The Mothmen were a short-lived

post-punk Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of punk music that emerged in the late 1970s as musicians departed from punk's traditional elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a variety of avant-garde sensibilities and non-roc ...

band from England, formed around 1979 by Dave Rowbotham, Chris Joyce and

Tony Bowers Tony Bowers (born 31 October 1952, England) is a musician based in Italy and Ireland who has worked with many bands, including Simply Red in the 1980s. Career Bowers debuted in the blues band, Blind Eye (1971–1972), as second guitarist, altho ...

, shortly after they left

The Durutti Column The Durutti Column are an English post-punk band formed in 1978 in Manchester, England.Strong, Martin C. (1999) "The Great Alternative & Indie Discography", Canongate, The band is a project of guitarist and occasional pianist Vini Reilly who ...

, including ex- Alberto Y Lost Trios Paranoias singer Bob Harding.

History

In 1978,

Tony Wilson Anthony Howard Wilson (20 February 1950 – 10 August 2007) was a British record label owner, radio and television presenter, nightclub manager, impresario and a journalist for Granada Television, the BBC and Channel 4. As a co-founder o ...

and Alan Erasmus cofounded

, with guitarists

Vini Reilly Vincent Gerard "Vini" Reilly (born 4 August 1953) is an English musician and leader of the post-punk group the Durutti Column. He is known for his distinctively clean, fluid guitar style, which stood out from his punk-era contemporaries in its ...

and Dave Rowbotham, bassist

(formerly of Alberto Y Lost Trios Paranoias), drummer Chris Joyce, and vocalist

Phil Rainford Phil Rainford is a British former singer and music producer, who formed part of the Manchester music scene, in late 1970s and early 1980s. He was the original singer of post-punk band The Durutti Column who were signed to Factory Records, havin ...

. After releasing two songs in a various artists compilation, '' A Factory Sample'', that year, the Durutti Column became the sole concern of Reilly and Bowers, as Rowbotham and Joyce departed and formed The Mothmen, alongside former Alberto Y Lost Trios Paranoias singer Bob Harding. So, the first lineup comprised Joyce on drums; Bowers on guitar, bass, vocals, violin, and percussion; Rowbotham on guitar and bass; and Bob Harding on bass, organ, guitar, vocals, and percussion. In 1979, they released their debut single on Absurd Records, " Does It Matter Irene?" The recording of an album's worth of material in the first half of 1980 left the group without a label to release it on. Thus in stepped the assistance of a young and cash-strapped

Adrian Sherwood Adrian Maxwell Sherwood (born 20 January 1958, London, England) is an English record producer specialising in the genre of dub music. He has created a distinctive production style based on the application of dub effects and dub mixing technique ...

, having just launched On-U Sound. A deal was done and in 1981 ''Pay Attention!'' appeared as its second album. The arrangement and production work remained the Mothmen's own with Sherwood playing no part in its creation. Sherwood's only direct involvement with the band was when he provided a dub mix of "Afghan Farmer Driving Cattle" hythm 137on On-U's first compilation release – ''Wild Paarty Sounds Volume 1''. During this period Joyce also found time to be the drummer for another one of On-U Sound's first generation 'crew',

London Underground The London Underground (also known simply as the Underground or by its nickname the Tube) is a rapid transit system serving Greater London and some parts of the adjacent ceremonial counties of England, counties of Buckinghamshire, Essex and He ...

, as well appearing on

Judy Nylon Judy Nylon is a widely influential multidisciplinary American artist who moved to London in 1970. She was half of the punk rock music group Snatch, which also featured fellow American expat Patti Palladin (who was later in The Flying Lizards). R ...

's "Pal Judy" set for the label. However, the Mothmen soon left for Do-It Records and in the process Rowbotham was replaced by Ronnie Hardman (bass) and Charlie Griffiths (synthesisers). The new line-up produced a handful more singles and a further album, ''One Black Dot'', before they split for good in early 1982. Of the Mothmen's former members, Joyce and Bowers were to have the greatest subsequent commercial success, forming part of the first

Simply Red Simply Red are a British soul and pop band formed in Manchester in 1985. The lead vocalist of the band is singer and songwriter Mick Hucknall, who, by the time the band initially disbanded in 2010, was the only original member left. Since the ...

rhythm section between 1984 and 1989. The On-U association with Joyce and Bowers had two final outcomes in the UK, in the form of Sherwood's providing flip-side mixes to Simply Red's "

Holding Back the Years "Holding Back the Years" is a song by British soul and pop band Simply Red, released as the third single from their debut studio album, ''Picture Book'' (1985). It reached number one on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and number two on the UK Sin ...

" and "Infidelity" 12" singles. Through the

Sly & Robbie Sly and Robbie were a prolific Jamaican rhythm section and production duo, associated primarily with the reggae and dub genres. Drummer Sly Dunbar and bassist Robbie Shakespeare teamed up in the mid-1970s after establishing themselves separat ...

connection, Sherwood also contributed to Simply Red's 1997 " Night Nurse"

cover Cover or covers may refer to: Packaging * Another name for a lid * Cover (philately), generic term for envelope or package * Album cover, the front of the packaging * Book cover or magazine cover ** Book design ** Back cover copy, part of co ...

Gregory Isaacs Gregory Anthony Isaacs OD (15 July 1951 – 25 October 2010)Thompson, p. 127. was a Jamaican reggae musician. Milo Miles, writing in ''The New York Times'', described Isaacs as "the most exquisite vocalist in reggae".Miles, Milo (1992),RECORDI ...

' song. In 1991, founding guitarist Dave Rowbotham was murdered. Tony Bowers lives between Italy and Ireland where he works on various musical projects . Chris Joyce shares further details of his life and career, up to and beyond his work with Simply Red, on his biography in Chris Joyce School of Drums.

Discography

*" Does It Matter Irene?" 7″ single (Absurd, September 1979) *''Pay Attention!'' album (On-U Sound, 1981) *"Show Me Your House And Car" 7" and 12" singles (Do It!, July 1981) *"Temptation" 7" single ( Do It!, October 1981) *''One Black Dot'' album (Do It!, January 1982) *"Wadada" 7" single (Do It!, March 1982)

References

External links

Artist page at unofficial On-U Sound site

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Mothmen, The Musical groups established in 1979 English new wave musical groups English post-punk music groups English indie rock groups On-U Sound Records artists Musical groups from Manchester Musical groups disestablished in 1982