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Amebix

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"Largactyl" redirects here. For the drug, see Largactil.

Amebix
Amebix performing live in 2009
Amebix performing live in 2009
Background information
Also known asThe Band with No Name (1978–1979)
OriginTavistock, Devon, UK
Genres
Years active1978–1987, 2008–2012
LabelsSpiderleg, Heavy Metal, Alternative Tentacles, Moshpit Tragedy
SpinoffsZygote, Tau Cross, False Fed
Past membersRob "The Baron" Miller
Chris "Stig" Miller
Andy Billy Jug
Martin Baker
Virus
Ric Gadsby
Norman Butler
Clive
George
Jenghiz
A. Droid
Robert "Spider" Richards
Roy Mayorga

Amebix were an English punk rock band from Tavistock, Devon. A pioneer of the crust punk genre, Amebix's merger of anarcho-punk and post-punk with elements of heavy metal, particularly early extreme metal, inspired musicians who would go on to define the genres of grindcore, black metal, death-doom and metalcore.

Formed in 1978 as the Band with No Name, they band's two consistent members were brothers Rob "The Baron" Miller (vocals, bass) and Chris "Stig" Miller (guitar). The band's earliest releases were post-punk, before beginning to adopt elements of heavy metal music on their debut album No Sanctuary (1983). This album was one of the earliest examples of the crust punk genre, a style which the band would codify with its follow up Arise! (1985). Shortly after the release of their third album Monolith (1987), the group disbanded. The band reunited in 2008, along with drummer Roy Mayorga, a lineup which released their fourth album Sonic Mass (2011), before disbanding again in 2012.

History

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1978–1980: Formation

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In 1978, Rob Miller was involuntarily discharged from his role as an Air Training Corps sergeant in 1978, due to being intoxicated while on duty when stationed in the Netherlands.[1] The same year, his older brother, Chris "Stig" Miller returned to Devon from Jersey. This led the pair to plan forming a band together.[2] They initially came together under the name the Band with No Name, in reference to Clint Eastwood's character the Man with No Name.[3] This founding lineup included Rob Miller on vocals, Chris Miller on guitar, Clive Barnes on bass and Andy Hoare on drums.[2]

In 1979, the band changed its name to Amebix,[2] which was the mantra given to Stig Miller when he was thirteen years old, by a Guru, in order help him stop misbehaving in school.[3] That year they recorded their self-titled six-track demo. Soon after, when Miller was sent, by the publication he was a journalist for, to review a live performance of anarcho-punk band Crass at Abbey Hall in Plymouth, he presented the demo to the band, who included the track University Challenged on their Bullshit Detector compilation.[2]

1981–1984: Who's the Enemy and No Sanctuary

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In 1981, Miller and Amebix relocated to Peter Tavy and began living with new drummer Martin Baker in Glebe House, the former site of a Saxon burial ground. However, soon after Baker's parents forced him to depart from the band, relocated to London where he was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. The song "Largactyl" was written about his experience.[2] After Baker's departure from the band, the band moved to Gunnislake in Cornwall to live with newly recruited keyboard player Norman Butler. They then relocated to Bristol, where they began squatting with local punk bands like Disorder and Chaos UK. They released their debut EP Who's the Enemy on 28 August 1982 through Spiderleg Records, whom they had been turned onto in the brief period they were living with Crass. The EP peaked at number 33 on the UK Independent Singles and Albums Charts.[2]

In 1983, they released single "Winter", which reached number 18 on the UK Indie Chart, staying on the chart for 7 weeks.[4] On 26 November 1983, they released the Second EP No Sanctuary, which reached the top 10 of the U.K. Independent Music Chart, and gained them the attention of Dead Kennedys vocalist Jello Biafra, who signed them to his record label Alternative Tentacles. This led to their subsequent European headline tour. While in Bologna, Italy, Miller and the other members of Amebix were arrested for vandalism of a squat.[2]

