Spacemen 3

Spacemen 3

Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Founded	1982 in Rugby, Warwickshire, England
Founder	Peter Kember, Jason Pierce
Headquarters	Rugby , England
Products	Music albums, singles

Spacemen 3 emerged as an English rock ensemble formed in 1982 in Rugby, Warwickshire by Peter Kember and Jason Pierce, who adopted the monikers Sonic Boom and J Spaceman respectively. Their sound was characterized by a "trance-like neo-psychedelia" approach, heavily reliant on distorted guitars, synthesizers, and minimal variations in chord progressions or tempo.

Influenced by groups such as the Stooges, the Velvet Underground, and Suicide, Spacemen 3 launched their first album Sound of Confusion in 1986, securing independent chart recognition by 1987. Their subsequent releases, The Perfect Prescription (1987) and Playing with Fire (1989), broadened their cult status and commercial reach. The band dissolved soon after, with their last studio album Recurring issued posthumously in 1991 amid internal disputes.

Often labeled a 'drug band' due to the members' substance use and Kember's candid stance on recreational drugs, Kember and Pierce remained the band's consistent nucleus through all incarnations. Post-breakup, Pierce achieved success with Spiritualized, while Kember earned recognition as a producer under the Sonic Boom alias.

Formation and early development (1982–85)

Peter Kember and Jason Pierce crossed paths at Rugby Art College in 1982, forming the foundational partnership for Spacemen 3. Pierce departed from his former group Indian Scalp to join forces with Kember, bringing in drummer Tim Morris and bassist Pete Bain. Initially operating under the name The Spacemen, they performed locally starting in late 1982, featuring extended compositions like the one-chord piece "O.D. Catastrophe."

In 1983, following Pierce’s relocation to Maidstone for art studies, Bain and Morris exited to pursue another project. Kember and Pierce recruited Nicholas "Natty" Brooker on drums but continued without a bassist. They rebranded as Spacemen 3, incorporating the "3" to reference the third eye after rejecting their original name due to its outdated 1950s associations.

By 1984, early demo recordings took place at Dave Sheriff's home studio in Rugby, including initial versions of "Walkin' with Jesus," "Come Down Easy," and "Things'll Never be the Same." These tapes reflected a swampy blues influence featuring harmonica and slide guitar reminiscent of The Cramps and were distributed locally on cassette.

From 1984 to 1985, Spacemen 3 regularly performed throughout Rugby, Northampton, and Coventry, headlining shows at venues such as The Black Lion pub in Northampton. Their live sets were marked by minimal audience interaction and psychedelic light displays created with low-cost equipment.

By mid-1985, they co-founded 'The Reverberation Club,' a weekly live music event in Rugby that elevated their local presence alongside other emerging artists. Their distinctive sound caught the attention of established musicians like Pat Fish of The Jazz Butcher, who described them as "extraordinary" and unlike any contemporaries.

Northampton demo sessions

In November 1985, despite playing to fewer than ten attendees in Coventry, Spacemen 3—encouraged by Pat Fish—opted to record a new demo tape. Their musical style had evolved by that point with fresh material and revised tracks.

At Pierce’s insistence, Pete Bain rejoined on bass, restoring the band’s four-piece lineup while maintaining the Spacemen 3 name. Both Kember and Pierce upgraded their guitars and amplifiers—essential components for achieving their trademark distortion/fuzz and tremolo tones.

During January 1986, they recorded demos over three-and-a-half days at Studio Morocco near Northampton, capturing approximately seven songs with live group takes and minimal overdubbing. The sessions were produced by Kember and Pierce with technical engineering by Dave Howard. These recordings were later unofficially released under the title Taking Drugs to Make Music to Take Drugs To in 1990.

Following these demos, Pat Fish forwarded a tape to Dave Barker of Glass Records, resulting in a three-year contract for two albums signed early in 1986.

First album

Spacemen 3 produced their inaugural album, Sound of Confusion, at Bob Lamb's studio in Birmingham with a budget below £1,000. The recording spanned five days, including two dedicated to mixing; efforts to finalize the title track "Walkin' with Jesus (Sound of Confusion)" were ultimately discontinued.

