Drinking Electricity

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Drinking Electricity
OriginEdinburgh, Scotland
GenresSynthpop
Post-punk
Years active1980–1982
LabelsPop: Aural, Survival
Past membersAnne-Marie Heighway
David Rome
Paul Edgley

Drinking Electricity were a post-punk/synthpop trio from Edinburgh, Scotland active during the early 1980s.

History[]

The trio comprised Anne-Marie Heighway (vocals), David Rome (guitar, vocals), and Paul Edgley (bass).[1][2] Rome had previously worked with Martin Lloyd in the band Analysis, which was later to evolve into .[3] They were signed by former Fast product boss Bob Last to his new Pop: Aural label.[2] Their first two singles were both cover versions, the first a version of Johnny Kidd's "Shaking All Over", and the second a version of The Flamin' Groovies' "Shake Some Action". Their third single was their own composition, "Cruising Missiles", and was the last for Pop: Aural, with Heighway and Rome setting up their own Survival label for subsequent releases. First release on their new label was "Subliminal" in 1981.[2] It would be early 1982 before their next release, the band's debut album Overload. The album was not well-received critically, with Trouser Press describing it as "simple, rather plain synth-rock with a strong electronic beat and thin ancillary instrumentation".[4] After two further singles in 1982, the band split up.[2] The Survival label went on to become one of the premiere "minimal wave" labels of the 80s, with releases by the likes of Richard Bone, Tik and Tok, , and Play, and several releases by Capercaillie.

"Good Times (Dance Mix)" was sampled by Crystal Castles on "Good Time" from their eponymous debut album in 2008.

Discography[]

Chart placings shown are from the UK Indie Chart.[1]

Singles[]

  • "Shaking All Over" (1980) Pop: Aural (#43)
  • "Shake Some Action" (1980) Pop: Aural
  • "Cruising Missiles" (1980) Pop: Aural
  • "Subliminal" (1981) Survival (#48)
  • "Good Times" (1982) Survival (#50)
  • "Subliminal (radical mix)" (1982) Survival
Split single
  • Pete Shelley - "Witness the Change (Extended Instrumental)"/Drinking Electricity - "Superstition (Mirror Image Edit)" NYNX

Albums[]

  • Overload (1982) Survival

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Lazell, Barry (1997) "Drinking Electricity", in Indie Hits 1980-1989, Cherry Red Books, ISBN 0-9517206-9-4
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Strong, Martin C. (2003) "Drinking Electricity", in The Great Indie Discography, Canongate, ISBN 1-84195-335-0, p. 308
  3. ^ "Martin Lloyd Interview Archived 2008-07-25 at the Wayback Machine", Minimal Wave
  4. ^ Robbins, Ira "Drinking Electricity", Trouser Press
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