ceramichobs

My name is Simon. I am the founder of the Ceramic Hobs, a band and headfuck which has existed in various distinct phases since 1985 and which will continue until 2035. We are perhaps most infamous for having had at least nine band members who have spent time in psychiatric hospitals.


PHASE EIGHT, 2009-?: RooH, Ging, Kate, Laurence, Nigel Joseph and I plus guests are working on a series of eleven albums all entitled OZ OZ ALICE to be released in small editions between spring 2009 and autumn 2014. The aim of all eleven is to provide listeners with a guide to practical time travel using secret techniques gleaned from little-known intelligence sources. Many other names are being used by the band currently, gigs have been performed as Bug Chasers, Haddock Eyes, Sir Rammy Cobs, Oz Oz Alice and Bobby Crush & The Love Children. 256 kbps free mp3 download of volume one, to be heard while viewing http://ozozalice.blogspot.com - http://www.zshare.net/download/62234977c4d64796/


PHASE SEVEN, 2003-2008: pStan Batcow and myself recruited new musicians including RooH, Ging Shi-ite, Kate Fear and Buzz The Jerk (who was eventually replaced by Larry Language) and the band became a primarily live gigging unit for the first time in its history, as well as releasing two more albums on Pumf: Shergar Is Home Safe And Well and Al Al Who. Countless gigs around the UK as well as in Germany and Belgium, and for the first time we were also able to regularly play in our home town Blackpool, often alongside much younger punk/metal bands. This phase ended during 2008 due to irreconcilable differences between pStan and me, after fifteen years of continual, often psychologically unsettling work together.

PHASE SIX, 2000-2002: A version of the band continued with new recruit Butty and a drum machine to play a handful of live shows. Just one single for Harbinger Sound was recorded during this era before this incarnation collapsed due to internal tension.


PHASE FIVE, 1993-2000: The two founder members began jamming with President Massey from phase 2/3 during his brief releases from hospital, and we were soon joined by accomplished musician and owner of Pumf Records pStan Batcow. A great deal of material was recorded for tape labels of the booming DIY scene of the era, and gigs recommenced in 1996. Part-time members Jane, Mr Concrete Himself and Nigel Joseph made their first appearances during this phase, during which other names used by the band for one-off releases included Greasy Walter and the Razors, Iron Lion Zion, Salty Grouse Castration Squad and Blood Klat (in spume bummer). We began to receive favourable national press and played regularly for the burgeoning Mad Pride movement in London. Singles were released via Pumf, BWCD, Stinky Horse Fuck, Mental Guru and Small Orange, and our first two albums Psychiatric Underground and Straight Outta Rampton appeared on Pumf, for the latter of which we were joined by the genial Uberpope Raptor Ramjet.
Just before the release of that album - perhaps our best-received work to date - the President was re-sectioned and remains to this day detained without trial in the mental health system.


PHASE FOUR,1990-1992: At a low ebb and loose end, Syd and myself rework old Hobs riffs at home and release a vinyl single under the name Orange Sunshine. No gigs were undertaken during this rather obscure and low-key era which ended when we both left our home town.

PHASE THREE, 1989: An ever-changing line-up of Hobs plus notable new recruits Jeff and Manchester-based artist Brian Benson on drums played a series of chaotic, noisy and drug-damaged shows around the north of England at squats and festivals, most often billed as Satan The Jesus Infekt'd Needles And Blood. I was re-sectioned in September 1989.

PHASE TWO, 1986-88: More able musicians from other local teenage bands joined us,including Syd, Phil, P, President Massey, Stratty and Alan. The sound became more psychedelic and rock-based. Many songs which were recorded by later incarnations of the band had their origins during this busy era, during which we also branched out into video productions and released a flexidisc before I was sectioned in July 1988.



PHASE ONE, 1985-6: Stephen Lambert and myself started the band at the age of sixteen without owning or playing any instruments. We made a kind of musique concrete, releasing our own tapes, printing our own zines...DIY bedroom aesthetic.



