Fishcake
artist pic
Fishcake are currently a 5-piece alternative rock band from Leicester, England.
Originally formed in the late 90's as 3-piece, they began life as "John the Fishcake", playing covers of their influences including Green Day, Nirvana, Pixies and the Lemonheads. Founding members Richard (Springy) Springthorpe (guitar / vocals), Neil Taylor (Bass) and Richard Buckby (Drums) shortened the name to simply "Fishcake" shortly afterwards and began writing their own material and gigging around Leicester.
Soon enough, the band recruited Paul Wright to take over as lead vocalist to give Springy greater freedom on the guitar and the band began to evolved into an altogether darker, heavier sound that reflected their individual listening habits, including Shellac, Slint, Silverchair, Deftones, Fugazi, Helmet and Tool to name but a few.
In 2002 the band recorded their first EP at Seamus Wong studio's in Leicester, producing only 50 copies and giving them all away for free to anybody who requested them.
Not until 2008 did the band release another record. The band were offered an opportunity to record some tracks by Andrew Jackson (then of Maybeshewill) which the band duly obliged. Recording 3 tracks in one 4 hour session at a Leicester rock club venue, and then mixed and mastered by Andy and John Helps (also, and currently, of Maybeshewill) the tracks were to be made into Fishcake's simply titled "EP2". Offered a supporting slot on Maybeshewill's debut album launch night at Sumo Bar, in the summer of 2008, Fishcake used the gig as their own mini EP launch. With bespoke artwork from local artist Anna Davis, the EP was out and is still available from the band (check www.myspace.com/fishcaketheband).
That supporting slot for Maybeshewill also allowed the band to introduce audiences to to a new band member, Jaimie Marlow, who debuted as a live guitarist at that gig.
In 2009 Fishcake were again given an opportunity to record by Andrew Jackson, recording 4 songs played live, with vocals re-recorded at De Montfort University shortly afterwards. "EP3" was released in download format only.
Currently, the band are on one of their many hiatus periods. This is however nothing new, with the band seemingly disappearing frequeuntly from public consciousness for as long as two years at a time.
Also noteworthy is that the band have shunned conventional means of self-promotion. Live performances are incredibly rare. Even during the bands Halcyon days of gigging in the early-mid noughties, the band woul only play about 6 gigs a year. The band have often cited a boredom of their own material as to the reason why, preferring to focus on continually writing new material. This process, however, has been known to come in fits and starts due to financial viability issues in renting rehearsal space, plus the personal commitments of each member of the band.
This lack of self-promotion has inevitably led Fishcake to almost permanently dwell below the radar of public imagination. Despite this, the band seem relatively popular amongst their peers in the Leicester Music Scene.
As Fishcake, little is known as to the future, or the very existence of the band. Individually however, the band have been, and in some cases still are, involved with numerous other projects:
Buckby has occassionally played for Leicester post-rocker two-piece "Teen Amateur".
Springy and Jaimie play as occassional Electronica artist "Tenacity?"
Neil, Springy and Jaimie are probably better known in the current climate as 3-piece Mucky-Funk rockers "Logfox", with Springy switching to Bass and Neil to drums.
Paul has recorded some vocals for Hardcore outfit "Jimmy Two Eyes" and produces his own solo Electronica material under the alias of "Ganapadi Store".
Read more on Last.fm.
last.fm: 388 listeners, 732 plays
tags: metal, pop, rock, loud, quiet
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