Bis

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Bis, one of the mos underrated bands ever? Confirm/Deny.

Sub-question: has anyone seen tehir new cartoon, "BB3B", on BBC1? Someone needs to torrent it, hardxcore.

― Cameron (raygun), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 03:37 (twenty-one years ago)

never was a huge fan. they had their moments though. wait, I keep speaking in the past tense. for some reason I'm thinking they broke up, did they?

― owen reading, Tuesday, 18 January 2005 03:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes, they broke up in 2003 apparently, but they have this new cartoon out? I'm confused. But I always thought they were awesome and way ahead of their time (I mean who releases a synth-pop album 1995, really).

― Cameron (raygun), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 03:48 (twenty-one years ago)

their third album holds up best. the last thing they did, the factory covers 12", was totally awesome.

― the surface noise (slight return) (electricsound), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 03:49 (twenty-one years ago)

was and is.

― the surface noise (slight return) (electricsound), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 03:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Really? I love the really early stuff. The predicted shitty casio-beats by about a decade.

― Cameron (raygun), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 03:56 (twenty-one years ago)

And they appear in it as themselves as well? Cool.

― James Mitchell (James Mitchell), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 04:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Another forerunner of the nu wave, no?

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 04:04 (twenty-one years ago)

It would seem so. But they have a drummer ("to make sense to the little kids"), which I fond hilarious. They recorded 13 songs for it, but no one can tell me if they're new material or not (I doubt it, but there's always hope).

Oh, I love Cha Cha Cha btw. I do Garagedream :) Bloggers Unite!

― Cameron (raygun), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 04:05 (twenty-one years ago)

I saw them sometime in 2003 and was a little disappointed they'd gone more electroclashy and away from the cartoon punk stuff. They were still fun, though. I like that first album a fair amount.

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 04:10 (twenty-one years ago)

All the early singles were CLASSIC as was the first album. I saw them live a few times around that era and they were always blinding - they were energetic, tight and had a massive sense of conviction about what they were diong. They always managed to draw you into their world.

I dug Eurodisco and I think Social Dancing is a good pop record, but I also couldn't help thinking they lost what was special about them. Too glossy, ironic.. not sure. I just felt a massive sense of the moment having passed.

That said, I really liked the 'Music for a Stranger World' EP and although not a massive fan of the 3rd record I thought it an interesting direction that could have lead to something really special. I certainly miss them, although I haven't gotten around to checking out The Kitchen yet (and I understand there are other new projects on the go too.)

I'm sure Chewshabadoo will have much to say on this subject when he wakes up..

― wombatX (wombatX), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 05:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Their cover of 'The Boy with the Thorn in his Side' was awful though.

― wombatX (wombatX), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 05:29 (twenty-one years ago)

they were energetic, tight

not too difficult when you're not playing your instruments (on their first tour to australia, only the vocals were live)..

― the surface noise (slight return) (electricsound), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 05:51 (twenty-one years ago)

really? what year did they come to oz? most of the times i saw them would have been around 1996-97 and i'm pretty sure at least the guitars were live.

― wombatX (wombatX), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 06:00 (twenty-one years ago)

"Social Dancing" is one of the best pure pop albums ever, right from the self-important sleeve-notes to the ridiculous songs (esp "I'm A Slut"), so-bad-that-good pop-culture references - they toned down the extremeness just enough.

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 06:01 (twenty-one years ago)

heard their cover of Shack Up the other night at a club, good stuff. ESOJ 2nd'ed

― Disco Nihilist (mjt), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 06:04 (twenty-one years ago)

what year did they come to oz?

it would have been 96/97. it's possible that it was only that one show, too. but they 100% definitely weren't playing their instruments live.

― the surface noise (slight return) (electricsound), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 06:05 (twenty-one years ago)

they played in Australia for that free tibet concert a fair few years ago

― Nic de Teardrop (Nicholas), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 06:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Certainly classic!!
And Bis were really ahead of their time (synth pop revival in the '90s, 'Social Dancing' was produced by Andy Gill, etc.).
I like their first album and early singles most, but Social Dancing was a pop perfection, too.
I miss 'em.

― zeus, Tuesday, 18 January 2005 07:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Their cover of 'The Boy with the Thorn in his Side' was awful though.

True 'dat, Jonny Boy - but they claimed it was intentional, and "all played on instruments we bought from Argos [UK catalogue store]"

Yep. Loved this band, good to see they are starting to get more props from ILM hivemind - check out these older threads for contrast:

Bis: C or D?
Bis Split Up! and Gin Blossoms Reform
Taking Sides: Bis vs the Dandy Warhols
Bis fans: final track available as direct download

I haven't seen the cartoon as I don't have freeview, but I know they started working on the tunes about a year ago - someone let me know if a torrent is found!

And; hush, hush, they are still all working together on new material, just under a different name...

― Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 10:21 (twenty-one years ago)

WAHT NAME???

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 10:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Erm, don't know - sorry. They haven't released anything yet. Keep an eye on www.bisnation.com for developments.

― Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 11:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Blossom the brightest and the leader
Bubbles she brings the joy and laughter
Buttercup she is the toughest fighter
Powerpuff's'll save the day
FIGHTING CRIME TRYING TO SAVE THE WORLD AND THEY COME JUST IN TIME
THE POWERPUFF GIRLS
FIGHTING CRIME TRYING TO SAVE THE WORLD HERE THEY COME JUST IN TIME
THE POWERPUFF GIRLS
POWERPUFF!

