Grand Royal Grand Royal was the Los Angeles, California-based vanity record label set up in 1992 by rap group Beastie Boys in conjunction with Capitol Records after the group left Def Jam Recordings. ''Grand Royal'' was also the name of a magazine written ...

label. They toured extensively both in the UK and abroad, their diverse influences reflected in the kinds of acts they appeared with;

Foo Fighters Foo Fighters are an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1994. Foo Fighters was initially formed as a one-man project by former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl. Following the success of the eponymous debut album, Grohl (lead vocals, guitar) re ...

, Garbage,

Luscious Jackson Luscious Jackson is an alternative rock/ rap-rock group formed in 1991. The band's name is a reference to former American basketball player Lucious Jackson. The original band consisted of Jill Cunniff (vocals, bass), Gabby Glaser (vocals, guit ...

, Gary Numan, and Pavement amongst them. The group became a favourite of the likes of Blur,

John Peel John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey (DJ) and radio presenter. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly fr ...

and

Green Day Green Day is an American rock band formed in the East Bay of California in 1987 by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, together with bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt. For most of the band's career, they have been a powe ...

, despite a particularly hostile review by

Steven Wells Steven Wells (10 May 1960 – 24 June 2009) was a British journalist, author, comedian and punk poet born in Swindon, Wiltshire. He was best known for ranting poetry and his provocative, unapologetic music journalism. In June 2006, he wrote in t ...

in the ''

New Musical Express ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

'' entitled "The Sinking of the Bis Lark". The Teen-C Revolution Sleeve artwork for the band's early releases featured a consistent " cut’n’paste" visual aesthetic and typewritten text in line with the band's interests in

zine A zine ( ; short for '' magazine'' or '' fanzine'') is a small-circulation self-published Self-publishing is the publication of media by its author at their own cost, without the involvement of a publisher. The term usually refers to writ ...

culture,

DIY "Do it yourself" ("DIY") is the method of building, modifying, or repairing things by oneself without the direct aid of professionals or certified experts. Academic research has described DIY as behaviors where "individuals use raw and sem ...

and

punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...

. The band produced the fanzines ''Funky Spunk'' and ''Paper Bullets'' and advertised these in record liner notes. Manda Rin's

manga Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...

-influenced artwork adorned early record sleeves contributing to a defiantly " twee" and self-consciously "cute" aesthetic. Lyrical content frequently covered juvenile or lowbrow topics (such as candy, vampires, 80s cinema, disco and school) as well as more overtly political subject matter with songs addressing

feminism Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism incorporates the position that society prioritizes the male po ...

body image Body image is a person's thoughts, feelings and perception of the aesthetics or sexual attractiveness of their own body. The concept of body image is used in a number of disciplines, including neuroscience, psychology, medicine, psychiatry, ps ...

cynicism Cynic or Cynicism may refer to: Modes of thought * Cynicism (philosophy), a school of ancient Greek philosophy * Cynicism (contemporary), modern use of the word for distrust of others' motives Books * ''The Cynic'', James Gordon Stuart Grant 1 ...

towards the

music industry The music industry consists of the individuals and organizations that earn money by writing songs and musical compositions, creating and selling recorded music and sheet music, presenting concerts, as well as the organizations that aid, train, ...

homophobia Homophobia encompasses a range of negative attitude (psychology), attitudes and feelings toward homosexuality or people who are identified or perceived as being lesbian, gay or bisexual. It has been defined as contempt, prejudice, aversion, h ...

and the experience of the outsider. The band was heavily influenced by the approach of cult punk band

The Nation Of Ulysses The Nation of Ulysses was an American punk rock band from Washington, D.C., formed in spring 1988 with four members. Originally known as simply "Ulysses," the first mark of the group consisted of Ian Svenonius on vocals and trumpet, Steve Kron ...

