![Fuck Buttons at ATP, Mt Buller, Australia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/Fuck_Buttons_at_ATP%2C_Mt_Buller%2C_Australia.jpg)
Fuck Buttons was an
electronic music
Electronic music is a genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromechanical means ( electroac ...
duo formed in
Bristol
Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...
in 2004 by
Andrew Hung and
Benjamin John Power.
Biography
Origins (2004–2008)
Hung and Power grew up in
Worcester
Worcester may refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Worcester, England, a city and the county town of Worcestershire in England
** Worcester (UK Parliament constituency), an area represented by a Member of Parliament
* Worcester Park, London, Engla ...
.
[Interview: Fuck Buttons](_blank)
. Retrieved 5 December 2009[Santoro, Gene (2008)]
, ''New York Daily News
The New York ''Daily News'', officially titled the ''Daily News'', is an American newspaper based in Jersey City, NJ. It was founded in 1919 by Joseph Medill Patterson as the ''Illustrated Daily News''. It was the first U.S. daily printed in ta ...
'', 28 March 2008. Retrieved 22 November 2009 Hung was influenced by
Aphex Twin
Richard David James (born 18 August 1971), best known as Aphex Twin, is an Irish-born British musician, composer and DJ. He is known for his idiosyncratic work in electronic music, electronic styles such as techno, ambient music, ambient, and jun ...
, while Power was a fan of
Mogwai
Mogwai () are a Scottish post-rock band, formed in 1995 in Glasgow. The band consists of Stuart Braithwaite (guitar, vocals), Barry Burns (guitar, piano, synthesizer, vocals), Dominic Aitchison (bass guitar), and Martin Bulloch (drums). Mogw ...
.
They developed a friendship in 2004 while attending art school in
Bristol
Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...
,
and began working together, initially to create the soundtrack to a film made by Hung.
Immediately after forming, they played live whenever possible, and soon gathered a cult following. The duo use a variety of instruments including
Casiotone
Casiotone was a series of home electronic keyboards made by Casio in the early 1980s. Casio promoted the Casiotone 201 (CT-201) as "the first electronic keyboard with full-size keys that anyone could afford". The name "Casiotone" disappeared from ...
keyboards and children's toys such as a
Fisher-Price
Fisher-Price is an American company that produces educational toys for infants, toddlers and preschoolers, headquartered in East Aurora, New York, East Aurora, New York (state), New York. The company was founded in 1930 during the Great Depressio ...
karaoke machine.
Their name was chosen to sound "playful and abrasive".
''Time Out'' magazine described the band's live sound as an "adrenaline pumping, ear purging slab of towering, pristine noise". The duo signed to
All Tomorrow's Parties
"All Tomorrow's Parties" is a song by the Velvet Underground and Nico, written by Lou Reed and released on the group's 1967 debut studio album, ''The Velvet Underground & Nico''.
Inspiration for the song came from Reed's observation of Andy Warh ...
-affiliated
ATP Recordings
ATP Recordings is a British independent record label that was started in 2001 by London-based concert promoter Barry Hogan of Foundation/All Tomorrow's Parties (music festival), All Tomorrow's Parties. It was originally created to bring out a c ...
in 2007, and released a limited-edition 7" single named "Bright Tomorrow",
[Kellman, Andy " Fuck Buttons Biography, ]AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
, Macrovision Corporation. Retrieved 22 November 2009 which received complimentary reviews from such sources as ''
Drowned in Sound
''Drowned in Sound'', sometimes abbreviated to ''DiS'', is a UK-based music webzine financed by artist management company Silentway. Founded by editor Sean Adams, the site features reviews, news, interviews, and discussion forums.
History
''D ...
'', ''
Pitchfork
A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves.
The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...
'' (who described it as "something like the sun rising over the ocean... then going supernova"), ''
Mojo
Mojo may refer to:
* Mojo (African-American culture), a magical charm bag used in voodoo
Arts, entertainment and media Film and television
* MOJO HD, an American television network
* ''Mojo'' (play), by Jez Butterworth, made into a 1997 film
* ' ...
'' (it became their No. 1 Mojo Playlist Single for that month) and
Stereogum
''Stereogum'' is a daily Internet publication that focuses on music news, reviews, interviews, and commentary. The site was created in January 2002 by Scott Lapatine.
''Stereogum'' was one of the first MP3 blogs and has received several award ...
.