Although Pat Fish was originally intended to produce the record, Bob Lamb took over due to Fish's other obligations. Both Kember and Pierce favored the earlier Northampton demo versions over the completed album.

The seven-track record showcased dense psychedelic fuzz and drone elements with sparse riffing. Critics characterized it as possessing a "raw garage vibe" and "lo-fi" quality, but initial reactions were subdued. Released in July 1986 with minimal promotion from Glass Records, it eventually climbed to number 2 on the UK Independent Chart in 1989.

Throughout 1986, Spacemen 3 maintained a steady presence at regional venues and performed their first London show in August, attracting early media attention from NME and Sounds.

Their debut single during this time, "Walkin' with Jesus," garnered favorable critiques and reached number 29 on the UK Independent Chart as well as number 46 on the Sounds indie chart.

In 1986, guitarist Peter Kember adopted his enduring pseudonym 'Sonic Boom,' having previously gone by 'Mainliner' and 'Peter Gunn.' Meanwhile, bassist Pete Bain began using the monikers 'Bassman' or 'Pete Bassman'.

1987

In January 1987, Spacemen 3 commenced recording their second album, The Perfect Prescription, at VHF Studios near Rugby, following a request from sound engineer Graham Walker. The process extended over eight months and cost approximately £3,000.

During these sessions, they recorded a rendition of "Transparent Radiation" originally by the Red Crayola, which was released as a single in July 1987. It earned 'Single of the Week' honors from Sounds and matched their prior single's peak at number 29 on the independent chart. The B-side included "Ecstasy Symphony," an experimental track featuring organ drones.

Released in September 1987, The Perfect Prescription was described by Kember as a "sort of concept album" reflecting their drug-related experiences. Produced by Kember and Pierce, they deliberately minimized guitar overdubs to facilitate live performance reproduction. Although it attracted limited attention in the UK, the album was better received stateside, representing their "collaborative pinnacle" and marking a significant artistic evolution by integrating gospel, ambient, and spiritual elements. Notably, many tracks omitted drums, and it was the first album to prominently feature Kember's lead vocals.

In 1987, Spacemen 3 performed roughly twenty live concerts, including tours across the Netherlands and Belgium alongside several UK appearances.

1988

Between January and February 1988, Spacemen 3 embarked on a six-week European tour comprising nearly thirty shows across Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Belgium. This period saw rising tensions within the band that resulted in drummer Stewart Roswell leaving upon their return to England.

Strains between Kember and Pierce worsened partly due to Pierce’s relationship with Kate Radley, which Kember felt limited their collaborative opportunities. A UK tour followed in spring 1988 with substitute drummers filling in. In May, bassist Pete Bain departed and was succeeded by Will Carruthers from Rugby’s band 'The Cogs of Tyme'.

July 1988 brought the release of "Take Me to the Other Side," the third single from The Perfect Prescription, which received positive media coverage including being named NME Single of the Week. That same month saw the issue of a live album recorded at Amsterdam’s Melkweg, fulfilling their contractual commitments to Glass Records and enabling them to exit the label.

After parting ways with Glass Records, Spacemen 3 found themselves without a recording contract; they declined an offer from Creation Records for a one-album deal that lacked an advance payment.

At this juncture, Kember and Pierce formed a business partnership with Northamptonshire entrepreneur Gerald Palmer, who had been functioning as their unofficial manager. Under this arrangement, Palmer assumed ownership of all future master recordings and licensed rights to labels; he financed touring and studio expenses while advancing £1,000 each to Kember and Pierce. Profits were split evenly between Palmer and the duo. Legally binding only Kember and Pierce as partners with Palmer managing them, this agreement effectively defined Spacemen 3 as this trio for financial purposes.

1988

During the spring of 1988, Kember began crafting concepts for the band's upcoming album using a 4-track recorder.

The sessions for Spacemen 3's third studio album, Playing with Fire, commenced in June 1988 at ARK Studios in Cornwall. However, progress was impeded by the limited capabilities of the 8-track equipment and the accidental loss of some recordings. Early demo versions were produced for Kember's "Honey" and Pierce's "Lord Can You Hear Me?". At this stage, the group still had not secured a drummer.

