Twelfth Night (band)

Twelfth Night is a native of Reading British rock band. It is one of the bands that established the Neo -Prog as the second wave of progressive rock with their publications at the beginning of the 1980s.

Her first performances and recordings, the band played instrumental, before the charismatic frontman Geoff Mann initially joined on a trial basis and after a pause as resistant member. This occupation is considered classical. After his departure, the band turned to Andy Sears as a new singer a pop- influenced style to lower river and broke up after another line-up change to finally, after the only album remained commercially unsuccessful on a major label. Geoff Mann died in 1993 from cancer.

Similar to the genre pioneers such as Marillion and IQ is influenced by the theatricality of early Genesis, the music of the group. As an independent aspects influences from the wave music as well as a distinctive gloom are still to be named.

• 2.1 Studio albums
• 2.2 Live albums
• 2.3 compilations

History

Foundation

The beginnings of Twelfth Night going back to February 1978, when Andy Revell and Brian Devoil formed themselves into a project for a talent contest at the University of Reading. Among the roadies were Rick Battersby as dry ice technician and theology student and later priest Geoff Mann, who painted the stage scenes. Devoil had previously played with various bands from Reading, including trash, whose single Priorities published in October 1977 by Polydor. Revell's experiences with several bands from Bournemouth as Joe Soap, The Bubbles and Abraxas had collected. Later in the year appeared Clive centers to a band rehearsal and successfully applied for the open items of the bassist. For Mittens previous projects include some bands from Brighton as Luna Hare.

Twelfth Night

After a series of appearances as Andy Revell band, the band changed its name to Twelfth Night. In the summer of 1979 she gave a concert at the Reading University, has performed as a singer with the man. At the same time it came in the formation Devoil, middle, Revell to first recordings, which showed an instrumental demo called Skan.

It was followed by several appearances at open-air concerts in the summer, until the band retreated together with her husband and Battersby for extensive samples in the House of Mann's parents in Manchester. The two newcomers were involved for the first time in a musical project, Battersby had previously, however, already taken classical piano lessons. Man wrote texts for the former instrumental pieces. An anecdote from this period is that the band on the spot once made ​​an appearance at the nearby Salford organized - before an audience of ten year olds.

Man finally decided for now against further cooperation with Twelfth Night. Instead, he wanted to stay in Manchester to paint and to start a humorous two-man music project called God Stars with his close friend Peter Lawrence. Twelfth Night continued to work as an instrumental band and began in the spring of 1980, a tour of the pubs their home.

First Popularity

In January 1980, it came to the publication of the First Tape Album. This contains were live versions of. Helene and Encore Une Fois For as well as the studio tracks Freddie Hepburn and Sequences A milestone was the choice for the "Demo of the Week" by the readers of the music magazine Musicians Only. With an enthusiastic gig review and a full-page article, the band was represented for the first time in the national press.

The band was on an ad in Melody Maker for the open vocal items and found in this way the American singer Electra MacLeod. With her ​​another demo tape, whose publication was accompanied by a tour in the autumn came. Due to disagreements they left the band in November again already. However, her singing can be heard even on the single for Helene / Cunning Man of the December of the same year.

Immediately after MacLeod's exit, the band recorded the live album Live at the Target, which was released in February 1981 and promoted with an extensive tour. In some performances the God Stars appeared as the opening act. It came to the first performances at the Marquee Club in London.

Success

Live at the target was recorded in two days in January 1981 and earned the band a record deal in March with the Neptune label a. The album's success led to a further distribution deal with Pinnacle Records which made the album available across the UK. Then, the LP climbed in both the heavy metal and in the Hippy charts of Melody Maker and Sounds.

In summer, Twelfth Night went again to search and singer Geoff Mann could finally convince them to join them again. With him, she opened the Reading Festival, and thus made ​​history as the first band from Reading, who was allowed to play there. Then they went into the studio to record a new demo material. The results were partially published in December on a demo tape with LP- length named Smiling At Grief, including Helene 2 ', which was written in 1978 and was previously remained unpublished. During the recording Battersby left the band to pursue other projects. Meanwhile gained Live at the Target considerable sales in America, Scandinavia and rest of Europe.

The year 1982 was spent mainly with the elaboration of the first studio album Fact and Fiction. Originally intended for publication in May, it came only in December on the market. For space reasons, two pieces from the finished album had to give: Eleanor Rigby and East of Eden was published in October 1982 as a single.

Centers also took over the keyboard part of the pausing Battersby. In this quartet line-up, there was not only to a few gigs in the fall, but also the first TV appearance: In the first edition of David Essex Showcase Twelfth Night East of Eden played. The program was broadcast on 26 June 1982.

In December 1982, Battersby returned and completed the cast for the tour to Fact and Fiction, which began in January of the following year and the first gig included headlining at the London Marquee. CBS Records showed themselves willing to offer a record contract.

Post- Geoff -man era

In November 1983, man returned the band after two sold-out gigs at the Marquee, recorded for the live album " Live and Let Live", for professional reasons, while respecting the friendly relationship with the band 's back.

