Senseless Things were an
English pop punk band, formed in 1986 in London. The band released four studio albums and achieved two
UK Top 20 hit singles before splitting up in 1995. Senseless Things reformed in 2017 to play several gigs including
Shepherd's Bush Empire, as well as to record and release new material. Vocalist
Mark Keds died in early 2021.
History
Career
Senseless Things formed around the musical partnership of
songwriter Mark Myers aka Mark Keds (vocals, guitar) and
Morgan Nicholls (bass, originally guitar), who as 11-year-olds in
Twickenham,
Middlesex put together Wild Division in the early 1980s. With the addition of
drummer
A drummer is a percussionist who creates music using drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel-Sachs classification system, it is a membranophone. Drums consist of at least one mem ...
Cass Browne (also occasionally known as Cass Cade, Cass Traitor, Cass Vegas or Blousey Browne) they became the Psychotics, playing various venues in their local area despite still being at school. Their first gig together as the Senseless Things (named after a phrase used in
Shakespeare's
A Midsummer Night's Dream
''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict amon ...
and
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, and ...
) followed at the subsequently-demolished Clarendon in
Hammersmith
Hammersmith is a district of West London, England, southwest of Charing Cross. It is the administrative centre of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, and identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.
...
, London, in October 1986. Auxiliary members at this stage included a keyboard player, Ben, and a guitarist, Gerry, who deputised for Nicholls while the latter was studying for his
O levels.
The definitive Senseless Things line-up formed in summer 1987 when Nicholls returned to take over bass, with the new recruit, former BBC clerk
Ben Harding
Benjamin Scott Harding (born 6 September 1984) is an English professional footballer who plays for as a midfielder Truro City.
Club career
Wimbledon and Milton Keynes Dons
Harding began his career at Wimbledon and signed terms with them in O ...
, acquiring the vacant guitarist's role. The band regularly appeared at
The Clarendon in Hammersmith, London playing both downstairs in the Broadway bar and upstairs in the main auditorium.
Taking their musical cue from
the Ramones and
the Dickies, and their spiritual lead from fellow guitar outfit
Mega City Four, the quartet embarked upon a hectic touring schedule, often playing on the same bill as Mega City Four,
Snuff and Perfect Daze.
The band's first releases were
single
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
s given away with issues of ''Yo Jo Jo'' and ''Sniffin' Rock''
fanzine
A fanzine (blend word, blend of ''fan (person), fan'' and ''magazine'' or ''-zine'') is a non-professional and non-official publication produced by fan (person), enthusiasts of a particular cultural phenomenon (such as a literary or musical genre) ...
s.
By March 1988 the band had attracted the attention of the
BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey (DJ) and radio presenter. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly fr ...
, who invited them to record the first of three sessions for his programme. The "Up And Coming"
12-inch
The twelve-inch single (often written as 12-inch or 12″) is a type of vinyl ( polyvinyl chloride or PVC) gramophone record that has wider groove spacing and shorter playing time with a 'single' or a few related sound tracks on each surfac ...
followed, then "Girlfriend" the following year, both on Way Cool Records.
Their first album, ''Postcard CV'', was released in 1989, capturing the energy of their concerts by packing 10 tracks into 21 minutes.
Record Collector called it "sprightly pop-punk/ indie with touches of
Buzzcocks
Buzzcocks are an English punk rock band formed in Bolton, England in 1976 by singer-songwriter-guitarist Pete Shelley and singer-songwriter Howard Devoto. They are regarded as a seminal influence on the Manchester music scene, the independen ...
and
the Undertones".
The album was rounded off by "Too Much Kissing", which was released as a single and was to become their signature track.
In 1990 the band signed with What Goes On Records, just as the label collapsed, resulting in an abortive EP release. The band then signed to
Vinyl Solution subsidiary Decoy Records, who released the four-track EP "'Is It Too Late?", produced by
Jon Langford of
the Mekons.
The group stayed with Decoy for "Can't Do Anything", (also produced by Langford), which prefaced an appearance at the
Reading Festival; the band then signed to
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America
Sony Corporation of America (SONAM, also known as SCA), is the American arm of the Japanese conglomerate Sony Group ...
at the start of 1991.
The subsequent
album ''The First Of Too Many'' saw the band experimenting with other styles including acoustic songs, and the single "Got It At The Delmar" entered the Top 50 of the
UK Singles Chart.
Allmusic praised the album's blend of "bubblegum pop" and "gobstopping hard rock", likening the band's sound to
the Who and
the Replacements. Two further
Top 20 singles followed in 1991/1992 – "Easy To Smile" and "Hold It Down".
The band toured the
United States, supporting
Blur, and went to
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
for the first time, appearing on talent show ''Ika-Ten''.
