IAMX is the solo musical project of
Chris Corner of the band
Sneaker Pimps. Founded in 2004 in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
, it is an independent music project which also focuses on and experiments with visual art.
Musically, IAMX spans multiple genres from electronic rock and dance music to burlesque-influenced songs and emotional ballads. Corner's striking and wide-ranging voice, and his way of programming sounds and beats, make up the obvious characteristic of the IAMX sound.
From 2006 until 2014 IAMX was based in
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, where Corner found "the spirit to care less about the music industry and take an independent route."
Berlin is also mentioned in IAMX's lyrics that concern subjects such as sexual identity, death, love, narcotic intoxication, decadence, critique of religion and politics, alienation, addiction, modern society, and gender bending. The topic of gender bending is further emphasised by Corner's own distinctive and androgynous image.
As of 2014 to 2016, IAMX have relocated to Los Angeles from Berlin, citing a much-needed change to a better climate and a break with old ties in Berlin.
IAMX are known for their highly energetic and theatrical live performances. Unusual stage outfits and body painting are also core elements of IAMX shows. The stage design consists of art and props constructed by Corner and his live band members.
The visual art element of the project can be seen in the IAMX music videos and in the projections at their live shows. Both contain sometimes strong and controversial visual content, often directed, shot and edited by Corner himself.
To date, IAMX has released nine studio albums, all of which have been released independently and produced by Corner (''
The Unified Field'' was co-produced by
Jim Abbiss), the latest being ''Echo Echo'', which was released on the 13th of March, 2020.
History
![Chris Corner at IAMX Autograph Session in Munich 2009 cropped](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/Chris_Corner_at_IAMX_Autograph_Session_in_Munich_2009_cropped.jpg)
IAMX was founded by Corner in 2004 in London. The name 'I am X' refers to ''
Becoming X'', the title of the Sneaker Pimps' debut album. Corner explained that by founding IAMX, he no longer felt that he was becoming X, but rather that he was X.
The meaning of the X, according to the founder, is ever changing like a variable in a mathematical equation.
''Kiss + Swallow'' (2004–2006)
IAMX's debut album, ''
Kiss + Swallow'', was released in 2004 and consisted of melancholic dark 1980s-influenced
with lyrical content referring often to the psychology of sexual fantasy, gender bending and role play, the exploration of solitude, aggression, longing, codependency and mortality.
It was, as all IAMX albums to follow, written, produced and mixed by Corner himself. ''Kiss + Swallow'' was recorded in Corner's home studio in London called The Den.
Many of the songs were initially written by Corner for a fourth
Sneaker Pimps album, but while the band was working on the album it soon became clear that the songs did not suit the new direction of Sneaker Pimps. The songs remained important to Corner, so he decided to keep working on them and to eventually use them for a separate project.
After the release of ''Kiss + Swallow'', Corner went on tour with IAMX, playing venues throughout Europe and the US. The live line-up varied between a revolving cast of close friends including Sue Denim of
Robots in Disguise (whose vocals are also featured on the album),
Noel Fielding
Noel Fielding (; (born 21 May 1973) is an English actor and comedian. He is best known for his work with The Mighty Boosh comedy troupe alongside Julian Barratt in the 2000s, and more recently as a co-presenter of ''The Great British Bake Off'' ...
and
Julian Barratt of
The Mighty Boosh, James Cook of Nemo, Mary Ambrose, and actress
Julia Davis of ''
Nighty Night
''Nighty Night'' is a BBC black comedy television sitcom starring Julia Davis. It was first broadcast on 6 January 2004 on BBC Three.
Notorious for its dark humour, the show follows narcissistic sociopath Jill Tyrell (Julia Davis) alongside he ...
''.
''Kiss + Swallow'' was released in the US on 17 June 2008. The US album included the previously unreleased track "Polaroids" and a remix of the title song by
Moonbootica
MOONBOOTICA is the pseudonym of Hamburg DJs KoweSix (Oliver Kowalski) and Tobitob (Tobias Schmidt), who have been playing together since the 1990s.
General
The MOONBOOTICA music project was born at the early Moonbootica party series in the ...
. It also carries a different cover.
Between tours in 2005, Corner wrote and produced the soundtrack for the French movie ''
Les Chevaliers du Ciel'' (English title: ''Sky Fighters'') and the second Robots in Disguise album, ''
Get RID!''.