New bassist Will Carruthers made his live debut with Spacemen 3 on 20 June at London's Dingwalls, where they opened for My Bloody Valentine. Following this performance, Kember imposed a strict 'no girls on the bus' rule, excluding Pierce's partner Kate Radley from touring duties, indicative of increasing internal tensions within the band.

Recording activities resumed amid escalating friction between Kember and Pierce at VHF Studios near Rugby—the same facility where The Perfect Prescription was recorded. Of the songs featured on Playing with Fire, six were penned by Kember and three by Pierce. The recording process involved members working separately on different parts.

On 19 August, Spacemen 3 delivered an experimental 45-minute improvisational set at Waterman's Art Centre in Brentford as an accompaniment to the film Wings of Desire. Joined by musician Steve Evans, they performed tracks from their forthcoming release. This performance was later issued in 1990 under the title Dreamweapon. Audience reception was predominantly unfavorable.

After evaluating drummers from The Weather Prophets and Thee Hypnotics, Jonny Mattock was appointed as the band's permanent drummer in late August. Despite this addition, Playing with Fire features only drum machine rhythms; Mattock does not appear on the album but made his live debut on 24 August and participated in subsequent recordings. The rhythm section comprising Carruthers and Mattock remained consistent until Spacemen 3's dissolution.

In the summer of 1988, Spacemen 3 secured a contract for two albums with independent label Fire Records. On 15 November, a show advertised as 'Sonic Boom and Jason of Spacemen 3' showcased only Kember and Carruthers.

The single "Revolution" was issued in November 1988, achieving their highest position on the indie charts and earning Single of the Week honors from Melody Maker. Lauded for its powerful psychedelic intensity, it elevated Spacemen 3's profile within the indie scene and was featured in John Peel's Festive Fifty.

Spacemen 3 emerged as "the indie phenomenon of late 1988" (Erik Morse), attracting significant media coverage including their inaugural Melody Maker cover dated 19 November. Kember’s forthright discussions regarding drug use stirred controversy and established him as the band's primary spokesperson, although leadership was frequently mistakenly attributed exclusively to him.

The finalization of Playing with Fire experienced delays due to technical difficulties during recording sessions and disputes over songwriting credits that escalated into a physical confrontation. Palmer intervened to mediate, resulting in Kember consenting to shared credit on "Suicide".

Sonic Boom solo endeavor

Towards the end of 1988, Peter Kember started developing new compositions that extended beyond the scope of Playing with Fire. With an abundance of material, he informed his bandmates about his intention to create a solo record. Indie label Silvertone Records proposed a one-off album contract, which Kember accepted. By March 1989, prior to Spacemen 3's European tour, he had finalized recordings for his first solo album and accompanying single. Contributions were made by Pierce and other collaborators. The release of Kember’s solo project (Spectrum) and its single—under the pseudonym Sonic Boom—was postponed to prevent overlapping with the launch of Playing with Fire.

1989: Release and tour for Playing with Fire

Spacemen 3 unveiled Playing with Fire on 27 February 1989, featuring the phrase "Purity, Love, Suicide, Accuracy, Revolution" prominently on its cover. This album marked the band’s initial entry into the charts and emerged as a breakthrough indie record, swiftly claiming the No. 1 spot on both the NME and Melody Maker indie charts. It garnered extensive critical praise and became their most commercially successful album to date.

Most tracks exhibited a softer tone compared to earlier work, reflecting the band’s continued musical evolution. The album revealed a more subdued, melancholic atmosphere enriched with delicate arrangements and layered soundscapes.

In the United States, distribution was handled by Bomp! Records after Greg Shaw acquired rights for $10,000. Spacemen 3 scheduled a US tour commencing in September 1989 under Shaw’s organization.

Between February and March 1989, the band conducted a UK tour comprising 21 dates coinciding with the album’s release. Critics lauded their dynamic live shows:

Tensions emerged when Kate Radley accompanied the group on tour; following several performances, Kember insisted she no longer travel in the band’s van. Consequently, Pierce and Radley arranged separate transportation for subsequent gigs.

Following this UK run, an extensive European tour took place over four weeks in April–May 1989, covering 22 dates across various countries. Radley did not participate in this segment. Live performances leaned heavily on older, more intense material rather than selections from Playing with Fire, often concluding with an extended rendition of "Suicide" lasting up to 45 minutes.

