A Witness
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1982 in Stockport, Greater Manchester, England |
| Founder | Vince Hunt |
| Defunct | 1989 (initially) |
| Fate | Disbanded following the death of guitarist Rick Aitken; reformed in 2014 |
| Headquarters | Stockport , England |
Area served | United Kingdom |
| Products | Music albums, EPs, singles |
A Witness is an English band known for their contributions to the post-punk and indie rock genres, initially active during the alternative music movement of the mid-1980s. Their first EP, Loudhailer Songs, along with their album I Am John's Pancreas, attracted the attention of BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel, leading to four recorded sessions for his show. The group disbanded following the death of guitarist Rick Aitken in 1989. In 2014, founder and principal songwriter Vince Hunt reassembled A Witness with a new lineup for performances across the UK, commemorating the 25th anniversary of Aitken's passing, and the band has remained active since.[1]
Career
Established in 1982 in Stockport, Greater Manchester, A Witness was initially formed by Rick Aitken on guitar, Vince Hunt on bass, and a drum machine as percussion. In 1983, Keith Curtis (vocals) and Noel Kilbride (guitar) joined the ensemble. The addition of drummer Alan Brown (formerly of Big Flame) came in 1986.[2]Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
The band signed with Ron Johnson, releasing their debut EP Loudhailer Songs, which spearheaded a wave of bands influenced by Captain Beefheart during the mid-1980s and earned acclaim from NME. Their track "Sharpened Sticks" was included on the notable NME C86 compilation cassette.[2][3]
October 1986 saw the release of their first full-length album, I Am John's Pancreas, which climbed to number 18 on NME's charts. Following tours in Germany and the Netherlands alongside labelmates Big Flame, Alan Brown replaced the drum machine, contributing creatively to arrangements and co-writing their final single '(I Love You) Mr Disposable Razors'. With Brown on board, A Witness produced two additional singles under Ron Johnson before the label's dissolution. In 1988, Communion Records issued Sacred Cow Heart, a compilation exclusive to the US market.
After Brown departed to pursue his solo project The Great Leap Forward, Tris King from Hebden Bridge’s Bogshed took over drumming duties. King recorded studio versions of '(I Love You) Mr Disposable Razors' and performed at the band's concluding shows primarily based in Liverpool.
The group disbanded following guitarist Rick Aitken’s fatal climbing accident in Scotland in October 1989, shortly before a scheduled UK tour supporting The Wedding Present. The band chose not to continue without him. Their third and fourth Peel Sessions were later compiled into The Peel Sessions, while the single "I Love You Mr. Disposable Razors" was released posthumously in November 1989 on Vinyl Drip as a tribute to Aitken. Additionally, their renditions of The Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows" and The Doors' "Break on Through (To the Other Side)" appeared on The Imaginary compilation series.[3]
Post break-up
Following the band's dissolution, Keith Curtis contributed guitar work for John Robb's Membranes and played bass with Goldblade. Vince Hunt embarked on a solo career under the name Pure Sound, releasing three well-received soundscape albums: Pure Sound (2006), Submarine (2007), and Acts of New Noise (2008). He subsequently formed a live ensemble featuring Harry Stafford (keyboards, Inca Babies), Rob Haynes (drums, Goldblade), and Boz Hayward (guitar, HoundGod), culminating in a fourth album titled Life Under Glass released in June 2010. Hunt also co-founded Marshall Smith in 1997 alongside Alan Brown (Big Flame) and Daren Garratt (Pram), producing the album Colours. In 2009, he joined Inca Babies, contributing to their albums Death Message Blues (2010), Deep Dark Blue (2012), and The Stereo Plan (2014). By 2016, Hunt became part of Martin Bramah's Blue Orchids, recording on their 2017 single 'Skull Jam'.
A Witness continues to attract interest; a retrospective collection titled Threaphurst Lane was released by Overground Records in 2002. In 2006, Hunt reissued I Am John's Pancreas on CD through his Euphonium label to support his diverse musical ventures.
Paris concert footage
In September 2011, video recordings of A Witness's December 1986 performance in Paris were made available on YouTube. The setlist featured five songs, including two from I Am John's Pancreas: "Sharpened Sticks," which appeared on NME's C-86 compilation, and "The Loudhailer Song," included in the Death To Trad Rock collection accompanying John Robb's 2010 publication. The remaining three tracks—"Nodding Dog Moustache," "Faglane Morris Wind," and "Raw Patch"—originated from the band's 1988 final release with Ron Johnson, the 12" single titled One Foot in the Groove.