. Liner notes often made reference to "The Teen-C Tip" and outlined the band's vision for a "Teen-C Revolution" involving various factions in the Bis canon such as the "Disco Nation", "Secret Vampires", "Atom-Powered Action Gang", "Icky-Poo Air Raiderz", "Sweet Shop Avengerz", "New Transistor Heroes" and the "D.I.Y Corps". The Teen-C Revolution (and its adherents, the "Teen-C Nation") effectively advocated for self-empowerment, independence and perpetual adolescence (as well as the right to enjoy both disco and punk) - in part it was an embrace of "deceptively dangerous" cuteness, the positive energy of youthful exuberance, a knee-jerk rejection of enforced maturity and the dour responsibilities of adulthood, and a rallying cry against blandness, normality and " yr geetarawk". Songs that directly mention Teen-C include "Teen-C Power", "Team Theme", "Tell It To The Kids", "Sweet Shop Avengerz", "Rebel Soul", "Ninja Hi Skool" and "Cliquesuck".

1997–2003: Rise to fame and breakup

From 1997 to 2001, Bis released three mainstream albums: ''

'' (1997), ''

'' (1999), and '' Return to Central'' (2001). A compilation of non-album tracks entitled ''

Intendo ''Intendo'' is a compilation album by Scottish rock band Bis. It is a collection of non-album tracks plus one new song as a gift to the American market. It was released on both CD and 12-inch vinyl. The compilation collects material from the " ...

'' was released in 1998. That same year Manda Rin contributed vocals to the J Church album ''Cat Food''. The band enjoyed a period of success in Japan, selling nearly 100,000 copies of their debut album in its first week of release, but future releases failed to match its success in Japan. The single "Eurodisco", from ''Social Dancing'', became a minor success for the band in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

as well as the UK. Their single "Detour" was also given some radio

airplay Airplay is how frequently a song is being played through broadcasting on radio stations. A song which is being played several times every day (spins) would have a significant amount of airplay. Music which became very popular on jukeboxes, in n ...

in the U.S. and was included in the 2000 film ''

Bring It On Bring It On may refer to: Books * ''Bring It On'' (book), by Pat Robertson * ''Bring It On!'' (manhwa), a romance manhwa by Baek Hye-Kyung Film and stage * ''Bring It On'' (film series), an American series of teen comedy cheerleading films capit ...

''. The six-track EP ''Music For A Stranger World'' was released in 2000 and featured increasing electronic elements which would later become more prominent on ''Return To Central''. Also in 2000 Sci-Fi Steven (adopting the pseudonym "Marco Stiletto") formed the duo Italian Electro with partner "Angelino Vampyro" - Catmobile Records released their sole output (the track "Don’t Come Back Alone") that year on a split 7" with Kumari. Bis gained some American popularity in 1998, when they recorded the

closing credits Closing credits or end credits are a list of the Cast member, cast and Film crew, crew of a particular Film, motion picture, television program, or video game. Where opening credits appear at the beginning of a work, closing credits appear clos ...

theme to the animated series ''

The Powerpuff Girls ''The Powerpuff Girls'' is an American superhero animated television series created by animator Craig McCracken and produced by Hanna-Barbera (later Cartoon Network Studios) for Cartoon Network and distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Televi ...

''. They also did a punk version of the theme for 2002's ''

The Powerpuff Girls Movie ''The Powerpuff Girls Movie'' is a 2002 American animated superhero film based on the Cartoon Network animated television series ''The Powerpuff Girls''. It was co-written and directed by series' creator Craig McCracken (in his directorial debut) ...

''. The four-song EP ''Fukd I.D. #5'' was released in 2001 through Chemikal Underground. Bis contributed a remix of their song "Statement of Intent" to the 2002 game ''

Jet Set Radio Future is a 2002 action game developed by Smilebit and published by Sega for the Xbox; it is a sequel to the Dreamcast game ''Jet Set Radio'' (2000). As a re-imagining of the original game, it features improved gameplay mechanics, updated graphics, larg ...

''. The four-song 12" EP ''

Fact 2002 ''Fact 2002'' was a 12-inch record released by the pop group Bis (Scottish band), Bis, paying tribute to Factory Records. The EP was given a low-key release. It features covers of Joy Division's biggest hit "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (1980), Ne ...

