Die So Fluid
Die So Fluid | |
---|---|
![]() Die So Fluid members Grog and Drew in San Antonio, Texas | |
Background information | |
Origin | London, England |
Genres | Alternative metal |
Years active | 2001–present |
Labels | Strataville, Vorvolaka, Parole Hearing |
Associated acts | Feline, Flinch, Ultraviolet, Ozzy Osbourne, Kelly Osbourne, Melanie C, The Ailerons, The Selector, Skaville UK, Lee Scratch Perry, Gigantic, Xmal Deutschland, Miranda Sex Garden |
Website | www |
Members | Grog, Drew Richards, Justin Bennett |
Past members | Al Fletcher |
Die So Fluid are an English hard rock band that formed in London, England in 2000. The group consists of three members: songwriter Grog (vocals, bass), Drew Richards (guitar) and Justin Bennett (drums).[1] Al Fletcher played drums and performed backing vocals until his death in 2016. They have released five albums, the first two being Spawn of Dysfunction and Not Everybody Gets a Happy Ending. The third album, The World Is Too Big For One Lifetime, was released in the UK in June 2010.[2] The fourth album, The Opposites of Light, was released on 5 May 2014. The band announced fifth album One Bullet from Paradise with a limited edition pre-order launched at PledgeMusic in August 2017.[3]
Career[]
History[]
Die So Fluid were formed after the disbanding of Feline and Ultraviolet.[4] When EMI dropped Feline in 1999, they went on to form Ultraviolet adding Al Fletcher as the full-time drummer. Ultraviolet released a single and an EP on Sanctuary Records Group and disbanded shortly thereafter.
Drew: " When we did Ultraviolet it was basically Feline under a different name because we got dropped by the record company and we wanted to do another deal. Then we realised that ploy, that cynical ploy was not going to pay off and we thought, right we want to do the music that we want to do now and that meant kicking out the other guitar player who wasn't really into that sort of music, and making a deliberate decision not to sort of kiss up to anyone in the business anymore and to start doing everything for ourselves. " [5]
Operation Hypocrite EP, Spawn Of Dysfunction (2000-2004)[]
Die So Fluid first surfaced in 2000, touring the United Kingdom after the release of their debut Operation Hypocrite EP, on Raw Power, an imprint of Sanctuary. Die So Fluid released one single on Sanctuary following the EP before forming their own label, Cartesian. Once Cartesian was established, Die So Fluid released one single before releasing their debut album, Spawn of Dysfunction, the following year. The recording of the album was financed by Grog's session work as live bassist for Spice Girl Melanie C and Kelly Osbourne. Whilst Grog was away on tour 'fund-raising' Al Fletcher performed drums on various recording sessions including Lee "Scratch" Perry's Jamaican E.T. which won the 2003 Grammy Award for 'Best Reggae Album'. Drew Richards spent this time writing and producing the original score for the documentary feature film The Mindscape of Alan Moore. Spawn of Dysfunction was universally well received and is still selling through the major chains of the UK and iTunes worldwide. After the album was released, the band went on an intense touring schedule, supporting bands such as Drowning Pool, Vex Red, Clawfinger, Boy Hits Car, Feeder, Girlschool, AntiProduct, & The Wildhearts.[6]
In December 2015, Strata Books published a memoir by Grog Rox and Drew Richards as part of its Debut Series about the making of Spawn of Dysfunction.[7]
Not Everybody Gets A Happy Ending (2005-2009)[]
The recording sessions for their second album, Not Everybody Gets a Happy Ending, started in 2005, but were not finished until 2007 due to financial restrictions. The title was taken from the notion that the album may never be completed. At the 13th hour investment from a private individual made finishing the record possible. The band decided to release the album on Parole Records, based in Finland, keeping the release independent. Two digital singles were released from 2007 - 2008 in support of the album Happy Halloween and Existential Baby. When the album was released in February 2008, it immediately entered the retail sales charts. Known for their diligent touring, Die So Fluid engaged in another massive tour, appearing in nearly 20 different countries in 2009. Apart from headlining some festivals, Die So Fluid toured with bands like Eisbrecher, Mindless Self Indulgence, My Ruin, Ill Niño, Maj Karma, & Prong.[8]
The World Is Too Big For One Lifetime (2010-2011)[]
The World Is Too Big for One Lifetime was released in June 2010 on the Global Music DR2 label. As with previous releases it received very strong reviews from the alternative press whilst mostly slipping under the radar of the mainstream media. The album has kept a steady presence in specialist sales charts, such as Amazon's alternative metal chart, and in a diverse selection of territories thanks mainly to consistent touring, word of mouth and support from the alternative press and webzines. They have also proven themselves to be very adept at crossing over to quite different music audiences whether it be the goths of the Wave-Gotik-Treffen or the classic rock fans of Hard Rock Hell or the indie pop fans when supporting Mindless Self Indulgence. Two singles were drawn from The World Is Too Big for One Lifetime - "Mercury" and "What a Heart is For". The singles were available for download only and accompanied by videos shot by director David Kenny.