''The Alternative'' and ''Live in Warsaw'' (2006–2008)
IAMX's second album, ''
The Alternative'', was released in April 2006 in Europe, October 2007 (digitally) and November 2007 (physically) in the UK and Ireland, and May 2008 on Metropolis Records in the US. UK and US versions feature a slightly different cover with black tape rather than yellow tape. In addition to variant cover artwork, UK and US versions also feature alternate versions of several tracks with added production and added backing vocals from
Janine Gezang
Janine may refer to:
People and characters
* Janine (given name)
Music
* "Janine" (David Bowie song), a 1969 song by David Bowie
* "Janine", a 1979 song by Trooper from the album '' Flying Colors''
* "Janine", a 1994 song by Soul Coughing f ...
as well as a hidden instrumental string version of "Spit It Out", arranged and recorded by Audrey Morse.
In summer 2006, a new live line-up was announced as follows: Janine Gezang on keyboards/synths, backing vocals and bass; Dean Rosenzweig on guitars and bass; and Tom Marsh on drums. Rosenzweig and Marsh left the live band in 2010, while Gezang is still an integral part of the project.
A limited edition live album, ''
Live in Warsaw'', was released on 14 November 2008 on IAMX's own label, 61seconds. The performance was recorded in front of a live audience for
Polskie Radio Program III
Polskie Radio Program III (Polish Radio Three), known also as Radiowa Trójka or shortly Trójka is a radio channel broadcast by the Polish public broadcaster, Polskie Radio. It is a music station playing a wide variety of music from rock, altern ...
and later mixed by Corner in Berlin at IAMX2 studios. The album was at the time exclusively available at the band's online shop Boutique IAMX before it sold out, but is now available again for digital download.
''Kingdom of Welcome Addiction'' and ''Dogmatic Infidel Comedown OK'' (2009–2011)
The third IAMX album, ''
Kingdom of Welcome Addiction'', was released on 19 May 2009. It had a heavier sound than the previous two albums, and it was preceded by a new track entitled "Think of England", which was made available for free download on 7 November 2008.
In early 2010, the live band was announced to be Janine Gezang on keyboards/synths, vocals and bass;
Alberto Álvarez
Alberto Álvarez Muñoz (born 8 March 1991) is a Mexican athlete, who competes primarily in the triple jump. In 2016 he became the first Mexican
Mexican may refer to:
Mexico and its culture
*Being related to, from, or connected to the countr ...
on guitars, vocals, drums and bass, and
Jon Harper
Jonathan Daniel Harper (born 15 February 1978) is an English session musician and started his musical career as the drummer for Reading-based British alternative rock band, The Cooper Temple Clause. He filled-in the vacancy for drummer in the B ...
on drums. In August 2010, Harper was replaced by MAX, a drum machine which was programmed and triggered by Corner.
A remixed and reworked version of the album entitled ''
Dogmatic Infidel Comedown OK'' was released on 19 March 2010. The release features reworks done by Corner himself under the alias of UNFALL, as well as remixes and covers by other artists, including
Alec Empire
Alec or Aleck is a Scottish form of the given name Alex. It may be a diminutive of the name Alexander or a given name in its own right. Notable people with the name include:
People
* Alec Aalto (1942–2018), Finnish diplomat
*Alec Acton (1938 ...
,
Terence Fixmer,
Combichrist
Combichrist is an American aggrotech / industrial metal band formed in 2003 by Norwegian vocalist Andy LaPlegua, who also founded the bands Icon of Coil, Panzer AG, Scandinavian Cock and Scandy. Combichrist was formed in Atlanta, Georgia and is ...
,
Black Light Odyssey and others. The artists featured on the album were all selected and asked to contribute by IAMX.
The title of the remixed album is an anagram of the original album title ''Kingdom of Welcome Addiction''.
''Volatile Times'' (2011)
On 14 April 2010 Corner announced on the official IAMX Twitter page that he was working on his fourth studio album, which he referred to as ''IAMX4''. On 19 October 2010 it was announced on the official IAMX Facebook page that ''IAMX4'' was now identified as ''
Volatile Times
''Volatile Times'' is the fourth studio album from IAMX. It was released on 18 March 2011 and the tracks on the album keep alive the cabaret-esque and dark electronic sound that Chris Corner has become known for. The track "Volatile Times" was fea ...
''. The album was released in Europe on 18 March 2011. It peaked at #68 in the German
Media Control Charts
Media may refer to:
Communication
* Media (communication), tools used to deliver information or data
** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising
** Broadcast media, communications delivered over mass e ...
. About a week before the album's release, the track "Fire and Whispers" was made available for free download from the IAMX website.
