Venus Fly Trap (band)

Venus Fly Trap
Origin Northampton, England
Genres Alternative rock
Years active 1986–present
Labels Tuesday, Danceteria, Spectre, Soundbuster, Big Blue
Associated acts Novak State Conspiracy, Nova Galaxie Robotnik, Isaws
Website www.spiralarchive.com
Members Alex Novak
Andy Denton
Past members Tony Booker
Dave Freak
Chris Evans
John Novak
Tim Perkins
Curtis Johnson
Nigel Jones
Lucci
Nathan Bundy
Gary Lennon
Neil Ridley
Alex Ward
Brian Ansell
Matt Felce
Simon Alexander

Venus Fly Trap are a British alternative rock band formed in Northampton in the late 1980s. They released five studio albums between 1988 and 1997, and released another in 2004.

History

The band was formed by Alex Novak (vocals, formerly of Religious Overdose, Attrition, and The Tempest) and John Novak (guitar, vocals), and Tony Booker on bass guitar prior to their debut twelve-inch single "Morphine" in March 1988.[1] A further single followed later that year before they signed to French label Danceteria and released their debut mini album Mars in April 1989, collecting tracks from the earlier singles.[1] The band's lineup changed frequently, include guitarists Curtis Johnson and John Novak, Dave Freak (guitar, percussion, vocals) and Chris Evans (bass). Their next album, Totem, was released in January 1990, preceded by a single featuring a cover version of Suicide's "Rocket USA" [1] produced by Kevin Haskins (Love & Rockets/ Bauhaus) and featuring The Jazz Butcher. A Czechoslovakia-only live album was released in late 1991 and Pandora's Box followed in 1992, their last studio album for Danceteria, although the label issued a compilation of the band's work later that year.[1] The original line-up split up, although Novak reformed the band with Gary Lennon (guitar), Neil Ridley (bass) and Andy Denton (drums), releasing the album Luna Tide in early 1995.[2] They toured extensively in Europe where they had a large fanbase, and released their last album for seven years, Dark Amour, in 1997.

Novak also released more electronic-oriented music under the names Nova Galaxie Robotnik and Novak State Conspiracy (with Simon Coleby).[1]

By the 2000s the permanent members were down to Novak and Denton, and they released their latest album, Zenith, in 2004.

Musical style

The band described their sound as "Bladerunner sci-fi rock 'n' roll mixed with acidic cinematic visions".[2] MC5 and The Stooges were other reference points while the use of drum-machine on early singles recalls Sisters Of Mercy. They have been characterised as experimental rock, drawing comparisons to Christian Death,[2] also being compared to Joy Division, with goth rock influences.[1] Novak's vocals were often compared to Jim Morrison.[2] Allmusic described their sound as "darkened noise that's accompanied by a flowing of sense of bleak, electronic rhythm".[3]

Discography

Albums

Live albums
Compilations

Singles and EPs

DVD

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Strong, Martin C. (2003) The Great Indie Discography, Canongate, ISBN 1-84195-335-0, p. 556
  2. 1 2 3 4 Larkin, Colin (1998) The Virgin Encyclopedia of Indie & New Wave, Virgin Books, ISBN 0-7535-0231-3, p. 457
  3. ↑ DaRonco, Mike "Venus Fly Trap Biography", Allmusic, retrieved 2011-01-16
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