The Opposites Of Light (2012-2016)[]
The Opposites Of Light was released on 5 May 2014. The release of the album is staggered to coincide with tours in various territories. Writing and pre-production was completed in early 2012 and recording started in earnest in December 2012. Drums, Bass and Strings were recorded at Unit 2, West London, Guitars recorded at Drew's studio in North London and Vocals were recorded by Grog at home in Los Angeles. Initially scheduled to be a double album 18 songs were recorded but this was reduced to 16 tracks for the final cut. Still described as an album of two halves tracks 1-8 are grouped under the name 'Shakura’ and tracks 9-16 are‘Pah’. These are the Solar and Lunar deities of the matriarchal Pawnee Native Americans. Shakura encompasses the hard rock sounds traditionally associated with Die So Fluid whilst Pah delves into more demure, slower tempo songs. This is the first album entirely produced by the band. Mixing was divided between Mark Williams and Drew Richards and also one track being mixed by Sylvia Massy and Ian Rickard. On 6 November a video for the first track to be released from this album, entitled "Black Blizzard",[9] was released in YouTube. In April a second video off the album for "Comets" was released. In August, the video for "Landslides" was uploaded to YouTube. The video for the opening track to The Opposites of Light, "Nightmares" was released in early November. In January 2015 the band embarked on a long overdue tour of the US in support of Wednesday 13 and followed it up with a shorter west coast tour in support of The Dreaming. A more extensive June tour with The Dreaming had to be shelved due to budget constraints. The band returned home and began writing songs for their fifth album. In October 2015 an announcement was made via the band's website of the retirement of their long-time manager George Jackson and the appointment of their new manager Gordon Biggins at Strata Music.
On 25 July 2016, drummer Al Fletcher died from "double pneumonia followed by sepsis in a rare reaction to an infection".[10][11]
One Bullet from Paradise (2017-present)[]
The band announced on their website in 2016 that a new album, One Bullet From Paradise, would be released in 2017. They also shared an early version of the song "Born to Kill" from the upcoming album. "Bittersweet", the first single from One Bullet from Paradise was released in 7 April alongside a video.
In August 2017, the band launched a limited edition pre-order of the new album at PledgeMusic,[3] with a preview of new songs "Tomorrow Doesn't Always Come" and "No More Stars". The pre-order also includes a previously unreleased live album Draw A Line And Cross It. One Bullet From Paradise was released on 30 March 2018. Drums were performed by Justin Bennett, a long time friend of Grog's, who also mixed some of the album. This line up played a one off concert at the Lexington in London on 11 November 2018.
On 10 April 2020 the band released its first new music since One Bullet From Paradise in the form of a single "Do You Dare". This was followed later that year by another single "Walk with Me". The plan, stated by the band on its own Facebook page, is to release two singles a year.
Band members[]
- Georgina 'Grog' Lisee – bass, lead vocals
- Drew Richards – guitar
- Al Fletcher – drums, backing vocals (deceased)
- Justin Bennett - Drums
Solo projects[]
On 1 January 2006, Drew Richards released his debut album The Mindscape of Alan Moore. An original soundtrack recording of the 2006 feature-length documentary The Mindscape of Alan Moore. "A psychedelic as you likeadelic trip into the brain of Britain's greatest living graphic novel and comics author."[12]
On 22 July 2016, Grog released her debut solo track "In Plain Sight" (Strataville), followed by two further singles, "Guiding Light" and "Prodigal Daughter" (Grog website).
Discography[]
- Studio albums
- Spawn of Dysfunction (2003)
- Not Everybody Gets a Happy Ending (2008)
- The World Is Too Big For One Lifetime (2010)
- The Opposites Of Light (2014)
- (2017)
- EPs
- Operation Hypocrite EP (2001)
- Suck Me Dry EP (2001)
- Disconnected EP (2002)
- Singles
- "Spawn of Dysfunction" (2005)
- "Happy Hallowe'en" (2008)
- "Existential Baby" (2008)
- "Mercury" (2010)
- "What A Heart Is For" (2010)
- "Black Blizzard" (2013)
- "Tomorrow Doesn't Always Come" (2018)
References[]
- ^ "Die So Fluid - Community". Bandcamp. 4 July 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
Ok there's been no official announcement but yeah Justin is the drummer now.
- ^ "Die So Fluid Album Review | Album Reviews". Clink Music Magazine. 1 June 2010. Archived from the original on 27 February 2011. Retrieved 11 June 2010.
- ^ Jump up to: a b [1][dead link]
- ^ "Die So Fluid - 'The World Is Too Big For One Lifetime'". Spheremag.co.uk. 24 May 2010. Archived from the original on 5 June 2010. Retrieved 2010-06-11.
- ^ "An interview with Die So Fluid - 29-05-2011 | FESTIVALPHOTO". Festivalphoto.net. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
- ^ shelley hannan. "Official | Biog". Die So Fluid. Archived from the original on 7 December 2010. Retrieved 2010-06-11.
- ^ "Debut:'Spawn of Dysfunction' – Die So Fluid". Stratabooks.co.uk. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
- ^ "BLABBERMOUTH.NET - MY RUIN Parts Ways With Drummer, Announces Replacement". Roadrunnerrecords.com. Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 2010-06-11.
- ^ "Die So Fluid Music Video Shoot". Wickergirl.com. 26 April 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
- ^ "Die So Fluid official facebook page". facebook.com. 26 July 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
- ^ "R.I.P. All Fletcher (Die So Fluid)". Moshville Times. 26 July 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
- ^ "The Mindscape of Alan Moore by Drew Richards". diesofluid.net. 1 January 2006.
External links[]
- English rock music groups