1985–1987: Arise!, Monolith and first disbandment

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Hiring drummer Robert "Spider" Richards in 1985,[5] the band's debut album Arise! was released on 14 September 1985 through Alternative Tentacles. It peaked at number 3 on the U.K. Independent Music Chart.[2]

They soon after relocated to Bath, Somerset and halted their squatting. In 1987 they released their second album Monolith through Heavy Metal Records.[2] However Amebix soon began facing major writer's block,[2] which led them to disband in 1987.[6] Following the disbandment, Spider, George, and Stig went on to perform in Zygote.[7]

2008–2012: Sonic Mass and second disbandment

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In 2008, the Miller brothers reformed Amebix, accompanied by drummer Roy Mayorga.[8] On 25 July 2010, they released the EP Redux through Profane Existence.[9] On 22 July 2011, they released the 12" single "Knights of the Black Sun".[10] On 23 September 2011, they released their third studio album Sonic Mass.[11] In November 2012, the band parted ways once again.[12]

In 2014, Rob "The Baron" Miller joined forces with Jon Misery (Misery), Andy Lefton (War//Plague) and Michel "Away" Langevin of Voivod to form Tau Cross.[13]

In 2019, Stig Miller and Mayorga briefly formed a band with Casey Chaos, recording eighteen songs but never releasing any or deciding on a name.[14] In 2023, Stig Miller and Mayorga formed False Fed with Jeff Janiak of Discharge on vocals and JP Parsons on bass.[15]

Musical style

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Amebix began their career playing heavily music indebted to Killing Joke. They first embracing metal influences on their 1983 album No Sanctuary, which was one of the earliest releases in the crust punk genre.[16] However, the album retained much of the band's early post-punk sound, to the extent that Altaride Chronicles magazine called the album "post-punk crust".[17] The crust punk sound was codified on their subsequent album Arise (1985).[16][18] The group however continued to differentiate themselves from the other groups in the genre, by continuing to use elements of post-punk, with Maximum Rocknroll writer Joao Seixas describing them as "expanding on what Killing Joke began with, a Motörhead-inspired sense of rock'n'roll songwriting, and adding a taste of what can be described as deathrock-oriented post-punk guitar atmosphere."[19]

Amebix have cited influences including Bauhaus, Killing Joke, Joy Division,[20] Black Sabbath,[21] Motörhead,[22] Crass,[23] Brian Eno, the Stranglers, Devo, Pink Floyd, Accept, Mercyful Fate, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Magazine, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, T. Rex,[24] Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, Sex Pistols, Hawkwind,[3] Stiff Little Fingers, Cockney Rejects, Procol Harum,[25] David Bowie and Bad Brains.[26] Furthermore, the members of Amebix and first-wave black metal band Celtic Frost tape traded with one another, leading to some shared musical characteristics.[27]

Legacy

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By being one of the first bands to blend anarcho-punk and heavy metal music, Amebix are often cited as one of the key bands that helped to create the crust punk genre, and as being influential to many extreme metal bands, especially black metal bands.[16][28]

They have been cited as an influence by musicians including Sven Erik Kristiansen of Mayhem,[29] Napalm Death,[30] Doom,[31] From Ashes Rise,[32] Gallhammer,[33] Rudimentary Peni,[34] Integrity,[35] Nausea,[36] Disclose,[37] Bolt Thrower,[38] Septic Tank,[39] Starkweather,[40] Mortiis,[41] Heresy,[42] Born Dead Icons,[43] Hellbastard,[44] Deathspell Omega,[45] SECT,[46] Winter,[47] Sepultura and Deviated Instinct.[48] In an interview with The Guardian in 2016, the band was cited along with a number of other British anarcho-punk bands of the early 80s as being an influence to the American post-metal group Neurosis.[49]

Members

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Final line-up

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  • Rob "The Baron" Miller – vocals (1978–1987; 2008–2012), bass (1979–1987; 2008–2012)
  • Chris "Stig" Miller – guitar, backing vocals (1978–1987; 2008–2012), keyboards (1978–1979)
  • Roy Mayorga – drums, percussion, keyboards (2008–2012)

