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Black Shuck Utterly Bastard Groovy Amphetamine Filth

Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 848 Location: Sitting in a sleazy snack bar, sucking sickly sausage rolls
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Post #1 Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2003 8:34 pm Post subject: Ben Gunn |
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Hello. just wondered if wnyone had any info on Ben Gunn? What's he up to these days, why did he leave the sisters (I once read it was his own choice, as he thought the sisters were 'selling out'), and which of the early singles did he actually play on? Seems to be the most esoteric sister
Oh, and is it true that Von recorded The Reptile House EP entirely on his own?
Forgive my ignorance  _________________ Gazza for England manager |
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Dan Slight Overbomber

Joined: 25 Sep 2002 Posts: 1822 Location: Leeds
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Post #2 Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2003 12:18 am Post subject: |
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Ben Gunn left at the end of October'83, so he'd be on any singles recorded before then. |
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Scardwel Utterly Bastard Groovy Amphetamine Filth

Joined: 28 Jan 2002 Posts: 971 Location: York
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Post #3 Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2003 11:49 am Post subject: |
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except 'The Damage Done / Watch / Home of the Hitmen' of course. |
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Ed Rhombus Slight Overbomber

Joined: 10 May 2002 Posts: 1328 Location: West Yorkshire
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Post #4 Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2003 4:15 pm Post subject: |
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A few of us had a scout round towards the end of last year
Ben Matthews (Gunn) is a juggler as part of the Danger Brothers, they seam to be highly regarded in juggling circles and go all over the world.
Hence the old tag on the Sisters website ‘If you want juggling going see clowns, you know who they are’
In our hunt for this I disturbed a Doctor Ben Matthews, eco expert, and somebody hassled the Ben Matthews in Thunder! _________________ Ed Rhombus
There for you (weather permiting)
www.rhombus-rock.com
https://www.facebook.com/rhombus.uk |
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RobF Utterly Bastard Groovy Amphetamine Filth

Joined: 25 Mar 2002 Posts: 569 Location: Brixton/Bayswater/Beirut depending on the mood
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Post #5 Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2003 5:05 pm Post subject: |
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For some unbeknown reason, Juggling upsets me great deal, as do poi, and street theatre smelly bugger activities in general, to paraphrase (and wildly misquote) Chuck D: " Ben, How low can you go?"  _________________ "...by the time I get to Arizona..." |
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Ed Rhombus Slight Overbomber

Joined: 10 May 2002 Posts: 1328 Location: West Yorkshire
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Ed Rhombus Slight Overbomber

Joined: 10 May 2002 Posts: 1328 Location: West Yorkshire
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adarkadaptedi Childlike Empress

Joined: 25 Jan 2002 Posts: 7647 Location: Way on down south, New London town.
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Post #8 Posted: Sat Feb 08, 2003 1:32 am Post subject: |
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Ben Gunn wrote: | In fact here's the original Sisters line up
Von, Ben, Craig and Gary |
LOL! Good one!  _________________ Be thankful that I don't have superpowers. |
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Karst Slight Overbomber

Joined: 04 Nov 2002 Posts: 1452 Location: Belfast
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Post #9 Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2003 5:04 pm Post subject: |
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Ben Gunn wrote: | Ben Matthews (Gunn) is a juggler as part of the Danger Brothers, they seam to be highly regarded in juggling circles and go all over the world. |
I don't think Matthews was born in 1972 (http://nusjugglers.8m.net/benmatthews.html)
Nor does he hold a History degree from Oxford. I believe he works in Television Production in London.
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Black Shuck Utterly Bastard Groovy Amphetamine Filth

Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 848 Location: Sitting in a sleazy snack bar, sucking sickly sausage rolls
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Post #10 Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2003 6:30 pm Post subject: |
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Anyone have any more info on the reason for messr. Gunn's exit? I'm sure I once read somwhere that he left off his own accord as he thought the band were "moving too far away from their original vision" or something similar. Has he ever been interviewed?
I must seem to be a Ben Gunn obsessive- I don't know why but I'm always strangely curious as to the whereabaouts of members of groups who leave before the band achieves major success. There's something tragic about it - Or am I just full of crap? _________________ Gazza for England manager |
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Karst Slight Overbomber

Joined: 04 Nov 2002 Posts: 1452 Location: Belfast
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Post #11 Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2003 12:06 pm Post subject: |
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I believe he left the band sometime after the two US dates - citing creative differences (more commercial direction and AE perfectionism). He apparently went to the University of Liverpool after that and played in the band Anabas who released a couple of singles (Romance & Barricades). After that he went into Televsion production I believe. _________________ Trade: http://www.tapetrader.com/karst
Art: http://www.whitelabelrecs.info |
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Quiff Boy Herr Administrator

Joined: 25 Jan 2002 Posts: 15660 Location: Lurking
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Post #12 Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2003 12:10 pm Post subject: |
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no way! seems we missed that vital piece of information during our man-hunt/stalker session!
liverpool uni? music?
you think he bumbed into mark pearman while there?  _________________ the cake is a lie
the cake is a lie
the cake is a lie
the cake is a lie |
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Karst Slight Overbomber

