Ikara Colt
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Defunct | 17 January 2005 |
| Headquarters | London , England |
Area served | United Kingdom, United States |
| Products | Music albums, EPs, singles |
Ikara Colt was a London-based English indie rock group consisting of four members, all of whom were art students at London Guildhall University. The band operated from 1999 until they officially disbanded on 17 January 2005, concluding their musical journey after releasing two albums and one EP. They expressed a desire to steer clear of becoming a "tired and jaded outfit." In the United Kingdom, Ikara Colt was affiliated with the independent label Fantastic Plastic Records, while distribution in the United States was managed by Epitaph.
Although they were not associated with any particular music movement, their sound drew inspiration from acts like Sonic Youth and The Fall. In 2003, the band undertook a six-week tour across the US, performing alongside Sweden’s Sahara Hotnights and the American band The Washdown.
Original bassist Jon Ball departed in 2003 and was succeeded by Tracy Bellaries, who had previously played with Soulbossa. Bellaries performed the majority of bass parts on their sophomore album, Modern Apprentice, while Ball remained involved in songwriting and contributed to some recording sessions. After leaving Ikara Colt, Bellaries went on to join Mystery Meat and Part Chimp.
Band members
- Claire Ingram – guitar and vocals
- Paul Resende – vocals
- Dominic Young – drums
- Jon Ball – bass (1999–2003)
- Tracy Bellaries – bass (2003–2005)
Albums
- Chat and Business – Released March 2002
- Reissued in December 2003 bundled with the Basic Instructions EP
- Modern Apprentice – Released June 2004
Modern Apprentice was the last studio album Ikara Colt released before their split in 2005. Issued via Fantastic Plastic Records, it featured Tracy Bellaries on bass despite her joining after most of the writing process was completed. Several tracks credit both Bellaries and Jon Ball due to his participation in composing and recording bass lines. The album was introduced by the single Wanna be That Way, followed later in 2004 by singles Wake in the City and Modern Feeling. Notably, the song Automatic contains a hidden track after a short pause, concluding with vocalist Paul Resende stating, "It's a concept."
EPs
- Basic Instructions EP – Released September 2002, reached UK chart position #7
Singles
- "Sink Venice" – May 2001 (b/w "At The Lodge" & "Escalate") UK #187
- "One Note" – October 2001 (b/w "Surf 2" & "Kite") UK #109
- "Rudd" – February 2002 (b/w "Your Vain Attempts" & "Memory") UK #72
- "Live at the Astoria" – November 2003 (b/w "I'm With Stupid" & "At The Lodge")
- "Wanna Be That Way" – February 2004 (b/w "Leave This Country", "The Other" & "Start Up") UK #49
- "Wake in the City" – May 2004 (b/w "Til The End", "Keep It To Yourself" & "Repetition") UK #55
- "Modern Feeling" – October 2004 (b/w "Seeing Double", "Ring Road" & "Modern Feeling JCB Mix") UK #61