The League of Gentlemen (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1980 |
| Founder | Robert Fripp |
| Defunct | 1980 |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
Key people | Robert Fripp, Barry Andrews, Sara Lee, Johnny Toobad, Kevin Wilkinson |
| Products | Music albums and live performances |
The League of Gentlemen was a British rock ensemble active between March and December of 1980, initiated by King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp. This group should not be mistaken for Fripp's semi-professional band from the early 1960s bearing the same name. Fripp characterized this formation as "a second-tier touring new wave instrumental dance outfit."
Background
The band's roster featured keyboardist Barry Andrews, previously associated with XTC and later a member of Shriekback. On bass was Sara Lee, who subsequently played with Gang of Four, the B-52's, and Indigo Girls. Drumming duties were handled by Johnny Toobad (Johnny Elichaoff). Andrews had collaborated on Fripp's solo project Exposure, while Lee and Toobad joined from the London-based group Baby and the Black Spots. Due to increasing heroin dependency, Toobad was replaced near the end of the band's existence by Kevin Wilkinson, who later performed with China Crisis and Squeeze.
According to The Trouser Press Record Guide, their sound was marked by a straightforward medium-to-fast rhythmic pulse, with Fripp and Andrews weaving interlaced melodies that evolved gradually. This dance-inflected rock style foreshadowed Fripp's revitalized King Crimson lineup the following year.
Touring
Throughout 1980, the band embarked on an extensive tour across Europe and North America. The album liner notes document 77 performances, commencing at Moles in Bath on 10 April and concluding at the School of Economics in London on 29 November.
The itinerary was organized into three distinct phases:
- Phase 1: 10 April to 1 June – United Kingdom and Europe
- Phase 2: 14 June to 22 July – North America
- Phase 3: 10 September to 29 November – United Kingdom
Prior to the official tour launch, four preliminary shows were held at the 14th Century Hunting Lodge near Kingston Lacy, Dorset, from 24 to 27 February.
During the third phase in Manchester on 22 November, drummer Johnny Toobad was dismissed and replaced for the remaining five concerts and most studio sessions by Kevin Wilkinson, who had been part of the supporting act.
Studio album
- The League of Gentlemen (Editions EG/Polydor, 1981)
Compilation
- God Save the King (Editions EG, 1985)
Live album
- Thrang Thrang Gozinbulx (official bootleg, DGM Records, 1996)