Crispy Ambulance are an English

post-punk Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of music that emerged in late 1977 in the wake of punk rock. Post-punk musicians departed from punk's fundamental elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a broader, more experiment ...

band, formed in

Manchester Manchester () is a city and the metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It had an estimated population of in . Greater Manchester is the third-most populous metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.92&nbs ...

in late-1977 by Keith Darbyshire (bass), Robert Davenport (guitar), Alan Hempsall (vocals), and Gary Madeley (drums).Strong, Martin C. (2003) ''The Great Indie Discography'', Canongate, , p. 284-5 They had been inspired by the

Sex Pistols The Sex Pistols are an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they became culturally influential in popular music. The band initiated the punk movement in the United Ki ...

' second gig in the Lesser Free Trade Hall, in addition to the bands

Magazine A magazine is a periodical literature, periodical publication, print or digital, produced on a regular schedule, that contains any of a variety of subject-oriented textual and visual content (media), content forms. Magazines are generally fin ...

and

Hawkwind Hawkwind are an English rock band known as one of the earliest space rock groups. Since their formation in November 1969, Hawkwind have gone through many incarnations and have incorporated many different styles into their music, including hard ...

Career

The band played their first gig on 1 January 1978 at the Spurley Hey Youth Centre. Following a self-released debut single, "From the Cradle to the Grave" (1980), the band joined

Factory Records Factory Records was a Manchester-based British independent record label founded in 1978 by Tony Wilson and Alan Erasmus. The label featured several important acts on its roster, including Joy Division, New Order (band), New Order, A Certain Ra ...

. Singles " Unsightly and Serene" and "Live on a Hot August Night" (produced by

Martin Hannett James Martin Hannett (31 May 1948 – 18 April 1991) was an English record producer, musician and an original partner/director at Tony Wilson's Factory Records. Hannett produced music by artists including Joy Division, the Durutti Column, A Cert ...

) preceded their album '' The Plateau Phase'' (1982) and final single "Sexus". ''The Plateau Phase'' was given a five star review by '' Sounds''.Gimarc, George (2005) ''Punk Diary: The Ultimate Trainspotter's Guide to Underground Rock 1970–1982'', Backbeat Books, , p. 424, 580 In April 1980 singer Alan Hempsall also appeared on stage with

Joy Division Joy Division were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Salford in 1976. The group consisted of vocalist, guitarist and lyricist Ian Curtis, guitarist and keyboardist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris (musici ...

at Derby Hall, standing in for

Ian Curtis Ian Kevin Curtis (15 July 1956 – 18 May 1980) was an English singer, songwriter and musician. He was the lead singer, lyricist and occasional guitarist of the band Joy Division, with whom he released the albums ''Unknown Pleasures'' (197 ...

who was recovering from a suicide attempt the previous day, a performance which ultimately descended into a riot. This scene is depicted in the Joy Division biopic '' Control''. During 1981–1982, Crispy Ambulance played several dozen live dates in the UK, as well as a short European tour with Section 25. They also recorded a session for

John Peel John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), better known as John Peel, was an English radio presenter and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original disc jockeys on BBC Radio 1, broadcasting regularly from ...

BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and Contemporary hit radio, current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including ...

show in January 1981. Crispy Ambulance disbanded in late 1982, leaving behind ''Fin'' (1985), a live album of late period songs. A further posthumous album, ''Frozen Blood'', included their 1981 BBC radio session for the

programme. The four members carried on for a short time as Ram Ram Kino, releasing one single "Advantage" on Temple Records. The original line-up of Crispy Ambulance reformed in 1999, and went on to release two studio albums, ''Scissorgun'' in 2002 and ''The Powder Blind Dream'' in 2004, as well as a live album, ''Accessory After the Fact''. All these later recordings were produced by Graham Massey of

808 State 808 State are an English electronic music group formed in 1987 in Manchester by Graham Massey, Martin Price and Gerald Simpson. Taking their name from the Roland TR-808 drum machine and the "state of mind" the members shared, they released ...

. The group also undertook a short tour of North America in November 2002. They reformed again in 2014 and are back touring. In the commentary for the 2002 film, '' 24 Hour Party People'', Tony Wilson of

stated that while he liked the band, he felt that their name was the worst band name of all time. Crispy Ambulance released an almost entirely instrumental album in 2016, entitled Random Textures. The double CD edition, released by

Factory Benelux A factory, manufacturing plant or production plant is an industrial facility, often a complex consisting of several buildings filled with machinery, where workers manufacture items or operate machines which process each item into another. They ...

, came with an expanded version of the

Record Store Day Record Store Day is a semi-annual event established in 2008 to "celebrate the culture of the independently owned record store". Held on one Saturday (typically the third) every April and every Black Friday in November, the day brings together f ...

album Compulsion.

Influence

The

Half Man Half Biscuit Half Man Half Biscuit are an English rock band, formed in 1984 in Birkenhead, Merseyside. Known for their satirical, sardonic, and sometimes surreal songs, the band comprises lead singer and guitarist Nigel Blackwell, bassist and singer Neil Cr ...

song "Running Order Squabble Fest" (on the album '' This Leaden Pall'') references the band with the line: "You're going on after Crispy Ambulance!". It is a play on the football chant "You're going home in a

St John Ambulance St John Ambulance is an affiliated movement of charitable organisations in mostly Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth countries which provide first aid education and consumables and emergency medical services. St John organisations are primari ...

!".

Discography

Studio albums

*'' The Plateau Phase'' (1982), Factory Benelux FBN-12 – UK Indie No. 23Lazell, Barry (1998) ''Indie Hits 1980–1989'', Cherry Red Books, , p. 54 ** Expanded CD reissue as ''Comprising : The Plateau Phase, Live on a Hot August Night, Sexus'' *''Scissorgun'' (2002), LTM *''The Powder Blind Dream'' (2004), LTM *''Compulsion'' (2015)

release *''Random Textures'' (2016)

(double CD with ''Compulsion'' expanded

Compilations

*''The Blue & Yellow (of the Yacht Club)'' (1983), C.A. Tapes *''Frozen Blood'' (2000), LTM

Live albums

*''Open, Gates of Fire'' (1983), C.A. Tapes *''Fin'' (1985), LTM *''Accessory After the Fact'' (1999), LTM

Singles

*"From the Cradle to the Grave" (1980), Aural Assault *" Unsightly and Serene" (1981), Factory, FAC.32 – UK Indie No. 27 *"Live on a Hot August Night" (1981), Factory Benelux, FACBN 4 *"Sexus" (1984), Factory Benelux

Ram Ram Kino

*''Advantage – Tantric Routines'' EP (1985), Temple

References

External links

The Official Crispy Ambulance Website

* * {{Authority control Rock music groups from Manchester English post-punk music groups English new wave musical groups Musical groups established in 1978 Factory Records artists Factory Benelux artists 1978 establishments in England