The League of Gentlemen (band)

The League of Gentlemen
OriginDorset, England
Genres
Years active1980
LabelsEG/Polydor
Past membersRobert Fripp
Sara Lee
Barry Andrews
Johnny Toobad (Johnny Elichaoff[1])
Kevin Wilkinson

The League of Gentlemen were a band active during March–December 1980 that featured King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp.

Background

Other members included bass guitarist Sara Lee (who later joined Gang of Four, the B-52's, and Indigo Girls), keyboardist Barry Andrews (formerly of XTC; later of Shriekback) and percussionist Johnny Elichaoff (who is referred to on the album as "Johnny Toobad"). Elichaoff was replaced late in the band's tenure by Kevin Wilkinson (later of China Crisis and Squeeze).[2][3]

The 1980 group should not be confused with Robert Fripp's first semi-professional band in the 1960s, which had the same name.[4]

Fripp referred to the 1980 band as "a second-division touring new wave instrumental dance band".[citation needed]

The Trouser Press Record Guide described the League of Gentlemen's music as typically taking "a simple medium-to-fast backbeat over which Fripp and Andrews locked horns, with melodic development emerging slowly, surely, subtly."[5] Trouser Press also suggests that the League's foray into dance oriented rock was a precursor to Fripp's reformed King Crimson in the early 1980s.[6]

The band toured extensively in Europe and North America throughout 1980.[7]

There are 77 specific tour dates detailed in the sleevenotes on the album The League of Gentlemen. Missing from this list are four (possibly warm-up) gigs at the 14th Century Hunting Lodge (now Lodge Farm House),[8][failed verification] outside the grounds of Kingston Lacy near Wimborne Minster, Dorset, England. These gigs are dated 24 to 27 February and pre-dated the first 'official' gig on 10 April at Moles, Bath.

Discography

Studio album

Live album

  • Thrang Thrang Gozinbulx (constructed from bootleg recordings) (Discipline Records, 1996)

Compilation

Album personnel

  • Robert Fripp – guitar
  • Sara Lee – bass
  • Barry Andrews – organ
  • Kevin Wilkinson – drums (except A4 Heptaparaparshinokh and A5 Dislocated)
  • Johnny Toobad – drums on Heptaparaparshinokh and Dislocated
  • Danielle Dax – vocals and lyrics ("Hamsprachtmuzic") on Minor Man; she also provided the cover artwork for the album

Notes

  1. ^ Smith, Sid (14 November 2014). "Johnny Toobad Is Dead". Dgmlive.com. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  2. ^ Tamm, Eric. "Chapter Eight: Out of Retirement – The Drive to 1981". Progressive Ears / Robert Fripp – from Crimson King to Crafty Master. Archived from the original on 3 March 2012. Retrieved 28 February 2012.
  3. ^ Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 348. CN 5585.
  4. ^ Biography by Bruce Eder. "The League of Gentlemen | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  5. ^ Fleischmann, Mark; Robbins, Ira (1991). "Robert Fripp". In Ira A. Robbins (ed.). The Trouser Press Record Guide. New York: Collier Books. p. 263. ISBN 0-02-036361-3.
  6. ^ Grant, Steven; Fleischmann, Mark; Robbins, Ira A. (1991). "King Crimson". In Ira A. Robbins (ed.). The Trouser Press Record Guide. New York: Collier Books. p. 367. ISBN 0-02-036361-3.
  7. ^ "League of Gentlemen 1980 Tour Dates". Dgmlive.com. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  8. ^ "Lodge Farm House near Kingston Lacy (C) Mike Searle :: Geograph Britain and Ireland". Geograph.org.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2016.

References


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