1989

At the beginning of 1989, Spacemen 3 stood among England’s foremost indie acts and attracted significant interest from major American labels.

During intervals between their UK and European tours in spring 1989, recording sessions at VHF Studios produced two tracks: Pierce’s "Hypnotized" and Kember’s "Just To See You Smile." Kember accused Pierce of imitating his sonic style. Without consulting either Kember or Pierce, Palmer prepared the single release and selected "Hypnotized" as the A-side—this decision ignited conflict that strained Kember and Palmer’s professional relationship.

In June, Spacemen 3 performed ten shows across the UK amid growing friction between Kember and Pierce. Released on 3 July 1989, "Hypnotized" quickly ascended to No. 1 on the Melody Maker indie chart and No. 2 on the NME indie chart, representing their most eagerly awaited single.

Summer 1989 saw new guitarist Mark Refoy join the lineup, debuting live at a Rugby gig on 20 July. On 23 July, they headlined The Town & Country Club in London (capacity: 2,000), followed by their inaugural festival appearance at Reading Festival on 25 August—this event marked their final live performance.

An extensive US tour planned for September 1989 was canceled due to internal disputes. Following unresolved conflicts, Kember and Pierce dismissed Palmer; despite Palmer having invested £10,000 in recording costs, he withdrew support for touring activities. Contrary to initial reports attributing cancellation to work permit problems linked to drug convictions, permits had been secured despite challenges.

Recording sessions for their fourth album, Recurring, commenced in August 1989 at VHF Studios amid escalating tensions. Kember and Pierce worked independently, each composing tracks for separate sides of the album. Other members—Carruthers, Mattock, and Refoy—participated in sessions before joining Pierce’s new project Spiritualized.

In late September, Kember performed solo as support for The Telescopes. Plans for a split single with Mudhoney were abandoned following disagreements over altered lyrics—this marked the final collaboration between Kember and Pierce. Disillusioned bassist Will Carruthers departed due to conflicts and unpaid wages.

By autumn 1989, progress on recording slowed; Kember utilized considerably more studio time than Pierce and displayed erratic behavior by frequently missing scheduled sessions. His solo debut single "Angel," released in October, received a muted reception.

On 14 November, remaining band members convened to finalize the album and organize live performances; however, tensions led Mattock and Refoy to resign during this meeting due to conflicts with Kember. In December, Gerald Palmer attempted individual mediation between Kember and Pierce as direct communication had ceased entirely.

Exclusive record contract

In 1989, Gerald Palmer engaged with major US record companies but delayed finalizing any agreements to leverage an upcoming US tour for improved offers. Negotiations were already in progress with Dedicated Records, a subsidiary label under BMG. By October, Dedicated extended a multimillion-pound contract for five albums, including a £60,000 advance. Palmer invested £15,000 in legal counsel and successfully eliminated the conventional Leaving Member Clause, establishing a mutually beneficial arrangement for Kember and Pierce.

The trio convened in December to conclude the agreement. Pierce demanded that Kember sign a contract granting both equal ownership rights to Spacemen 3 to avoid future disputes if either member departed. Under pressure from his share of the advance, Kember signed. According to Mattock, Kember confronted Pierce aggressively the following morning. In early 1990, both artists signed their contracts separately at Dedicated’s London offices. At a subsequent dinner with label executives, Kember and Pierce maintained polite interaction but deliberately avoided one another. Palmer kept the band's dissolution confidential until March.

1990

Unhappy with the mixes completed at VHF Studios, Jason Pierce took his Recurring album recordings to Battery Studios in London toward the end of 1989. Collaborating with engineer and producer Anjali Dutt, he finalized the remixes by January 1990. Peter Kember's portion remained unfinished; he brought in producer Richard Formby to complete tracks that required additional recording or refinement.

In January 1990, Kember released his solo debut Spectrum under the name Sonic Boom, which he had recorded almost a year prior. The album featured somber compositions contrasting with the more energetic Spacemen 3 material and was promoted as the work of the "founding member/leader of Spacemen 3".

