Ramleh (band)

Ramleh are a British experimental music group formed by musician Gary Mundy in 1982. The current line-up of the band includes Gary Mundy, Anthony di Franco and Stuart Dennison. Originally a part of the English power electronics and industrial music scene in early 1980s, Ramleh experimented with a more traditional rock format in their later releases.

Ramleh
OriginUnited Kingdom
Genres
Years active1982 (1982)–1984 (1984), 1987, 1989–1997, 2009–present
Labels
Associated acts
Websitewww.brokenflag.com
Members
  • Gary Mundy
  • Anthony di Franco
  • Stuart Dennison
Past members

History

The group was formed by Mundy in 1982 as a part of the power electronics scene in early 1980s, which included artists such as Whitehouse and Sutcliffe Jügend.[1] After releasing Onslaught cassette, he was joined by Philip Best, a 14-year-old musician who was known for his involvement in Iphar and Whitehouse.[2][3] The band's 21/5/62/82 cassette was released in 1982 and was titled as a reference to the execution of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann.[1] Ramleh recorded four more cassette releases in 1982: Onslaught, Live to Theresienstadt, Live New Force, and Live Phenol. Live McCarthy, Live at Moden Tower 12/10/1983, and Live at Prossneck 1/10/83, A Return to Slavery and The Hand of Glory EPs were added to the band's catalogue in 1983. This was followed by a string of cassette releases in 1983. Although Ramleh disbanded in 1984, Mundy's own record label Broken Flag continued releasing Ramleh material.[1]

After releasing Hole in the Heart cassette and a few records under the Ramleh alias in 1987, Mundy reformed the band in 1989 with Best.[1] The reunion was followed by Grudge for Life LP in 1989. Inspired by Mundy's experimental rock band Skullflower,[2] the band began to incorporate rock influences in their records, starting with Blowhole in 1991.[4] After releasing Caught From Behind, a split with Italian artist M.T.T, and Crystal Revenge, the band added Skullflower members Anthony di Franco on bass and Stuart Dennison on drums to its line-up. The new line-up released Homeless in 1994. The band continued releasing rock records in late 1990s, which included Adieu, All You Judges and Be Careful What You Wish For in 1995, and Works III in 1996.[4] After releasing Boeing, Mundy disbanded Ramleh for the second time.[1]

In 2009, Mundy and di Franco reformed Ramleh with drummer Martyn Watts. In that year, the band also returned to its original power electronics aesthetics with Valediction LP, although Mundy states that the band will be performing in both rock and electronic genres.[2] In 2015, Stuart Dennison returned to drum with Ramleh and played on the US west coast tour in January 2016.

Musical style and imagery

Early recordings of Ramleh were labeled as power electronics and noise music.[1][2][5] Nevertheless, in 1990s the band started experiment with more traditional rock music structures. The band's more traditional works were commonly labeled as "noise rock."[4][6] Frances Morgan of The Quietus described the band music during this era as "a brutal, abject strand of dark psychedelic rock,"[7] while albums such as Works III and Boeing were labeled as "heavy psych-noise rock."[5] Skullflower and Butthole Surfers were influences on these works.[2] Ramleh's first album after 2009 reunion expressed a revival of the band's original power electronics genre and was compared to the works of Japanese noise musician Merzbow,[2][5] while the band retained its rock music instrumentation during this era, performing on both genres.[2]

In its early days, Ramleh flirted with Nazi and fascist imagery for its shock value, like other bands in the industrial music scene.[1][4] Nevertheless, Mundy and Best since discontinued this practice and disavowed it, denying any affiliations with right-wing or hate groups.[8]

Band members
Current members
  • Gary Mundy – vocals, guitar, keyboards, electronics (1982–1984, 1987, 1989–1997, 2009–present)
  • Anthony di Franco – bass, keyboards, electronics, vocals (1994–1997, 2009–present)
  • Stuart Dennison – drums (1994–1997, 2015–present)
Past members
  • Philip Best – vocals, keyboards, electronics (1982–1984, 1989–1997)
  • Martyn Watts – drums (2009–2015)

