Why Did Earache Sign Pitch Shifter?

Question from Marshall: Why did Earache sign PitchShifter dorsum inwards the early on 90's? They were highly influennced together with sounded almost identical to Godflesh (in the early on days), together with you lot bring been known to non sign bands inwards the past(Fear Factory etc) for sounding to much similar other Earache artists.

Thanks from the_suttonator@hotmail.com


Answer: Good question- I genuinely dunno why I bothered amongst Pitch Shifter, what a collosal waste product of infinite that band turned out to be. The curt respond is because they were a local Nottingham band, nosotros moved inwards similar circles, they were on our doorstep together with I'd seen their buzz edifice upwards close. In truth, the principal argue is because they pretty much blagged themselves onto on the label. PSI are the solely band I've worked amongst who kinda begged to hold upwards signed upwards to the label - together with during their iv twelvemonth stint on Earache released 2 x EPs & 2 x albums. The band after also campaigned together with begged- really vociferously, really bitterly together with publicly - to hold upwards allow move from the label bargain whilst it was withal ongoing. They got their wish.

Here's the early on PSI audio on the Deconstruction clip:


It's truthful that for a few years Pitch Shifter were known inside the scene equally Poor Man's Godflesh.Also on the circuit were Londoners Sonic Violence who were affectionately known equally Shit Godflesh. Both bands to a greater extent than or less aped & copied the Birmingham band's unique Industrialised Metal audio to a greater extent than or less 1990-2. PSI seemed to create everything Godflesh did, but a couplet of years after them. Be it signing amongst Earache, varying their sound, doing celluloid soundtracks, or signing a major label deal- which PSI inked amongst Geffen inwards 1997. Godflesh were released on Sony/Earache inwards the USA inwards 1993. They'll belike fifty-fifty reform 2 years after Godflesh!

Pitch Shifter didn't play grindcore or Death Metal, their audio utilised the latest music technology scientific discipline of the day- drum machines, early on samplers, but amongst heavy guitars & growly vocals. It resulted inwards a audio which was really cool together with contemporary for the time. Industrial Metal was widely viewed inwards the Music Industry equally the "next large thing" after Grunge, together with thence the Industrial Metal/Rock scene spawned a ton of major-label acts similar Stabbing Westward & Gravity Kills inwards the early-mid 90s period. Though it must hold upwards said that it was Ministry & Nine Inch Nails together with to some extent Godflesh who were the innovators together with leaders of the scene. They seat it on the map.

Back inwards the early on 1990's though, scoring a major label bargain was the finally thing on the bands mind, they only wanted to teach signed, together with and thence Pitch Shifter's debut album "Industrial" appeared on Peaceville. Peaceville were presumably chuffed to teach their really ain Godflesh sound-a-like on the roster, together with the band were upwards together with running amongst a tape inwards the shops.

During that period, I got on best amongst master copy PSI guitarist Stuart Toolin together with from retention it was him who opened the discussions amongst me to run across if Earache could teach involved amongst PSI, citing severe lack of advertisement past times Peaceville equally belongings them dorsum from progressing. Their sharp together with really persuasive director Stuart Knight - he's the fella brandishing the flaming throwers inwards the Deconstruction clip - also made the representative for the band beingness on Earache. So a bargain was duly signed together with PSI walked away from Peaceville to move an Earache artist. Obviously I had no clue at the fourth dimension they'd repeat the procedure some years later, to teach out Earache together with sign amongst Geffen.

Heres the Triad clip from their debut Earache album, 'Desensitised':



Almost equally presently equally the ink was dry out on the contracts, the problems started. Stuart Toolin was ousted from the group, together with inwards hindsight, it was from this fourth dimension onwards that ours together with the bands ideas began to differ, equally the label's principal contact inwards the PSI army camp had gone. Frontman Jon 'JS' Clayden became the band leader together with its fair to country I've never seen eye-to-eye amongst him. Despite this, during the course of pedagogy of their 2 albums for Earache, the Pitch Shifter fanbase grew steadily, together with the band experimented amongst their sound, together with thence equally to non follow inwards Godflesh's slipstream anymore.I encouraged them to ask heed to The Prodigy together with the burgeoning Great Britain hole-and-corner dance/rave civilization for novel inspiration, which they were reluctant to create at first. I retrieve good Jon Clayden's comment on the matter: "Techno scares me". The band seemingly absorbed the advice though, equally rudimentary drum n bass/breakbeat samples appeared on 1996's Infotainment album, which finally shook off the Godflesh comparisons in ane lawsuit together with for all.

The album was a breakthrough of sorts, charting high on the Independent charts, which boosted the bands profile considerably. Behind the scenes though, things weren't equally upbeat, equally a looming feel of dissatisfaction began to prepare betwixt the band's army camp together with label.



In hindsight, I'm fairly certain the signing of local Notts/Derby hopefuls Bivouac to Geffen had a lot to create amongst the Earache-PSI bargain ending. When Nirvana toured the Great Britain inwards the early on years, a crazy dancer would jump onstage amongst them. Kurt Cobain took a existent smooth to the fella, together with he became an onstage fixture amongst Nirvana. The dancer was Tony Hodgkinson, drummer of Biviouc. This adventure association amongst the world's biggest selling band at the fourth dimension brought Geffen A&R's beating a path to Bivouac's door.

Bivouac together with Pitch Shifter shared the same administration squad together with thence to a greater extent than or less that fourth dimension the possibility of Geffen getting involved amongst PSI too, became apparent. Just ane snag stood inwards their agency -Earache held the band's Recording contract for 2 to a greater extent than albums. It's impossible for me to blame whatever band for wanting to displace onto a major bargain from an Indie, because the divergence inwards finances together with promotional clout offered past times Geffen, when compared to an Indie similar Earache is seriously vast.Bare inwards ask heed this even out happened inwards mid-90s, together with the differences betwixt Majors together with Indies is less huge nowadays.



However, the underhanded agency Pitch shifter engineered their displace showed absolutely naught abide by for Earache. Even though I cancelled the contract to allow the band to displace on, Jon Clayden made absolutely scandalous together with unfounded remarks almost Earache for years afterwards, presumably to justify their displace to their marrow fanbase, together with themselves. The bloke has breathtaking arrogance, together with no shape whatsoever.

Pitch Shifter's finally clip for Earache- Underachiever.



On Geffen Pitchshifter refined their audio to move a slicker modern industrial stone band together with did relish a high grade of success, amongst regularly charting singles inwards the Great Britain together with numerous placements of songs inwards estimator games together with movies. The band were dropped after a unmarried album on Geffen, earlier moving onto a succession of other labels- MCA, Mayan/Sanctuary, piece after releases post 2003, bring been self-released nether a PSI records label.

Here's their biggest Geffen-era single: Genius



Nowadays Pitchshifter appears to hold upwards on semi-permanent hiatus, consisting of the marrow duo of the Clayden brothers addition diverse touring musicians. Ex-guitarist Johnny Carter teamed upwards amongst ex-Bivouac Paul Yeadon together with together they run a local Nottingham studio/production unit of measurement The Moot Group. The ex-PSI administration run Xtaster which is a successful Great Britain street team/promotion companionship for music together with film.