Meanwhile, Pierce began assembling a new group—Spiritualized—including former Spacemen 3 members Refoy, Carruthers, and Mattock. They rehearsed covertly and in February recorded "Anyway That You Want Me" at VHF Studios without informing Kember. Pierce later stated that Spiritualized was formed to facilitate touring during Spacemen 3’s inactivity.

Kember’s ongoing remixing of Recurring caused delays despite Palmer providing studio funding and urging completion. Eventually, Palmer took possession of Kember’s tapes and completed the mixes for release amid multiple versions.

In June 1990, Spiritualized issued their first single "Anyway That You Want Me," a cover previously demoed by Spacemen 3. The single’s promotion controversially featured a "Spacemen 3" sticker and logo.

This release alerted Kember to Spiritualized's formation and led him to declare his exit from Spacemen 3, pronouncing the band defunct. He expressed frustration over being excluded from information while his own solo project remained transparent.

Later in 1990, Spiritualized toured across the UK performing unreleased tracks from Recurring alongside new material. They secured a contract with Dedicated Records and recorded their debut album during winter 1990/91.

1991

In January 1991, Spacemen 3 released a double A-side single featuring Big City and Drive, both selections from their forthcoming album Recurring. Although Kember and Pierce were intended to attend the single’s mastering session together, Pierce failed to appear. By this time, the two had scarcely communicated face-to-face for over six months. Kember chose to fade out several minutes of Pierce’s track "Drive" on this release.

The final Spacemen 3 album, Recurring, was issued in February 1991. While no formal breakup had been announced, it effectively functioned as a posthumous album. The record’s two sides—Kember’s A-side and Pierce’s B-side—illustrated their creative divergence.

Written in 1989, Recurring expanded upon the style of their previous album Playing with Fire, delivering a richer and more layered sonic experience. Kember’s side incorporated elements of pop and ambient music, whereas Pierce’s side revealed his interest in gospel, blues, and elaborate production techniques. These stylistic differences foreshadowed their solo ventures already underway at release time.

By 1991, both Kember and Pierce concentrated on their individual projects: Spectrum and Spiritualized respectively. The issuance of Recurring generated media speculation regarding Spacemen 3’s status; however, no official announcement confirmed their disbandment.

Post-Spacemen 3 Endeavors of Band Members

Following the dissolution of Spacemen 3, the majority of its members remained active in the music industry through solo ventures or collaborative efforts. Peter Kember, known as Sonic Boom, embarked on solo projects under the names Spectrum and E.A.R., additionally contributing production work for artists such as MGMT, Panda Bear, Beach House, Dean & Britta, and The Flowers of Hell. Jason Pierce, performing as J. Spaceman, leads Spiritualized, an alternative band that has achieved both critical acclaim and commercial success. Both Kember and Pierce occasionally perform select tracks originally by Spacemen 3 during live shows.

In 1990, Will Carruthers, Jonny Mattock, and Mark Refoy joined Jason Pierce to establish Spiritualized. Carruthers exited following the debut album released in 1992, while Mattock and Refoy left in 1994. Mark Refoy subsequently fronted Slipstream, releasing two albums and touring with Pet Shop Boys in 2007. After a period away from music, Carruthers returned with his solo project Freelovebabies and toured alongside The Brian Jonestown Massacre. Collaborations among Carruthers, Mattock, and Refoy have continued across various musical undertakings.

Pete Bain and Sterling Roswell departed Spacemen 3 in 1988 to join the neo-psychedelic group the Darkside, contributing to multiple album releases. Bain later founded Alphastone and participated in Kember’s solo works; by 2010 he was performing with The Urgz. Roswell issued his solo album The Psychedelic Ubik in 2004.

Natty Brooker, an early drummer for Spacemen 3, transitioned to bass duties with garage rock outfit The Guaranteed Ugly during the early 1990s. He also created cover art for Spacemen 3's Recurring and early Spiritualized records. Brooker passed away from cancer in April 2014.

A partial reunion of Spacemen 3 members took place on 15 July 2010 at a benefit concert honoring Brooker at London's Hoxton Bar and Grill. The lineup included Peter Kember, Will Carruthers, Jonny Mattock, Mark Refoy, Jason Holt (Spectrum), Pat Fish (vocals), and Kevin Shields (My Bloody Valentine). They performed a forty-five-minute set featuring songs such as "Walkin' with Jesus," "Revolution," and "Suicide."

