Coil were an English experimental music group formed in 1982 in London and dissolved in 2005. Initially envisioned as a solo project by musician John Balance, Coil evolved into a full-time project with the addition of his partner and Psychic TV bandmate Peter Christopherson. Coil's work explored themes related to the occult, sexuality, alchemy, and drugs while influencing genres such as gothic rock, neofolk and dark ambient. AllMusic called the group "one of the most beloved, mythologized groups to emerge from the British post-industrial scene."
Timothy Lewis – best known by the stage name Thighpaulsandra – is a Welsh experimental musician and multi-instrumentalist, known mostly for performing on synthesizers and keyboards. He began his career working with Julian Cope in the late 1980s, becoming a member of Cope's touring band. A collaboration with Cope in 1993 followed, forming the experimental duo Queen Elizabeth. In 1997, former Cope guitarist Mike Mooney invited Thighpaulsandra to fill in for the departing Kate Radley on a Spiritualized tour, and he remained with the band until early 2008. In 1998, Lewis also became a member of the experimental band Coil. He has subsequently released several solo albums under the Thighpaulsandra moniker.
Musick to Play in the Dark Vol. 1 is a studio album by Coil that was released in September 1999. It is the first album in the Musick to Play in the Dark series, with the second volume being released in 2000. It was remastered by Drew McDowall and reissued by Dais Records in 2020.
Musick to Play in the Dark Vol. 2 is a studio album by Coil that was released in September 2000. It was the second of two albums attributed purely to a style called "moon musick," which signify their change from a "solar" group to a "moon" group. Musick to Play in the Dark Vol. 1 was the first installment.
Unnatural History III, subtitled Joyful Participation in the Sorrows of the World, is the third and final release in the Unnatural History series of compilation albums by British experimental band Coil. Unlike the compilations Stolen & Contaminated Songs and Gold Is the Metal with the Broadest Shoulders, the Unnatural History albums collect songs from more than one era of Coil's work.
The Ape of Naples is the final studio album by English experimental group Coil. It was released on 2 December 2005 in the UK and Thailand by Threshold House, and has subsequently been reissued by multiple labels since. The album was a definitive effort by primary Coil member Peter Christopherson to rework and remix material from 1993 to 2004 into a coherent final record. It was produced and released following the death of co-lead artist and lead vocalist John Balance, who died on 13 November 2004, and the album was released in memory of him.
Black Antlers is a studio album by the experimental band Coil. It was originally released in CD-R format in 2004 in a limited edition and was sold during their Even an Evil Fatigue mini-tour. The album was later re-edited by Peter Christopherson and expanded to include a second CD of two new tracks, as well as a new track on the first disc. The second edition was released in August 2006 on the same day as the expanded version of The Remote Viewer. Both reissues were mastered by Mark Godwin, printed in Thailand and feature high quality images and packaging. Although the original edition did not include a catalogue number, the reissue was given a catalogue number of THBKK2.
Queens of the Circulating Library is a 2000 album by the British experimental group Coil. It is unusual in the sense that it is perhaps the only release without participation from Peter Christopherson. On this album, Coil were: "Thighpaulsandra & John Balance with Dorothy Lewis as the queen of the circulating library. Thanks to Simon Norris." The lyrics were written by John Balance and spoken by Dorothy Lewis, Thighpaulsandra's mother. The line "It's in the trees, it's coming" that appears in the lyrics is from the 1957 British horror film Night of the Demon, and had previously appeared in sampled form in the song "Hounds of Love" by Kate Bush.
Moon's Milk (In Four Phases) is a release by Coil that compiles four of their singles onto a double CD. The two-disc album compiles the CD versions of Spring Equinox, Summer Solstice, Autumn Equinox and Winter Solstice (originally recorded throughout 1998, and released seasonally from March 1998 to January 1999). The album also has a live version of "Amethyst Deceivers" hidden at the end of the first disc, following several minutes of silence after "A Warning from the Sun (For Fritz)". This recording of "Amethyst Deceivers" was later released on Live Two, although the Moon's Milk version is a slightly longer edit. The release was given the catalog number ESKATON 023 and features artwork by Steven Stapleton.
Constant Shallowness Leads to Evil is a CD by Coil, released the same year as Queens of the Circulating Library. Like Queens, this album originally came packaged only in a pink c-shell case, with no official cover art except the on-disc printing.
Megalithomania! is a live album by Coil recorded at their performance at the Megalithomania festival at Conway Hall in London, England. It is limited to a pressing of 230 copies, 123 of which were available in their box set The Key to Joy Is Disobedience.
Live Four was a compilation CD of live Coil songs. This CD was the first of four releases in a series. Its counterparts are Live Three, Live Two and Live One. This album was later released as part of Coil's box set The Key to Joy Is Disobedience.
Live One was a double live album released by Coil. This CD was the fourth of four releases in a series. Its counterparts are Live Four, Live Three and Live Two. This album was later released as part of Coil's box set The Key to Joy Is Disobedience.
Selvaggina, Go Back into the Woods is a live album by Coil, originally released in CD-R format in a limited edition of 230 copies. The release is a live performance in Jesi, Italy, on 11 July 2004.
Nasa-Arab is a 12" single by Coil vs. The Eskaton. The Eskaton, however, is another alias of Coil. Eskaton is also the name of a record label that was run by Coil.
Born Again Pagans is an extended play attributed to Coil vs. ELpH. "ELpH" is a name Coil attributed to a spiritual entity they felt was communicating with them during recording.
Transparent is a collaborative release by the bands Zos Kia and Coil.
Cyclobe (1999–present) are a music duo formed by Stephen Thrower and Ossian Brown. They make hallucinatory electronic soundscapes by mixing sampled and heavily synthesized sounds with acoustic arrangements for a variety of instruments including hurdy-gurdy, border pipes, duduk and clarinet. Their approach draws upon diverse forms, including acousmatic, drone music, sound collage, folk and progressive rock.
Discography for the experimental music group Coil and their aliases.
Ossian Brown is an English musician and artist, most notable for being a member of the groups Coil and Cyclobe.
