Tones on Tail
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Founder | Daniel Ash, Glenn Campling |
| Defunct | 1984 |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
Area served | United Kingdom, North America |
Key people | Daniel Ash, Glenn Campling, Kevin Haskins |
| Products | Music albums, singles, EPs |
| Website | www |
Tones on Tail was a British post-punk ensemble established in 1982 as a side venture by Daniel Ash, a member of the gothic rock band Bauhaus. Their sound fused aspects of doom with dance-pop influences.
History
During his time with Bauhaus, Ash initiated Tones on Tail in early 1982 alongside Glenn Campling, an art school acquaintance and former roadie for Bauhaus. The band's name derived from calibration tones found at the "tail" end of reel-to-reel tape recordings.
This pair debuted with an EP released through 4AD in March 1982, followed by the single "There's Only One!" on Beggars Banquet Records in September of the same year. Ash took on vocals and guitar duties, while Campling played bass; both also contributed percussion and keyboard parts. After Bauhaus dissolved in 1983, drummer Kevin Haskins joined the project, transforming Tones on Tail into a full band. Their initial release as a trio was the Burning Skies EP, issued by Situation Two in May 1983.
Their sole studio album, Pop, was launched by Beggars Banquet in April 1984, featuring singles such as "Performance" and "Lions." The North American edition was titled The Album Pop. The track "Go!", originally a B-side, was released as a single in Canada via Vertigo Records. In October 1984, the band embarked on a 12-date tour across the United States, notable for their all-white stage attire. Their last single, "Christian Says," appeared in November before the group disbanded. Subsequently, Ash and Haskins joined forces with former Bauhaus bassist David J to create Love and Rockets.
The 1998 compilation Everything! offered remastered versions of their songs along with a radio interview featuring Ash and Haskins.
In 2017, Ash and Haskins formed Poptone with Haskins' daughter Diva Dompé, performing selections from Bauhaus, Love and Rockets, and Tones on Tail catalogs. On 11 May 2024, Tones on Tail reunited for their first official show since 1984 at the Cruel World Festival, with Dompé filling in for Campling.
Reception
Richard Williams of The Michigan Daily observed that "Tones on Tail continues Bauhaus’s classic fascination with the macabre, while exploring fresh directions within pop." James Muretich from The Calgary Herald called them "among the most compelling and darkly atmospheric dance bands active." Looking back, AllMusic’s Ned Raggett praised how Ash and Haskins progressed beyond Bauhaus by merging varied musical styles—a quality he regarded as their "most overlooked asset."
Discography
Studio albums
- Pop (1984, Beggars Banquet)
EPs
- Tones on Tail (1982, 4AD)
- Burning Skies (1983, Situation Two)
- Something! (1998, Beggars Banquet)
Singles
- "There's Only One!" (1982, Beggars Banquet)
- "Burning Skies" (1983, Situation Two) No. 11 UK Indie
- "Performance" (1984, Beggars Banquet)
- "Lions" (1984, Beggars Banquet)
- "Go!" (1984, Vertigo)
- "Christian Says" (1984, Beggars Banquet)
Compilation albums
- Tones on Tail (1985, Situation Two)
- Night Music (1987, Beggars Banquet)
- Tones on Tail (1990, RCA/Beggars Banquet)
- Everything! (1998, Beggars Banquet)
- Weird Pop (2011, Beggars Banquet)
External links
- Articles with short description
- Bauhaus (band)
- English post-punk music groups
- English gothic rock groups
- Musical groups established in 1982
- Musical groups disbanded in 1984
- Musical acts from Northamptonshire
- 1982 establishments in England
- Beggars Banquet Records artists
- 4AD artists
- Situation Two artists
- Musical groups disestablished in 1984