Here's a brief history of Elastica's early days...
All of the information has been lifted straight from the
Elasticatalogue. Presented a bit nicer, though, I suppose.
1992
June: Justin and Justine begin jamming together at the Premises Rehearsal Studio on the Hackney Road.
Damon comes along to play the bass guitar.
June 23: Annie borrows a mate's bass and arrives for an audition
July: The band rehearse as a three piece, but gradually decide to try to find a fourth member to
play guitar.
August: Melody maker ad appears:
Guitarist wanted, influences the Fall, the Stranglers, Wire
September 15:
Donna moves to London and answers advert.
September 29:
Donna joins band.
October to November:
The band rehearses, under the name Vaseline.
Mike Smith from EMI publishing offers the band 3 days demo time at EMI demo studio in Rathbone Place.
November 30:
The band record three tracks in three days in 16 track room with in-house engineer Marc Waterman.
Tracks are Line Up / Vaseline / Spastica. This version of Line Up which is later released
as a single.
1993
January 9: Donna moves into a flat in Royal College Street, Camden, with Jane Oliver. This house becomes Elastica
HQ.
March 10: Further demos at EMI
May 7: First gig at Windsor "Old Trout", supporting Truman's Water. The band play a 15 minute, 7 song set
under the name of Onk.
May 29: Gig at Bath Moles
June 5 and 12:
Elastica support Kinky Machine at the Bedford "Esquires Club" and Aldershot.
John Mulvey reviews Aldershot gig for the NME.
June 19: Steve Lamacq sees the band play for the first time, supporting Compulsion at the Camden Falcon.
June 30: More demos at EMI. Tracks recorded - Stutter / Pussycat. These versions later appear as a single.
July 16: First headline London gig, at the Powerhaus
August 12: First Peel session recorded at BBC, Maida Vale with Nick Gomm. Tracks recorded are
Line Up / Annie / Spastica / Brighton Rock / Rockunroll / Vaseline.
August 14: Publishing deal signed on Primrose Hill at midnight, to avoid signing on Friday 13th.
August 17: Handshake deal with Deceptive Records at the Good Mixer pub
August 26: Gig at the "Garage" supporting Juliana Hatfield.
August 27: Gig supporting Blur at the Windsor "Old Trout", their warm up for Reading Festival appearance.
Graham Coxon guests on drums for Vaseline.
September 12:
Gig with Collapsed Lung, Tiny Monroe and Credit to the Nation for "In the City" week in
Manchester
September 19:
Record S.O.F.T. for Phil Vinall for Volume Magazine.
October 2: Gig with S*M*A*S*H in Aldershot.
October 12:
Gig with Trans Global Underground in Leeds.
October 28 - November 7
On tour for the first time with Kingmaker.
November 1:
Stutter / Pussycat single released, on limited edition 7" vinyl.
November 17-22:
On tour with Pulp.
December 21:
Gig at Harlow Square with Guns and Wankers.
1994
January 14:
First TV appearance on "The Word" playing Line Up
January 15:
"On"-night gig at Astoria 2
January 25:
Receive readers' award for best new band at NME "Brat" awards. Also voted best new
band in Melody Maker end of year polls.
January 31:
Release Line Up / Vaseline / Rockunroll / Annie (Last two from Peel session)
February 24:
1st headline tour with Silver, Baby Chaos, Blubber and 60ft Dolls supporting,
including Electric Ballroom gig on February 17. Geffen records see band for the
first time.
February 9:
Record 1st appearance on TOTP, Line Up has entered the charts at number 20
March 16: Record session for the "Evening Session", tracks recorded are Waking Up / 2:1 / In the City /
Connection.
March 31: 1st overseas gig in Lille, France for the "Black Session"
May 19-20: Return to France to play with Pulp and Moose as part of the "Stone-age Festival".
May 24: Sign deal with Geffen
May 28: Carnival '94 gig at Brighton Festival
June 14: Second Peel session recorded at BBC Maida Vale with Mike Robinson. Tracks recorded are Never
Here / Car Song / Hold Me Now / Ba Ba Ba.
July 3: Band play at Roskilde festival, Denmark
July 21: Band play at Quart festival in Kristiansand, Norway.
August: Start recording album at Konk studios in Crouch End. Occasionally glimpse Ray Davies, who owns
the studio, playing his Hammond Organ in a white pananama hat.
August 11: Band play at Hultsfred Festival in Sweden.
August 23-25:
Warm up gigs for Reading
August 27:
Play in MM tent at Reading Festival
September 6:
Band play at "Zap club" in Brighton.
October 10:
Connection / See that animal / Blue (demo) / Spastica released.
October 20:
Record TOTP, Connection enters chart at number 17.
October 16-28:
UK tour winding up at the Astoria in London. Support bands are Ash and Shriek.
November 2-5:
Band play in France with Shed Seven and Gene as part of the "Les Inrockuptibles Festival"
November 7:
At BBC to record "Later with Jools Holland". Tracks recorded are Connection / Vaseline / Car Song
November 19:
Justin throws excellent party to celebrate moving into a house with Steve Pulp.
December 6:
Xmas Peel session recorded at BBC, Maida Vale with Tim Durham. Tracks recorded are Gloria / I wanna be
a King of Orient-ah / Blue / Father Xmas.
1995
February: UK and European single - Waking Up / Gloria / Car Wash / Brighton Rock.
March: Album....
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