On 2 September 2013 an entirely re-worked version of ''Volatile Times'' was digitally released for the United States and Canada. The release included three bonus tracks: "Avalanches", "Volatile Times (IAMseX Unfall Rework)" and "Bernadette (Post Romanian Storm)".
Corner has repeatedly stated that creating ''Volatile Times'' was difficult emotionally. He describes the album as his most self-indulgent and the peak of his inner struggle with working alone.
Caroline Weber joined the live line-up on drums in 2011, where two European tours took place: 'Fire And Whispers Tour' in the first half of the year and 'Into Asylum Tour' in the second half.
''The Unified Field'' (2013–2014)
![2013 WGT 153 IAMX](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/2013_WGT_153_IAMX.jpg)
On 1 February 2012, it was announced via IAMX's Facebook and Twitter pages that work had officially begun on the fifth studio album, which had the working title of ''IAMX5''. On 13 May Chris announced that there would be a vlog posted on the official IAMX YouTube channel every two weeks, which would allow the fans to view the recording process of the new album. In the third vlog, Chris revealed that the new album was to be co-produced by Jim Abbiss, who had also co-produced Sneaker Pimps' debut album, ''
Becoming X'', and had produced albums for artists such as
Adele and
Arctic Monkeys. On 6 July 2012, via his online blog, Chris revealed the name of a track, "Come Home", from the forthcoming album. On 1 October 2012, a new fundraising project was launched via the
PledgeMusic website, which would allow fans to bid on items such as tour set lists and CDs, including the new album; the goal of this fundraiser reached its 100% target in one hour, eventually reaching 817% of the set target. On 19 October 2012, it was announced that the album would officially be named ''
The Unified Field'' and would be preceded by the first single, a double A side, to be released on 3 December. The album was released on 20 March 2013 for fans who pledged on the PledgeMusic project and 22 March 2013 to the general public.
IAMX toured the album under the name "Animal Impulses Tour" following the album's release adding new live members Richard Ankers on drums and Sammi Doll on keyboards and backing vocals. The "Animal Impulses Tour" began in Europe and returned to North America after a four-year gap, made possible through the PledgeMusic campaign. On 16 August 2013, information was released on the Facebook page by IAMX management, that IAMX would be rescheduling the 2013 fall "Screams" tour for 2014 after Chris had been diagnosed with chronic primary insomnia and was seeking treatment.
On 31 May 2014, Chris played a live online acoustic set of songs from ''Kiss + Swallow'' in a Glendale, California studio which was broadcast worldwide. On 17 August, he performed an online acoustic set of songs from ''
The Alternative'', in which he hinted at a new album during the Q&A session.
''Metanoia'' (2014–2016)
On 17 December 2014, a countdown was started in IAMX's social accounts. The countdown ended three days later, revealing the official announcement of a fan-funded new album using PledgeMusic, said to be released in early fall of 2015. On 11 June 2015, the album title was announced as ''
Metanoia
Metanoia, an Ancient Greek word (μετάνοια) meaning "changing one's mind", may refer to:
* Metanoia (psychology), the process of experiencing a psychotic "breakdown" and subsequent, positive psychological re-building or "healing"
* Metanoia ...
''. Both "Insomnia" and "Happiness" were included in the second season of the TV series ''
How to Get Away with Murder''. The songs "Surrender" and "Look Outside" were featured on season 3 of the show.
Talking about the album in an interview, Chris says how ''Metanoia'' was created after a time of illness. He speaks about how coming out of a long period of insomnia and depression impacted the album heavily. He describes it as his least complicated and most honest work. In 2015, IAMX toured the album under the name "Metanoia Tour". Beginning in the US, the tour also travelled through Canada and Europe.
On 2 December 2016, IAMX's EP ''Everything Is Burning'' was released, serving as a companion piece to ''Metanoia'' with seven previously unreleased tracks and nine remixes of ''Metanoia'' songs. Of the songs on ''Everything Is Burning'', Chris says, "They were half written for ''Metanoia'', there was a surplus of material that didn’t make it to the album. It happens with every album that I do, where there are about 5-7 songs that don’t make it. However, these tracks I felt so connected to that I didn’t want to drag them into another era, they had too much of a connection to ''Metanoia'' that they had to remain connected and put the album to rest for me. This EP was in many ways me celebrating my strength and victory over that time period."
