Puressence

Last updated

Puressence
Origin Failsworth, Greater Manchester, England
Genres Alternative rock, indie rock
Years active1991–2013, 2024-present
Labels Island
2 Damn Loud
Reaction
Caserta Red
MembersJames Mudriczki
Kevin Matthews
Tony Szuminski
Lowell Killen (2003–)
Past membersNeil McDonald (1991–2003)
Website puressenceofficial.com

Puressence are an English indie rock band, formed in 1991 in Failsworth, Greater Manchester. [1]

Contents

History

James Mudriczki, Neil McDonald, Anthony Szuminski and Kevin Matthews met on a bus on their way to watch The Stone Roses play at Spike Island on 27th May 1990. [1]

Through much practice their music developed and they decided on the name 'Presence'. Their first gig as a band was at the 701 Club in their hometown of Failsworth, Greater Manchester On 23rd February 1991.

The band later settled on the name Puressence. A name instantly identified by most Mancunians in the early 1990s for the paper letters 'P'-'U'-'R'-'E'-'S'-'S'-'E'-'N'-'C'-'E', which were plastered around Manchester city centre, on derelict buildings, and on bridges (the most notable being the railway bridge opposite the Haçienda).[ citation needed ] Manchester independent record label 2 Damn Loud released two singles and there was a further single with Rough Trade Singles Club. The band played a series of gigs at Manchester's In The City festival early in the 1990s.

The big breakthrough came a couple of years later, when the band signed to Island Records. [1]

Their debut album "Puressence" was released on 29th April 1996. The album spawned five singles. Regular touring around the UK and Europe was followed by their second album ‘Only Forever’ in 1998, which reached the UK top 40 and spawned the chart hit ‘This Feeling’. This helped the band appear on television programmes such as TFI Friday and Soccer AM. BBC Radio 1 DJ Simon Mayo made this his single of the week and it received airplay on numerous radio stations around the UK.

‘Planet Helpless’ was released in 2002 and was a huge success in Greece, reaching number 4 in the album charts. The official video for the top 40 single ‘Walking Dead’ featured Mani (The Stone Roses/Primal Scream) and Bez (Happy Mondays), the song also featured on Sky Sports and on the video game ‘Hitman’. Puressence toured this album in Greece with huge shows supporting Suede and Iggy Pop.

In August 2003, after more than ten years with Puressence, guitarist and founder member McDonald left the band and has since gone on to form the band Juno Ashes. [2] He was replaced by Lowell Killen, who is originally from the Isle of Man. He has played in other bands and left Manchester band Dry Riser to join Puressence.

In 2004, the band played at The Witchwood in Ashton-under-Lyne. [3]

In 2006, the band released a single titled "Palisades" on new Manchester label Reaction, followed by an album, Don't Forget To Remember, in September 2007. Which attracted interest in America and was chosen to launch the new iTunes homepage. Within a week the album had entered the Top 30 outselling the likes of Foo Fighters and Led Zeppelin.

On 10 and 11 September 2008 Puressence played their first shows in the US. The first was at the Mercury Lounge in New York City. The next night they played the Apple Store in SoHo. The opening song at the Mercury Lounge was "I Suppose". They passed out free CD singles of "Don't Know Any Better" to many fans around the United States.

In Autumn 2009, the band released a ‘best of’ compilation ‘Sharpen Up The Knives’ and played their largest ever UK gig in front of 3,500 people at the Apollo in Manchester. They also supported Depeche Mode in Greece.

A final album was released on Caserta Red Records on 21st April 2011. ‘Solid State Recital’. Legendary American singer/songwriter Judy Collins sang on the album after Mudriczki covered one of her songs for a tribute album.

On 27 November 2013, Puressence announced they had split. [4]

Since the split, James Mudriczki had been working on a solo album whilst contributing vocals to two tracks on The Red-Sided Garter Snakes 2015 album, Endless Sea. [5] In 2015, it was announced that Mudriczki has formed a new band called The Nihilists. The line up includes Mudriczki on vocals, Steven Kelly on guitars and programming and John Patterson who is the drummer and multi instrumentalist.

On 20 November 2023, 10 years after their split, the band announced on their Facebook page that their first concert in 11 years. Puressence would be playing Albert Hall in Manchester in June 2024. The gig sold out within minutes of the tickets going on sale.

In December 2024, Puressence returned to Greece to play their second successive sold out show of their comeback at Floyd in Athens.

Early singles (1992–93)

Prior to releasing these albums, Puressence released two singles and an EP. First the double A-side "Siamese" / "Scapa Flow" was released through Rough Trade. Then followed the EPs Petrol Skin and Offshore, both released through 2 Damn Loud Records.

