Swell Maps discography

SWELL MAPS

DISCOGRAPHY

Swell Maps have their origins in Solihull 1972, when teenage brothers Nikki Sudden (guitar/vocals) and Epic Soundtracks (drums/piano) began making music, shortly joined by schoolfriends Jowe Head (bass/vocals) and David Barrington (guitar). Hours of home recordings were captured on basic equipment, with the band augmented by new members Richard Earl and John 'Golden' Cockrill. It wasn't until 1977 and the punk era that Swell Maps recorded and released their first 'proper' record.

Swell Maps were not a punk band in the respect that the term punk is generally understood, but they certainly espoused the DIY spirit of the age. They combined elements of raw garage rock, Krautrock, the avant-garde and what would later be termed 'ambient' music; they released four singles and two albums before splitting during a tour of Italy in April 1980. Posthumous releases were compiled from outtakes and home recordings. They are cited as an influence by some of the "art-noise" bands of the Eighties and Nineties, such as Sonic Youth, and by lo-fi outfits like Pavement.

A comprehensive discography can be viewed at http://www.nikkisudden.com (archive version - site now defunct).

March 2017: Jowe Head shares some thoughts about the influence and impact of DJ John Peel and recalls the band's first visit to Maida Vale to record a session for the programme: John Peel remembered.

SINGLES
	Read About Seymour Read About Seymour / Ripped And Torn / Black Velvet 7" Rather Records GEAR ONE 1977 7" Rough Trade RT 010 1978 (reissue)
	Dresden Style Dresden Style / Ammunition Train / Full Moon (Dub) 7" Rough Trade RT 012 1978
	Real Shocks Real Shocks / English Verse / Monologues 7" Rough Trade RT 021 1979
	Let's Build A Car Let's Build A Car / Big Maz In The Country / ...Then Poland 7" Rough Trade RT 036 1979

ALBUMS
	A Trip To Marineville Rough Trade - Rough 2 - July 1979 H.S. Art Another Song Vertical Slum Spitfire Parade Harmony In Your Bathroom Don't Throw Ashtrays At Me Midget Submarines Bridge Head (Pt.9) Full Moon In My Pocket Blam!! Full Moon (Reprise) Gunboats Adventuring Into Basketry My Lil' Shops Round The Corner LP came with bonus 7": Loin Of The Surf / Doctor At Cake Steven Does / Bronze And Baby Shoes Reissued by Mute Records in 1989 (MAPS CD 1) with 8 extra tracks.
	...in "Jane From Occupied Europe" Rough Trade - Rough 15 - 1980 Robot Factory Let's Buy A Bridge Border Country Cake Shop The Helicopter Spies Big Maz In The Desert Big Empty Field Mining Villages Collision With A Frogman... ...vs. The Mangrove Delta Plan Secret Island Whatever Happens Next... Blenheim Shots Raining In My Room Reissued by Mute Records in 1989 (MAPS CD 2) with 8 extra tracks.
	Whatever Happens Next... Rough Trade - Rough 21 - 1981 (Double LP) Read About Seymour Fashion Cult Armadillo (I Am) The Greatest Pluming! / Radio Ten Here's The Cupboard (Thrash) Terribly Insect Midget Submarines Whatever Happens Next... Clearasil Record Blam!! Down With Tractors Amphibious Landing Craft Paul's Dead Sheep Dip Havoc All Ended The Himalayas You And The Night And The Music The Stairs Are Like An Avalanche Vertical Slum Forest Fire Midget Submarines (II) Armadillo (II) Bandits On Fire Note: This is a collection of home recordings and out-takes, plus a John Peel session. This was due to be reissued by Mute Records in 1991 (as MAPS CD 4) but the release never happened. Thanks to Nikki Sudden for the info.

