Mars (Band)
Mars was a New York No Wave band, founded by singer and guitarist Sumner Crane in 1975. The other band members were China Burg (actually Constance Castle; occasionally as Lucy Hamilton ), Mark Cunningham ( bass), Nancy Arlen (drums) and temporarily Rudolph Grey ( guitar) .. The band played a live gig under the name of China, which they then changed in Mars. It played a mix of compositions and improvised ambient noise jams, with surrealistic lyrics and unconventional drumming. Almost all the band members were at the time of the band's formation as musically completely untrained (However, Crane had experience as a blues guitarist )
Mars played about two dozen times live, getting into Manhattan. Her first appearance was in January 1977 at CBGB's; her last on December 10, 1978 at Max's Kansas City. Their sound Plate debut was the 7 inch single 3E/11, 000 Volts ( Rebel Records, Later than 12 - Maxi Single with ZE Records.
The group released in 1979 or 1980 after its dissolution (1978 ), a live EP. Both recordings were reissued on Lydia Lunch Widowspeak Records label under the name of 78 in 1986; the pieces were easily edited by Jim Thirlwell and remixed. This plate was re-released in 1966 by Atavistic Records as a CD under the name 78 .
Mars was published in 1978 on the major, produced by Brian Eno No New York compilation, along with DNA, Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, James Chance and the Contortions and; this plate brought the nascent emergence in No Wave genre in general awareness.
In 1980, the musicians of Mars together with those of the DNA based on Mozart's Don Giovanni No Wave Opera John Gavanti.
Because of complaints about Thirlwells changes to 78/78 all studio recordings were from Mars ( together about 30 minutes), published by the Spanish labels G3G and Spookysound again. ( Essentially contain 78, 78 and Mars LP: The Complete Studio Recordings NYC 1977-1978 the same half hour of music with little difference ).
Mars was by Suicide the first No Wave band's inception and during its short lifetime also the one that broke up musical conventions most radical. Lydia Lunch has said of her: "I saw Mars, Teenage Jesus existed before. That really encouraged me. They were so dissonant, so obviously crazy. There were no compromises or concessions to anything that had existed before. You really drew from her own torment. " China Burg told that they called a piece RTMT after she had called a critic as arty and empty.
The resolution on Mars by 1978, a few months after the release of No New York when failed to Max's Kansas City and CBGB's closed more on rock oriented toward and bookings. Crane died on 15 April 2003 in a lymphoma, Arlen on 17 September 2006 following heart surgery. Mark Cunningham went to Spain, where he is still active musically. China Castle is still active today.
Discography
- "3- D " (b / w " 11,000 Volts " ) - 7 ", 1978 ( Rebel Records, RB 7802 ) (Later than 12 " from ZE )
- No New York - LP, 1978 ( Antilles / Iceland ) ( as CD reissued ) ( compilation with three other bands )
- Mars - 12 " EP (live ), 1979 or 1980 ( pleasure / displeasure / Infidelity )
- John Gavanti - LP, 1980 ( Hyrax ) ( CD re -circulation on Atavistic ) ( with Crane, Cunningham, castle )
- 78 - LP, 1986 ( Widowspeak )
- Mars Live 77-78 - CD, 1995 (DSA ) (France )
- 78 - CD, 1996 ( Atavistic )
- Mars LP: The Complete Studio Recordings NYC 1977-1978 - CD, 2003 ( G3G/Spookysound ) (Spain ) ( reissued on LP in Important and CD by No More 2008)