Wire
BIOGRAPHY
The last few years have seen a countless number of bands reform to try to squeeze the last few pennies out of their back catalogue, without any intention of changing the way they were back in the good old days. Wire’s recent return, on the back of the 30th anniversary re-release of their trilogy of classic 70s albums (Pink Flag, Chairs Missing and 154) has proved one of the most popular, and most successful, with a large part being owed to the impressive new material being produced by the veterans.
Starting out in London in 1976, the quartet of Colin Newman (vocals, guitar), Graham Lewis (bass, vocals), Bruce Gilbert (guitar), and Robert Gotobed (drums) were part of the punk movement that spawned from the Sex Pistols’ popularity, but unlike many of their contemporaries, Wire’s music was slightly more considered and cerebral. 1977’s landmark debut Pink Flag sits alongside The Sex Pistols’ Never Mind The Bollocks… and The Clash’s self-titled album (all released in 1977) as one of the most important punk records of all time, and helped define a scene that was a shock to the system to most music fans of the time.
Released just one year after Pink Flag, 1978’s Chairs Missing saw the band transcend the punk scene they had helped create. The song structures moved on from the simplicity of their previous work, and the addition of synths to the guitar-bass-drum setup allowed more ambitious instrumentation than most punk bands had tried at the time. The resulting album proved another success critically, but much like Pink Flag, failed to become a mainstream hit. 154 (named after the number of shows they had played to that point) followed on in a similar vein, firmly placing them as one of the pioneers of the post-punk movement.
The band disbanded for the first, but not the last, time in 1981, allowing members to pursue their own musical directions, most notably Bruce Gilbert and Graham Lewis’ band Dome. In 1985 they band reconvened, and began to release music that was more recognisable as pop music, with a much stronger emphasis on synths. The album, along with much of Wire’s 80s output, was not critically received anywhere near as well as their earlier work. Following a 12 year break after the release of 1991’s The First Letter, Wire returned in 2003 with Send, a return to their punk sound that corresponded with a return to positive reviews from the music press.
The band release their twelfth studio album Red Barked Tree on their own label today (Jan 10th 2011), at a time when their left-wing political stance will resonate with much of today’s protesting youth. The band describe it as their “most diverse and accomplished” album to date, and if the pre-album release ‘Two Minutes’ is anything to go by, it’ll showcase both the maturity gained from 35 years making music, as well as some of the energy that made their early work so exciting.
Along with The Velvet Underground and My Bloody Valentine, Wire are among the list of bands who failed to sell a significant number of records, yet have influenced a countless number of subsequent artists. The Manic Street Preachers, The Cure and R.E.M. have all named Wire as one of their key influences, with R.E.M. even covering Pink Flag’s ‘Strange’ on their album Document. The resurgence of post-punk in the last decade also exhibits signs of Wire’s influence, Franz Ferdinand, The Rakes and Bloc Party all owing a debt to the band. With the release of Red Barked Tree likely to gain the band further critical acclaim and a new generation of fans, we excitedly wait to see who exactly picks up their gauntlet next.
VIDEOS
Ex Lion Tamer
Being Sucked In Again
Heartbeat (Live)
Two Minutes
Links
pinkflag.com
Live Dates
Jan 11: Rough Trade East, London
Feb 01: Komedia, Brighton
Feb 02: The Scala, London
Feb 03: Rescue Rooms, Nottingham
Feb 04: The Roadhouse, Manchester
Feb 05: Academy 2, Dublin
Feb 06: Spring & Airbrake, Belfast
Feb 08: Caberat Voltaire, Edinburgh
Feb 09: King Tuts, Glasgow
Feb 10: The Fleece, Bristol