Musical Style and Inspirations

The sonic identity of Spacemen 3 was characterized by distorted, fuzzy electric guitars enhanced with stuttering tremolo effects, wah-wah pedals, power chords, straightforward riffs, harmonic overtones, sustained drones, vocals delivered softly or spoken quietly, alongside either minimalistic or heavy drumming patterns. Their initial recordings exhibited a guitar-driven sound reminiscent of The Stooges’ punk garage rock style; over time their music evolved toward a more sparse and gentle approach that incorporated organ sounds to establish their distinctive trance-like neo-psychedelic atmosphere. Kember described their approach as "very hypnotic and minimal; every track contains a continuous drone."

They adopted Alan Vega’s "minimal is maximal" ethos from Suicide, summarized by Kember as: "One chord best, two chords cool, three chords okay, four chords average." Their guiding principle was "taking drugs to make music to take drugs to," with Kember candidly discussing his consumption of substances including cannabis, LSD, magic mushrooms, MDMA, amphetamines, cocaine, and a previous heroin addiction. Much of their output served as a sonic representation of drug experiences. Their release Northampton Demos, subtitled Taking Drugs to Make Music to Take Drugs To, was ranked number 23 on NME’s 2011 list of the '50 Druggiest Albums' ever.

Their influences encompassed acts such as The Stooges, The Velvet Underground, The Rolling Stones along with various proto-punk and psychedelic groups. Early in their career they recorded numerous cover versions reflecting these inspirations. The track "Suicide" pays direct homage to Martin Rev and Alan Vega from Suicide. Kember also experimented with drone music and incorporated ambient sounds sourced from everyday items like razors and lawnmowers.

Spacemen 3’s style has been classified under genres including neo-psychedelia, space rock, psychedelic rock, alternative rock, garage rock, and blues rock.

Legacy

Ian Edmond of Record Collector described Spacemen 3 as "one of the most groundbreaking UK guitar bands." Julian Woolsey from Rock Edition praised them for producing "some of the most intense and psychedelic sounds ever recorded," establishing a sonic blueprint that shaped an entire generation and inspired numerous artists. Shortly after their breakup in spring 1991, Stephen Dalton of Vox recognized Spacemen 3 as "among the most significant underground bands of the past ten years."

The track "Amen" was chosen as the theme for the Vice series Abandoned.

In 1998, Rocket Girl issued a tribute album featuring reinterpretations by acts such as Mogwai, Low, Bowery Electric, and Bardo Pond. The accompanying liner notes emphasized the band's wide-reaching influence on modern musicians.

US writer Erik Morse authored a 2004 biography titled Spacemen 3 & The Birth of Spiritualized, documenting the group's enduring impact and legacy.

Reissues following breakup

More than twenty years after their dissolution, an array of previously unheard recordings has enriched Spacemen 3’s discography. These include live performances, demo tapes, alternate takes, incomplete tracks, and new compositions. Both authorized and unauthorized releases have appeared, some distributed through Kember and Palmer’s Space Age Recordings imprint.

The unofficial 1991 compilation Losing Touch with Your Mind gathered rare tracks and alternative versions. The 1993 reissue of Dreamweapon featured a 44-minute live Eastern-inspired drone piece from 1988 alongside an unreleased jam session.

In 1995, an unofficial release surfaced containing the band’s earliest demo tape from 1984, titled For All the Fucked Up Children of This World We Give You Spacemen 3, showcasing their raw initial sound. This predates earlier demos included on the 1990 unofficial compilation Taking Drugs to Make Music to Take Drugs To.

The 1994 re-release of Taking Drugs to Make Music to Take Drugs To (also known as Northampton Demos) incorporated previously unreleased alternate takes and bonus material.

Two live albums emerged in 1995: Live in Europe 1989 (also known as Spacemen Are Go!), documenting their extensive European tour; and the bootleg Revolution or Heroin, recorded during a 1988 concert at the University of London. The former was regarded as superior to their earlier live album, Performance (1988).