He was replaced in December by Andy Sears, who had previously sung in Canis Major. With this line it came from January 1984 to an extensive tour with the release of the album "Live and Let Live " (with Geoff Mann ) by the label Music for Nations coincided. One of the highlights included a performance as the opening act at the Hammersmith Odeon in London and further gigs at the Marquee Club. One of them was filmed and would later be broadcast in the UK as part of the series Live from London. Although the broadcast took place never, but the appearance as a video entitled Creepshow was published.

Immediately after completion of the tour, the band signed a contract with Hit and Run Music, thus conveying the same label as Genesis, Peter Gabriel and more at.

In the summer of 1984, the band turned to the composition of new material. The appearance pause she broke just once in July to give Dominion Theatre in London before 1500 spectators one of their biggest concerts. In August, the band traveled to Liverpool to record with producer Gil Norton, known for his work with Echo and the Bunnymen, the next album called Art and Illusion. Following the publication in October of this rose to 83 this place in the British charts. The band was now playing a much bigger venues than before, again, among other things at the Dominion Theatre. Your first and only appearance outside the United Kingdom led to Marburg.

The year 1985 began for them with a few gigs on the anniversary of the Marquee Club, under the pseudonym Jan Six and the Cryptk Clues, which were sold out by knitting the fan club in advance. In the first half new material that was partially listed on the Corners -of- the-world tour in May, was born.

The major contract

Later in 1985, a contract with the major progressive rock label Charisma Records pioneered on, but this made ​​in July the same year bankruptcy. Undaunted, the band played a benefit concert at a festival called Wycome Live Aid and performed on three consecutive nights at the Marquee Club, which was sold out in a row with them for 14, 15 and 16 times. In September, the songs were chosen for the new album and placed in the pre- production phase with producer John Walters. The shooting began in November. After Charisma was bought by Virgin Records, the band finally their first global major label contract concluded on 12 December.

In 1986, the recordings were transferred to the Swanyard studios and in the Rooster Studios, the album was mixed in Wessex. In April, the band presented their album in charge at Virgin and some charged fans before a concert at the Marquee Club. In May there was another special concert, this time at London's Town and Country Club. The BBC filmed the performance for broadcast Whistle Test and showed there the piece Powdered Blue Monkey. Even Radio 1 cut with the show, not radiated from them, however. In July, Virgin released the single Shame / Powdered Blue Monkey.

In July finally appeared with Twelfth Night, the first album on a major label, followed closely by Take a Look / Blondon Fair as its second single. Although the criticism of the album recorded entirely benevolent, the sales figures were disappointing - with the exception of her hometown of Reading, where the LP immediately saw the index number 1 on the sales charts. Before year-end, the band played one more time at the Hammersmith Odeon.

Resolution and Responses

1987 broke the contract with Virgin Twelfth Night on because of lack of commercial success. With Martyn Wartson of Pookah Makes Three as a replacement for the departing vocalist Andy Sears, the band led by a recent line-up changes. However, it drew slowly from what was officially confirmed in the summer of the year: twelth night were history.

In the middle was to establish his own studio. The last song that emerged from the formation Revell, Devoil, Battersby, Watson should be presented to an audience, as Geoff Mann of this formation at one of his - was accompanied solo shows at the Marquee - now that has become a regularity.

In 1988, between the band members on the question of what should happen to the 19 - minute piece The Collector, which had been taken at any time. Centers offered his studio and so it happened that the classic line-up with Revell, Devoil, middle, man and Battersby there got together once again. It also has a revamped version of Love Song was born. 1989/90 turned the band with these and a few other recordings on the label MFN, the spring of 1991 the compilation Collector 's Item published.

In February 1993, Geoff Mann died of cancer.

Since the dissolution of Twelfth Night, a series of live albums has been released from the archives of the band members, the last compilation Voices in the Night with a studio and live retrospective of the entire band history.

Reunification in 2007

In June 2007, Clive centers and Andy Sears announced a one-off concert with the songs of Twelfth Night for November the same year. In July it was confirmed that the two would officially appear as Twelfth Night, until a second appearance and participation of Andy Revell and Brian Devoil were announced in July. Mark Spencer, former lead singer of the 80s - prog band Lahošt, former roommate of Sears and longtime companion of the band, replaced the time prevented Rick Battersby. With other concerts in the UK and Spain in May 2008, there was a guest appearance by Geoff 's son James as lead singer of Love Song.

In 2010, new live activities were announced in a six-member cast consisting of three ordinary members Devoil, middle, Sears, the 2007 - new member Spencer and Roy Keyworth (guitar) and Dean Baker ( keyboards), two musicians of the formation Galahad deputizing for the absent Andy Revell. The " Night of the Prog " festival on September 3, 2010, the band performed after the Marburg concert from 1984 on for the second time outside of England.

Discography

Studio albums

• Fact and Fiction (1982 )
• Art and Illusion ( EP, 1984, UK # 83)
• Twelfth Night / XII ( 1986)

Live albums

• Live and Let Live (1983 )
• A Midsummer Night 's Dream (1980, Release: 2005)
• Entropy (1981, Release: 2005)
• Smiling At Grief ... Live (1981, Release: 2005)
• Flash Backs ( 1983 Release: 2005)
• Night Vision (1984, Release: 2006)
• Live From London (1984, Release: 2005, also DVD)
• Corner of the World Tour (1985, Release: 2005)

Compilations

• Collector 's Item (1991 )
• Voices in the Night ( 2007)