COMPILATIONS
	Collision Time Rough Trade - Rough 41 - 1981 Read About Seymour Ammunition Train Full Moon In My Pocket / Blam!! Real Shocks Midget Submarines Let's Build A Car ...Then Poland Secret Island Whatever Happens Next... Big Maz In "The Desert From The Trolley" Big Empty Field Blenheim Shots / A Raincoats Room Note: This is a singles compilation, apparently aimed at the US market.
	Train Out Of It Antar Records - Antar 4 - 1986 Let's Build A Car Real Shocks Read About Seymour Full Moon Big Maz In The Country St. Saviours' Road Doomette The Graveyard Shift Then Poland (Parts 1 & 2) Clear The Floor The Cave Dwellers Dresden Style Ammunition Train Black Velvet Doctor At Cake Elephant Flowers Stitch Rundown Tube Texas Note: This is a further collection of unreleased material, plus tracks culled from the singles. Reissued by Mute Records in 1991 (MAPS CD 3) with 7 extra tracks.
	Collision Time Revisited Mute Records - 71421 - 1989 (Double LP) Let's Build A Car Real Shocks Border Country Big Maz In The Country Blues No. 1 Garden Of Medals Midget Submarines Bridge Head Read About Seymour Ammunition Train Doctor At C. St. Saviour's Road The Graveyard Shift Big Maz In The Desert Mining Villages Blues No. 2 Beatle Bonfire Secret Island The Stairs Are Like An Avalanche Gunboats ...Then Poland Full Moon In My Pocket Blam!! Full Moon (Reprise) Fashion Cult Whatever Happens Next... Blenheim Shots Raining In My Room Texas
	International Rescue Alive Records - Alive 0035 - 1999 International Rescue Real Shocks Black Velvet Ammunition Train Ripped And Torn Spitfire Parade New York Forest Fire Winter Rainbow Dresden Style (City Boys) Vertical Slum H.A.K. I Really Love You Hey Johnny! Where's The Chewing Gum?
	Sweep The Desert Alive Records - Alive 0041-2 - 2000 Then Poland Full Moon In My Pocket BLAM! Full Moon (reprise) Big Maz In The Desert Big Empty Field (no. 2) Don't Throw Ashtrays At Me Midget Submarines Bridge Head (part 9) Never To See Any Other Way Doomette Collision With A Frogman vs. The Mangrove Delta Plane Fashion Cult Big Maz In The Country Cave Mines Avalanche Big Empty Field Raining Room The Graveyard Shift
GUEST APPEARANCES
Members of the Swell Maps played on or produced several contemporary recordings. Here are a selection.
Steve Treatment 5 A-Sided 45 Hooked On A Trend / Danger Zone / Negative Nights Taste Your Own Medicine / The Hippy Posed Engrossment 7" Rather Records GEAR 2 (1978) Features Nikki Sudden, Epic Soundtracks, Jowe Head and Richard Earl (?).
Cult Figures Zip Nolan Zip Nolan / Playing With Toys / Zip Dub 7" Rough Trade RT 020 (1979) The Cult Figures were Birmingham duo Gary Jones and Jonny Hodgson. On this, their debut single, they were backed by the Swell Maps: Nikki Sudden, Epic Soundtracks, Jowe Head and Richard Earl.
Cult Figures In Love EP I Remember / Laura Kate / Almost A Love Song 7" Rather Records GEAR 8 (1980) Nikki Sudden and Epic Soundtracks contributed backing vocals.
Phones Sportsman Band I Really Love You EP I Really Love You / Get Down & Get With It 7" Rather Records GEAR 9 (1980) Phones Sportsman, of course, was an occasional contributor to Swell Maps releases. Features Nikki Sudden, Epic Soundtracks, Jowe Head and Richard Earl.
Metrophase New Age New Age / Frames Of Life 7" Neo London Records PHASE 2 (1980) Features Nikki Sudden (guitar, backing vocals), Jowe Head (bass, backing vocals).
Thanks to the people at Topplers Records for originally alerting me to the existence of these releases. Further information was culled from the official Nikki Sudden website. Additional thanks to Jowe Head and Gary from the Cult Figures for their assistance. Read the story of the Cult Figures at http://cult-figures.tumblr.com/.

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