| After 2 self released 7"es
and a real breakthrough with their early 2001 "Glam Cripple" EP (Chemikal Underground/FUKD),
Aereogramme, led by former Ganger guitarist Craig B, have made a quantum leap
beyond the sum of their disparate influences. Masters of discipline
and finesse, their loud-to-quiet-to-loud transitions are a cool enough rollercoaster
ride as is. But this Glasgow trio's songs are unusually soulful and affecting
in ways we don't associate with "post-rock". Steve Clark of THE LIST
said, "They consistently transform calm into mayhem and fury back into restraint
without any surface glitches or overlap" Formed in April 1998 by Craig
B and Campbell McNeil, AEROGRAMME were the result of a desperate bid
to find an outlet for the work of Craig B that somehow just didn't suit Craig's
former band, GANGER and LES TINGLIES whose own output was slightly different:
"It all started with myself (craig) and campbell in a lock up in Dalmarnock
where we set up our gear and planned on doing something that incorporated acoustic
guitars and electronic noises. We wrote the first single and just as we released
it we met Martin Scott who became our drummer and the aereogramme sound changed.
I loved Les Tinglies. We were nothing like ganger but quite a bit like aereogramme.
We put out our own 7-inch which sold well because of the incredible covers that
Phaythe, the bassist, hand printed herself. There were two versions, a cream cover
with a black print and a black cover with a black print. The black one was my
fav. Very Spinal Tap. " The addition of Martin Scott as drummer was to
be the catalyst that they needed to transform their rather raw, melancholic form
of electronica into the perfect springboard for something a little more diverse.
Supports for bands such as LOW, GENEVA, and THE DELGADOS and he release of two
7" singles; "Translations" and "Hatred" for Glasgow label, BBABI-YAGA saw the
fortunes of the band rise. By the beginning of 2000, they were signed to CHEMIKAL
UNDERGROUND. A session for Peel and a live link up on Steve Lamacq’s Evening Session
to kick off BBCMUSIC LIVE also ensured success. Craig takers it up:
"It was very strange. I have no problem with saying that there was a small
part of the audience that were utter bastards. They were not there to see us which
is fair enough but they were trying to get their voices heard on radio 1 by shouting
out the same things over our quiet moments. The average age of the audience must
have been about 12. " Their debut Chemikal Underground release, "The
Glam Cripple EP" - part of the labels fukd I.d. single series, sold out of it’s
2,000 pressing on the week of release. 'A Story In White' comes out October
9 .The Matador edition of the album will include the forthcoming UK single "Zionist
Timing," as well as 3 non-LP tracks from Chemikal Underground's 'White Paw' EP.
Aereogramme's first US tour is in the works for later in 2001. 
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