The legendary
Silver Apples +
Laymar +
Stray Dog Cafe 4/09/08 @ The Roadhouse
Band info
Having grown up in New Orleans listening to the likes of Fats Domino, Little Richard, Big Joe Turner and the like Simeon Coxe III formed the Silver Apples with percussionist Danny Taylor in New York in 1967 with a strong desire to make music with feeling, using only oscillators, drums and vocals. Simeon built his own instrument – dubbed ‘The Simeon’ – simply because there were no portable, playable oscillators around that he could afford and over the years his creation has gone through many changes but basically it consists of several oscillators hooked up to filters, wave distortion circuits, on/off pedals switches and (sometimes) keyboards.
In the early days their albums sold well enough to make the Billboard Top 100 list and their shows were received well by the 60s audiences who were into tripped out dancing. They were also an accepted part of the New York ‘avant garde arts scene’ and had a cult following but prior to the release of the third album, The Garden, their record label folded and in 1970 the band broke up with Simeon returning to his art projects whilst Danny just disappeared from the music business completely.
There was renewed interest in the Silver Apples following the release of their material on a German bootleg label and so Simeon reformed the band in 1996 without Danny Taylor who could not be found. The two, however, were reunited when Danny made a chance phone call to New Jersey’s legendary radio station WFMU who put him in touch with Simeon. The first two albums were quickly re-released and after Danny produced the master tapes for their previously unreleased third album, The Garden finally saw light of day in 1998. In the years that followed the band released several albums of new material and tours followed but in 1999 the Silver Apples tour van crashed leaving Simeon with a broken neck and spinal injuries and partial paralyses in his legs, shoulders and arms restricts his movement even today. Although Danny Taylor died in 2005 Simeon started performing solo versions of the Silver Apples material and appeared at the Portishead curated All Tomorrow’s Parties in 2007 to much acclaim.
The band were years ahead of their time and many people credit them with having given birth to synthesized music and many of the synth-pop, techno and industrial bands of the 80s and 90s can trace their music back to the Silver Apples. Their innovative and creative music resonates in bands like Flying Saucer Attack, Spaceman 3, Stereolab and many others.
Following a successful 2007 tour of the US electronic/psych pioneer Simeon Coxe comes to Manchester fresh from an appearance at Electric Picnic, one of Ireland’s most important summer festivals, where he will be palying alongside the likes of Sigur Ros, Faust, Foals, Grinderman, Josh Ritter and many others.
New York’s legendary the Silver Apples can be seen at The Roadhouse, Manchester on 4/09/08.
Support on the night comes from the mighty Laymar who are probably the darkest most atmospheric post rock type instrumental band around. Also those flippant quirksters Stray Dog Café can be seen in action making this a night to be missed.
www.silverapples.com
www.myspace.com/laymarmusic
www.myspace.com/straydogcafe
www.theroadhouselive.co.uk
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