The Magnificents were a

Scottish Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English *Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...

electro rock band.

Biography

The group formed while its members attended the Edinburgh College of Art. After playing a supposed one-off gig of Northern Soul covers for a friend's birthday party they began to write their own material and settled into a lineup of Tommy Stuart ( vocals/

synths A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis and f ...

), Steven McGregor (synths/vocals), Drew McFadyen ( guitar/vocals) and Casey Miller (

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

). Incorporating elements of

Krautrock Krautrock (also called , German for ) is a broad genre of experimental rock Experimental rock, also called avant-rock, is a subgenre of rock music that pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique or which experiments ...

, electro and

noise music Noise music is a genre of music that is characterised by the expressive use of noise within a musical context. This type of music tends to challenge the distinction that is made in conventional musical practices between musical and non-musical ...

they combine vintage analogue synthesizers with distorted guitar and the aggression of punk creating a sound described by the NME as, "a wonder to behold...

synth-punk Electronic rock is a music genre that involves a combination of rock music and electronic music, featuring instruments typically found within both genres. It originates from the late 1960s, when rock bands began incorporating electronic instrum ...

sass ''in excelsis''; a tangle of

disco Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...

and hysterical sloganeering that sounds, precisely, like Nobody Else Ever". They soon gained a reputation as both a riotously exciting and volatile live act. They recorded their first EP ''Kids Now'' at their own M-Bunker studio which was released on German label Erkrankung Durch Musique in 2001. This led to the group's first tour overseas visiting Germany, Austria and

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

and a series of supports with established alternative bands visiting Scotland such as Stereolab,

Broadcast Broadcasting is the distribution of audio or video content to a dispersed audience via any electronic mass communications medium, but typically one using the electromagnetic spectrum ( radio waves), in a one-to-many model. Broadcasting began ...

Trans Am Trans Am may refer to: * Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, an automobile model * Trans Am (band), an American post-rock band ** ''Trans Am'' (album), their 1996 debut album *** ''Trans Am'' (1996 song), their eponymous song from the eponymous album, see ...

and

Enon Enon may refer to: Places United States *Enon, Kentucky *Enon, Moniteau County, Missouri * Enon, St. Charles County, Missouri *Enon, North Carolina *Enon, Ohio *Enon Valley, Pennsylvania *Enon, Virginia *Enon, West Virginia Elsewhere * Ænon, w ...

. After the release of 2003's more electronic based ''4 Claws Of The Underground EP'' on Scandinavia Records, the band recorded their self titled debut album. Now recording for KFM Records the sessions took place at The Diving Bell Lounge Studio in Glasgow. Released in early 2004, the album was generally well received and gained airplay from the likes of Vic Galloway, Stuart Maconie and the late

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 ...

. That same year the band were invited to Austin, Texas to play at the

SXSW Music Festival South by Southwest, abbreviated as SXSW and colloquially referred to as South By, is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and conferences organized jointly that take place in mid-March in Austin, Te ...

and supported The Beta Band on their final UK tour. The group have also recorded various live radio sessions, including for BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio Scotland and featured on the

BBC Radio 3 BBC Radio 3 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It replaced the BBC Third Programme in 1967 and broadcasts classical music and opera, with jazz, world music, Radio drama, drama, High culture, culture and the arts ...

programme

Mixing It ''Mixing It'' was a radio programme showcasing experimental music. Its original remit was to showcase "crossover" music that blurred the established boundaries between genres. It was originally broadcast as a weekly radio programme on BBC Radio 3 ...

about

experimental music Experimental music is a general label for any music or music genre that pushes existing boundaries and genre definitions. Experimental compositional practice is defined broadly by exploratory sensibilities radically opposed to, and questioning of, ...

in Scotland. In 2005 the band entered Metway Studio in

Brighton Brighton () is a seaside resort and one of the two main areas of the City of Brighton and Hove in the county of East Sussex, England. It is located south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze A ...

and recorded three tracks with producer Damien Taylor which would eventually be on the band's second album ''

Year Of Explorers ''Year of Explorers'' is the second studio album by the Scottish electro rock band The Magnificents. Track listing ''All tracks written by The Magnificents.'' # "Ring Ring Oo Oo" – 4:57 # "Can't Explode" – 3:11 # "Get It Boy" – 3:22 # ...

''. In 2006 they went on their most extensive tour to date, supporting fellow Scots Mogwai on their European tour. Following this, work was completed on ''Year Of Explorers'' at Castle of Doom Studios with Mogwais' John Cummings producing. The album was preceded by the ''Ring Ring EP'' in May 2007 before its August release.

Trivia

* The song "Get It Boy" appeared on the soundtrack of '' UEFA Euro 2008'' game. * The song "Kids Now" featured in the Cartoon Network show '' Codename: Kids Next Door'' * The band designed their own merchandise, sleeve artwork and video projections used at concerts.

Discography

*''Kids Now EP'' - 2001 *"Digital Dirt" / "The Third Claw" (7" single) - 2003 *''4 Claws Of The Underground EP'' - 2003 *'' The Magnificents'' - 2004 *"Last Gasp Of Revenge"/ "White Lies" (7" single) - 2005 *"The Apollo Creed" (Download single) - 2005 *''Ring Ring EP'' - 2007 *''

Year of Explorers ''Year of Explorers'' is the second studio album by the Scottish electro rock band The Magnificents. Track listing ''All tracks written by The Magnificents.'' # "Ring Ring Oo Oo" – 4:57 # "Can't Explode" – 3:11 # "Get It Boy" – 3:22 # ...

'' (Album) - 2007 *"Get It Boy" (Download single) - 2007

References

External links

KFM Records Site

The Magnificents MySpace

The Magnificents at Discogs

KFM Records Video Channel

Mush Records Artist Page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Magnificents Scottish electronic music groups Scottish rock music groups Scottish post-punk music groups Scottish experimental rock groups