Oddballs are quite common these days and it’s almost like if you are not one you are in the minority. Harry Gardner & Steve George from Hampshire bands “Hercules Morse and “The Blue Screen of Death” who themselves are oddball musicians, who like to experiment and push the proverbial envelope in a variety of directions; have yet another side project which they have named Taught By TV. The duo had just taken their first febrile steps on the journey of “weird music” having written and released an EP of largely instrumental Stoner Rock with their then band The Blue Screen Of Death and were keen to follow the path further, preferably into the instrumental depths of a black hole and into oblivion and beyond.
They recruited an old friend, drumming guru and fellow oddball Ben Turk, in the garden of their favourite local pub and grass roots music venue The Hobbit in Southampton. Ben is himself an oddball, who likes dressing up in costumes and drumming with his Power Metal band Gloryhammer who sing about Unicorns, Hammers and Scotsmen with fantasy-based compositions.
Over a few pints Harry & Steve sold him their dream of making absurd music; too challenging to be commercially viable, but not interesting enough to make waves in the world of Post/Math Rock. A middle ground rich with ambivalence and apathy, the freaky threesome recorded 4 songs in 2012, and then suddenly they all disappeared into Angus Mcfife’s time machine and somehow ended up in the year 2024 via a trip into 1970’s BBC Television Centre. With the four tracks safely recorded on the same electromagnetic cartridge in the Scarif vault’s data tree that held the death star plans, Steve managed to plug in his own astromech droid R2D9 to finally retrieve them back, ready to unleash on the open-minded general public.
The EP is has been released this month with the fetchingly imaginative title of “EP 1”, the first track takes lift-off in the form of “Time Pie” (not a cover Yamo featuring Wolfgang Flür), a tasty slice of Math Rock with fuzzed-up guitars put to ploddingly catchy rhythms. There are bits that sound like the Foo Fighters and others that could be Punk/Pop, quite an interesting mix. The guy whose job is was to provide the microphones got caught running spice by a bounty hunter, so back in 2012 they decided for it just to be an instrumental set of recordings and dispense with any vocals. Next up we have the “Blobby Bean Motivator”, which sounds just like a gunge machine from Noel’s House Party. This is a darker more edgy piece with some powerful instrumentation with all the Rock n’ Roll rudiments on display, the melodic guitars shimmer while Ben’s drums are a significant part to listen out for.
Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble and Grub…… It’s now time from “Trumpton”, those of a certain age will certainly remember this Children’s TV programme from the 1970’s and the words Brian Cant (yes I did say Cant) said each week. Those in Trumptonshire I’m sure would have liked this piece of music that honours their town’s name, especially the Mayor (who is currently in prison for GBH against undercover drug dealer Windy Miller). The song I feel is the best of the bunch where the trio find their stride with a piece of music that could be an out-take from a 1990’s Grunge band, once again their are some standout guitar parts that bolster the recording. Definitely not a tune to play loud in front of Miss Lovelace; the hat maker and her Peeks (dogs) Mitzy, Daphne and Lulu… it might scare the sh*t out of them.
For the final track we venture into the niche territory of club singer “Vince St Claire” and my only memory is when Jack Duckworth impersonated him on Coronation Street back in 1983, of course Vera was less than impressed. There is no such crooning on the track that bears this singer’s name, however we do have a fine ending to this set of recordings with an atmospheric piece that really packs a punch. Yet more adventures up and down the fretboard of their guitars, creating some unique sounds that send you to bed like a warm cup of Ovaltine.
These guys clearly had a lot of fun joining forces and creating some damn fine music; so if you fancy doing the same, get yourself down to The Hobbit in Southampton – a great establishment for watching live music, drinking and meeting likeminded oddball musicians you can create music with.
Track Listing
Time Pie
Blobby Bean Motivator
Trumpton
Vince St Claire
Written and performed by Harry Gardner, Steve George and Ben Turk
Produced by Ben Turk
Artwork by Tom Fincham
Links
https://taughtbytv.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551357392254
Article By David Chinery.