Combined with an upsurge in reviews of their live performances at the Supersonic,
Truck
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo, carry specialized payloads, or perform other utilitarian work. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, but the vast majority feature body-on-frame construction ...
and
Portishead-curated ATP festivals in the second half of 2007, this attention resulted in Fuck Buttons being included in many end of year newspaper, magazine and online articles predicting them as a 'Hot Tip' for 2008. These included New-Noise, who said that "rarely have two men sounded so much like the end of the world" and British newspaper ''
The Observer
''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the w ...
'', which called their sound "a joyous racket of swirling atmospherics and percussive gunfire" in an article highlighting them in a new wave of intelligent, literate British pop music.
''Street Horrrsing'' (2008–2009)
![FuckButtonsSSW2008](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/FuckButtonsSSW2008.JPG)
They started the year with a tour of slightly larger UK venues, supported by label-mate
Alexander Tucker. This was done to build anticipation for their debut album, ''
Street Horrrsing'', which was released on 17 March. Produced by
John Cummings of
Mogwai
Mogwai () are a Scottish post-rock band, formed in 1995 in Glasgow. The band consists of Stuart Braithwaite (guitar, vocals), Barry Burns (guitar, piano, synthesizer, vocals), Dominic Aitchison (bass guitar), and Martin Bulloch (drums). Mogw ...
and mastered by
Bob Weston
Bob Weston (born 1965) is an American musician, producer, recording engineer, and record mastering engineer. Critic Jason AnkenyAnkeny, Jason. " Bob Weston: Overview from Allmusic.com declares that "Weston's name and fingerprints are all over th ...
of
Shellac
Shellac () is a resin secreted by the female lac bug on trees in the forests of India and Thailand. It is processed and sold as dry flakes and dissolved in alcohol to make liquid shellac, which is used as a brush-on colorant, food glaze and ...
, it was promoted through festival appearances (including a slot at the ''ATP vs Pitchfork'' festival) and a North American tour with
Caribou
Reindeer (in North American English, known as caribou if wild and ''reindeer'' if domesticated) are deer in the genus ''Rangifer''. For the last few decades, reindeer were assigned to one species, ''Rangifer tarandus'', with about 10 subspe ...
.
Early reviews of ''Street Horrrsing'' were very positive; it was named ''Underground Album of the Month'' by ''
Mojo
Mojo may refer to:
* Mojo (African-American culture), a magical charm bag used in voodoo
Arts, entertainment and media Film and television
* MOJO HD, an American television network
* ''Mojo'' (play), by Jez Butterworth, made into a 1997 film
* ' ...
'' Magazine, who called it "a 50-minute melange of iridescent synths, psychedelic drone, distorted vocals and tribal rhythm". ''
Pitchfork
A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves.
The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...
'' awarded it with an 8.6 out of 10 rating which placed it in their "best new music" section. Positive reviews also featured in ''
The Times
''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...
'', ''
The Observer
''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the w ...
'', ''
The Wire
''The Wire'' is an American Crime film, crime drama Television show, television series created and primarily written by author and former police reporter David Simon. The series was broadcast by the cable network HBO in the United States. ''The ...
'', ''
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 ...
'', ''
Rock Sound
''Rock Sound'' is a British magazine that covers rock music. The magazine aims at being more "underground" and less commercial, while also giving coverage to better-known acts. It generally focuses on pop punk, post-hardcore, metalcore, punk, e ...
'', ''
Kerrang!
''Kerrang!'' is a British weekly magazine devoted to rock, punk and heavy metal music, currently published by Wasted Talent (the same company that owns electronic music publication ''Mixmag''). It was first published on 6 June 1981 as a one- ...
'', ''
Uncut
Uncut may refer to:
* ''Uncut'' (film), a 1997 Canadian docudrama film by John Greyson about censorship
* ''Uncut'' (magazine), a monthly British magazine with a focus on music, which began publishing in May 1997
* '' BET: Uncut'', a Black Enter ...
'', ''
Sydney Morning Herald
''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper i ...
'', and many other music publications and websites. It was also chosen for the shortlist of ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
''s First Album awards.
''Tarot Sport'' (2009–2013)
In 2009, the band appeared at the Australian
All Tomorrow's Parties
"All Tomorrow's Parties" is a song by the Velvet Underground and Nico, written by Lou Reed and released on the group's 1967 debut studio album, ''The Velvet Underground & Nico''.
Inspiration for the song came from Reed's observation of Andy Warh ...
event. They released their second album, ''
Tarot Sport'' in October 2009.
It has been well received, with ''Rock Sound'' giving it an 8 out of 10 rating and hailing its consistency ("the continuity gluing them together confirms a genuine full-length article to brandish at all those gun-jumping 'The album is dead' doomsayers"), while
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
gave it a 4-star rating, describing it as "an impressive step forward for Fuck Buttons".
