Swell Maps

Swell Maps released four singles and two albums during their 1977 – 1980 career. All these records went to number one in the British Independent charts. In hindsight the band stand as one of the pivotal acts of the new wave. Not only was the group an acknowledged inspiration to the likes of Sonic Youth, Pussy Galore, The Butthole Surfers and Pavement, and their alumni - most notably brothers Nikki Sudden and Epic Soundtracks - continued on as key players in the underground music community. Nikki Sudden, David ‘Phones’ Barrington and Epic Soundtracks formed the first incarnation of the Swell Maps in early 1972 and continued recording and playing at home during the mid-seventies. Jowe Head, John ‘Golden’ Cockrill and Richard ‘Biggles’ Earl joined the ensemble during these years. In the spirit of punk’s ‘do-it-yourself’ mentality, they formed their own label, Rather Records, and issued their debut single, Read About Seymour, in the early weeks of 1978. Local media support soon won the group a distribution pact with Rough Trade, and after recording the first of three John Peel sessions they worked on their debut album, A Trip to Marineville, which was released in 1979. The band’s second LP, Jane from Occupied Europe, was released as the band broke up. A series of outtakes and singles collections - Whatever Happens Next. Collision Time and Train Out of It - followed while the members pursued solo careers. A Trip To Marineville and Jane From Occupied Europe were recently remastered and re-released on CD by US label, Secretly Canadian Records and on double vinyl by Munster Records of Spain. All these albums (and more) are available from The Big Store at http://ww.nikkisudden.com. Nikki Sudden formed the Jacobites and also works with his own band – his latest album, The Truth Doesn’t Matter, will be out in mid 2006. Soundtracks joined Crime and the City Solution and then These Immortal Souls and later made four achingly beautiful solo albums before his death in 1997. Jowe Head played with the Television Personalities and issued solo records. Richard Earl made one eclectic solo record before retiring from music to build antique motor cars. John Cockrill became a general practitioner (a doctor) while David Barrington became a marine micropalaeontologist. Jowe, Richard and Nikki went in a studio in Berlin during 1998 and recorded some new, as yet unreleased, numbers. The five surviving Maps are in touch and considering a reunion in WSRS studio during summer 2006.

[Updates] On the 26th of March, 2006, Nikki Sudden passed away in NYC just after a show at the Knitting Factory. He was at work on an autobiography and a new album, The Truth Doesn't Matter. He was 49.

Surely be missed.