''Unfall'' (2017)
On 22 September 2017, ''Unfall'' (the German word for 'accident') was released. Chris Corner expanded his sonic palette through remixes for others and his own experimental work. Chris now turned his Unfall alias into the title for an instrumental and abstract album that showcased him working with modular synthesizers and avoiding pop radio formats. During the recording process, Chris connected with famed UK producer and friend
Jim Abbiss (Adele/Ladytron/Kasabian/Arctic Monkeys), whom he worked with on Sneaker Pimps debut ''Becoming X''. Both discussed how they were spending their current time exploring and experimenting and agreed that it would be fun to have Jim hang out in Chris’ LA studio for a week and play around. That turned into a fruitful seven days, as Jim ended up co-writing and co-producing several album tracks: "Running Point", "Trust The Machine", "Cat's Cradle", "Polar I.", "TeddyLion", "11.11", and "The Disease To Please". The last features vocals from
The Go Go's
The Go-Go's are an American Rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1978. Except for short periods when other musicians joined briefly, the band has had a relatively stable lineup consisting of Charlotte Caffey on lead guitar and keyboar ...
rhythm guitarist and vocalist
Jane Wiedlin. Chris and Jane had been looking for something to work together on, and this just came about naturally, according to Chris.
The single "Little Deaths" was released from the album on 15 September 2017.
''Alive in New Light'' (2017–2018)
IAMX's eighth album, ''
Alive In New Light
IAMX is the solo musical project of Chris Corner of the band Sneaker Pimps. Founded in 2004 in London, it is an independent music project which also focuses on and experiments with visual art. Musically, IAMX spans multiple genres from electron ...
'', was released on 2 February 2018. The title track "Alive in New Light", and "Mile Deep Hollow" were featured on episodes 9 and 8, respectively, of
season 4 Season 4 may refer to:
* "Season 4" (''30 Rock'' episode), an episode of ''30 Rock''
See also
*
* Season One (disambiguation) Season One may refer to:
Albums
* ''Season One'' (Suburban Legends album), 2004
* ''Season One'' (All Sons & Daughte ...
of ''How to Get Away with Murder''.
Turmwerk
From 2008 until Corner's move to Los Angeles in 2014, IAMX were located at an old GDR factory outside Berlin. Corner spoke about the move in an interview, saying that he had bought a building which used to be a waterworks factory in the former East Germany. The factory has since been named "Turmwerk" and is used for studio recording, band rehearsals, photo shoots, music video and live visual production. These productions include the music video "My Secret Friend" featuring
Imogen Heap, photo shoots for the cover of IAMX's fourth studio album, ''Volatile Times'', shot by Berlin photographer Ben Wolf and press photos for IAMX's fifth studio album, ''The Unified Field'', by photographers Joe Dilworth and Sammi Doll. Corner said in an interview that his dream was to create a place for artists of all kinds where the main focus is on creativity and free thinking.
''How to Get Away with Murder''
15 IAMX songs are featured on seasons 1–4 of ABC's ''
How to Get Away with Murder'', those tracks being "I Come with Knives", "The Unified Field", "Cold Red Light" (instrumental), "Volatile Times" (US version), "Walk with the Noise", "I Salute You Christopher", "Music People", "Happiness", "Dead in This House", "The Great Shipwreck of Life", "Insomnia", "Scars", "Surrender", "Look Outside", "Mile Deep Hollow" and "Alive in New Light".
Band members
Current members
*
Chris Corner – vocals, various instruments, programming, production
(2004–present)
Live members
* Janine Gezang
(Janine Gebauer until 2009) – keyboards, backing vocals, bass
(2006–present)
* Sammi Doll – keyboards, backing vocals
(2013–present)
*
Jon Siren – drums
(2015–present)
Former live members
* Sue Denim – vocals
(2004)
*
Noel Fielding
Noel Fielding (; (born 21 May 1973) is an English actor and comedian. He is best known for his work with The Mighty Boosh comedy troupe alongside Julian Barratt in the 2000s, and more recently as a co-presenter of ''The Great British Bake Off'' ...
– bass
(2004)
*
Julian Barratt – guitar
(2004)
* James Cook – keyboards, backing vocals
(2004)
* Mary Ambrose – backing vocals
(2004)
*
Julia Davis – keyboards
(2004)
* Dean Rosenzweig – guitar, bass
(2006–2010)
* Tom Marsh – drums
(2006–2010)
* Alberto Álvarez – guitar, vocals, drums, bass
(2010–2013)
*
Jon Harper
Jonathan Daniel Harper (born 15 February 1978) is an English session musician and started his musical career as the drummer for Reading-based British alternative rock band, The Cooper Temple Clause. He filled-in the vacancy for drummer in the B ...
