Comet Gain | |
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 Comet Gain at 'London Popfest', 100 Club in 2012 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | London, England |
| Genres | Indie pop |
| Years active | 1992–present |
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| Members |
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| Past members |
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Comet Gain are a British indie pop band, formed by singer-songwriter and guitarist David Christian [1] (aka David Feck/Charlie Damage) in 1992, with musical influences including post-punk and northern soul. [2] Pitchfork called them "one of the most underrated contemporary indie bands in the UK". [3]
Comet Gain was formed in Oxford in 1992 by Christian with Phil Sutton; [4] the band initially recorded and released homemade demos on cassette and made their live debut with short-lived bassist George Wright, before later adding vocalist Sarah Bleach to the line-up, with Jax Coombes on bass and Sam Pluck on guitar. [4] Comet Gain's first vinyl release was two tracks on Wiiija double-7-inch EP Some Hearts Paid To Lie in 1993, alongside three riot grrrl bands, and early gigs included supports with Bikini Kill, Heavenly, Linus, etc. Following the Holloway Sweethearts EP on Soul Static Sound in 1994, Comet Gain signed with Wiiija and released debut album Casino Classics [5] and second EP Gettin' Ready in 1995. The album featured sleevenotes by Television Personalities frontman Dan Treacy. During this period Comet Gain's music varied in style from indie-pop influenced by soul and sixties girl-group sounds, through early-80s alternative pop, to punk, [6] with lead vocals and songwriting split between Christian, and Bleach et al.
1996's Say Yes To International Socialism EP [7] was promoted by Comet Gain's debut promo video, for its more radio-friendly b-side "Hideaway". A second video was produced the following year to promote the "Strength" single, included on the following mini-album, Magnetic Poetry , which was also released (as Sneaky) [6] on Beggars Banquet USA to promote the band stateside. However, due to ongoing artistic differences, in early 1997 Comet Gain had already disbanded, the majority forming the band Velocette, [8] remaining on Wiiija, leaving Christian to continue Comet Gain with new members. A planned follow-up single was abandoned [9] and re-recorded for the first Velocette release, [10] while other Bleach-et-al material from the planned second Comet Gain album remains unreleased.
Joined by new vocalist Rachel Evans, alongside bassist/keyboardist Kay Ishikawa, bassist/guitarist Blair Cowl and Darren Smyth on drums, Comet Gain recorded a second Peel Session in late 1997 [11] and released third album Tigertown Pictures in 1999, following a move to KRS records. Additional members on the record included John McKeown (The Yummy Fur) and songs included the signature "Saturday Night Facts Of Life", later covered by The Cribs. [12]
2002's Realistes , [13] [14] saw Comet Gain augmented by guitarist Jon Slade (ex-Huggy Bear) and drummer Woodie Taylor (ex-Morrissey/The Meteors) and continued the garage-punk influenced direction of the previous album. Guests included Chris Appelgren (The PeeChees) and Kathleen Hanna (Bikini Kill).
2005's City Fallen Leaves was released on Track and Field records, and showcased a more expansive production, to further critical acclaim. [15] [16] [17] Songs included "Fists In The Pocket" which had a rare accompanying video. The follow-up release, Broken Record Prayers , compiled singles, Peel Sessions and unreleased tracks from 1998 to 2008. [3] [18]
2010 and 2011 saw the release of a series of limited-edition singles to support next album Howl of the Lonely Crowd (Fortuna Pop! records). Produced by Ryan Jarman and Edwyn Collins, the album cemented Comet Gain's reputation as respected and influential indie-pop veterans. [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] During this period, Comet Gain settled as a 7-piece band with the addition of Ben Phillipson (ex-Kicker, Eighteenth Day of May) on guitar and backing vocals and Anne Laure Guillain on keyboards and backing vocals.
Members of Comet Gain collaborated with members of tourmates Crystal Stilts and others as Cinema Red and Blue, a long-term side project which released a single and an eponymous album in 2010. [24] [25] A follow-up EP was released in October 2011. [26]
In 2014 an amended Comet Gain line-up, with James Hornsey of The Clientele replacing both Ishikawa and Slade as full-time bassist, released seventh album Paperback Ghosts . Noted for an emphasis on ballads and orchestration, [27] the record received universally positive reviews. [28] [29] [30] [31]
In 2017, M'Ladys Records released new editions of Réalistes and City Fallen Leaves on vinyl. [32] Cinema Red and Blue released a new single the same year, and a covers EP followed in 2021. [33] In August 2018 the Fortuna Pop! label released its final single, an all-star cover of a 2001 7-inch, Comet Gain's "You Can Hide Your Love Forever". [34]
In October 2018 Comet Gain released their first material with new label Tapete Records, two-track single "If Not Tomorrow"/"I Was More of a Mess Then". [35] In August 2019 the band announced their 8th album Fireraisers Forever! , to be released 11 October. [36] According to Allmusic, the "furious and heartbreaking" album "combines Christian's politically charged lyrics with the band's inspired take on modern punk rock...and is just as inspired, angry, and devoted to pop as their early recordings." [37] Louder Than War called it "essential listening". [38]
Since 2021, Christian has released a large amount of Comet Gain's archival/demo recordings via the band's Bandcamp page, along with a variety of solo recordings. A "best-of" these releases was compiled and released as The Misfit Jukebox in 2023. [39] In addition, the various recordings for radio the band had done over their existence was released as Radio Sessions (BBC 1996-2011) in 2024. [40]
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