Influential 60s Weirdnik Beams Down To Cardiff

MIAW! MIAW! MIAW! PRESENTS:

SILVER APPLES plus DJ's Carl Forecast (B-Music) and Leon West

The late 60s was no stranger to weird and wonderful sounds. And whilst some of those sounds filtered through to the mainstream at the time, many were just too far out there to do that. Instead, bands like the Silver Apples found their influence was felt more keenly over the coming decades.

This New York duo, comprising Simeon (who played a self-made electronic instrument dubbed The Simeon) and Danny Taylor (drums), made two albums, one in 1968 and one in 1969. Their strange amalgamation of interstellar drones and hums, pulsing rhythms and electronically-generated melodies ended up pre-empting underground dance music, krautrock and even 90s indie rock.

Forming in 1967, the Silver Apples were most notable for Simeon's eponymous instrument, which comprised of nine audio oscillators, piled on top of each other and 86 manual controls to control lead, rhythm and bass pulses with hands, feet and elbows. Together with Taylor's driving, repetitive beats they crafted two albums (Silver Apples and Contact) that seemed beamed in from another galaxy. So far out were they that both albums sold extremely poorly. A year later and the band had disappeared, seemingly to have been but a blip on the musical landscape.

However, their brief output went on to influence and inspire way more than they did during their career as a band. They not only influenced bands such as electro-punk pioneers Suicide, drone rockers Spacemen 3 and electronic indie types, Laika but also entire musical genres. Their records became highly valued and, after the appearance of bootleg versions of both albums in the 90s, a resurgence in interest of the band finally came.

The mid to late 90s saw Simeon take a new band on the road and make new recordings before finally tracking down drummer Danny Taylor for a series of reunion gigs and the release of A Lake Of Teardrops in 1998. In 2005, Taylor passed away leaving Simeon to continue performing solo as the Silver Apples. This is a rare chance to see such an influential figure play live.

Wednesday 3rd September 2008, Clwb Ifor Bach, Womanby Street, Cardiff
£6 in advance, £7 on the door, 8pm, 18+

Tickets are available through Spillers Records (02920 224905/www.spillersrecords.co.uk), www.seetickets.com and Clwb Ifor Bach's box office (02920 232199) and are £6 in advance and £7 on the door