The League of Gentlemen (band)
| The League of Gentlemen | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Dorset, England |
| Genres | Post-punk, new wave |
| Years active | 1980 |
| Labels | EG/Polydor |
| Associated acts | Robert Fripp, King Crimson, XTC, Shriekback, Gang of Four |
| Past members |
Robert Fripp Sara Lee Barry Andrews Johnny Toobad (Johnny Elichaoff[1]) Kevin Wilkinson |
The League of Gentlemen was a band active during March–December 1980 that featured guitarist Robert Fripp of King Crimson fame. Other members included bass guitarist Sara Lee (who later joined Gang of Four, The B-52's, and Indigo Girls), keyboardist Barry Andrews (formerly of XTC; later of Shriekback) and percussionist Johnny Toobad, replaced late in the band's tenure by Kevin Wilkinson (later of China Crisis and Squeeze).[2][3]
The 1980 group should not be confused with Robert Fripp's first semi-professional band in the 1960s, which had the same name.[4]
Fripp referred to the 1980 band as "a second-division touring new wave instrumental dance band".
The Trouser Press Record Guide described the League of Gentlemen's music as typically taking "a simple medium-to-fast backbeat over which Fripp and Andrews locked horns, with melodic development emerging slowly, surely, subtly."[5] Trouser Press also suggests that the League's foray into dance oriented rock was a precursor to Fripp's reformed King Crimson in the early 1980s.[6]
The band toured extensively in Europe and North America throughout 1980.[7]
There are 77 specific tour dates detailed in the sleevenotes on the The League of Gentlemen album. Missing from this list are four (possibly warm-up) gigs at the 14th Century Hunting Lodge (now Lodge Farm House),[8] outside the grounds of Kingston Lacy near Wimborne Minster, Dorset, England. These gigs are dated 24 to 27 February and pre-dated the first 'official' gig on 10 April at Moles, Bath.
Discography
- The League of Gentlemen (Robert Fripp album) (EG/Polydor, 1981)
- God Save the King (Robert Fripp compilation) (Editions EG, 1985)
- Thrang Thrang Gozinbulx (Live album constructed from bootleg recordings) (Discipline Records, 1996)
Personnel
- Robert Fripp - guitar
- Sara Lee - bass
- Barry Andrews - organ
- Johnny Toobad - drums
- Kevin Wilkinson - drums
Notes
- ↑ Smith, Sid. "Johnny Toobad Is Dead". Dgmlive.com. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
- ↑ Tamm, Eric. "Chapter Eight: Out of Retirement – The Drive to 1981". Progressive Ears / Robert Fripp – from Crimson King to Crafty Master. Archived from the original on 3 March 2012. Retrieved 28 February 2012.
- ↑ Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 348. CN 5585.
- ↑ Biography by Bruce Eder. "The League of Gentlemen | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-03-13.
- ↑ Fleischmann, Mark; Robbins, Ira (1991). "Robert Fripp". In Ira A. Robbins. The Trouser Press Record Guide. New York: Collier Books. p. 263. ISBN 0-02-036361-3.
- ↑ Grant, Steven; Fleischmann, Mark; Robbins, Ira A. (1991). "King Crimson". In Ira A. Robbins. The Trouser Press Record Guide. New York: Collier Books. p. 367. ISBN 0-02-036361-3.
- ↑ "League of Gentlemen 1980 Tour Dates". Dgmlive.com. Retrieved 2016-03-13.
- ↑ "Lodge Farm House near Kingston Lacy (C) Mike Searle :: Geograph Britain and Ireland". Geograph.org.uk. Retrieved 2016-03-13.
References
- Tamm, Eric (2003) [1990], "8 Out of retirement—'The Drive to 1981'", Robert Fripp: From crimson king to crafty master (Progressive Ears ed.), Faber and Faber (1990), ISBN 0-571-16289-4, Zipped Microsoft Word Document, retrieved 26 October 2011