'' paying tribute to

Factory Records Factory Records was a Manchester-based British independent record label founded in 1978 by Tony Wilson and Alan Erasmus. The label featured several important acts on its roster, including Joy Division, New Order, A Certain Ratio, the Duru ...

was released in 2002 through Optimo Singles Club and featured cover versions of

Joy Division Joy Division were an English rock band formed in Salford in 1976. The group consisted of vocalist Ian Curtis, guitarist/keyboardist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris. Sumner and Hook formed the band after attend ...

, New Order,

A Certain Ratio A Certain Ratio (abbreviated as ACR) are an English post-punk band formed in 1977 in Flixton, Greater Manchester by Peter Terrell (guitar, electronics) and Simon Topping (vocals, trumpet), with additional members Jez Kerr (bass, vocals), Martin ...

and Section 25. The band broke up in March 2003, after playing a farewell show at

King Tut's Wah Wah Hut King Tut's Wah Wah Hut, also known as King Tut's, is a live music venue and bar on St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Scotland. It is owned and managed by Glasgow-based gig promoters DF Concerts. The Glasgow live music venue takes its name from a ...

2003–2009: Solo projects

The band members remained active in the local music scene. Steven and

produced music together as the duo Dirty Hospital (releasing multiple 12"s on their own label Rottenrow Records) and Rin acted as a DJ. Disco (with Ally Christie) formed Kempston, Protek & Fuller who released the 12" ''Fukd I.D. #8 - 12k Boost Boost'' in 2003 on Chemikal Underground. Rin was also in a duo called The Kitchen with Ryan Seagrist of Discount (debut album ''Foreign Objects'' released on Damaged Goods in 2004), whilst Disco joined the

ska Ska (; ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a walki ...

band, The Amphetameanies, which included members of Belle & Sebastian,

Franz Ferdinand Archduke Franz Ferdinand Carl Ludwig Joseph Maria of Austria, (18 December 1863 – 28 June 1914) was the heir presumptive to the throne of Austria-Hungary. His assassination in Sarajevo was the most immediate cause of World War I. Fr ...

and Pink Kross. Also in 2004 Rin contributed vocals to the album ''I Met The Music'' by Meister. In 2005, the band announced on the official Bis website that together they had formed a new band called

data Panik Data Panik (stylized as data Panik) were a Scottish rock band—Steven Clark (Sci-fi Steven), John Clark (John Disco), Amanda MacKinnon (Manda Rin) (all formerly of bis at the time), Stuart Memo (of Multiplies) and Graham Christie (ex Ken ...

, with Stuart Memo on bass and drummer Graham Christie. After releasing two 7" singles, however, this band split up. Also in 2005, Bis performed in animated form on the

CBBC CBBC (initialised as Children's BBC and also known as the CBBC Channel) is a British free-to-air Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast children's television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is also the bran ...

children's cartoon ''

''. As of 2006 Rin was working on solo material. In 2007 she teamed up with the Scottish electro-pop outfit, Juno!, and has collaborated on their independently released singles, "Smoke & Mirrors" and "These Boys Are Athletes", as well as regularly appearing live with the band, most recently at the Rock Ness 2008 Festival. To celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the release of their debut album ''

'', Bis reformed in April 2007 for three shows in Glasgow,

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

, and London. A

greatest hits A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be crea ...

compilation Compilation may refer to: *In computer programming, the translation of source code into object code by a compiler **Compilation error **Compilation unit *Product bundling, a marketing strategy used to sell multiple products *Compilation thesis M ...

, titled '' We Are Bis from Glasgow, Scotland'', was released on compact disc to coincide with these shows. In August 2008, Rin released the solo single "DNA", which she followed up with the release of her debut album, ''My DNA'' with

This Is Fake DIY ''DIY'' is a United Kingdom-based music publication, in print and online. Its free print edition is released monthly with a physical circulation of 40,000 in UK venues, clubs and shops. DIY Magazine ''DIY'' was launched in 2002 by then-editor ...

in September 2008. In 2009, Disco (using the moniker John Hospital) released a digital-only solo EP ''The Truant'' on Pest Control Records.

