Coil (band)

Coil is an experimental music group that has worked in several forms of music (electronic and otherwise) such as industrial, noise, ambient and dark ambient, neo-folk, spoken word, and minimalism.

Background

Coil's first solo release, How to Destroy Angels was described as "ritual music for the accumulation of male sexual energy", and was said, by Coil, to have been produced under a variety of technological, spiritual, and meteorological conditions which the band felt to be magickally significant. There were several versions of this record released, on which the B-side was smooth unpressed vinyl, unplayable noise-filled grooves, layered music, test tones or other sounds and noise of a similar nature. Even their distribution and marketing techniques were left-of-center, sometimes producing only as many as 99 copies of an album, allowing only those who are truly dedicated to the band to seek them out. Including things such as "art objects", blood stains and sigil-like autographs in the packaging of their albums, they claim this makes their work more personal for true fans, turning their records into something akin to occultish artifacts. This practice was markedly increased in the later half of Coil's career. Some critics have accused Coil and its record company of price gouging. In 2003, Coil began been re-releasing many rare works, mostly remixed, into general circulation.

Related Topics:
Technological - Spiritual - Meteorological - Magickally - B-side - Vinyl - Sigil - Occultish - 2003

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Coil also has an interesting habit of separating their works into many side-projects, publishing music under different names when it is created using different styles. Some of their side-names are ELpH, Zos Kia, The Eskaton, Black Light District, Time Machines, and one of their newer members, Thighpaulsandra, produces music on his own as well. They contributed music to two of Derek Jarman's films, Blue and The Angelic Conversation.

Related Topics:
Side-project - Time Machines - Thighpaulsandra - Derek Jarman - Blue - The Angelic Conversation

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John Balance passed away on 13 November, 2004 after falling from a first floor landing in his home. On 25 November, it was announced that Coil would be releasing a number of video, audio and other works that were in various states of completion at the time of John's death, and all other planned appearances and releases would be cancelled, ending the band's twenty-year artistic career.

Related Topics:
13 November - 2004 - 25 November

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