[Phares, Heather " ''Tarot Sport'' Review, ]AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
, Macrovision Corporation. Retrieved 22 November 2009 Discussing it with ''
Exclaim!
''Exclaim!'' is a Canadian music and entertainment publisher based in Toronto, which features in-depth coverage of new music across all genres with a special focus on Canadian and emerging artists. The monthly Exclaim! print magazine publishes 7 ...
'' magazine, the band admitted that "direction is not something we are conscious about because it doesn't fit into our creative process. We just want to keep being content and surprising ourselves".
"Surf Solar" and "Olympians" featured separately during the
2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony
The opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics took place on the evening of Friday 27 July 2012 in the Olympic Stadium, London, during which the Games were formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II. As mandated by the Olympic Charter, the pr ...
on 27 July 2012. "Sundowner" from Power's solo venture
Blanck Mass
Blanck Mass is a British electronic solo project by Ivor Novello Award-winning composer Benjamin J Power. He is a founding member of Fuck Buttons.
In 2022 Power announced he joined Editors as a full-time member.
Career
His track "Sundowner" w ...
was covered by the London Symphony Orchestra during the raising of the
Union Jack
The Union Jack, or Union Flag, is the ''de facto'' national flag of the United Kingdom. Although no law has been passed making the Union Flag the official national flag of the United Kingdom, it has effectively become such through precedent. ...
.
''Slow Focus'' (2013–present)
Fuck Buttons released their third album ''
Slow Focus'' on 22 July 2013.
A new track recorded with electronic musician
Jean Michel Jarre
Jean-Michel André Jarre (; born 24 August 1948) is a French composer, performer and record producer. He is a pioneer in the electronic, ambient and new-age genres, and is known for organising outdoor spectacles featuring his music, accompanie ...
entitled "Immortals" was released on the Jarre album ''
Electronica 1: The Time Machine'' on 16 October 2015.
The band are currently on hiatus.
Solo activities and side projects
Andrew Hung
In 2012
Andrew Hung founded a new project called ''Dawn Hunger'' with vocalist Claire Inglis and musician Matthew de Pulford.
He also released his solo debut EP called ''Rave Cave'' in 2015. Hung released his first solo debut LP ''Realisationship (Lex Records)'' on 6 October 2017.
Hung is furthermore working as a producer. In 2016 he co-wrote & co-produced
Beth Orton's new album ''Kidsticks''. 2020 saw the release of the debut album by Aimeé Osbourne under the name ARO, Hung co-wrote and produced three of the tracks on the album.
Hung has also been working on soundtrack composition. Working with Director Jim Hosking on cult film ''
The Greasy Strangler
''The Greasy Strangler'' is a 2016 American black comedy horror film directed by Jim Hosking, and written by Hosking and Toby Harvard. The film stars Michael St. Michaels, Sky Elobar, Elizabeth De Razzo, Gil Gex, Abdoulaye NGom and Holland MacFal ...
, An Evening With Beverly Luff Linn'' and the series ''
Tropical Cop Tales
''Tropical Cop Tales'' is an American comedy television series created by Jim Hosking and Toby Harvard for Adult Swim. The show revolves around two burned-out city cops, Keymarion "Primetime" Weeyums and Demetrius "Meechie" Franks, who have both ...
'' for Adult Swim.
Benjamin John Power
Power founded his solo project
Blanck Mass
Blanck Mass is a British electronic solo project by Ivor Novello Award-winning composer Benjamin J Power. He is a founding member of Fuck Buttons.
In 2022 Power announced he joined Editors as a full-time member.
Career
His track "Sundowner" w ...
in 2011.
He has been on tour with
Sigur Rós
Sigur Rós () is an Icelandic post-rock band from Reykjavík, active since 1994. The band comprises singer and guitarist Jón Þór "Jónsi" Birgisson, bassist Georg Hólm, and keyboardist Kjartan Sveinsson. Known for their ethereal sound, fron ...
and the track "Sundowner" was used at key points during the
Opening Ceremony
An opening ceremony, grand opening, or ribbon-cutting ceremony marks the official opening of a newly-constructed location or the start of an event. of the 2012 Olympic games. It was first heard as the
Union Flag
The Union Jack, or Union Flag, is the ''de facto'' national flag of the United Kingdom. Although no law has been passed making the Union Flag the official national flag of the United Kingdom, it has effectively become such through precedent. ...
was brought into the stadium by members of the
Armed Forces
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...