2009–2017: Reunion and fourth album

In November 2009, Rin announced that the band would reform to play at the Primavera Festival in May 2010, returning this time with a bassist and drummer, former data Panik members, Stuart Memo and Graham Christie, respectively. Rin made two guest appearances on the BBC music quiz programme ''

Never Mind the Buzzcocks ''Never Mind the Buzzcocks'' is a British comedy panel game show with a pop music theme. It has aired on Sky Max since September 2021, having originally aired between November 1996 and January 2015 on BBC Two. The original series was first hoste ...

'' (on 18 November 2010 and 19 January 2011). She also teamed up with

Hyperbubble Hyperbubble is an international visual and performing arts electropop/synth-pop duo from San Antonio, Texas, formed by Jeff DeCuir and Jess Barnett DeCuir. The music of this American group is variously described as "early Eurythmics meets Josie and ...

on a track for their 2011 album ''

Drastic Cinematic ''Drastic Cinematic'' is an LP by the American synthpop/ electropop band Hyperbubble from German label Pure Pop For Now People. Guest vocals on the title track were provided by Aidan Casserly of Empire State Human, with whom the band would lat ...

''. Rin would go on to work with Hyperbubble again on the 2013 EP ''

Hyperbubble + Manda Rin Hyperbubble is an international visual art, visual and performing arts electropop/synth-pop duo from San Antonio, Texas, formed by Jeff DeCuir and Jess Barnett DeCuir. The music of this United States, American group is variously described as "early ...

''. Around 2011 John Disco began releasing solo electronic material under the moniker Debukas, with his debut solo LP ''I Am Machinery'' appearing in 2013 on the label 20:20 Vision. In 2013 Rin contributed lead vocals to the track "Crack On, Have A Booze" which appeared on the album ''Why Do Birds Suddenly Appear'' by punk rock/

oi! Oi! is a subgenre of punk rock that originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s. The music and its associated subculture had the goal of bringing together punks, skinheads, and other disaffected working-class youth. The movement was ...

band Hard Skin. In February 2014, Bis announced they would release their fourth album, ''

'', on 15 May on

Rough Trade Records Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London, England. It was formed in 1976 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove. Having successfully promoted and sold records by punk rock and early post-pun ...

. The album was made available for streaming at

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

on 28 April. The same year, the band's first three albums were re-released as double CD deluxe editions by the Do Yourself In label. Circa 2014, Rin provided the artwork for an iPhone game called "All Fridges Are Psychotic". In 2015 Sci-Fi Steven began releasing solo material under the moniker Batteries with Do Yourself In Records releasing the self-titled debut album ''Batteries'' in 2015 and sophomore album ''The Finishing Line'' in 2016.

2017–present: Fifth album and beyond

In October 2017, the band announced that they were working on their fifth album. ''Slight Disconnects'' was released in February 2019 on Last Night From Glasgow. They also returned to a three piece with only Manda, John and Steven being in the lineup. In 2020 Last Night From Glasgow released ''Music For Animations'', an archival album consisting of the music recorded for the CBBC kids cartoon ''BB3B''. In 2021 the band self-released a cassette-only live album ''The Fan Club Tapes Vol. 1 - Live In Toulouse 1997'' and Komponist released ''Low Level (A Return To Central Travel Companion)'' - a collection of previously unreleased material recorded parallel to ''Return To Central''. In October 2022 the album ''Systems Music For Home Defence'' was released on Last Night From Glasgow.

Members

– vocals, keyboards, drums (1994–2003; 2007; 2009–present) *Sci-Fi Steven – vocals, guitar, keyboards (1994–2003; 2007; 2009–present) *

– vocals, guitar, bass guitar (1994–2003; 2007; 2009–present) *Stuart Memo – bass guitar (2009–2014) *Graham Christie – drums (2009–2014)

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

*''Play Some Real Songs: A Bis Live CD'' (2001, only sold through the Bis website) * ''The Fan Club Tapes Vol. 1 - Live In Toulouse 1997'' (2021, self-released, cassette only, limited to 100 copies)

Compilation albums

*''Icky-Poo Air Raid'' (1997, Rock) *''

'' (1998,

) *''I Love Bis'' (2001, Micro Inc.) *''Plastique Nouveau'' (2002,

spinART SpinART Records was a New York City-based independent record label that released recordings by The Apples in Stereo, Clem Snide, Black Francis, Frank Black, and Michael Penn. The label was started by Joel Morowitz and Jeff Price in 1991. SpinART ...

