Mark Matthews - bass guitar, backing vox,
Bob Collins - lead guitar, backing vox,
Michael Murphy - guitar and vocals,
Ian Smith - drums (ver 1),
Alun Jones - drums (ver 2),
Rob Grigg - drums (ver 3),
Influences
Really hard to say - The Kinks, Joy Division, Sammy Davis Jr, The Doors, Go Betweens, Smiths, Pavement, Love, and if we're being honest probably Gong, Human League, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Sparks, The Action, The Prisoners, The Milkshakes, Teardrop Explodes, Prefab Sprout, Echo and The Bunnymen, the Fall.... These influences don't mean we tried to sound like these people, but they're in the collective psyche of the band, especially attitude and approach to our art.
You could also list Chatham, Gillingham FC, Billy Liar, any major football tournament and the England team, C86, punks, mods, second hand clothes, Blue Peter, Billy Childish, Belgium, The Rutles, bitter, salt and vinegar crisps, Peter Osgood, subbuteo, the lay-dees, James Patrick McGarry, bereavement, old films, curry, Cotter, and an initial distrust of anything digital including watches.
Sounds Like
The sound of true pop, now sounding like Badger, The Great Lines, Echo Heights, Spitfire 4, and Fortress Madonna....
This was written for a recent first album re-issue ;
The Dentists existed, from the mid-eighties to the mid-nineties, on the fringes of numerous "renaissance of guitar music" movements, psychedelia, trash, mod, C86, paisley underground, britpop, but never threw in their lot with any of them. Who wants to live and die with a scene? The Dentists were different; their own band. Not for them a headlong rush from obscurity to fame and back to oblivion in 2 or 3 years. They spent eleven years on the backburner plotting a slow career trajectory, usually on an upward incline but ultimately not enough to propel them into orbit. It all happened around them as they observed but never quite got to be on the inside looking out.
'Bout sums it up!
After Bob's departure, Mick, Mark and Rob recruited a new guitarist and continued for an album as Coax, while Bob became a founder member of Fortune West.
After Coax, Mick went on to form Fortress Madonna, with major help from Bob and a little help from Mark. FM released an album and an EP. He now lives and works in Kenya.
In 2005, Mark and Bob collaborated in The Great Lines, who appeared at SXSW 2005, and there's an unreleased album sitting around waiting, hoping.
Mark now fronts The Echo Heights, who have their first album due out towards the end of 2007.
Bob now plays bass in Badger, with Rob Grigg on drums.
Ian Smith is drumming with the Garden City Project.
Alun's whereabouts is unknown.
thank you so very much for the add lads. the dentists were like a rare flower that i was so glad to find in the early part of the 1980s under a bush in The Hammersmith Clarendon..
We had an excellent dream of a brilliant jangly psychedelic indie garage pop combo, and then Spruck Records made it come true. Thanks for all the great tunes (and the add).
Hello, just been listening to you guys again after ages.I just got your old pal Jon Storey's entire record collection (he's emigrated to France!!) and found some nice Dentists vinyl-great stuff! How's the football going Mark? See you up there Tuesday-cheers Markus
Who was that amazing performer who led the combo through a rousing verison of Turquoise Castle at Gillingham Rec Centre in November 1990? The Kids(tm) On The Street(tm) are *still* are talking about it.
Speaking of which, there's a smokin' new Progressive Classical track up on Mad Nutcracker titled "Wasp Flight" Currently #2 in Progressive Rock on SoundClick.
Thanks for adding. Saw you playin' once, a long time ago in Hoogstraten, as kinda support for the Chills. Hoogstraten is THE strawberry-city. It really is, even in wintertime.
Greetings,
The Dentists, it's an honor to be among your friends!
Shout out!
Brete
"Dancing Dirty ... to The Nutcracker Suite? Find out what the world will be dancing to this Christmas" www.MadNutcracker.com