. Power has released five albums to date as Blanck Mass: ''Blanck Mass'' (
Rock Action Records
Rock Action Records is a Scottish, Glasgow-based independent record label, founded and maintained by Scottish post-rock band Mogwai. The label has showcased such diverse talents as Part Chimp, Errors, Chris Brokaw, Trout, The James Orr Complex ...
, 2011), ''
Dumb Flesh'' (
Sacred Bones Records
Sacred Bones Records is an American independent record label founded in 2007 and based in Brooklyn, New York. The label has released recordings from artists including Zola Jesus, David Lynch, John Carpenter, Blanck Mass, Crystal Stilts, Marissa ...
, 2015), ''World Eater'' (Sacred Bones Records, 2017), ''Animated Violence Mild'' (Sacred Bones Records, 2019) and ''In Ferneaux'' (Sacred Bones Records, 2021).
Discography
Studio albums
* ''
Street Horrrsing'' (CD / 2×LP, ATPR, 2008)
* ''
Tarot Sport'' (CD / 2×LP, ATPR, 2009) UK No. 79, U.S. Dance No. 9, U.S. Heatseekers No. 18
[ Album Information ]Billboard.com
''Billboard'' (stylized as ''billboard'') is an American music and entertainment magazine published weekly by Penske Media Corporation. The magazine provides music charts, news, video, opinion, reviews, events, and style related to the music ...
* ''
Slow Focus'' (CD / 2xLP, ATPR, 2013) UK No. 36
Singles
* "Let's See If There Are Any Ghosts in Here, Yeah?" (CD-R single, 2006)
* "Bright Tomorrow" (limited picture disc 7″ single, ATPR, 2007)
* "Colours Move" (12″/download single, ATPR, 2008)
* Mogwai/Fuck Buttons tour single (10",
Rock Action Records
Rock Action Records is a Scottish, Glasgow-based independent record label, founded and maintained by Scottish post-rock band Mogwai. The label has showcased such diverse talents as Part Chimp, Errors, Chris Brokaw, Trout, The James Orr Complex ...
, 2008). Includes a Fuck Buttons cover of "
Mogwai Fear Satan
"Mogwai Fear Satan" (sometimes referred to as "Fear Satan") is an instrumental by Scottish post-rock group Mogwai. It appears as the closing track for their 1997 debut studio album, ''Mogwai Young Team''.
Overview
"Mogwai Fear Satan" is a 16-min ...
"
* "Surf Solar" (7″/download single, ATPR, 2009)
* "Olympians" (12"/download single, ATPR, 2010)
* "Brainfreeze" (12"/download single, ATPR, 2013)
* "The Red Wing" (12"/download single, ATPR, 2013)
Remixes
* "
If I Had a Heart" –
Fever Ray
Karin Elisabeth Dreijer (born 7 April 1975) is a Swedish singer-songwriter and record producer. Dreijer was one half of the electronic music duo the Knife, formed with their brother Olof Dreijer. Dreijer released their debut solo album under ...
(2009)
* "Virginia State Epileptic Colony" –
Manic Street Preachers
Manic Street Preachers, also known simply as the Manics, are a Welsh Rock music, rock band formed in Blackwood, Caerphilly, Blackwood in 1986. The band consists of cousins James Dean Bradfield (lead vocals, lead guitar) and Sean Moore (musician ...
(2009)
* "Kaili" – Caribou (2010)
* "Tornado" –
Jónsi
Jón Þór "Jónsi" Birgisson (; born 23 April 1975) is an Icelandic musician; he is the vocalist and multi-instrumentalist for the Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós. He is known for his use of a cello bow on guitar and his "angelic" falset ...
(2011)
* "The Perfect Life" –
Moby
Richard Melville Hall (born September 11, 1965), known professionally as Moby, is an American musician, songwriter, singer, producer, and animal rights activist. He has sold 20 million records worldwide. AllMusic considers him to be "among the ...
(2013)
* "All Torque" –
Hybrid
Hybrid may refer to:
Science
* Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding
** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species
** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two dif ...
(2014)
* "Modern Liars" –
Atari Teenage Riot
Atari Teenage Riot (ATR) is a German band formed in Berlin in 1992. Highly political, they fuse left-wing, anarchist and anti-fascist views with punk vocals and a techno sound called digital hardcore, which is a term band member Alec Empire use ...
(2014)
References
External links
*
*
{{Authority control
Musical groups established in 2004
English experimental musical groups
English electronic music duos
Noise musical groups
Musical groups from Bristol
ATP Recordings artists
Lex Records artists