― Neil Kulkarni, Tuesday, 18 January 2005 11:39 (twenty-one years ago)

the Free Tibet concert was in mid-1999 (with other headline shows around the country I dare say, there was at least one at a uni in Sydney), but they first toured in early 1997 and were definitely using some tapes (or sequencers) but certainly sounded like they were playing live over the top of them. (I've just remembered that a now-dead indie record shop had a deal where you bought the album, which came with an Australian bonus disc, and got the Atom Powered Action EP PLUS two tickets to the show. And possibly a pass to the instore they played at the shop. What a fuckin' bargain. I miss the '90s.) in a few days I could possibly stick up an MP3 of them playing on a TV show that tour for cred evaluation if people care!

The cartoon music is all new, I'm sure (based on memory of reading their website once last year).

Social Dancing pwns Return to Central! (except for the first track)(but I really want to hear this Factory covers EP!) though I still love the early stuff best of all. will have to find and retrieve all those 7"s and copy to CD...

― kit brash (kit brash), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 12:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Look out for the EP out on Chemikal Underground's "Fukd I.D" sub-label too.

― Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 12:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Still find Kandy Pop a bit annoying, but heard Sweetshop Avengers on Air's Best Scottish Band special last week and it was ace!
Manda Rin is now a radio presenter and manages electro-punk scamps Multiplies who are a lot of fun: Electro punk-funk with daft synth rock riffs. She was in a band with her husband, the Kitchen, but they are no more (band and marriage).
The blokes now make filthy techno as Dirty Hospital. One of them is very bald, but they rock.

― stew, Tuesday, 18 January 2005 12:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Dirty Hospital are great. They also DJ as Rottenrow and regularly do so in Mono free, gratis and for nothing.

― coco, Tuesday, 18 January 2005 12:42 (twenty-one years ago)

o ficlomg jayed nos ... woah, hang on, it helps to look at the keyboard and the screen occasionally and not just guess where the keys are ... i fucking hated bis with a passion when they started out. they made me want to kill people with a chainsaw. but somehow they transformed into this godlike creation of power and wonder. the factory covers EP is chillingly brilliant. i saw them twice just before they split up - they did an amazing gig at optimo - and was blown away.

as i've said elsewhere, i'm not massively taken with dirty hospital. but steven clark is a top, top, top bloke: a genuinely good guy. as far as i know he and john are still running a wee studio round the corner from my house ... i was going to go in and do a demo there, but never got round to it and now i've kinda put all that behind me. ach well.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 12:50 (twenty-one years ago)

i loved bis when i was just graduating high school / starting college. maybe i will listen to the teen-c power ep while getting dressed for work today.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 13:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Casting an eye around the bands gigging on the bottom rung of things in the UK in the moment I'd say they were one of the most influential bands of the last 10 years. Lots of male/female duos with cheap keyboards.

― Bernard the Butler (Lynskey), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 14:11 (twenty-one years ago)

hey, this record is still 100% fun all these years. bernard OTM about being a big influence on boy/girl bands with lots of keys, now that i think of it.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 14:17 (twenty-one years ago)

I had no idea she broke up with her husband and The Kitchen broke up. That was fast wasn't it...?

― Cameron (raygun), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 14:25 (twenty-one years ago)

search: 'The End Starts Today', 'What You're Afraid Of'

― Stevem On X (blueski), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 14:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Actually, I thought I'd better check this out and although they're no longer husband and wife, they may still be making music together.

http://www.ilovethekitchen.com/

― stew, Tuesday, 18 January 2005 14:41 (twenty-one years ago)

The new stuff (post break-up) is even better than anything they came up with as bis. But don't go looking at bb3b for clues, as both projects carry very different sounds.

― Shooz (shooz), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 14:55 (twenty-one years ago)

And yeah, Bernard totally OTM. 'Help she can't swim' for example would never have happened.

― Shooz (shooz), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 14:57 (twenty-one years ago)

And Chewshabadoo, they DO have a name, it's just very hush-hush right now.

― Shooz (shooz), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 14:59 (twenty-one years ago)

I always confuse them with Len. ("Steal My Sunshine", remember that?)

― Ian Moraine (Eastern Mantra), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 19:59 (twenty-one years ago)

I havent tried too hard to get into their earlier stuff, but the fact stuff as well as return to central led me to beleive that they were onto something great.

I suppose the fact that theyre still around, recording under another name is a byproduct of people's knee jerk reaction to hating their older stuff and the whole teen-c connotations. shame. I hope the new materials is what I think theyre capable of, ie: greatness.

― Juan, the Magic Don (jingleberries), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 21:08 (twenty-one years ago)

I really think I should find Kandy Pop annoying but it's so infectous that it, above almost any other song I can think of, just screams at me FUN and as such I love it. How many albums did they do? I only have Social Dancing.

― Nick H (Nick H), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 21:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Three, Social Dancing was the second. The New Transistor Heroes was punkier, more frenetic, and largely concerned with sweets. Return to Central ditched the guitars and saw them exploring their darker, more electronic leanings.

― wombatX (wombatX), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 22:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Return to Central is a great album title if you've ever lived in Glasgow. I used to enjoy asking for a "return to Central" on the low level from Exhibition Centre. Well, it makes the journeys pass quicker...

― stew, Wednesday, 19 January 2005 00:51 (twenty-one years ago)

On a Bis note, I was in Mono this evening and Manda Rin came in, looking great. Rah!

― stew, Wednesday, 19 January 2005 00:52 (twenty-one years ago)

I have been drinking...

― stew, Wednesday, 19 January 2005 00:52 (twenty-one years ago)

they were always awful. might not have been if they have shoved manda rin off a cliff sometime.

― keith m (keithmcl), Wednesday, 19 January 2005 01:22 (twenty-one years ago)

i think i'm finally ready to try the second or third bis albums.

― fortunate hazel (f. hazel), Wednesday, 19 January 2005 07:22 (twenty-one years ago)

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