Past members

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  • Clive Barnes – bass (1978–1979)
  • Andy "Billy Jug" Hoare – drums (1978–1981)
  • Ric Gadsby – bass (1979)
  • Martin Baker – drums (1981)
  • Norman Butler – keyboards (1981–1984)
  • Virus – drums (1981–1985; died 2015)
  • Jenghiz – keyboards (1984)
  • George Fletcher – keyboards (1984–1986)
  • Robert "Spider" Richards – drums (1985–1987)
  • Andy Wiggins – keyboards (1986–1987)

Timeline

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Discography

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Studio albums

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EPs

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Live albums

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  • V živo (1986)

Compilation albums

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Singles

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  • "Winter" (1983, 7", Spiderleg Records)
  • "Knights of the Black Sun" (2011)

Demos

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  • Amebix (1979, self-released)
  • Right to Ride (1987, self-released)

References

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  1. ^ Glasper, Ian (2007). The Day the Country Died: A History of Anarcho Punk 1980 to 1984. Cherry Red Books. p. 332. I'd just been kicked out of the ATC, where I was a sergeant at the time; I'd disgraced myself terribly by getting pissed up in Holland on this big march over there with six-and-a-half thousand allied troops, so the RAF wasn't an option for me after that. But as one door closed, so another one opened
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glasper, Ian. The Day the Country Died: A History of Anarcho Punk 1980–1984.
  3. ^ a b c Pivotto Jr, Homero. "Stig Miller (Amebix) Was Empowred By Lack Of Opportunity And Is Concentrate On His Sanity And Music". Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  4. ^ Lazell, Barry (1998) Indie Hits 1980–1989, Cherry Red Books, ISBN 0-95172-069-4, p. 6
  5. ^ "Yahoo! Music". Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  6. ^ Spokony, Sam. "Rob Miller Of Amebix: Things I Have Learned About Being A Swordsmith". The Quietus. Archived from the original on 5 April 2022. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  7. ^ Gentile, John. "Zygote A Wind of Knives [Reissue] (2020)". Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  8. ^ "AMEBIX REFORM WITH DRUMMER ROY MAYORGA". Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles. Archived from the original on 25 January 2020. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  9. ^ Keith Carman (25 July 2010). "Redux review by Exclaim!". Exclaim.ca. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
  10. ^ Gentile, John. "Knights of the Black Sun [12-inch] (2011)". Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  11. ^ Jameson, Neill (6 March 2017). "Justify Your Shitty Taste: Amebix "Sonic Mass"". Decibel. Archived from the original on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  12. ^ "AMEBIX Calls It Quits". 30 November 2012. Archived from the original on 25 January 2020. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  13. ^ Franco, Nicholas (22 July 2017). "Album Review: TAU CROSS Pillar of Fire". Metal Injection. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  14. ^ Kennelty, Greg. "ROY MAYORGA Reflects On Failed Project With AMEN & AMEBIX Members". Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  15. ^ Brown, Gavin. "(((O))) INTERVIEW: JEFF JANIAK, STIG C. MILLER AND JP PARSONS FROM FALSE FED". Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  16. ^ a b c Von Havoc, Felix (1 January 1984). "Rise of Crust". Profane Existence. Archived from the original on 15 June 2008. Retrieved 16 June 2008.
  17. ^ Chenu, Claire; Pérès, Sophie; Munier, Thomas; Emeraud, Yannick; Cherel, Benoit; Boudaud, Sebastien (March 2013). "The War". Altaride Chronicles (10): 16. We will throw ourselves to the ground under the noise of the gusts of automatic with the post-punk crust of Amebix: No Sanctuary
  18. ^ Kott, Paul. "Amebix discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