Cover art for the first two Senseless Things albums and most single releases around the same period was provided by comic artist
Jamie Hewlett, creator of
Tank Girl and later
Gorillaz
Gorillaz are an English virtual band formed in 1998 by musician Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett, from London. The band primarily consists of four fictional members: 2-D (vocals, keyboards), Murdoc Niccals (bass guitar), Noodle (guitar, ...
.
The second single from their third album, 1993's ''
Empire of the Senseless'', "Homophobic Asshole" (with promotional video directed by
Steven Wells) received critical acclaim but was released reluctantly by their record company due to the band's choice of title
and failed to chart highly. Follow-up single, "Primary Instinct", an equally political (anti-racist) lyric but a more radio-friendly title, had slightly more commercial success. In a further Mekons connection, the album shared its title with a track from the 1989 album ''
The Mekons Rock 'n Roll'', itself named after a
Kathy Acker novel.
In 1995, the band released a final album, ''Taking Care of Business'' accompanied by two singles, "
Christine Keeler
Christine Margaret Keeler (22 February 1942 – 4 December 2017) was an English model and showgirl. Her meeting at a dance club with society osteopath Stephen Ward drew her into fashionable circles. At the height of the Cold War, she became s ...
" (renamed from "Christian Killer") and "Something To Miss". The latter's B-sides included a
Replacements cover as well as a song co-written with Lenie from
Mambo Taxi
Mambo Taxi were an English, London-based British indie band, linked with riot grrrl, who formed in 1991 and split up in 1995.Mason, StewartMambo Taxi Biography, Allmusic, retrieved 2011-02-01
History
Mambo Taxi were inspired by the UK garage ...
. Senseless Things went into permanent hiatus the same year after farewell
tours of the
UK and Japan.
Post-breakup
Keds very briefly became a member of
The Wildhearts before forming Jolt,
Trip Fontaine, The Lams, Like A Bitch and, most recently,
Deadcuts. He also has a co-writer credit on
The Libertines' 2004 #2 hit "
Can't Stand Me Now
"Can't Stand Me Now" is the first single from English rock band the Libertines' self-titled second album. The song was their biggest hit, and peaking at number two on the UK Singles Chart and number 28 on the Irish Singles Chart. In the Unite ...
", which took a line from the 1998 Jolt single "Hey! Kitten".
Harding went on to join
3 Colours Red
3 Colours Red were an English rock band, formed in 1994 in London. They achieved their biggest chart success at the end of the 1990s, along with other British rock bands such as Ash and Feeder. The band was named by sticking a pin in a Londo ...
in their original incarnation from 1996 to 1999, before pursuing a career in public and media relations. Making a return to music, Harding now plays in garage band The Charlemagnes.
Nicholls joined
Vent 414
__NOTOC__
Vent 414 were a short-lived British independent rock band active for a few years in the 1990s.
Their line-up featured artists who played in numerous prominent bands: Miles Hunt in The Wonder Stuff, Billy Duffy in The Cult, and Morga ...
with
Miles Hunt from
The Wonder Stuff until 1997, released the solo album ''
Organized'' in 2000, then went on to play with
The Streets. He is now part of
Muse's touring line-up and has also played with
Lily Allen and
The Who.
Browne formed new band
Delakota
Delakota were an English alternative dance band from the late 1990s. The band mixed elements of Madchester, retro-rock, and modern dance music to produce a sound which was often compared to Primal Scream.
The band were formed by ex members of t ...
with Nicholls and others, releasing an album and various singles between 1998 and 2000. He went on to become a central collaborator of Hewlett and Damon Albarn's virtual band
Gorillaz
Gorillaz are an English virtual band formed in 1998 by musician Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett, from London. The band primarily consists of four fictional members: 2-D (vocals, keyboards), Murdoc Niccals (bass guitar), Noodle (guitar, ...
, playing drums in various live incarnations of the band from 2001 to 2010 and also serving as one of the primary writers for the animated characters in interviews and cartoon shorts, including the 2005 book ''
Rise of the Ogre
''Rise of the Ogre'' is an autobiography about the virtual band Gorillaz, ostensibly written by the four band-members in collaboration with (actual) Gorillaz musician and official scribe Cass Browne. It was released in the UK on 26 October 200 ...
'' (Nicholls also played bass in the Gorillaz live band from 2005 to 2006). Browne also briefly played with
Urge Overkill, The Lams and Deadcuts. In 2019 he formed alternative rock supergroup Loup GarouX, with Mercury-nominated songwriter
Ed Harcourt, and Richard Jones of
The Feeling. The single "I Know the Truth About You" received airplay from
BBC Radio 1 and
BBC 6 Music
BBC Radio 6 Music is a British digital radio station owned and operated by the BBC, specialising primarily in alternative music. BBC 6 Music was the first national music radio station to be launched by the BBC in 32 years. It is available onl ...
