Splintered

Splintered is a British experimental rock group originally active between 1991 and 1998, and revived with original members in 2013.

History

Splintered was formed when Fourth Dimension Records and Grim Humour fanzine's Richard (Richo) Johnson's previous band, Playground, fell apart in 1989. With other ex-Playground members Paul Wright (bass), Paul Dudeney (drums, metal percussion) and James Machin (guitar) & Steven Wright (FX`S). Splintered sought to push the previous band's noise excursions to denser realms. They picked up interest from several underground record labels and garnered some attention as part of a subculture of industrial and experimental groups in the UK, including Terminal Cheesecake, Skullflower, Ramleh, Loop and Godflesh.

The band uses an array of instruments, samples, multi-layered guitars, electronics, powerful rhythms and often submerged, shouted vocals. Other members who joined the group included Steve Pittis (Band of Pain, Dirter Promotions) and Colin Bradley (Dual). The first album featured Stefx (Headbutt) on drums when Paul Dudeney failed to make the recording sessions.

Side projects

Splintered were involved in several other projects along the way as well. These were usually activated by Richo and Steve Pittis, plus often involved other members of the group as well as others. These projects were Husk, A.S.P., Slugbait and Band Of Pain. All of them had releases out, on both Steve Pittis and Richo's respective labels and others such as Ralf Wehowsky's Selektion, Meeuw Muzak and Cold Spring Records. Band Of Pain then became the main concern for Steve Pittis and continues to record to this day, with a new album released in 2017.

Discography

Albums

• Parapraxis LP/CD/MC (Intellectual Convulsion, SPASM4, France, 1992).
• The Judas Cradle CD (Dirter Promotions, DPROMCD17, 1993).
• Noumena LP (Dirter Promotions, DPROMLP33, 1995).
• Moraine LP (Suggestion/No Risk No Fun, SUG013, Germany). Includes Jim O'Rourke source material.
• Splintered/RLW eponymous CD (Black Rose Recordings, BRCD96-1005, 1996). Collaborative album with Germany's Ralf Wehowsky.
• Noumena CD reissue (Amanita, Suggestion, Fourth Dimension, AMA41/SUG16/FDCD60, France/Germany/UK, 1998).
• "Turned Inside Out" 2CD (Totuuden Sarvi Levyt, Finland, 2013)
• "Between Scylla and Charybdis" CD (Fourth Dimension, FDCD152, 2024).

Singles

• "Nothing" (Shock, SX09, 1990).
• "Pigmeat" (Remix) (Fourth Dimension, FDS26, 1991).
• "Mouth Clamp" (Remix) (Fourth Dimension, FDS25, 1991). Split single with Cindytalk, limited to 500 hand numbered copies and sold with Richo's Grim Humour magazine.
• "Link" e.p. (Dying Earth Europe, DE001, 1991).
• "Head Wound" (Drunken Fish, DF01, USA, 1992). Split with Back Off Cupid.
• "Skin Shift" split CD single (Noiseville, N31, USA, 1992). Split with Headbutt.
• "Godsend" (Dirter Promotions, 7DPROMS13, 1993).
• "Hilt" (Pitsbull, PBR009, Belgium, 1994).
• "Comparatively Mainstream" e.p. (Aquese Recordings, AQR703, 1994). Features Death In June/NER affiliates Somewhere In Europe on 'S.H.C.'
• "Kill the Body..." (live) (Fourth Dimension, FDS29, 1994). Split release with No Tomorrow Charlie.
• "Smokescreen" e.p. (Suggestion, 009, Germany, 1996).
• "Martian Sunset" split-10 (Fourth Dimension, FDTEN53, 1997).