) *''We Are Bis from Glasgow, Scotland'' (2007, Cherry Red) *''The Anthology - 20 Years of Antiseptic Poetry'' (2014, Do Yourself In Records) * ''Low Level (A Return To Central Travel Companion)'' (2021, Komponist)

Soundtrack albums

*''Music For Animations'' (2020, Last Night From Glasgow)

Extended plays

*''Transmissions on the Teen-C Tip!'' (1995, Acuarela) *''Disco Nation 45'' (1995,

) *'' The Secret Vampire Soundtrack'' (1996,

) UK No. 25, SCO No. 16 *'' Bis vs. the D.I.Y. Corps'' (1996, teen-c recordings) UK No. 45, SCO No. 47 *'' Atom-Powered Action!'' (1996, Wiiija) UK No. 54, SCO No. 29 *'' This Is Teen-C Power!'' (1996,

) *''Techno Disco Lovers'' (1998, V2 & PIAS) *''Music for a Stranger World'' (2000, Wiiija,

Lookout! Lookout Records (stylized as Lookout! Records) was an independent record label, initially based in Laytonville, California and later in Berkeley, focusing on punk rock. Established in 1987, the label is best known for having released Operatio ...

& V2) *''fukd ID No. 5'' (2001,

) *''

'' (2001,

Optimo Optimo Espacio ('Optimum Space') was a weekly Sunday-night club based in Glasgow, Scotland at the Sub Club on Jamaica Street, as well as a collective moniker for the night's resident DJ duo. Having run every week since it was founded in 1997, on ...

Singles Club and Other Related Recordings) *''Plastique 33'' (2002,

) *''Mechanical Love'' (2014, Do Yourself In Records) *''You Wrecked My Christmas'' (2017, Last Night From Glasgow, Snowflake)

Singles

*"Sweet Shop Avengerz" (1997, Tristar/

Sony , commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professional ...

) – (1997, Wiiija) UK No. 46, SCO No. 37 *"Everybody Thinks That They're Going to Get Theirs" (1997, Wiiija & Shock) – (1997, Tristar/

) UK No. 64, SCO No. 56 *"Tell It to the Kids" (1997, Sony Japan) *"Kid Cut (Demo Version)" (1997) (One-sided 7-inch single given out at gigs in Glasgow and London) *"Eurodisco" (1998, Wiiija,

Capitol A capitol, named after the Capitoline Hill in Rome, is usually a legislative building where a legislature meets and makes laws for its respective political entity. Specific capitols include: * United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. * Numerous ...

) UK No. 37, AUS No. 54, BE No. 41, SCO No. 27 *"Action and Drama" (1999, Wiiija, Shock) UK No. 50, SCO No. 45 *"Detour" (1999, Wiiija &

) UK No. 80, SCO No. 72 *"What You're Afraid Of" (2001,

) *"Protection" (2001, Tilt) *"The End Starts Today" (2002, Artful) *"Rulers and the States" (2014, Rough Trade) *"Keep Your Darkness" (2014, Do Yourself In Records) *"Minimum Wage" (2014, Do Yourself In Records) *"Twilight Cafe" (2014, Do Yourself In Records)

Split singles

* ''Ché Trading Limited Presents… Bis and The Golden Mile versus The Delgados and Merzbow'' 2x7": "In Stealth" – The Golden Mile b/w "I’ve Only Just Started To Breathe" –

The Delgados The Delgados are a Scottish indie rock band formed in Glasgow in 1994. The band is composed of Alun Woodward (vocals, guitar), Emma Pollock (vocals, guitar), Stewart Henderson (bass guitar), and Paul Savage (drums). Biography The band was fo ...

and "Icky-Poo Air Raid" – Bis b/w "Iro Moyo" –

Merzbow is a Japanese noise project started in 1979 by , best known for a style of harsh, confrontational noise. Since 1980, Akita has released over 400 recordings and has collaborated with various artists. The name Merzbow comes from the German dada ...