In 1999, the band’s third studio album Playing with Fire was reissued in a special double-disc edition commemorating its tenth anniversary. This release combined original tracks with unreleased demos, alternate versions, and covers such as The Perfect Disaster’s "Girl on Fire" and The Troggs' "Anyway That You Want Me," often cited as the definitive edition.

Their second studio album, The Perfect Prescription, received a similar treatment in 2004 with the double-disc set Forged Prescriptions. This edition included alternate mixes, unreleased versions, demos, and cover songs like The Spades’ "We Sell Soul" and The Troggs’ "I Want You." Kember explained that these layered mixes were initially left out due to difficulties reproducing them live.

A bootleg entitled Out of It Sessions contains early demo recordings from the sessions for The Perfect Prescription.

In 2005, Kember independently released a limited double-disc collection called How the Blues Should've Turned Out, featuring unreleased material such as alternate takes, rough demos, and unfinished compositions.

Chronology

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Additional studio musician involvement

• Violin – Owen John † §
• Cello – Josephine Wiggs (from The Perfect Disaster) ‡
• Saxophone – Pat Fish (associated with The Jazz Butcher) §
• Saxophone – Alex Green (also of The Jazz Butcher)† §
• Trumpet – Mick Manning (affiliated with The Jazz Butcher) †
• Flute – Pat Fish (member of The Jazz Butcher) §
• Guitars/keyboards – Richard Formby (linked to The Jazz Butcher and Spectrum) §

† The Perfect Prescription || § Recurring || ‡ "Girl on Fire" (demo) ||

Studio albums

Album	Release year	Chart position	Record label
Sound of Confusion	1986	UK Indie no. 2	Glass
The Perfect Prescription	1987	UK Indie no. 13	Glass
Playing with Fire	1989	UK Indie no. 1	Fire
Recurring	1991	UK no. 46	Fire

Live recordings

• Performance (Glass) 1988 – UK Indie no. 18
• Dreamweapon (Cheree) 1990
• Live in Europe 1989 (Space Age) / Spacemen Are Go! (Bomp!) 1995

Compilation releases

• Translucent Flashbacks – The Glass Singles (Fire) 1995

Singles and EPs

• "Walkin' with Jesus" (Glass) 1986 – UK Indie no. 29
• "Transparent Radiation" (Glass) 1987 – UK Indie no. 29
• "Take Me to the Other Side" (Glass) 1988
• "Revolution" (Fire) 1988 – UK Indie no. 8
• (untitled) aka "Threebie 3" (Fierce) 1989 [Limited mail order edition alongside Playing with Fire]
• "Hypnotized" (Fire) 1989 – UK No. 85, UK Indie no. 1
• "Big City" (Fire) 1991 – UK No. 88

Notable reissues

• Playing with Fire (Space Age) 1999 [Double CD featuring alternate takes]
• Forged Prescriptions (Space Age) 2004 [Alternate mixes derived from Perfect Prescription]

Unofficial releases

• Taking Drugs to Make Music to Take Drugs To (Father Yod) 1990 [Northampton Demos, recorded in 1986]
• Losing Touch with Your Mind 1991 [Rare tracks and alternate versions]
• For All the Fucked Up Children of This World We Give You Spacemen 3 1995 [Early demos, circa 1984]
• Revolution or Heroin (Fierce) 1995 [Bootleg live recording, approx. 1988]
• How the Blues Should've Turned Out 2005 [Limited double CD comprising unreleased demos and alternate mixes]

General references

• Outer Limits (Spacemen 3 fan publication), Issues 1 & 2, 1991 (Two-part feature covering the band's early years).

Further reading

Biographies:

Discographies:

Selected interviews:

• Forced Exposure magazine, Issue 14, Autumn 1988 – article by Nigel Cross and Byron Coley; includes interviews with Peter Kember.
• Conflict, Issue 48, Summer 1988 – interview featuring Peter Kember.
• Melody Maker, 19 November 1988 – interview with Peter Kember.
• NME, 29 July 1989 – interview with Peter Kember.
• Sounds, 9 February 1991 – John Robb article containing interviews with Peter Kember and Jason Pierce.
• Vox, April 1991 – Stephen Dalton article with interviews of Peter Kember and Jason Pierce.
• – interview with Peter Kember