  1. "Siamese"
  2. "Scapa Flow"
  1. "Telekenesis"
  2. "Suck The Knife"
  3. "Polystyrene Snow"
  4. "Petrol Skin"
  1. "Offshore"
  2. "None Handed (demo)"
  3. "Mist"

Toby Chalmers of Island Records offered them a recording contract. Support slots to Marion introduced them to new supporters. [6]

Albums

Puressence (1996)

In May 1995, the band released the "I Suppose" single on Island without chart success. A few months later they returned with the "Fire" single, which again failed to sell. The tracks though did herald Puressence's self-titled debut album.

The album also produced three more singles, "India", "Traffic Jam in Memory Lane" and "Casting Lazy Shadows." (The album only contained ten tracks, of which they had released five as singles.)

Released:  April 1996

Only Forever (1998)

The album displayed a shift in Puressence's style. Mani, bassist for the Stone Roses and Primal Scream, appeared as record producer on "Standing in Your Shadow."

"This Feeling" proved to be a hit for the band, when it reached number 33 in the UK Singles Chart, helping the band appear on television programmes such as TFI Friday and Soccer AM . BBC Radio 1 DJ Simon Mayo made this his single of the week and it received airplay on numerous radio stations around the UK. The second single "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" fell just short of the Top 40. But the third single "All I Want" scraped in at No. 39, its second CD was joined as a double A-side with "Never Be The Same Again".

The album peaked in the UK Albums Chart at No. 36.

Don't Know Any Better - Anthology (1992–2000)

Don’t Know Any Better Anthology is an unofficial Puressence release. The collection was compiled by fans of the band and distributed over the Internet.

Contains:
Emotion,   Petrol Skin,   Mist,   Scapa Flow,   Siamese,   Telekinesis,   Suck The Knife,   Fifteen Years,   Bright Star,
Black Snow,   All Star,   Moss Side Lonely,   Only Holy Maybe,   Let Down,   Offshore,   and many more.

This collection contains more than 70 songs, studio versions, demos or live rarities from radio.

Planet Helpless (2002)

Planet Helpless peaked in the UK Albums Chart at No. 81, it did enjoy success in Greece (#4 in the album charts) and heralded a number of gigs, mainly in Manchester. Puressence chose to sack their manager and leave Island Records in February 2002.

Planet Helpless, due to the ongoing problems with the record company, released only one single. "Walking Dead" gave the band its third Top 40 hit. The video included Mani and Bez (Happy Mondays).

Don't Forget to Remember (2007)

Puressence's fourth album, entitled Don't Forget To Remember, was recorded at Revolution studios in Manchester and produced by Andy Macpherson.
The album was released on 24 September 2007. Despite failing to chart, the album beat off more high-profile releases to be voted 'Best Album by a Manchester Artist' in the Pride of Manchester Awards 2008. The album was then chosen by US iTunes to launch their new homepage feature, 'Editors Choice' in February 2008. [7] Within a week the album entered US iTunes' Top 40. [8] Puressence played a Manchester Academy show to celebrate English Rugby and Soccer team wins on 13 October 2007.

The album was also a success in Greece; remaining in the Top 10 for several weeks.
Originally appearing as a soft release in 2007, it was announced that Don't Forget to Remember got a wide release on 16 June.

The album peaked in the UK Albums Chart at No. 176.

Released:  24 September 2007
Revolution studios

Sharpen Up the Knives (2009)

Released:  in mid-October 2009
Sharpen Up the Knives was a fifteen track album collection consisting of singles, album tracks and a couple of new recordings.

Solid State Recital (2011)

Track listing:

  1. Swathes Of Sea Made Stone
  2. Burma
  3. When Your Eyes Close
  4. Cape Of No Hope (Water's Edge)
  5. Majesterial
  6. Solid State
  7. Raise Me To The Ground
  8. In Harm's Way
  9. Another World
  10. Our Number's Oracle

Released:  2 May 2011
Caserta Red

Line-up and label changes

In August 2003, after more than 12 years with Puressence, guitarist and founding member McDonald left the band. He was replaced by Lowell Killen. Puressence decided to leave Island Records and sign with a new Manchester label called Reaction. They played many gigs throughout 2003 in support of the album Planet Helpless. In the summer of 2003 they also played in The Move Festival in Manchester's Old Trafford Cricket ground. They followed this up by supporting Suede, Iggy Pop and Depeche Mode in Greece. Puressence have now set up their own label calling it Caserta Red Records.