(1995, Ché Trading) * "Trophy Girlfriend" – Heavenly b/w "Keroleen" – Bis (1996, K) * "Pop Song" / "Clockwork Punk" – Bis b/w "Rococo Neggro" / "Harrap Ageing Fast" – Lugworm (1997,

Guided Missile In military terminology, a missile is a guided airborne ranged weapon capable of self-propelled flight usually by a jet engine or rocket motor. Missiles are thus also called guided missiles or guided rockets (when a previously unguided rocket ...

) * "Signal in the Sky (Let's Go)" –

The Apples in Stereo The Apples in Stereo, styled as The Apples in stereo, are an American pop/rock band associated with Elephant 6 Collective, a group of bands also including Neutral Milk Hotel, The Olivia Tremor Control, Elf Power, Of Montreal, and Circulatory S ...

b/w "The Powerpuff Girls (End Theme)" – Bis (2000, Kid

Rhino A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species o ...

) * "Minimum Wage" – Bis b/w "Hair Metal Shame" – Ghosts of Dead Airplanes (2014, Do Yourself In Records) * "Boredom Could Be Good For You" – Bis b/w "Tear It Up And Start Again" – Big Zero (2016, Do Yourself In Records)

Various artist compilations

*''Disco Sucks'' (1996, Ché Trading) – "Icky-Poo Air Raid" *''Songs About Plucking'' (1996,

Fierce Panda Fierce Panda Records is a London-based independent record label, with its first release in February 1994. It also produced a small number of releases that year by now famous artists such as Ash (band), Ash, The Bluetones, Baby Bird and Superg ...

) – "Super James" *'' The Smiths Is Dead'' (1996, Small Records) – "

The Boy with the Thorn in His Side "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths. It was released as a single in September 1985, reaching No. 23 in the UK Singles Chart. A remixed version appeared on their third album ''The Queen Is Dead'' in ...

" *'' Casper: A Spirited Beginning: The Soundtrack'' (1997, EMI-Capitol) – "Kandy Pop" *''Random'' (1997, Beggars Banquet) – "We Are So Fragile" *''Uproar - 17 Indie Essentials'' (1998, BBC Radio 1/MCI) – "Kill Yr Boyfriend (Live)" *''At Home with the Groovebox'' (2000,

) – "Oh My" *'' The Powerpuff Girls – Heroes and Villains'' (2000,

Rhino Entertainment Rhino Entertainment Company is an American specialty record label and production company founded in 1978. It is currently the catalog division for Warner Music Group. Its current CEO is Mark Pinkus. History Founded in 1978, Rhino was original ...

) – "Fight the Power" and "The Powerpuff Girls (End Theme)" *'' The Powerpuff Girls – The City of Soundsville'' (2001,

) – "Super Secret City of Soundsville Song" *'' The Powerpuff Girls – Power Pop'' (2003,

) – "Powerpunk End Theme" *''Last Night From Glasgow Isolation Sessions - March and April 2020'' (2020, Last Night From Glasgow) – "Dial Up Internet Is The Purest Internet"

Music videos

* "Kandy Pop" (1996) * "This Is Fake D.I.Y" (1996) * "Starbright Boy" (1997) * "Sweet Shop Avengerz" (1997) * "Tell it to the Kids" (1997) * "Everybody Thinks That They're Going to Get Theirs" (1997) * "Eurodisco" (1998) * "Action and Drama" (1999) * "Detour" (1999) * "The End Starts Today (Single Edit)" (2001) * "Sound Of A Heartbreak" (2019) * "There Is No Point (Other Than The Point That There Is No Point)" (2019) * "Lucky Night" (2022)

References

External links

Bis Nation (official website)

''Muuma'' 2008 interview (English and Spanish) with Manda Rin

Audiojunkies Interview with Manda Rin

Bis interview, July 1997

Flag Hippo All Fridges Are Psychotic website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bis 1994 establishments in Scotland British indie pop groups British synth-pop groups Musical groups established in 1994 Sibling musical groups Musical groups from Glasgow Scottish pop music groups Chemikal Underground artists SpinART Records artists Scottish pop punk groups