BASIC DISCOGRAPHY: 7" singles: Bedrooms And Knobsticks (Pumf 1988) - split with Howl In The Typewriter/ Wife Swapping Party (Stuffed Cat UK 1991) - as 'Orange Sunshine'/ This Sore And Broken Blackpool Legacy (BWCD 1996) - split with To Live & Shave In LA/ Beat I Woman Fe Respeck (Smith Research 1996) - as 'Iron Lion Zion'/ 72 Hour Drink Binge - Alcopop Madness (Pumf 1997)/ Klarion Kall To 50 Potential (Mental Guru 1999) - as 'Greasy Walter And The Razors'/ Shaolin Master (Harbinger 2002)/// 8" single: Paedophilia And Hard Drugs (Stinky Horse Fuck 1998) - split with Smell & Quim/// CDs: Psychiatric Underground (Pumf 1998)/ Straight Outta Rampton (Pumf 2001)/ Shergar Is Home Safe And Well (Pumf 2004)/ Al Al Who - twenty-one extraordinary renditions (Pumf 2007)/// CD-Rs: Astonishing Wheat Productions 1986-1989 (Fiend 2000)/ Free Tim Telsa (Small Orange 2000)/ Ultramont! (Pumf 2002)/ Of The Tin City - Live At Mad Pride (Pumf 2002)/ *MAY BE TRIGGERING* (Smith Research 2005)/ Celebrating 20 Years Of Mental Illness (aka) 20 Golden Deathtrips (aka) Golden Hour Of The Ceramic Hobs (Pumf 2005)/ (no title listed)(no artist listed) (no label 2009)///cassettes: Summer Hobdays (Smith Research 1985, split with The Turnip Brigade)/ Merry Xmas Folks! (Smith Research 1986)/ Swans Have Long Necks (Smith Research 1986)/ Fishbread Miracle (Smith Research 1986)/ Celery Bomb (ABCD 1987)/ Disturbing 'Boxing-Ring' Fantasies (Pumf 1988)/ You'll Wanna Blow Your Brains Out For A Fix Of Hobs Trash - SMFS 7(rec 86-88, rel BWCD 1995)/ Hi NRG Rock'n'Roll With Added PCP Power (no label 1989 - as 'Satan The Jesus Infekt'd Needles And Blood')/ The Unholy Elbib - SMFS 12 (rec 89, rel BWCD 1996 - as 'Satan The Jesus Infekt'd Needles And Blood')/ Bring On The Coincidancing Horses (rec 90-91, rel Pumf 1996 - as 'Orange Sunshine')/ Nihilistik Subkultures Shall Thrive Upon These Deathly Visions (Pumf 1993 - as 'Salty Grouse Castration Squad')/ You Don't Need A Pickaxe To Collect Ghoul Soil (Pumf 1995 - as 'Blood Klat (In Spume Bummer)/ split tape with Amputease (EF 1995)/ Top Buzz (Pumf 1995)/ Egg of The Day (Scum 1995 - as 'Bertie Egg's Ceramick Hobs')/ Onepercenters - The Worst Winter Ever (Cakehole 1996)/ Shingle (Kylie 1996)/ split tape with Five O'Clock Blood Shadow (Matching Head 1997)/ Fuck Da Police (Face Like A Smacked Arse 1998)/ Live 85-98 (Umbaybaybee 1999)/ noisy tape (Spite 2000)/ Recycled Music (RRR 2000)/ untitled (ordnance Tape only, 2001)/ Part 3 of Trilogy (Matching Head 2003)/ Oz Oz Alice (Total Vermin 2009, as MPO/LERM, forthcoming) - plus many many compilation appearances, reissues, mp3s...

GIG LIST:

