From posteverything.com:
The legendary “art” combo
Wire was formed in 1976 in the midst of the first flush of punk’s youth
but immediately diverged from the “pogo” standard thrash with a combination
of a sparse aesthetic, obtuse lyrics and a much vaunted (but never charted!)
“pop sensibility”. Through the Seventies they released three classic albums
on EMIs Harvest label building a formidable reputation based on a rapid
evolution of style until one band could no longer contain the prodigious
output of it’s members and Wire went into one of it’s periodic hibernations.
During the eighties the band returned embracing a more electronic sound
and a series of albums for Mute records followed, the sound became even
more diverse as they became embraced by the indie generation. By 1990 phase
2 was complete and after one drummer-less album a second more protracted
hibernation ensued.
It was not until the 2nd Millennium was almost complete that Wire were again curious
enough to venture abroad again. Physical temptation took the form of an
invitation to headline & curate a night at the prestigious Royal Festival
Hall. Wire now have their own imprint pinkflag through which they are
starting to release a series of increasingly adventurous items currently
taking the form of the “read & burn” series. Do not expect every read
& burn to appear in the shops. Always expect read & burns to
be available through posteverything!!
Wire are Colin Newman, Graham Lewis, Bruce Gilbert & Robert Gotobed.
READ
& BURN – 02
WIRE 1 Oct 2002
PF5 [CD]
01 ‘Read & Burn (2:35)’
02 ‘Spent (4:43)’
03 ‘Trash/ Treasure
(5:07)’
04 ‘Nice Streets Above (2:50)’
05 ‘Raft Ants (2:05)’
06 ‘99.9 (7:38)’
Pinkflag proudly present the much anticipated follow up to WIREs Read & Burn 01 in the shape
of Read & Burn 02.
Unlike 01 Read & Burn
02 will be available exclusively to posteverything customers (from 2nd
September 2002) and attendees of Wires forthcoming shows in North America
& Europe this Autumn. This item will not be available in shops or via
any other mailorder service.
All posteverything mail
order customers will have the added bonus of an included special item.
This time this will be a sample of a WIRE designed fragrance The smell
of YOU.
READ
& BURN – 01
WIRE 17 Jun 2002
PF4 [CD]
01 ‘In the Art of
Stopping’
02 ‘I Don’t Understand’
03 ‘Comet’
04 ‘Germ Ship’
05 ‘First Fast’
06 ‘The Agfers of
Kodack’
Pinkflag proudly unveil the
first wholly new wire release for over 10 years. This landmark release
marks the 1st shot in the Read and Burn series of sixpacks. In an offer
exclusive to mail order customers only, the CD will be dispatched with
a signed, limited edition print, featuring the band, excerpted from the
forthcoming video. Those unfamilar with Wire’s recent doings read on..
SEMINAL (ADJECTIVE) -CONTAINING
OR CONTRIBUTING THE SEEDS OF LATER DEVELOPMENT : CREATIVE, ORIGINAL.
REGROUPING FOR LIVE PERFORMANCE
IN 1999, THE HUGELY INFLUENTIAL WIRE HAVE ABLY DEMONSTRATED, VIA SELL-OUT
SHOWS EVERYWHERE FROM THE ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL TO THE GARAGE, THAT THEIR
FIRE STILL BURNS SOME 20 YEARS ON FROM THEIR FIRST ANGULAR BROADCASTS,
WOWING AUDIENCES MADE UP EQUALLY OF DEVOTED DISCIPLES AND CURIOUS YOUTH,
WINNING RESOUNDING CRITICAL APPROVAL OF THE “ELDER STATESMEN STILL ROCK
LIKE ANGRY YOUNG MEN” VARIETY.
READ & BURN 01 ? IS
THE FIRST PHASE OF A SERIES OF NEW WORKS AND STAGE APPEARANCES PLANNED
FOR THIS YEAR AND ON INTO 2003, MARKING A FIERCE RETURN TO RECORDING FOR
THE BAND, SETTING A STANDARD THAT MANY OF TODAY’S NEW CHASERS OF ART-ROCK’S
GOLDEN FLEECE WILL BE HARD PRESSED TO EMULATE (AND HOW THEY’VE TRIED IN
THE PAST!), AND SERVING EMPHATIC NOTICE THAT THE GAUNTLET IS DOWN.
COMMITTED FOLLOWERS WILL
NOD IN APPROVAL AT THE SLY REFERENCING OF ELEMENTS OF EARLIER MATERIAL.
THE KIDS WILL BE TOO BUSY RESPONDING TO THE DEMANDS OF THEIR ADRENAL GLANDS
AS THEY BOUNCE THEIR HEADS OFF WALLS IN UNISON WITH THE CARCRASHING DYNAMISM
AND DOGGED, UNYIELDING TEMPOS. THE SIX TRACKS OF READ & BURN 01 EACH
HITTING THE 3 MINUTE MARK WITH DEADEYE ACCURACY, RIDE THE LINE FROM PUNK
TO ROCK AND BACK AGAIN WITH NERVE-JARRING IMMEDIACY, DRESSED AND STYLISHLY
ACCESSORISED WITH STATE OF THE ART PRODUCTION VALUES. WHICH MEANS, IN SHORT,
LOUD AND CLEAR LIKE THE SOUND OF SHOUTING INSIDE YOUR OWN SKULL. (Capitalised
propaganda courtesy Bill Dolen)
WIRE will be taking part
in an evening of performances to launch Iain Sinclairs “M25 London
Orbital” which has a soundtrack composed by WIRE’s Bruce Gilbert at the
Barbican on Friday 25th October @ 7.30 pm. The Barbican’s website says
: “Based on and inspired by Iain Sinclairs London Orbital, this extraordinary
performance brings together readings by Iain Sinclair, J.G.Ballard, Bill
Drummond and Ken Campbell; Chris Petits specially shot and manipulated
M25 film and new music performed live by WIRE, Scanner and Jimmy Cauty.”
Arthur Magazine 