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Eyeless In Gaza are an English musical duo of Martyn Bates and Peter Becker, based in Nuneaton, Warwickshire. They have described their music as "veer[ing] crazily from filmic ambiance to rock and pop, industrial funk to avant-folk styles."[3] Formed in 1980, the group went into hiatus in 1987, re-emerging in 1993.

Eyeless In Gaza
Peter Becker of Eyeless In Gaza, 2010
Background information
Origin	Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England
Genres	Post-punk[1] experimental[1] art rock[1] alternative rock[1] new wave[2]
Years active	1980 (1980)–1987 (1987), 1992 (1992)–present
Labels	Cherry Red, Ambivalent Scale
Members	Martyn Bates Peter Becker Elizabeth S. (occasional member)
Past members	Joby Palmer
Website	www.eyelessingaza.com

History

Formation (1979–1980)

Becker, a laboratory technician, had played in a covers band before buying and experimenting with a Wasp synthesizer (he released a solo cassette-album in June 1980 and a second a year later).[4] Bates, a hospital worker, had previously been in a very early lineup of the unclassifiable Coventry-based band Reluctant Stereotypes, and also released a cassette of experimental electronic music in 1979.[5] Shortly afterwards they met (after having both been turned down for membership in Nuneaton's Bron Area) and together they formed Eyeless In Gaza, both contributing vocals and several instruments.[5][6] The band name is a reference to the novel Eyeless In Gaza by Aldous Huxley (which in turn was influenced by John Milton's Samson Agonistes).[7] Bates has said he chose the name "for the sound of it.... I was reading the Huxley book when I met Pete.... It sounded perfectly nice." But Bates has also acknowledged an allusion to the "biblical myth" of Samson, saying, "I feel attracted by religion. I feel that people don’t pay enough attention to the spiritual side of their life; it is a very interesting side of the human psychism and it fascinates me." (Interview in Les Inrockuptibles, number 14, 1988)[8]

The Early Years (1980–1987)

Peter Becker and Martyn Bates began making music together in February 1980. Early sessions resulted in the tracks included on their first EP and within a year they had recorded two albums.[9]

After the self-released EP, Kodak Ghosts Run Amok, they signed to Cherry Red Records, releasing debut album Photographs as Memories in February 1981.[10] The duo became known for their unconventional instrumentation and arrangements, and for Bates passionate vocals, which at times were howled, whispered, or stammered.[11] Their second album, Caught in Flux, included a bonus five track EP and at the end of 1981 they had completed their third, Pale Hands I Loved So Well, which subsequently was released by the Norwegian label Uniton. In 1981 they also released two EPs, Invisibility and Others. In addition to their vinyl releases the duo also performed numerous songs in live concerts which were never released on records.[12]

After two further albums for Cherry Red, Drumming the Beating Heart (1982) and Rust Red September (1983), as well as the 1984 EP Sun Bursts In, they added Aztec Camera drummer Dave Ruffy for the more pop-oriented single "Welcome Now" (1985). For the last album of the early years, Back from the Rains (1986), the former Sinatras/In Embrace drummer Joby Palmer were recruited.[13] They toured with Depeche Mode in 1986.[12]

The Hiatus (1987–1992)

Eyeless in Gaza played their last gig in Reus, Spain in 1987.[9] The group then went on hiatus after Becker married and temporarily relocated to Spain, with Bates (who had also gotten married by this point, to longtime girlfriend and occasional band collaborator Elizabeth S.) concentrating on solo work.[14][15][16] Cherry Red released the retrospective collection Kodak Ghosts Run Amok-–Chronological Singles, etc., 1980-86 in 1987.

Both Peter Becker and Martyn Bates had released solo albums on cassettes in 1979-1981 and Martyn Bates released his first solo album on 10 inch vinyl, Letters Written, in 1982. Only Bates continued his solo career during this period and released several albums. Eyeless In Gaza reunited in 1990 to collaborate on a new Eyeless In Gaza epic, Glow of Sight, for inclusion at the end of Bates’ last solo album on the Belgian Integrity label, Stars Come Trembling (1990). Bates and Becker went directly from this to collaborate with Anne Clark on her album The Law Is an Anagram of Wealth and later also on To Love & Be Loved.[6] In 1991 Bates formed Hungry I with former Primitives bassist/guitarist Steve Dullahan.[17][18]

The Journey Continues (1993–present)

Eyeless In Gaza returned in 1993 with a release of the Fabulous Library album – an album that started as a project by Elizabeth S. and Peter Becker, but soon Martyn Bates also joined in and it got released as an Eyeless In Gaza album. Elizabeth S continued joining them onstage for live gigs since the early 2000s, but for the albums they returned to the original duo setup since the first regular album Saw You In Reminding Pictures (1994) after the dormant years. Bates also recorded three albums of Murder Ballads between 1994 and 1998 with M.J. Harris (Napalm Death/Scorn), also (earlier) contributing vocals to Derek Jarman's The Last of England and The Garden. Martyn Bates continued to release solo albums alongside the regular Eyeless albums. In 2012, Martyn Bates and Peter Becker appeared on "Right North" (2CD), of the international collective 48 Cameras.