1985:
September - Lytham, Library Buildings
November - Blackpool, disused underpass
1986:
December - Blackpool, school
1987:
July - Blackpool, disused underpass
November - Liverpool, 85 Ullett Road
December - Manchester, Fulford Street
1988:
February - Manchester, 28 Stockton Road
February - Manchester, Grove House
March - Leeds, James Baillie House
March - Manchester, Dalton Hall
1989:
February - Liverpool, Planet X
February - Manchester, 28 Stockton Road
March - Manchester, ?
April - Manchester, Hop & Grape
April - Liverpool, Jacaranda
May - Liverpool, Otterspool Park
June - Manchester, Hulme Punx Picnic
August - Manchester, Red Admiral
November - Hulme, Kitchen
1992:
Spring - Manchester, Swinging Sporran
1996:
January - Leeds, 120 Rats
January - Leeds, 120 Rats
May - Leeds, Fenton
June - Bradford, 1 in 12
September - Leeds, Packhorse
November - Preston, Adelphi
1997:
November - Middlesbrough, St Mary's
November - Blackpool, Tower Lounge
1998:
April - Stoke-on-Trent, Windermere Street
1999:
September - London, Union Chapel
2000:
May - London, Chat's Palace
June - Blackpool, Tache
July - London, Clissold Park
2001:
June - Blackpool, West Coast
July - Manchester, Retro Bar
October - London, Garage
2002:
July - Blackpool, Raikes
September - Leeds, Brudenell Social Club
October - Newcastle, Chillingham
November - Lytham, Hansom Cab
December - Poulton, St John's
2003:
June - Blackpool, Station
June - London, Garage
July - Cleckheaton, Mead Hall
August - Blackpool, Station
September - Blackpool, Station
September - Blackpool, Blue Room
September - Blackpool, West Coast
November - Soho, Gossips
November - Brighton, Hobgoblins
December - Stoke-on-Trent, Talbot
December - Blackpool, West Coast
2004:
March - Newcastle, Cluny
July - Leeds, Joseph's Well
July - Blackpool, West Coast
August - Stoke-on-Trent - Talbot
August - Lancaster - York House
October - Manchester - Thompson's Arms
October - Liverpool, Hev'n & Hell
December - Blackpool, Beat
2005:
January - Thornton, Ashley
March - Liverpool, Hev'n & Hell
April - Lancaster, York House
July - London, Ryan's Bar
July - Brighton, Cowley Club
July - Blackpool, West Coast
December - Blackpool, LiquidLounge
December - Blackpool, 146 Palatine Road
2006:
January - Blackpool, LiquidLounge
January - Blackpool, West Coast
February - Leeds, Fenton
March - Bacup, Football Social Club
April - Blackpool, West Coast
April - Blackpool, LiquidLounge
June - Blackpool, West Coast
June - Manchester, Phoenix
June - Blackpool, West Coast
June - Pilling, organic farm
August - Berlin, Buchbinderei Adolf666
August - Berlin, Galerie Scherer8
October - Preston, Adelphi
October - Bacup, Football Social Club
November - Blackpool, West Coast
2007:
February - Leeds, Library
February - Blackpool, Riffs
June - Blackpool, Riffs
June - Blackpool, West Coast
June - Blackpool, Number One Club
July - Bacup, Wyrd Of Stake Moss
July - Bacup, Wyrd Of Stake Moss
July - Blackpool, Riffs
August - Blackpool, West Coast
October - Blackpool, Riffs
October - Bacup, Football Social Club
December - Blackpool, West Coast
December - Blackpool, Riffs
2008:
February - Lytham, Cricket Club
March - Brussels, Brigitinnes
March - Preston, Mad Ferret
March - Lancaster, Yorkshire House
March - Blackpool, Raikes
March - Leeds, Common Place
March - Bacup, Football Social Club
March - Levenshulme, Klondyke
March - Blackpool, Riffs
July - Ribble Valley, Beatherder
August - Blackpool, Stanley Park
September - Blackpool, West Coast
October - Blackpool, West Coast
October - Blackpool, Connolly's Bar
2009:
March - Blackpool, West Coast
April - Blackpool, Mojos
June - Preston, New Continental
June - Blackpool, West Coast

CONTACT: knightsmove7(AT)hotmail.com or snailmail 124 C0nd0r Gr0ve, Blackp00l FY1 5qy, UK.

STATEMENT: I can't imagine what more there is to say. I can't say the words. I can't imagine the territory. If I walked I could think of the words, you would be walking alongside me, the third person. If I imagined the words I could speak them. And maybe we'd find out where you end and I begin. If I had a thought I only imagined this territory, we were walking with another alongside us. This was where I ended and others began. In the third person he had a thought and imagined the words. And he's there, waiting for me to do this badly. A forest with leaves tossed in autumn wind as I imagine the right words. If we walked together in the third person alongside us would be the space where you end and I begin. Over the city we sat and watched the lights, above this city, we watched the twinkly yellow night lights of the city as we walked with a third person between us. The lights in the sky where I end and others begin, walking to imagine more words. As we imagine the territory to be the map, there is now a seamless join where "I" end and "you" begin, as the leaves twirl in wind and the twinkly yellow night lights of the city blend, and this map was always the territory. And now the map is the territory, and the one who walks alongside us has slipped away to other dreamers, and above this city we thought we could stop time itself, as we watched the twinkly yellow night lights of the city...

LINKS OF INTEREST:
Interviews:
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=59525685&blogID=293614022
http://www.blastitude.com/17/CERAMICHOBS.htm
http://www.giag.lv/simmons/int-CERAMIC_HOBS-But_Shergar_Is_Fuckin_Dead_Ya_Cunts.htm

Gallery of rare photos, covers and memorabilia:
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewPicture&friendID=213840950&albumId=1460851

Buy Ceramic Hobs releases from Pumf:
http://www.batcow.co.uk/pumf/hobs.htm

http://www.myspace.com/theceramichobs
http://www.myspace.com/ceramickhobs
http://hobspress.blogspot.com
http://smithresearch.blogspot.com
http://www.last.fm/music/Ceramic+Hobs
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ceramic+hobs
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Ceramic+Hobs
http://rateyourmusic.com/artist/the_ceramic_hobs
http://lj.rossia.org/users/glebo/81671.html
http://lj.rossia.org/users/glebo/81415.html