  19. ^ Seixas, Joao. "Zygote Reviews". Maximum Rocknroll. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  20. ^ Glasper, Ian (2006). The Day the Country Died: A History of Anarcho Punk 1980 to 1984. Cherry Red Books. p. 335. Yeah, we were developing all these influences from people like Bauhaus and Joy Division, but especially Killing Joke, who were just absolutely fucking incredible.
  21. ^ Glasper, Ian (2006). The Day the Country Died: A History of Anarcho Punk 1980 to 1984. Cherry Red Books. p. 344. We didn't take too much from Sabbath either, contrary to popular opinion... what we did get from them was, uh, the vibe of 'War Pigs'. And what was really unsettling was that first album cover, those woods with the old house in the background.
  22. ^ "Interview: Amebix".
  23. ^ "(((O))) INTERVIEW: STIG MILLER FROM AMEBIX". Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  24. ^ Stone, Adam. "Amebix: Q & A With Rob Miller". Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  25. ^ "Rob "The Baron" Miller of Tau Cross Interviewed". Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  26. ^ "Amebix". Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  27. ^ Hobson, Rich (30 November 2021). "The 12 heaviest punk albums of all time". Metal Hammer. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
  28. ^ Peter Jandreus, The Encyclopedia of Swedish Punk 1977-1987, Stockholm: Premium Publishing, 2008, p. 11.
  29. ^ Patterson, Dayal. "MANIAC INTERVIEW (ExcLUSIVE, 2019)". Retrieved 29 December 2024.
  30. ^ "Napalm Death Interview (1987)". Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  31. ^ "Means to an End: The Lasting Legacy of Doom's "Police Bastard" EP". Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  32. ^ "INTERVIEWS FROM ASHES RISE". Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  33. ^ "GALLHAMMER". Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  34. ^ Robb, John. "Rudimentary Peni interview from 1982 – by Winston Smith". Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  35. ^ "Integrity's All Death Is Mine: Total Domination: Guitarist Dom Romeo's Track-by-Track Breakdown of New Collection". Retrieved 23 December 2024.
  36. ^ John, John. "The Nausea Story". Alternative Tentacles. Archived from the original on 1 August 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  37. ^ "Disclose". Mangelslakt (1). 1999.
  38. ^ Philipson, Lork K. "Jo Bench interview". Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  39. ^ PESSARO, FRED (23 March 2018). "HEAR SEPTIC TANK CHANNEL GISM, DISCHARGE ON FURIOUS "TREASURERS OF DISEASE". Revolver. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  40. ^ "Starkweather Guitarist: Pioneering Metalcore Is Like 'Spreading Cancer'". Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  41. ^ "Mortiis: "We are used to never fitting in"". Retrieved 29 December 2024. We are not only into Swedish and Finnish stuff. I wrote the previous question about that. But we listen to punk rock ('77 to early '80s) Menace, Cocksparrer, Special Duties, Blitz, Amebix, Sacrilege, Axegrinder.
  42. ^ Glasper, Ian (2009). Trapped in a Scene: UK Hardcore 1985-89. p. 114. We were into that whole Amebix/Antisect thing, the real rough, nastier end of the UK punk scene, trading tapes with all the foreigners, trying to get our hands on American hardcore basically.
  43. ^ "Born Dead Icons - Part of Something Larger Than Ourselves Review". Archived from the original on 28 July 2014. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  44. ^ Glasper, Ian (2009). Trapped in a Scene: UK Hardcore 1985-89. p. 242. All the members were listening to more and more metal music – Metallica, Venom and the like – and it was definitely influencing us. The likes of Amebix and Antisect were getting much more metallic too.
  45. ^ Göransson, Niklas. "deathspell omega". Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  46. ^ Alvarez, Jamez (6 September 2016). "Hardcore Supergroup Supreme-SECT". New Noise Magazine. No. 27. p. 8. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  47. ^ "PILLARS OF THE 90S: AN INTERVIEW WITH WINTER". Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  48. ^ Amebix biography at AllMusic
  49. ^ Deller, Alex (3 November 2016). "Neurosis: 'Crass were the mother of all bands'". The Guardian. Kings Place, London. Archived from the original on 29 November 2022. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  50. ^ "Amebix Reveals New Album Details". Retrieved 24 January 2018.
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