In 2016, both the 2CD compilation Picture the Day: A Career Retrospective 1981–2016 and Eyeless In Gaza's eighteenth album Sun Blues were released to positive reviews. The latter album was given four stars out of five in Mojo magazine and another critic, reviewing both releases, wrote: "It takes some time to truly ‘hear’ the layers and complexities of this album, in the same way it takes time to grasp the width, breath and achievement of Eyeless In Gaza’s musical history. But time spent will be rewarded: Eyeless In Gaza remain one of the most accomplished and interesting bands to have emerged from the music-making underground post punk and postpunk."[19]

40 years after their formation, Eyeless In Gaza released their most recent album Ink Horn/One Star in January 2020.[20]

Discography

Albums

• Photographs as Memories (1981), Cherry Red - UK Indie no. 19,[15] CD reissue includes 7 bonus tracks from early singles
• Caught in Flux (1981), Cherry Red - UK Indie no. 27,[15] original LP included bonus 5 track 12", The Eyes of Beautiful Losers, also included on CD reissue
• Pale Hands I Loved So Well (1982), Uniton
• Drumming the Beating Heart (1982), Cherry Red/Virgin - UK Indie no. 26,[15] CD issue (1996) also includes Pale Hands I Loved So Well
• Rust Red September (1983), Cherry Red - UK Indie no. 5,[15] CD issue (1994) includes 6 bonus tracks
• Back from the Rains (1986), Cherry Red - CD issue (1989) includes 4 bonus tracks
• Fabulous Library (1993), Orchid
• Saw You in Reminding Pictures (1994), Hive-Arc
• Bitter Apples (1995), Ambivalent Scale
• All Under the Leaves, the Leaves of Life (1996), Ambivalent Scale
• Song of the Beautiful Wanton (2000), Soleilmoon
• Summer Salt & Subway Sun (2006), Ambivalent Scale (first album)
• Summer Salt & Subway Sun (2008), Beta-lactam Ring (both albums)
• Answer Song & Dance (2010), Monopol
• Everyone Feels Like a Stranger (2011), Ambivalent Scale
• Butterfly Attitude (2012), Downwards
• Mania Sour (2014), Ambivalent Scale
• Sun Blues (2016), Ambivalent Scale
• Winter Sang (2018), Ambivalent Scale
• Ink Horn/One Star (2019), Ambivalent Scale

Compilations

• Kodak Ghosts Run Amok-–Chronological Singles, etc., 1980-86 (1987), Cherry Red
• Transience Blues (1990), Integrity
• Orange Ice & Wax Crayons (1992), Document - previously unreleased material
• Voice; The Best of Eyeless In Gaza (1993), Cherry Red
• Sixth Sense-–The Singles Collection (2002), Cherry Red
• Home Produce—Country Bizarre (2003), NDN - with Lol Coxhill, expanded version of the 1982 release
• No Noise - The Very Best of Eyeless In Gaza (2005), Cherry Red
• Plague of Years (2010), Sub Rosa
• Orange Ice & Wax Crayons (2012), cat|sun MonotypeRec - previously unreleased material (different from 2002 release)
• Original Albums Boxset (2014), Cherry Red – 4 CD boxset, first four albums and one disc of 1980–1983 rarities
• Mythic Language (2015), A-Scale – 3 CD boxset with bonus download album, rarities and unreleased material
• Picture the Day: A Career Retrospective (1981–2016) (2016), Cherry Red

EPs

• Kodak Ghosts Run Amok (1980), Ambivalent Scale
• Invisibility (1981), Cherry Red
• Others (1981), Cherry Red
• Kiss the Rains Goodbye (1986), Cherry Red
• Streets I Ran (1995), Ambivalent Scale - 5 track companion release to "Saw You In Reminding Pictures"

Singles

• "Veil Like Calm" (1982), Cherry Red - UK Indie no. 42[15]
• "New Risen" (1983), Cherry Red - UK Indie no. 15[15]
• "Sun Bursts In" (1984), Cherry Red - UK Indie no. 13[15]
• "Welcome Now" (1985), Cherry Red
• "Shorepoem" (2009), Monopol

Cassettes

• Untitled/Home Produce (1982), Tago Mago - split cassette with Lol Coxhill
• Flowmotion (1982) – Various artists, including ″Dusky Ruth″ and ″Through Eastfields″ by Eyeless In Gaza
• Rust Red September / Singles, Rarities and Deletions (1983) Cherry Red – Contains 15 bonus tracks
• Back from the Rains / Drumming the Beating Heart (1986) Cherry Red – Double Play cassette
• Kodak Ghosts Run Amok (Chronological Singles etc. 1980-1986) / Caught In Flux (1987) Cherry Red – Double Play cassette

Videos

• Street Lamps n' Snow (1994) - 1982 concert in Le Havre
• Saw You in Reminding Pictures (2005), Cherry Red - DVD reissue of above video plus original promo videos for "Veil Like Calm" and "New Risen" and six tracks recorded live on the Isle of Wight, 2004

Notes

References

• Gimarc, George (2005) Punk Diary, Backbeat Books, ISBN 0-87930-848-6
• Henderson, Alex "Eyeless In Gaza Biography", Allmusic. Retrieved 25 March 2013
• Larkin, Colin (1998) The Virgin Encyclopedia of Indie & New Wave, Virgin Books, ISBN 0-7535-0231-3
• Lazell, Barry (1998) Indie Hits 1980-1989, Cherry Red Books, ISBN 0-95172-069-4, p. 81
• Strong, Martin C. (2003) The Great Indie Discography, Canongate, ISBN 1-84195-335-0

External links

• Official website

На других языках

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[de] Eyeless in Gaza (britische Band)

Eyeless in Gaza ist eine britische Post-Punk-/New-Wave-Formation, bestehend aus Martyn Bates und Peter Becker aus Nuneaton, Warwickshire. Die Band hat sich nach einem Roman von Aldous Huxley (dt. Geblendet in Gaza) benannt.[1]

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- [en] Eyeless in Gaza (band)

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