Question: Do you think scorn could have been more comercially viable as a band if instead of trying to sell them to metal kids you\'d possibly tried to intergrate them into the bristol trip hop and drum and bass scene that was blowing up at the time? Although the influence of earache on the scene has become clear later on just check out portishead\'s third album clear influence of justin broadrick and mick harris ( possibly down to peter theobalds now being an invada signed artist). From:
Answer:This question had me stumped and bemused at first matey..because its complete news to me that Earache type stuff could be an influence on Portishead's new output, it seemed like you got yer wires crossed, so I dug around online for info..and the connection is INVADA.
Invada is a label I'd not heard of before- but I recognise some of the output, Blood Island Raiders is a band we follow closely, and Gonga containing ex-Akercocke member Peter Theobalds, who we once signed, means we have a slight affiliation right there.So its a hell of a suprise - gobsmacking in fact -to read its the label of Portishead mainman Geoff Barrow. This is a bloke who is crossing a hell of a cultural divide, and deserves to be applauded for that.I mean its not every day that a Bristol trip legend from 90's Chart toppers Portishead starts his own label to release what is basically small unknown UK Stoner/heavy rock bands. I still cant quite beleive it.More power to him.
As for Scorn in the 90s, well it was hard to make their music commercially viable, it was very dark, very heavy ambient dub (as we called it back then) made by Birmingham based metal musicians held in high regard in the grind/death metal scene, but unknown outsode of that pretty insular scene.They were experimenting with sounds- heavy blood indeed, and the full impact of what those guys created is starting to be recognised a decade later.You have to remember that back then, we had zero in common with the Pop scene, could'nt stand it infact.The Bristol trip hop scene Massive attack, Tricky Portishead were pop stars basically - they were world's apart.
Scorn at the time, did have some odd mainstream flirtations though, via remixes on the Ellipsis album, Autechre, Coil and Andy Weatherall were involved, but that was about as far as it went.
geoff cited jesu in his list of influences on third, invada have even gone as far to sign jesu affilated band iroha who share a bassist with jesu.
ReplyDeleteI remember being into both Scorn and Portishead. Having been an Earache, Sub-Pop, Amp Reptile fan for years, then finding the dance and dub scene.
ReplyDeleteScorn was influenced by both early jungle and hip-hop as well as punk and industrial.
I think you did not listen or understand your product correctly.
Portishead is dark. Scorn is very dark, but the tracks from the 3rd album onwards fall into a similar ball park to a lot the trip hop at the time. It just had the stigma of Earache attached.
I love old Earache release, so don't take that comment the wrong way, but it was never going to get far in a none metal audience with that label name on the spine. Just as the poor buggers couldn't get far with the metal crowd.
Mick is finally getting the interest he deserves, it's a shame he's been on small labels with poor distributuion.