.
Reunions
Senseless Things reformed (minus Nicholls, who was unavailable and replaced by Micky Wyle, ex-
Hitechjet) for a secret (billed as Mark Keds) four-song performance at Islington Academy, London on 4 March 2007 – over 12 years after the band last performed – as part of a gig to celebrate the life of former Mega City Four frontman
Darren "Wiz" Brown, who died in December 2006. The same band members had an impromptu reunion in June 2016 when they joined fans
Beach Slang live on stage in London to perform their cover of "Too Much Kissing".
In December 2016, a full Senseless Things reunion concert was announced for 25 March 2017. A warm-up date was later announced for Hull on 19 March. A one-sided 7-inch single with new recording "Lost Honey" was released to mark the concerts, the band's first new material in 22 years.
Frontman Mark Keds died on 10 January 2021; he was 50 years old.
Members
*
Mark Keds – vocals/guitar
*
Ben Harding
Benjamin Scott Harding (born 6 September 1984) is an English professional footballer who plays for as a midfielder Truro City.
Club career
Wimbledon and Milton Keynes Dons
Harding began his career at Wimbledon and signed terms with them in O ...
– guitar/vocals
*
Morgan Nicholls – bass
*
Cass Browne – drums
Discography
Albums
*''Postcard C.V.'' (1989) – LP, MC, CD – Way Cool (WC 004 LP)
*''The First of Too Many'' (1991) – LP (black vinyl), LP (purple vinyl), CD, MC – Epic –
UK No. 66
*''
Empire of the Senseless'' (1992) – CD – Epic – UK No. 37
**''Empire of the Senseless/Postcard C.V.'' (1993) – Double LP, double CD, MC – Epic
*''Peel Sessions'' (1994) – CD – Strange Fruit
*''Taking Care of Business'' (1995) – CD, LP – Epic
*''The Singles'' (1998) – CD – Epic
*''Postcard C.V.'' (2010) – CD –
Cherry Red (re-issue inc. tracks from "Up and Coming" 12-inch & "Girlfriend" 7-inch)
*''The First of Too Many'' (2022) - 3CD/2LP - Cherry Red (re-issue, plus remixed album and ''Live at
Camden Palace'')
Singles/EPs
*1988 – "I'm Moving" 7-inch flexi
*1988 – ''Up & Coming'' EP, 12-inch (re-released 12-inch/CDs, 1991)
*1989 – "Senseless Things" – rehearsals bootleg 7-inch
*1989 – "Girlfriend" 7-inch
*1989 – "Too Much Kissing" 7-inch
*1990 – ''Andi In A Karmann'' EP, 12-inch (promo only)
*1990 – "Is it Too Late?"
*1990 – "Can't Do Anything"
*1991 – "Everybody's Gone" –
UK No. 73
*1991 – "Got it at the Delmar" – UK No. 50
*1991 – "Easy to Smile" – UK No. 18
*1992 – "Hold it Down" – UK No. 19
*1992 – "Homophobic Asshole" – UK No. 52
*1993 – "Primary Instinct" – UK No. 41
*1993 – "Too Much Kissing" – UK No. 69
emixed w/new artwork & b-sides*1994 – "Christine Keeler" – UK No. 56
*1995 – "Something to Miss" – UK No. 57
*2017 – "Lost Honey"
Selected compilation appearances
*1988 – "Sniffin' Rock #6" – split 7-inch w/
Crazyhead
Crazyhead are an English garage punk band from Leicester, England. Though lumped in with the largely media-created grebo scene, they were more influenced by the garage rock of the late 1960s, as well as bands like The Ramones, The Stooges and ...
, The Birdhouse
*1989 – "Pssst" EP – split 7-inch w/
Snuff, Sink, Perfect Daze
*1989 – "The Shape Of Things to Humm" – split 7-inch w/ Perfect Daze, Playground, Exit Condition
*1989 – ''Underground Rockers Volume 2'' – LP (reissued on CD, 1992) w/
Manic Street Preachers, HDQ, The Price, etc.
*1991 – "Submerge #3" – split 7-inch flexi w/ Bugeyes
References
External links
Senseless Things Official website*
Suborbital fansite2017 interview – Mark and Cass2017 interview – BenSenseless Things tribute album ''Punk Not Fraggle'' website
{{Authority control
1986 establishments in England
1995 disestablishments in England
English indie rock groups
English pop punk groups
English punk rock groups
English alternative rock groups
Musical groups from London
Musical groups established in 1986
Musical groups disestablished in 1995