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Sun Dial (occasionally spelled Sundial) is a British psychedelic rock band formed in 1990 by Gary Ramon.
The precursor to Sun Dial was Ramon's the Modern Art, formed in the mid-1980s with a loose lineup that never played gigs but did see the release of two studio albums. Ramon disbanded the group out of a desire "to make a more live-sounding group that could go out and play".
The band gained prominence after the release of their first album, Other Way Out, which quickly sold out its initial run through word of mouth alone.[ citation needed ] The album was near-universally praised in the independent music press,[ citation needed ] winning several awards and accolades.[ citation needed ] However, the album saw little popularity among mainstream critics and radio stations as their authentic 1960s psychedelic sound was out of fashion at the time.[ original research? ]Other Way Out remains popular to this day in the psychedelic and progressive rock communities,[ citation needed ] and has gone through eight reissues since its original release.[ citation needed ]
Subsequent albums have explored many branches of psychedelia, including space rock, acid rock, stoner rock, neo-psychedelia, and psych pop. Their music has been compared to, influenced, or praised by prominent artists such as Monster Magnet, Nirvana, Spiritualized, and Spacemen 3.[ citation needed ] Sun Dial in turn were influenced by the 1960s and 1970s psychedelia and hard rock of Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles, the Stooges, Pink Floyd, and Led Zeppelin, as well as the drug-influenced "Madchester" sound of the Stone Roses, Inspiral Carpets, and Happy Mondays.[ citation needed ]
After the 1996 live album Live Drug, Ramon recorded an album called Kahoutek with Russell Barrett (ex-Chapterhouse who would officially join the band in 2003). However, the album remains unreleased to this day (except for a couple of tracks that came out on the 2009 compilation Processed for DNA). With management deeming the album to be too extreme by the bands management, Ramon took Sun Dial on an extended hiatus and devoted his time to producing records by other bands, including Chemical, and Fantasyy Factoryy.[ citation needed ] Many of these records were released on Ramon's own Acme label. During this time Ramon also worked with Coil and Current93 and released Quad , a solo project exploring ambient electronica and kraut rock. Sun Dial reconvened for a live performance in December 2002 and released their next album, Zen For Sale, a few months thereafter.
In 2010, they released a 20th anniversary 2-CD anthology, Processed For DNA, via Shrunken Head, their own imprint with Cherry Red, before returning with a new eponymous studio album, musically much heavier than before, and more influenced by early 1990s Seattle than late 1960s psychedelia. It was released alongside a major Sun Dial reissue campaign which stopped after the re-release of the Reflector album.
As with fellow psych rocker Nick Saloman's The Bevis Frond, Sun Dial has always been an instrument of its frontman Gary Ramon;[ citation needed ] the band's line up tends to change from album to album. The most stable line ups include the following:
Sun Dial are noted for releasing limited-edition albums and singles on independent labels.[ citation needed ] The discs (often printed on vinyl only) become highly sought-after by collectors.[ citation needed ]
Tubeway Army were a London-based new wave band led by lead singer Gary Numan. Formed at the height of punk rock in 1977 the band gradually changed to an electronic sound. They were the first band of the electronic era to have a synthesiser-based number-one hit, with their single "Are 'Friends' Electric?" and its parent album Replicas both topping the UK charts in mid-1979. After its release, Numan opted to drop the Tubeway Army name and release music under his own name as he was the sole songwriter, producer and public face of the band, but he retained the musicians from Tubeway Army as his backing band.
Gorky's Zygotic Mynci were a psychedelic folk and alternative rock band which formed in Carmarthen, Wales, in 1991. The group performed music in both Welsh and English, and they had eight Top 75 singles on the UK Singles Chart during their career. They were prominent during the era known as Cool Cymru. The group disbanded in May 2006.
Dance is the third solo studio album by English musician Gary Numan, released in 1981. It was the first studio album Numan released after his "Farewell Concerts" staged at Wembley Arena.
Let It Bleed is the 8th British and 10th American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released 28 November 1969 on London Records in the United States and shortly thereafter by Decca Records in the United Kingdom. Released shortly after the band's 1969 American Tour, it is the follow-up to 1968's Beggars Banquet. As with Beggars Banquet, the album marks a return to the group's more blues-sound approach that was prominent in the pre-Aftermath period of their career. Additional sounds on the album draw influence from gospel, country blues and country rock.
Beggars Banquet is the 7th British and 9th American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 6 December 1968 by Decca Records in the United Kingdom and London Records in the United States. It was the first Rolling Stones album produced by Jimmy Miller, whose production work formed a key aspect of the group's sound throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Quad or QUAD was the name of a solo music project by Gary Ramon.
Spiritual Beggars is a stoner metal band from Halmstad, Sweden, formed by Michael Amott, who is known from Arch Enemy, Carcass and Carnage. The band is heavily influenced by 1970s hard rock and incorporates elements of psychedelia into its music.
See You on the Other Side is the third studio album by American neo-psychedelia band Mercury Rev, released in 1995 by record label Beggars Banquet.
Mask is the second studio album by English gothic rock band Bauhaus. It was released on 16 October 1981 by record label Beggars Banquet.
Love and Rockets is the fourth studio album by English alternative rock band Love and Rockets; released in 1989 by Beggars Banquet Records on cassette, vinyl, and compact disc.
Flesh for Lulu were an English rock band formed in Brixton, London, England, active between 1982 and 1992. They reformed from 2013 to 2015 with a new lineup. Their music was a mix of the New York Dolls and the Rolling Stones, with gothic rock's gloomy atmosphere and aesthetics, while also encompassing shades of punk, pop, country and western, Marc Bolan, David Bowie, rockabilly and garage.
"Stormtrooper in Drag" is the debut single by Paul Gardiner, who was the bass player in Gary Numan's backing band. Numan is featured on the single as a co-composer, producer, musician and vocalist.
The Cult is the sixth studio album from English rock band, The Cult. It was released in October 1994 on Beggars Banquet Records and it is also the band's last album on Sire Records in the US. It is also commonly referred to as the "Black Sheep" record, due to the image of a Manx Loaghtan black sheep on the front cover. The record also features one of the very rare times when Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy have shared songwriting credit with anyone: bassist Craig Adams is credited as co-author of "Universal You".
I, Assassin is the fourth solo studio album by English new wave musician Gary Numan, released on 10 September 1982 by Beggars Banquet. It peaked at No. 8 on the UK Album Chart. Three singles were released from the album: "Music for Chameleons", "We Take Mystery " and "White Boys and Heroes", all of which reached the UK Top 20.
The Beekeepers were an English rock band from Derby, signed to the Beggars Banquet Records label. Their releases included the mini-album Third Party, Fear and Theft and the single, Do You Behave Like That at Home?
The Early Years are an English rock band from Hackney, London, England, consisting of David Malkinson, Roger Mackin, Brendan Kersey, Philip Raines and Alexander Theakston.
Singles 2001–2005 is a compilation album by Scottish rock band Biffy Clyro, released 7 July 2008. The album features singles from the band's time with former label, Beggars Banquet.
Engineers is a limited edition digipak live album, released by Gary Numan's previous label, Beggars Banquet. The album was recorded at the Capitol Theatre, Sydney, Australia on 31 May 1980.
The Doll were a punk rock/new wave band from London, England, who had a top-thirty hit in 1979 with "Desire Me".
Wobble Jaggle Jiggle were an English psychedelic rock band active in Brighton, England, during the 1990s.
