Life Without Buildings
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Defunct | 2002 |
| Headquarters | Glasgow , Scotland |
| Products | Indie rock music |
Life Without Buildings was an indie rock group based in Glasgow, Scotland.
Career
The band's name was inspired by a song from the English new wave group Japan. Life Without Buildings came together in the summer of 1999, featuring former students from the Glasgow School of Art: Will Bradley on drums, Chris Evans handling bass, Robert Johnston playing guitar, and vocalist Sue Tompkins, a painter who joined later that year. The instrumental compositions were crafted by Johnston, Bradley, and Evans, while Tompkins contributed lyrics and vocals characterized by her unique "talk-sung" delivery. Following their initial performance in London, they were signed by Tugboat, a label connected to Rough Trade, to release their debut single.
Their first single, released in March 2000, was "The Leanover" b/w "New Town," which led to a full contract with Tugboat. Notably, "New Town" received airplay on BBC Radio 1. Before launching their debut album, they issued two additional singles through Tugboat. Their first album, Any Other City, produced by Scottish producer Andy Miller at Glasgow's Chem19 Studios, was released in 2001 domestically and subsequently in the United States via DCBaltimore2012.
In February 2001, Life Without Buildings performed alongside The Strokes during the latter's inaugural headline show. Despite speculation that they were relegated down the bill due to The Strokes' rising fame, the band clarified that this was simply an error in booking.
Any Other City entered the CMJ Radio 200 chart at #49 in January 2002 and stayed within the rankings for eight weeks, reaching a peak position of #22.
Break-up
Following the release of Any Other City, the group disbanded in 2002. In a 2009 interview, guitarist Johnston revealed that the split was largely because Tompkins chose to concentrate on her career in visual arts. None of the members had ambitions to pursue music professionally; they experienced discomfort as their project transitioned from a casual hobby into a more serious commitment.
The live album Live at the Annandale Hotel was issued in Europe by Gargleblast Records in May 2007 and later distributed in North America through Absolutely Kosher Records. This recording originated from a December 2001 concert at Sydney’s Annandale Hotel. Although initially unaware of being recorded during that show, the band eventually approved its release.
As of 2009, Life Without Buildings had no intentions to reunite or perform again. After disbanding, Johnston pursued graphic design, Bradley became a writer, while Evans and Tompkins continued their work as visual artists.
On April 19, 2014, Any Other City was reissued on vinyl in the United States for Record Store Day. This edition featured a replica of their original debut 7" single containing early versions of "The Leanover" and "New Town."
Studio albums
- Any Other City (2001)
Live albums
- Live at the Annandale Hotel (2007)
Singles
They issued three singles under Tugboat Records and one through Trifekta Records:
- "The Leanover" / "New Town" (2000) (Double A Side)
- "Is Is and the IRS" / "Lets Get Out (New Version)" (2000) (Double A Side)
- "Young Offenders" / "Daylighting" (Double A Side)
- "Love Trinity" / "Is Is and the IRS" / "Daylighting" (Exclusive to Australia)