This lot are famed for being, in March 1996, the first 'unsigned' band to appear on Top Of The Pops when they performed Kandy Pop, a track on their Secret Vampire Soundtrack EP.The band comprised Manda Rin (vocals & keyboards), Sci-Fi Steven (vocals & synthesisers) and John Disko (guitars) - their real names were Amanda MacKinnon and bothers Steven & John Clark. At the time of the TOTP appearance they were were 18, 19 and 17 years of age respectively.
But the truth was that while technically unsigned, Bis had the comfort of knowing their records would be released by Chemikal Underground, the label formed by members of The Delgados. Furthermore, The Secret Vampire Soundtrack was in fact their third release, so its not as if they were total novices.
They soon signed to Grand Royal, a label run by the Beastie Boys, allegedly after turning down 50 other options. But the hype around Bis did create a huge backlash in the UK and while the EP did eventually reach #26 in the singles charts, it was the most success they would ever enjoy in their native land. But it was a totally different story in Japan where their 1997 debut LP The New Transistor Heroes shifted well in excess of 100,000 copies.
Subsequent singles and LPs didn't do all that well and most folk dismissed the band as something of a one-trick pony capable only of nonsensical shouty lyrics over the top of seemingly out-of-tune synth tracks.
So it all turned very sour very quickly for bis and it was no real surprise that they called it a day in 2003 - and not one of the band was close to being 30 years of age.
There have been a couple of efforts to reform since then, most notably in 2007 to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the release of the debut LP, but these were not met with any huge acclaim outside the cult following the band latterly cultivated.
But while there may have been some disappointing stuff released in the latter part of their recording career, there's no escaping the fun and frolics of the hit EP. It's kind of a cross between Altered Images and the post-punk sounds of bands such as Swell Maps:-
mp3 : Bis - Kandy Pop
mp3 : Bis - Secret Vampires
mp3 : Bis - Teen-C Power
mp3 : Bis - Diska
Happy Listening
6 comments:
They provided music for a cartoon, didn't they? And were a cartoon band within the cartoon.
I saw that (somewhere) quite recently.
Oh, and I saw them supporting Ash in 1996.
Neil: they did music for The Powerpuff Girls.
I always prefered bis when they weren't being all shouty. The single after this, Starbright Boy, was ace, but Kandy Pop irritates the Hell out of me.
I still have rows with people about this record even now!
Loved it, but their top moment was 'Eurodisco.'
Horrid. Contrived. Silly.
Well, Ctel, they were no Shampoo, that's for sure.
The Social Dancing LP is a fave of mine. Andy Gill did wonders for their sound.
Eurodisco is a great tune. It's a shame social dancing didn't get more attention. Quite a different LP from the New Transistor Heroes. I went to see their "last ever" show in 2003. It was fun.
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