The Oberhausen tapes
A fortuitous meeting in 2011 between Vince Hunt and German A Witness enthusiast Wolfgang Kunst at a London concert resulted in previously unseen footage coming to light. Kunst had been present at an A Witness/Big Flame show held at Oberhausen Old Daddy venue on 9 September 1986 and possessed a VHS tape capturing performances by four UK bands: A Witness, Big Flame, Age of Chance, and The Wedding Present. In 2012, Kunst forwarded this VHS to Hunt, who subsequently digitized the content and uploaded it to YouTube in January 2013.
This material features six tracks from I Am John's Pancreas, which was released just weeks after the concert: "Smelt Like a Pedestrian," "O'Grady's Dream," "The Loudhailer Song," "Sharpened Sticks," "Red Snake," and "Hard Day's Love." Additionally, it includes "Camera" and "Lucky in London" from their initial Ron Johnson EP, Loudhailer Songs (1984). This footage represented the first live recordings of several important songs.
The band lineup consisted of Rick Aitken on guitar, Vince Hunt playing bass, Keith Curtis providing vocals, accompanied by a Drumatix 606 drum machine. Later on, Hunt sold this drum machine to John Robb, who still owned it as of December 2012.
Reformation with new line-up
To commemorate the 25th anniversary of guitarist Rick Aitken's passing, founder Vince Hunt assembled a new lineup for live performances. Alan Brown stepped in on drums to replace Aitken, while Simon 'Crayola' Williams (known from Sarandon) took over vocal duties from Keith Curtis. Rob Haynes, recognized for his work with Goldblade and Inca Babies, joined as drummer alongside Hunt on bass. Their debut performance took place in London in April 2014, sharing the bill with The Cravats. Subsequent gigs included the reissue launch of the NME C-86 album and various UK appearances such as the Blackthorn Music Festival in Stockport, where memorial trees honoring Aitken were planted. They also appeared at a 2014 tribute to John Peel alongside Peel-era acts like The Nightingales, Blue Orchids, Inca Babies, The Wolfhounds, and Ted Chippington. For shows held in Stockport and Manchester, Hunt invited his sister Christine to join; she had contributed violin to "O'Grady's Dream" on the I Am John's Pancreas album but had not previously performed live with the group.
Studio albums
- I Am John's Pancreas (1986, Ron Johnson, LP, ZRON 12; 2006, Euphonium, CD, EUPH001) UK Indie No. 18
- Notable tracks include: "Smelt Like A Pedestrian", "O'Grady's Dream", "Car Skidding", "Red Snake", "Dipping Bird", "Sharpened Sticks", "The Loudhailer Song", "Legs Be Sturdy", "4.49 Stool", and "Hard Days' Love"
EPs and singles
- Loudhailer Songs (November 1984, Ron Johnson, 12", ZRON 5) reached UK Indie chart position No. 9
- Included tracks: "Lucky in London", "Camera", "Kitchen Sink Drama", "Regular Round", "Drill One"
- Red Snake (1987, Ron Johnson, 12", ZRON26)
- Songs featured: "Red Snake", "Regular Round", "Hard Days' Love"
- One Foot in the Groove (May 1988, Ron Johnson, 12", ZRON 30)
- Tracks: "Nodding Dog Moustache", "Faglane Morris Wind", "Zip Up", "Raw Patch"
- I Love You, Mr. Disposable Razors (November 1989, Vinyl Drip, 12", SUK 010)
- Contains: "I Love You, Mr Disposable Razors", "Disposable dance version", "Tomorrow Never Knows"
Compilation albums
- Sacred Cow Heart (1986, Communion, LP/C, COMM003/C)
- Features selections such as "Smelt Like A Pedestrian", "Red Snake", and "Dipping Bird" alongside other recordings from their second John Peel Session. The cassette release included additional tracks like "O'Grady's Dream" and alternative versions.
- Threaphurst Lane: The Best Of A Witness (2002, Overground, CD, OVERVPCD88)
- Showcases prominent songs including "Sharpened Sticks", "I Love You, Mr Disposable Razors", and "Tomorrow Never Knows" representing highlights across their career.
Live albums
- The Peel Sessions (1989, Strange Fruit, LP/CD, SFPMA 206)
- Contains live renditions of: "I Love You Mr Disposable Razors", "Life – The Final Frontier", "Helicopter Tealeaf", "Prince Microwave Bollard", "Take Me To The Earth", "McManus Octaphone", "Sunbed Sentimental", and "Zip Up".
External links
- Louder Than War coverage C86 Band A Witness Reform For 25th Anniversary Gigs