Forgemasters (band)
Forgemasters was a British electronic music act composed of Robert Gordon, Winston Hazel and Sean Maher.[1][2] Their single "Track with No Name" was the first release by Warp Records[2][3][4][5][6] and would help define the sound of Warp and bleep techno.[5][7][8]
History
Robert Gordon, Sean Maher and Winston Hazel were colleagues in the FON record shop and studio in Sheffield.[9] Gordon was an engineer at FON Studio and co-founder of Warp Records. The name Forgemasters was taken from a local heavy engineering firm, Sheffield Forgemasters.[5]
Their single "Track with No Name" was the first release by Warp Records.[3][4][5][6][2][7] It was of a techno subgenre, the primarily Sheffield based bleep techno, and written in four hours one evening at Gordon's home studio.[1][2][8] Dave Simpson, writing in Fact in 2012, described it as "driven by an eerie pulse, a sound which would soon be called a ‘bleep’ and become the distinctive signature of hardcore northern techno and, for its first two years, the sound of Warp."[5] Matt Anniss, writing for Resident Advisor in 2014, called it "one of the defining records of the era".[8]
Discography
Singles and EPs
Singles with contributions by Forgemasters
- "Network Retro #8: Back 2 Back Classics" (Network, 1993) – "Somebody New" by MK* / "Track with No Name (Communique Mix)" by Forgemasters
Compilation album appearances
- Warp 10: Influences, Classics, Remixes – Warp 10+2: Classics 89–92 (Warp, 1999) – includes "Track with No Name"
- Rob Gordon Projects by Rob Gordon (Source Records, 1996) – includes "Clap Your Hands", "Metalic" [sic] and "Presence"
Remixes
- "Man Machine (Cyber - Subsonik) mix", Man Machine (Outer Rhythm, 1989) – "Man Machine (Cyber - Subsonik)" and "Man Machine (Elektro - Genetik)" mixed by Forgemasters
- "15 Inches+" (Rebuilt by Forgemasters) – The Wad (Earth Records, 1997). Included on 7 Hills Clash – Rebuilt EP
- "Commercial Rain (Rub-A-Dub Mix)" – Inspiral Carpets (Mute Records, 1990). Included on "Commercial Rain"/"She Comes in the Fall (Remixes)"
See also
References
- Young, Rob (2006). Labels Unlimited: Warp. London: Black Dog Publishing. p. 164. ISBN 1-904772-32-3.
- Montesinos-Donaghy, Daniel (25 July 2014). "We Spoke to Winston Hazel About the Birth of Forgemasters". Vice Media, Inc. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
- "20 years of the Warp factor". The Independent. 28 August 2009. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
- Birke, Sarah (2 November 2007). "Label Profile: Warp Records". The Independent. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
- "The secret history of Warp Records". Fact (UK magazine). 17 April 2012. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
- Simpson, Dave (17 April 2009). "Bleep of faith". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
- "Warp Special". Red Bull Music Academy. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
- "Bleep: The story of Britain's first bass revolution". Resident Advisor. 2 December 2014. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
- Richard King (2012). How Soon is Now?: The Madmen and Mavericks who made Independent Music 1975-2005. Faber and Faber. ISBN 9780571278329.
External links
- Forgemasters discography at Discogs