– drums
(2010)
* Caroline Weber – drums
(2011)
* Richard Ankers – drums
(2013–2014)
Discography
Studio albums
* ''
Kiss + Swallow'' (Tennis Schallplatten (Germany) / Vision Music (Poland) / Anorak Supersport (Belgium) / Recall (France & US) / Acute Music (Austria) / Loser Friendly (UK)) – 13 July 2004
* ''
The Alternative'' (61seconds - Major Records (Germany) / Acute Music (Austria) / Vision Music (Poland) / Anorak Supersport (BeNeLux) / Fiction (UK) / Metropolis (US)) – 28 April 2006
* ''
Kingdom of Welcome Addiction'' (61seconds) – 19 May 2009
* ''
Volatile Times
''Volatile Times'' is the fourth studio album from IAMX. It was released on 18 March 2011 and the tracks on the album keep alive the cabaret-esque and dark electronic sound that Chris Corner has become known for. The track "Volatile Times" was fea ...
'' (61seconds/BMG Rights Management) – 18 March 2011
* ''
The Unified Field'' (61seconds) – 22 March 2013
* ''
Metanoia
Metanoia, an Ancient Greek word (μετάνοια) meaning "changing one's mind", may refer to:
* Metanoia (psychology), the process of experiencing a psychotic "breakdown" and subsequent, positive psychological re-building or "healing"
* Metanoia ...
'' (Orphic/Caroline International/Universal) – 2 October 2015
* ''
Unfall
IAMX is the solo musical project of Chris Corner of the band Sneaker Pimps. Founded in 2004 in London, it is an independent music project which also focuses on and experiments with visual art. Musically, IAMX spans multiple genres from electron ...
'' (Orphic/Caroline International/Universal) – 22 September 2017 (instrumental album)
* ''
Alive In New Light
IAMX is the solo musical project of Chris Corner of the band Sneaker Pimps. Founded in 2004 in London, it is an independent music project which also focuses on and experiments with visual art. Musically, IAMX spans multiple genres from electron ...
'' (Orphic/Caroline International/Universal) – 2 February 2018
* ''
Echo Echo'' (Orphic) – 13 March 2020 (acoustic versions of songs known from previous albums)
* ''
Machinate'' – 19 November 2021
(
live
Live may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Films
* ''Live!'' (2007 film), 2007 American film
* ''Live'' (2014 film), a 2014 Japanese film
*'' ''Live'' (Apocalyptica DVD)
Music
*Live (band), American alternative rock band
* List of albums ...
album with new compositions, mostly instrumental, recorded on modular synthesizers)
Concert albums
* ''
Live in Warsaw'' (publ. 61seconds) – 14 November 2008
* ''
Mile Deep Hollow Tour
The mile, sometimes the international mile or statute mile to distinguish it from other miles, is a British imperial unit and United States customary unit of distance; both are based on the older English unit of length equal to 5,280 English ...
'' (publ. Unfall) – 16 September 2022 (live album from the 2019 tour)
EPs and other albums
* ''
Your Joy Is My Low'' (EP, limited edition, publ. Acute Music) – 1 January 2004
* ''
Your Joy Is My Low Remixes'' (EP, limited edition, publ. Anorak Supersport) – 26 May 2005
* ''
IAMIXED
IAMX is the solo musical project of Chris Corner of the band Sneaker Pimps. Founded in 2004 in London, it is an independent music project which also focuses on and experiments with visual art. Musically, IAMX spans multiple genres from electron ...
'' (publ. NoCarbon) – 20 December 2008 (remixes of songs from the album ''The Alternative'' performed by English musicians)
* ''Tear Garden'' (EP) – 2009
* ''
Dogmatic Infidel Comedown OK'' (publ. 61seconds) – 19 March 2010 (
cover version
In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...
s and
remix
A remix (or reorchestration) is a piece of media which has been altered or contorted from its original state by adding, removing, or changing pieces of the item. A song, piece of artwork, book, video, poem, or photograph can all be remixes. The o ...
es of songs from the album ''Kingdom of Welcome Addiction'')
*
''Bernadette'' (EP) – 29 July 2011 (extended reissue on 16 September 2022)
*
''Volatile Times'' (EP, limited edition) – 23 September 2011
* ''
Everything Is Burning (Metanoia Addendum)'' – 2 September 2016 (
mini album containing a bonus CD with remixes)
* ''Mile Deep Hollow'' (download EP) – 14 December 2018
Singles
Music videos
Charts
References
External links
*
*
{{Authority control
Musicians from London
English electronic musicians
Music in Berlin
Metropolis Records artists
Fiction Records artists