Joined: 04 Nov 2002 Posts: 1452 Location: Belfast
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Ed Rhombus Slight Overbomber

Joined: 10 May 2002 Posts: 1328 Location: West Yorkshire
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Karst Slight Overbomber

Joined: 04 Nov 2002 Posts: 1452 Location: Belfast
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Post #15 Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2003 12:47 pm Post subject: |
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Ben Gunn wrote: | Doesn't miss a trick old Karst. |
Eh, 31, is that old? Advice from the Young at Heart!
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Black Shuck Utterly Bastard Groovy Amphetamine Filth

Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 848 Location: Sitting in a sleazy snack bar, sucking sickly sausage rolls
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Post #16 Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2003 12:53 pm Post subject: |
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So, does anyone know if it's True that AE entered the studio and recorded The Reptile House EP (my favouritest Sisters record) entirely on his own?
I'm not dissing Von, but if it's true it's no wonder Ben Gunn walked out _________________ Gazza for England manager |
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Scardwel Utterly Bastard Groovy Amphetamine Filth

Joined: 28 Jan 2002 Posts: 971 Location: York
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Post #17 Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2003 2:00 pm Post subject: |
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I heard it was just AE and Craig Adams who played on the Reptile House e.p, with AE taking care of all the guitar parts except the bass. |
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Ed Rhombus Slight Overbomber

Joined: 10 May 2002 Posts: 1328 Location: West Yorkshire
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Post #18 Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2003 2:45 pm Post subject: |
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Old as a friendly and familiar term, like if I was to say ‘old son’. Which, of course would seam a contradiction
But I am 28 so that gives me 3 years leeway _________________ Ed Rhombus
There for you (weather permiting)
www.rhombus-rock.com
https://www.facebook.com/rhombus.uk |
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Karst Slight Overbomber

Joined: 04 Nov 2002 Posts: 1452 Location: Belfast
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Post #19 Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2003 3:01 pm Post subject: |
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No worries Ben
The sheet that came with the Reptile House EP clearly indicated that it is written and produced by AE. Chris Sampson says on 1959 that he thinks Craig has written some bass lines for it. If so, he's not credited.
Found AE saying this about the Reptile House EP:
AE: [...] I thought the 'Reptile House' was, like, our finest hour yet, because it was the most serious record we ever made, but it was also the most perverse. Everything about that record is perverse. It's really slow, it's really long, and I just love the way all the, like, the lead lines hidden in the mix, involved in the effects, completely submerged, you really have to fight with that record. And the last track starts like it's going to be a up-pot number, and the voice just slithers back into the mix, and the tune distorts itself, and when that's finished you just get a reprise of the beginning, it takes you right back full circle. It's a very perverse record, it's part of the concept of the thing that there's no escape from the 'Reptile House'. A lot of this does go over people's heads, they just think "Oh yeah, a long slow record."
Here: http://website.lineone.net/~garynaylor/canada.htm
Is Gary on these boards?
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Dan Slight Overbomber

Joined: 25 Sep 2002 Posts: 1822 Location: Leeds
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Post #20 Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2003 3:09 pm Post subject: Re: Ben Gunn |
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LOL, he wasn't born in 1972, that would make him 9 years old when he joined the Sisters. LMAO!
Ben Gunn was interviewed in ZigZag, Aug'84.
First, let's have the truth about the Sisters.
"I left because of personal differences."
Come now you naughty boy, there's more to it than that.
"The general band policies, which are obviously derived from one member began to stink."
So you set up a record label?
"'Flame On Records'. The first release was in October, with a band called Anabas."
Did the label you set up with the Sisters pay off money?
"Let's get this straight. I've received no money whatsoever. I'm owed hundreds of pounds and intend suing them shortly." |
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Karst Slight Overbomber

Joined: 04 Nov 2002 Posts: 1452 Location: Belfast
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Post #21 Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2003 4:16 pm Post subject: Re: Ben Gunn |
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Dan wrote: | Ben Gunn was interviewed in ZigZag, Aug'84. |
Could you get us a scan of that?
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Quiff Boy Herr Administrator

Joined: 25 Jan 2002 Posts: 15660 Location: Lurking
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Dan Slight Overbomber

Joined: 25 Sep 2002 Posts: 1822 Location: Leeds
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Post #23 Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2003 5:41 pm Post subject: Re: Ben Gunn |
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Karst wrote: | Dan wrote: | Ben Gunn was interviewed in ZigZag, Aug'84. |
Could you get us a scan of that?
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Yeh I'll scan it in later. I'll email it to you or something cos I've nowhere to upload it. |
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Karst Slight Overbomber

Joined: 04 Nov 2002 Posts: 1452 Location: Belfast
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Quiff Boy Herr Administrator

Joined: 25 Jan 2002 Posts: 15660 Location: Lurking
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Post #25 Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2003 6:10 pm Post subject: |
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Karst wrote: | Dan,
Thanks!
Maybe Quiff can give you a hand in that. |
yep, just email it to me  _________________ the cake is a lie
the cake is a lie
the cake is a lie
the cake is a lie |
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