Timeline

Puressence

Band membership

The band consist of:

Discography

Studio albums

DateAlbum UK Albums Chart [9] Greece Albums Chart
1996 Puressence --
1998 Only Forever 36-
2002 Planet Helpless 814
2007 Don't Forget to Remember 1767
2009 Sharpen Up the Knives -4
2011 Solid State Recital --

[1]

Singles

YearSong UK Singles Chart [9] UK Indie singles Album
1992"Siamese" / "Scapa Flow"---
"Petrol Skin EP"--Petrol Skin EP
1993"Offshore"---
1995"I Suppose"190-Puressence
"Fire"99-
1996"India"98-
"Traffic Jam in Memory Lane"95-
"Casting Lazy Shadows"82-
1998"This Feeling"33-Only Forever
"It Doesn't Matter Anymore"47-
"All I Want"39-
"All I Want" / "Never Be the Same Again"39-
2002"Walking Dead"40-Planet Helpless
2006"Palisades" / "Moonbeam"1065Don't Forget to Remember
2007"Drop Down to Earth"56-
2008"Don't Know Any Better"109-

[1] [10]

Song appearances

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Damned (band)</span> English rock band

The Damned are an English rock band formed in London in 1976 by lead vocalist Dave Vanian, guitarist Brian James, bassist Captain Sensible and drummer Rat Scabies. They were the first punk band from the United Kingdom to release a single, "New Rose" (1976), release a studio album, Damned Damned Damned (1977) and tour the United States. Nine of the band's singles charted on the UK Singles Chart Top 40.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Stone Roses</span> English rock band

The Stone Roses were an English rock band formed in Manchester, England in 1983. They were one of the pioneering groups of the Madchester movement in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The band's classic and most prominent lineup consisted of vocalist Ian Brown, guitarist John Squire, bassist Mani, and drummer Reni.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicane (musician)</span> English musician, DJ, composer, songwriter and record producer

Nicholas Bracegirdle, known professionally as Chicane, is an English musician, DJ, composer, songwriter, and record producer. Among his works are singles "Offshore", an Ibiza trance anthem included in many compilations in both chill-out and dance versions; "Saltwater", which featured vocals by Clannad member Máire Brennan, and the UK number-one hit "Don't Give Up", featuring vocals by Bryan Adams, which also became a top ten hit on singles charts across Europe and Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Hollies</span> English pop rock group formed in the early 1960s

The Hollies are an English rock and pop band formed in 1962. One of the leading British groups of the 1960s and into the mid-1970s, they are known for their distinctive three-part vocal harmony style. Singer Allan Clarke and rhythm guitarist/singer Graham Nash founded the band as a Merseybeat-type group in Manchester, although some of the band members came from towns further north, in east Lancashire. Nash left the group in 1968 to co-form Crosby, Stills & Nash, though he has reunited with the Hollies on occasion. As well as Clarke and Nash other members have included lead guitarist Tony Hicks, rhythm guitarist Terry Sylvester, bassists Eric Haydock and Bernie Calvert, and drummers Don Rathbone and Bobby Elliott.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Grape</span> English rock band

Black Grape are an English rock band formed in Salford in 1993, featuring former members of Happy Mondays and Ruthless Rap Assassins. Their musical style fuses funk and electronic rock with electronic programming and samples.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Wedding Present</span> British indie band

The Wedding Present are an English indie rock group formed in 1985 in Leeds, England, by members of The Lost Pandas. The band has been led by vocalist and guitarist David Gedge, the band's only constant member.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Bluetones</span> English indie rock band

The Bluetones are an English indie rock band, formed in Hounslow, Greater London, in 1993. The band's members are Mark Morriss on vocals, Adam Devlin on guitar, Mark's brother Scott Morriss on bass guitar, and Eds Chesters on drums. A fifth member, Richard Payne, came on board between 1998 and 2002. The band was originally named "The Bottlegarden".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Ruts</span> British reggae-influenced punk rock band

The Ruts are an English reggae-influenced punk rock band, notable for the 1979 UK top 10 hit single "Babylon's Burning", and an earlier single "In a Rut", which was not a hit but was highly regarded and regularly played by BBC Radio 1 disc jockey John Peel. The band's newfound success was cut short by the death of lead singer Malcolm Owen from a heroin overdose in 1980. Despite this the band continued under a different musical style as Ruts D.C. until 1983 when they disbanded. The band reformed in 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crystal (New Order song)</span> 2001 single by New Order

