Githead

The appearance of Githead and the release of their debut EP Headgit in 2004{{cite news|last=Gill|first=Andy|title=Album: Githead |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-githead-532870.html|newspaper=The Independent|date=12 November 2004}}{{dead link|date=August 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} surprised many{{Who|date=December 2016}}, mainly because of the unlikely 'line up' and the fact that they operate in a pop and rock environment rather than a purely experimental one.{{Cn|date=December 2016}}

The band's genesis was as a 'one-off', as part of the celebrations of the Swim ~ label's 10th anniversary{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/gdcz/ |title=BBC Music: Githead Art Pop Review, accessed September 7, 2009 |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |access-date=2012-02-21}} at the ICA, but it quickly became apparent{{Cite web|title=Githead - official site [the band] - Colin Newman, Robin Rimbaud (Scanner), Malka Spigel, Max Franken|url=http://www.githead.com/the_band.html|access-date=2021-02-23|website=www.githead.com}} that the band was more than a mere collection of individuals{{Cite web|title=Githead - official site [the band] - Colin Newman, Robin Rimbaud (Scanner), Malka Spigel, Max Franken|url=http://www.githead.com/the_band.html|access-date=2021-02-23|website=www.githead.com}} and that it was able to generate its style.{{Cite web|title=Githead - official site [the band] - Colin Newman, Robin Rimbaud (Scanner), Malka Spigel, Max Franken|url=http://www.githead.com/the_band.html|access-date=2021-02-23|website=www.githead.com}}

Initially without a drummer, the band wrote and rehearsed in Swim's studio from the outset. This guaranteed that all outbreaks of creativity could be instantly recorded. This meant that as well as building up a repertoire, the band was also recording towards an end of released material, and was subsequently able fairly rapidly to develop enough finished material to enable selections to be made for release.

Thus the debut EP Headgit was released before the band had played its third gig, and material to the debut album Profile was already in the works before the band had even played two gigs.

The first three shows were performed without a live drummer, but it had always been the band's intention to be able to play with live drums.{{Cite web|title=Githead - official site [Max Franken] - Colin Newman, Robin Rimbaud (Scanner), Malka Spigel|url=http://www.githead.com/max_franken.html|access-date=2021-02-23|website=www.githead.com}} In the end Max Franken from Malka's band Minimal Compact became the band's drummer.

Githead made their debut as a live four-piece in Antwerp in March 2005 following on with gigs in Spring and Summer that year. These included Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, Cité de la Musique in Paris, The Paradiso in Amsterdam, Barby in Tel Aviv, The Botanique in Brussels and The Garage in London.

In autumn 2005 the band concentrated on writing and recording their 2nd album Art Pop. It was released in May 2007 to general positive reviews.{{cite web|url=http://brainwashed.com/index.php?Itemid=1&id=6234&option=com_content&task=view |title=Brainwashed review, accessed September 12, 2009 |publisher=Brainwashed.com |access-date=2012-02-21}}{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/10513-art-pop/ |title=Pitchfork review, accessed September 12, 2009 |publisher=Pitchfork.com |date=2007-08-15 |access-date=2012-02-21}}[http://www.incendiarymag.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1163 Incendiary review, accessed 12 September 2009] Their third album, Landing, was released November 2009.{{cite web|url=http://www.githead.com/news-2009.php |title=Githead website: News for 2009, accessed March 22, 2011 |publisher=Githead.com |access-date=2012-02-21}}

• Malka Spigel – bass, vocals
• Robin Rimbaud – guitar
• Max Franken – drums
• Colin Newman – vocals, guitar

• Headgit (Nov 2004)
• Profile (June 2005)
• Art Pop (May 2007)
• Landing (November 2009)
• Waiting For a Sign (December 2014)

• [http://www.githead.com Official Githead website]
• [http://www.swimhq.com label website]

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{{Colin Newman}}

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Category:Swim ~ artists

Category:English rock music groups