Discography
Studio albums and LPs
  • A Return To Slavery (1983, Broken Flag)
  • Grudge For Life (1989, Vis-A-Vis)
  • Blowhole (1991, Shock)
  • Caught From Behind (1990, Minus Habens)
  • Crystal Revenge/Paid In Full (split LP with Mtt) (1991, Minus Habens)
  • Shooters Hill (1992, Shock)
  • Homeless (1994, Freek Records)
  • Adieu, All You Judges (with Skullflower) (1995, Broken Flag)
  • Be Careful What You Wish For (1995, Sympathy For The Record Industry)
  • Works III (1996, Dirter Promotions)
  • Boeing (1997, Majora)
  • Too Many Miles (2002, Dirter Productions)
  • Valediction (2009, Broken Flag)
  • Live Valediction (2013, Broken Flag)
  • Circular Time (2015, Crucial Blast)
  • The Great Unlearning (2019, Entropy)
Cassette releases
  • Onslaught (1982, Iphar)
  • 31/5/62/82 (1982, Broken Flag)
  • Live To Theresienstadt (1982, Broken Flag)
  • Live New Force (1982, Broken Flag)
  • Live Phenol (1982, Broken Flag)
  • Live Prossneck, 1/10/83 (1983, Broken Flag)
  • Live At Moden Tower, 12/10/983 (1983, Broken Flag)
  • Live Mccarthy (1983, Broken Flag)
  • 104 Weeks (1984, Broken Flag)
  • As I Have Won (1984, Broken Flag)
  • Awake! (1985, Broken Flag)
  • Nerve (split with Ani-Tow) (1986, Broken Flag)
  • Hole in the Heart (1987, Broken Flag)
  • Pumping (1987, Broken Flag)
  • Tomorrow We Live (split with Irritant) (Sound of Pig Music)
  • A Penis Tense Not Penitence (split with Nails Ov Christ) (Strength Through Awareness)
  • Soundcheck Changeling (1994, Broken Flag)
  • Airborne Babel (1995, Broken Flag)
  • Live 1983 (1995, Broken Flag)
EPs and singles
  • The Hand of Glory EP (1983, Broken Flag)
  • "Slammers/Black Moby Dick" (1990, Shock)
  • "Loser Patrol/Tracers" (1992, Dying Earth)
  • "Say Fuck/Slack Jaw" (1993, Dying Earth)
  • "8 Ball Corner Pocket/Trapped Aircraft" (1993, Sympathy for the Record Industry)
  • "Welcome/Pris" (1994, Broken Flag)
  • "Dicey Opera/Night Hair Child" (1995, Sympathy for the Record Industry)
  • "Switch Hitter/The Machines of Infinite Joy" (2009, Black Rose Recordings)
  • Guidelines EP (2011, Broken Flag)
Compilations
  • We Created It, Let's Take It Over Vol. I (1995, Pure)
  • We Created It, Let's Take It Over Vol. II (1995, Pure)
  • We Created It, Let's Take It Over Vol. III (1995, Pure)

References
  1. Mason, Stewart. "Ramleh". Allmusic. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  2. Burnett, Joseph (1 February 2012). "Destroying Structure: An Interview With Ramleh". The Quietus. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  3. "Ramleh - Interview". Grim Humour. 1991–1992. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  4. Perdue, Everett Jang. "Ramleh". Trouser Press. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  5. "Ramleh - Valediction". Aquarius Records. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  6. Mason, Stewart. "Ramleh - Be Careful for What You Wish For". Allmusic. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  7. Morgan, Frances (22 February 2010). "A Dispatch From The Outer Reaches: Ramleh, Fursaxa & More". The Quietus. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  8. "Ramleh interview in GRIM HUMOR, (Vol. 2 # 2)". www.korperschwache.com. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
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