News

The Computers Release Group Identity

• 19th Jan 2011

From Exeter’s very own tight-knit and fertile punk scene, The Computers return in February with ‘Group Identity’, the new single from their forthcoming debut full-length album, This Is the Computers. The song, released on February 21st, sees the four piece on typically strong form, with an accompanying video recorded in drummer Aidan’s Gran’s house in a tiny rural Devon village. The single also comes backed with a cover of The Clash’s ‘Train in Vain’, as the band pay homage to one of punk’s true greats.

Fast forward to May, when The Computers will unleash their debut album, recorded in four short days in the Californian home of John ‘Speedo’ Reis, more of whom in a minute. It was recorded live, to tape. That means no overdubs. No computers were involved (irony). There were no tweaks, corrections or auto-tuning – this is the real deal, baby. Warts and all, as Lemmy would say.

From the opening 121 seconds of clatter of ‘Where Do I Fit In?’ through the beautiful thrusting discordance of ‘Hot Damoclese’ to the hellacious 12-bar strut of ‘The Queen In 3D’, it is apparent that this is a debut that leaves you no room to catch your breath. It is punk that dares to have a swing in its step; hardcore that knows all the Northern Soul moves. There is no ambiguity or airs of pretension here. The Computers play sartorially-snappy supersonic rhythm and blues with larynx-shredding vocals.

A major breakthrough came when the band were taken under the wing of the aforementioned John ‘Speedo’ Reis, of Rocket From The Crypt / Hot Snakes / Sultans/ The Night Marchers / Swami Records fame. In spring 2010 the quartet relocated to Speedo’s house in Rancho Santa Fe, just outside of San Diego to record This Is The Computers in four days. Four days! On occasion Speedo would put down his beloved cigars to douse the album with his own six-string magical contributions. Being one of the hippest men in America, Speedo then tipped One Little Indian off to The Computers, who promptly signed the band (they thought came from California rather than Devon).

2011 will see The Computers hitting the road with New York-based kindred spirits Gay for Johnny Depp, a pairing to surely put the fear into anyone who values a) their hearing and b) a sense of order and decency. They’ll not be hard to miss: look out for the matching stage-wear, tattoos and general air of a band that can hold it’s own in any sweat-drenched dive or festival stage the world over.

February
15th –Bristol, The Croft
16th –Cardiff, Clwb Ifor Bach
17th – Northampton, Roadmender3
18th –Derby, The Old Bell Hotel
19th – Manchester, Roadhouse 2
20th – Leeds, Cockpit 3
21st – Edinburgh, Sneaky Pete's
22nd – Sheffield, Corporation Small Room
23rd – Birmingham, The Flapper
24th – Exeter, The Cavern
25th – Reading, Face Bar
26th – Brighton (Matinee), Club Revenge
26th – Bournemouth ibar
27th – Margate, Westcoast Bar
28th – Tunbridge Wells, The Forum

March
1st – London, The Barfly
2nd – Guildford, The Boileroom