Spacemen 3

Spacemen 3 were an English space rock band of the 1980s whose career spanned from the post-punk era to Acid House. Jason Pierce and Peter Kember (sometimes credited as J. Spaceman and Sonic Boom) formed the group in Rugby, Warwickshire in the early part of the decade and began touring, finally recording in 1986 on Glass Records. Sound Of Confusion was not successful commercially but it attracted a loyal fanbase; its follow-up, The Perfect Prescription, expanded the group's core of fans.

Related Topics:
English - Space rock - 1980s - Post-punk - Acid House - Rugby, Warwickshire - 1986 - Glass Records - Sound Of Confusion - The Perfect Prescription

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In 1989 Playing With Fire, which expanded on the psychedelic and drone themes of the earlier albums, was released. Its second single reached #1 on the UK indie charts. Soon after, a combination of personnel changes, drug problems and inter-band tension (especially between Kember and Pierce) began to break the band apart. Recurring in 1991 was their last proper album, though its recording reflected this split as each principal recorded a side in different studios, with a cover of Mudhoney's 'When Tomorrow Hits' to separate them. It was their most popular release, but Kember and Pierce had almost already formed separate bands, Spectrum and Spiritualized, respectively. The final gesture that contributed to the split was Pierce's decision to release a cover of The Troggs' 'Any Way That You Want Me', which saw Kember declare the band over.

Related Topics:
Playing With Fire - Recurring - Mudhoney - Spectrum - Spiritualized - The Troggs

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Semi-legitimate recordings Taking Drugs to Make Music to Take Drugs To and Dreamweapon, early demos and a live recording respectively, began a stream of live, demo or unofficial releases that has continued for the intervening decade. The highlight of its posthumous oeuvre is the band's singles compilation, perhaps the best introduction to the breadth of their work.

Related Topics:
Taking Drugs to Make Music to Take Drugs To - Dreamweapon

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In 1998, a tribute album was released on Rocket Girl, which included tracks by Mogwai and Low. Kember's Spectrum has toured under the banner 'Songs The Spacemen Taught Us', while Pierce routinely includes their songs in his Spiritualized set. In 2004, US journalist Erik Morse published his account of the band's life and work, Dreamweapon.

Related Topics:
Rocket Girl - Mogwai - Low

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