One Minute Silence
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| One Minute Silence | |
|---|---|
| Origin | United Kingdom |
| Genre(s) | Rap metal Hardcore punk |
| Years active | 1995 - 2003 |
| Label(s) | Big Cat Records (1997 - 2002), Taste Media (2002 - 2003) |
| Former members | |
| Brian 'Yap' Barry, Massimo Fiocco, Eddie Stratton, Glen Diani |
|
One Minute Silence were a four-piece band based in the United Kingdom that combined influences from metal, hardcore punk and rap. The band consisted of vocalist Brian 'Yap' Barry hailing from Co. Tippereary, guitarist Massimo Fiocco hailing from Limerick City, drummer Eddie Stratton and bassist Glen Diani. The band announced its split after eight years in a press release dated October 21, 2003. Although they claimed not to be a "political band" — they are simply "political people" who are also musicians, they say — the group's lyrics have a political message which can be interpreted as generally anti-capitalist and anarchist.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
[edit] Background
One Minute Silence came together in the early 1990s as Irish vocalist Brian Barry got together with guitarist Chris Ignatiou under the name "Near Death Experience". After working with various rhythm sections, they settled with Gibraltarian Glen Diani on bass and Englishman Eddie Stratton on drums. Brian had befriended Eddie prior to the formation of the band. The band was soon forced to change its name because of an American group who shared it, and so they became One Minute Silence. That name, originally intended to be that of a song, was chosen to parody the practice of having a one minute silence as a mark of respect when someone considered "important or well respected" dies. The band felt that that respect was often "misplaced".
[edit] Musical career
The band signed a record deal with Big Cat Records in 1997, and released Available In All Colours the following year. Buy Now... Saved Later followed in 2000 after an amicable split with Ignatiou, who was replaced by Italian Massimo Fiocco, known as Massy. This, their second album, represented a noticeable step in the band's musical progression: the record's production quality and style differed from that of their debut, for which they had used a hip-hop producer. Buy Now... sounded more like a metal album. With its well-rounded production and matured song-writing, Buy Now... sent the band on a tour of the US, with notable acts such as Slipknot and Mudvayne, the latter of which toured with them around the UK as supporting act.
After circulating a three-track demo and signing a deal with Taste Media, the band started recording sessions for their third album in the autumn of 2002. From live performances and both live and studio recordings, the new material was obviously a further progression; the group was experimenting with various time signatures, such as 7/4, and was using more melody and a greater variation in song structure.
A single, "We Bounce", was released on March 31, 2003, with a third album, titled One Lie Fits All, following on July 7, 2003. According to their now-defunct website "[t]his name continues the pattern of manipulating well known marketing slogans in order to present a political statement."
One Lie Fits All showed a new direction for band. Yap's rapping gave way to much more singing on tracks like "Price Of The King's Ticket". There are still the thunderous live songs like "We Bounce" and "I Wear My Skin".
Between these releases, One Minute Silence had toured extensively, though the latest tour had to be cancelled. The group's following came largely from their energetic live shows — they have been voted "Best British Live Act" in Kerrang! magazine.
[edit] Break up
More recently Yap has been following his spoken-word career, succeeding on breaking onto BBC Radio 4's Bespoken Word[1]. However, in a statement released in October 2003, the band announced their split:
- Although we are still the best of friends, and cannot rule out the possibility of working together in the future, for now we are dispersing to pursue other projects and interests. We're still in love, we're just not married any more!! There are no musical differences, and no personal conflicts affecting our friendship with each other, just a desire to branch out and explore other areas of life and music.
- The band would like to extend their infinite love and respect to those who have championed OMS over the years, whether from within the industry and the media or from without. Your support has been life-giving. An extra-special acknowledgement is due to the people who have come to our shows, and especially to the people in the pit, because without you there would have been no OMS, and without people to listen, music would be meaningless. You rule, we love you, and we miss you already!!
- Looking to the future; Yap is going full-throttle into spoken word performances, and he is also working on a number of political and philosophical media projects.
- Glen Diani and Massy Fiocco are currently considering and inviting other options. Eddie Stratton is currently filling in on drums with his friends in New Disease.
[edit] Post One Minute Silence
Since One Minute Silence, Yap began to write and perform new material as a slam poet and public speaker. The new material began to grow into a music project when he met producer John Hendicott and vocalist Donna Williams in 2005. A new band, Pink Punk was formed and in 2006 the debut album Zoo Politics emerged as an independent release on Freeport Records [1]. The band's web site, PPunk.com[2]went live later in 2006 and by the end of the year the album hit iTunes, Napster and more than 7000 digital retailers world wide through Universal Digital and IODA (USA).
Pink Punk are now rehearsing a live show due out on the road late 2007.
[edit] Tours
The band have played in support of:
- Anthrax (US and European tour)
- Biohazard
- Deftones
- Fear Factory
- Incubus (1997 S.C.I.E.N.C.E. tour, with Far)
- Machine Head
- Pitchshifter
- Sevendust
- Sepultura
- Slipknot (2001 Iowa tour, with In Flames & American Head Charge)
The following groups supported One Minute Silence:
- Pulkas
- Sugar Coma
- Earthtone9
- Stampin' Ground
- Will Haven
- Mudvayne
- Million Dead
- Fony
- Jnr Loaded
- Linea 77
- Breed 77
- Kaned And Unable
- King Prawn
- Miocene
- Fallen To
- skindred
[edit] Discography
- Available in All Colours, 1998 album, Big Cat Records
- "South Central", single, Big Cat Records
- "A Waste of Things to Come", single, Big Cat Records
- "Stuck Between A Rock And A White Face", single, Big Cat Records
- Buy Now... Saved Later, 2000 album, V2 Records
- "Holy Man", 2001 single, V2 Records
- "Fish Out Of Water", 2001 single, V2 Records
- "Rise and Shine", 2001 single, V2 Records
- One Lie Fits All, 2003 album, Taste Media
- "Revolution", 2003, EP, Taste Media
- "We Bounce", 2003 single, Taste Media
- "I Wear My Skin", 2003 single, Taste Media
[edit] References
- ^ Bespoken Word on bbc.co.uk.
