Shitdisco
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Headquarters | Glasgow , Scotland |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
Shitdisco was a dance-punk ensemble originating from Glasgow, Scotland, established in 2003 at the Glasgow School of Art. The group consisted of Joel Stone (bass, guitar, vocals), Joe Reeves (bass, guitar, vocals), Jan Lee (keyboards, backing vocals), and Darren Cullen on drums. Their first single, "Disco Blood"/"I Know Kung Fu," debuted in December 2005. They were signed to Fierce Panda Records, releasing their inaugural album Kingdom of Fear on 16 April 2007.
Their sound was often likened to that of Talking Heads and The Rapture, with the band acknowledging a range of influences such as Donna Summer, Arthur Russell, The Prodigy, Gang of Four, and The Clash. After their initial release, Shitdisco embarked on extensive tours throughout the UK, Europe, and international destinations including Bangkok and Istanbul. In 2007, they secured recording contracts with Sony Music in Japan and Dim Mak Records in the United States.
Band members contributed two tracks to Japanese new-wave group 80_pan's 2008 album, Disco Baby. In January 2008, Jan Lee departed to pursue a career in illustration and subsequently moved into the restaurant sector,<ref> with Tom Straughan taking over keyboards and backing vocals.
The band amicably dissolved in 2009.<ref> Following the split, members went on to form new projects such as Age of Consent and Ubre Blanca, while drummer Cullen shifted focus towards political art.
Album
Their debut full-length, Kingdom of Fear, was recorded at The Premises studio in London under producer Luke Smith, formerly of Clor, who had previously remixed "Disco Blood" and "Reactor Party". The recording process took place over two sessions; the latter occurred after completing the NME New Rave Tour in October 2006, where they supported Klaxons. During this tour, drummer Cullen sustained a wrist injury necessitating surgery. For the second recording session, Kieron Pepper—live drummer for The Prodigy—performed on the tracks "Fear of the Future" and "Dream of Infinity". Additionally, "Reactor Party" was produced by Alan O'Connell.
The album title was inspired by Hunter S. Thompson’s final book. Kingdom of Fear was released through Fierce Panda Records on 16 April 2007.
DJ career
Apart from their live performances, Shitdisco earned recognition for their frequent DJ appearances at leading UK venues such as Bugged Out, Gatecrasher, and Modular events. Their DJ sets extended to Judgement Sundays in Ibiza, a North American tour, and numerous gigs across the Far East.
Albums
- Kingdom of Fear (16 April 2007)
- The Emanator – U.S. edition of Kingdom of Fear featuring bonus tracks (23 September 2008)
Singles
- "Disco Blood"/"I Know Kung Fu" (2005) (limited to 1,000 copies)
- "Reactor Party" (2006) UK chart position #73
- "OK" (2007) (limited to 2,000 copies)
- "I Know Kung Fu" (2007)
Compilations
- "Disco Blood" – featured on Delete Yourself compilation Digital Penetration (July 2006)
- "Reactor Party" – included in Neon Nights Mixtape – DMC (June 2007)
- "Reactor Party" – part of The Bang Gang DJs' "Light Sound Dance" – Modular Records (July 2007)
- "Reactor Party" – featured on Ibiza Rocks 2007 – Ministry of Sound (August 2007)
See also
Critiques
- Interview at Daily Music Guide
- Kingdom of Fear Album Critique - NME.com
- Album Evaluation - NG Magazine
- Review on The Line Of Best Fit
- March 2006 Edinburgh Performance Review - The Scotsman
- Live Review, 16 March 2006 at The Barfly, Liverpool - gigwise online
- Interview with Supersweet
External links
- Short description with empty Wikidata description
- Scottish rock music groups
- Scottish dance-punk musical groups
- Scottish dance-rock musical groups
- Scottish electronic rock musical groups
- Musical groups established in 2003
- Musical groups disbanded in 2009
- Fierce Panda Records artists
- Musical groups disestablished in 2009