"Crystal" is a song by English rock band New Order. The song was released on 11 July 2001 as the first single from their seventh studio album, Get Ready (2001). "Crystal" entered the UK Singles Chart at number eight, attracting considerable attention and critical praise as the band's comeback single, their first original since 1993. The song also found success internationally, peaking at number three in Canada, number seven in Finland, and reaching the top 50 in Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Sweden. "Crystal" appears as the first track on the album in a version different from the single release, with an extended intro and coda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let There Be Love (Oasis song)</span> 2005 single by Oasis

"Let There Be Love" is a song by English rock band Oasis from their sixth studio album, Don't Believe the Truth (2005). Written by Noel Gallagher, it is the third and the last Oasis song to feature Liam and Noel on lead vocals, the first being "Acquiesce" and the second being "Put Yer Money Where Yer Mouth Is". It was released on 28 November 2005 as the third and final single from the album in the United Kingdom and as the second single in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guillemots (band)</span> British indie rock band

Guillemots are an England-based indie rock band formed in November 2004, originally a four-piece of Fyfe Dangerfield, MC Lord Magrão, Aristazabal Hawkes and Greig Stewart. The band formed in London, with members coming from England, Brazil, Canada and Scotland respectively.

Straw was an English post-Britpop band that released one album, Shoplifting, in 1999.

<i>Only Forever</i> (Puressence album) 1998 studio album by Puressence

Only Forever is the second album by English alternative rock band Puressence, released in 1998. Only Forever displayed a clear shift in Puressence's style, It captured the group in a more positive, lighter, chart-friendly mood. The album charted at #36, this was largely thanks to the amount of play that the first single "This Feeling" received including Radio 1 and MTV.

<i>Planet Helpless</i> 2002 studio album by Puressence

Planet Helpless is the third album by English alternative rock band Puressence, released in 2002. "Walking Dead" was the only single released from the album. The second single was penned as "She's Gotten Over You" but was not released due to the band leaving Island Records after Planet Helpless had been released.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Courteeners</span> English band

Courteeners are an English band formed in Middleton, Greater Manchester, in 2006 by Liam Fray, Michael Campbell, Daniel "Conan" Moores and Mark Cuppello (bass); the last was replaced by the band's producer Joe Cross in 2015. They previously toured with pianist Adam Payne, who has been featured on every album, but in 2019 was replaced with Elina Lin. In December 2012, the band dropped "The" from their name, continuing simply as "Courteeners". In 2024, Cross and Lin became official members of the band.

<i>Dont Forget to Remember</i> (album) 2007 studio album by Puressence

Don't Forget to Remember is the fourth album by the English alternative rock band Puressence which was released on 24 September 2007.

<i>St. Jude</i> (album) 2008 studio album by the Courteeners

St. Jude is the debut studio album by English rock band the Courteeners, released on 7 April 2008 by Polydor Records. There is also a special edition album which includes a second disc of acoustic versions of songs which feature on the actual album. Although the album was released to mixed reviews from critics, it has become a somewhat cult success though many fans are more favorable to the versions of songs seen on Here Come the Young Men EP and various other demos. In support of the album the band embarked on a European tour.

Co-op Academy Failsworth, formerly Failsworth School, is a co-educational secondary school admitting children between 11 and 16 years of age. The school is located in Failsworth, Greater Manchester.

<i>Sharpen Up the Knives</i> 2009 compilation album by Puressence

Sharpen Up the Knives is a compilation album by the English alternative rock band Puressence. The album's track listing consists mostly of tracks from their Island period, with some unreleased tracks including Che which singer James Mudriczki recorded for a Judy Collins tribute album.

<i>Solid State Recital</i> 2011 studio album by Puressence

Solid State Recital is the fifth studio album from Puressence. It was also their last album as they split two years after its release and associated tour. The album features Judy Collins on two tracks after she became friendly with the band when James Mudriczki covered her song Che for a tribute album to her.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. p. 784. ISBN   1-84195-017-3.
  2. "Juno Ashes - Right the wrongs (self released)". Manchester Evening News. 18 October 2007. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  3. David Sue (16 July 2004). "Puressence look to break through again". Manchester Evening News . Retrieved on 9 September 2008.
  4. "Puressence – It is with great regret that I have to say..." Facebook. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  5. Spaceman, Brett (2 August 2015). "The Red Sided Garter Snakes – Endless Sea". [Sic] Magazine. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  6. Larkin, Colin, ed. (2000). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music. London: Virgin Books. p. 318. ISBN   0-7535-0427-8.
  7. "US warms to Puressence". Manchester Evening News. 12 January 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  8. "Britpop 'Where Are They Now?' Special - Share Your Knowledge". NME.com. 23 June 2009. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  9. 1 2 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 443. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
  10. "Chart Log UK" . Retrieved 15 March 2011.