431:) took over vocal duties from Keith Curtis. Goldblade and Inca Babies drummer Rob Haynes joined the line-up with Vince Hunt remaining on bass. The band's first live show was in London in April 2014 with art punk veterans The Cravats. Appearances at the launch of the re-released NME C-86 album in London and dates across the UK followed, including performing at the Blackthorn Music Festival in Etherow Park in Stockport, where the memorial trees for Rick Aitken were planted, and a 2014 tribute to John Peel featuring a host of Peel-era bands, including
528:"Smelt Like A Pedestrian", "Red Snake", "Dipping Bird", "Sharpened Sticks", "Legs Be Sturdy", "Hard Days Love", "Faglane Morris Wind", "Nodding Dog Moustache", "Raw Patch", "The Loudhailer Song". (Some of these songs were from their second John Peel Session). Extra tracks for cassette only: "O'Grady's Dream", "Smelt Like A Pedestrian 2", "Sharpened Sticks 2", "Hard Day's Love 2".
539:"Sharpened Sticks", "I Love You, Mr Disposable Razors", "Tomorrow Never Knows", "O'Grady's Dream", "The Loudhailer Song", "Car Skidding", "Dipping Bird", "Lucky In London", "Hard Days' Love", "4.49 Stool", "Smelt Like A Pedestrian", "Faglane Morris Wind", "Nodding Dog Moustache", "Red Snake", "Zip Up", "Threaphurst Lane", "Tomorrow Never Knows", "Dudefield"
394:
A chance meeting between German A Witness fan
Wolfgang Kunst and bassist Vince Hunt at an Inca Babies gig at the 12-Bar venue in London in 2011 led to previously unknown footage of A Witness emerging. Kunst had been in the audience for a concert featuring A Witness and Big Flame at the Oberhausen Old
224:
followed in
October 1986, entering the NME charts and reaching a position of number 18. After a tour of Germany and Holland with Ron Johnson labelmates Big Flame, A Witness recruited multi-instrumentalist Alan Brown on drums to replace the drum machine. He also contributed arrangement and songwriting
406:
which was released on Ron
Johnson Records just weeks after the show. The songs are "Smelt Like a Pedestrian", "O'Grady's Dream", "The Loudhailer Song", "Sharpened Sticks", "Red Snake" and "Hard Day's Love". There are also performances of "Camera" and "Lucky in London" (from the November 1984 EP
167:. Their career was brought to a halt with the death of guitarist Rick Aitken in 1989. Founder member and songwriter Vince Hunt revived the band with a new line-up for a series of UK-wide dates in 2014 marking the 25th anniversary of Aitken's death, and the band continues to play live.
260:), and a single "I Love You Mr. Disposable Razors" which had been due for release at the time of Aitken's death was delayed so it could be dedicated to him. The single was issued in November 1989 on the Vinyl Drip label. The Imaginary compilation series
426:
To mark the 25th anniversary of the death of guitarist Rick Aitken, founder member Vince Hunt assembled a new line-up of the band to perform some live dates. One-time drummer Alan Brown replaced Aitken and singer Simon 'Crayola' Williams (of the group
225:
ideas, including co-writing final single '(I Love You) Mr
Disposable Razors'. With Brown on drums A Witness released a further two 12" singles on Ron Johnson (one each in 1987 and 1988) before its collapse. Communion issued the US-only
411:, their first release for the Ron Johnson label). This was the first live footage to emerge of "Lucky in London", "O'Grady's Dream", "Red Snake" and "Hard Day's Love", some of the group's best-known songs.
255:
that would have re-established their profile. Stunned by Aitken's death, the band retired rather than continue. The third and fourth A Witness BBC radio sessions for John Peel were collected on an album
363:
In
September 2011, footage of A Witness in concert in Paris recorded twenty five years earlier was uploaded to YouTube. The concert – from December 1986 – featured five tracks, two from the album
328:) and Boz Hayward (guitar, HoundGod). The band released a fourth album in June 2010 called 'Life Under Glass'. Hunt was also a founder member of Marshall Smith in 1997, with Alan Brown from
557:"I Love You Mr Disposable Razors", "Life – The Final Frontier", "Helicopter Tealeaf", "Prince Microwave Bollard", "Take Me To The Earth", "McManus Octaphone", "Sunbed Sentimental", "Zip Up"
471:"Smelt Like A Pedestrian", "O'Grady's Dream", "Car Skidding", "Red Snake", "Dipping Bird", "Sharpened Sticks", "The Loudhailer Song", "Legs Be Sturdy", "4.49 Stool", "Hard Days' Love"
340:
in 2009 replacing the late Bill Marten and played on the albums 'Death
Message Blues' (2010), 'Deep Dark Blue' (2012) and 'The Stereo Plan' (2014). In 2016 he joined Martin Bramah's
244:. King recorded the studio versions of the band's final single '(I Love You) Mr Disposable Razors' and played on the final A Witness gigs when the band were rehearsing mostly in
414:
The line-up of the band for this show is Rick Aitken (guitar), Vince Hunt (bass) and Keith Curtis (vocals) with a
Drumatix 606 drum machine. Hunt later sold the Drumatix 606 to
447:
and Ted
Chippington. For appearances in Stockport and Manchester, Hunt brought in his sister, Christine, who had recorded violin parts for the track "O'Grady's Dream" on the
251:
However the group was shattered by the death of guitarist Rick Aitken aged 33 in a climbing accident in
Scotland in October 1989, just before a UK tour supporting
825:
399:
and The
Wedding Present. In a subsequent conversation in 2012, he offered to send the VHS to Hunt, who had it digitised and uploaded to YouTube in January 2013.
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Daddy venue on 9 September 1986 and later ordered from the local record shop a VHS copy of a video featuring four new UK bands: A Witness, Big Flame,
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described it as "pop music perfectly perverted". They gained further attention due to the inclusion of the track "Sharpened Sticks" on the NME's
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The three other tracks – "Nodding Dog Moustache", "Faglane Morris Wind" and "Raw Patch" – formed the bulk of the following A Witness 12" single
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762:
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637:
182:, Greater Manchester, England, by Rick Aitken (guitar), Vince Hunt (bass) and a drum machine, in 1986 replaced by Alan Brown (of
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performing live and making his recording debut on two songs on the B-side of the 'Skull Jam' 10" single released in 2017.
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and "The Loudhailer Song" was part of a collection of tracks from the period included in a compilation
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for the first time on CD on Hunt's own Euphonium label, home to his various musical interests.
236:, he was replaced on the drum stool by Triss King, a gifted drummer who had worked with quirky
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band, who were originally active in the mid-1980s alternative music scene. Their first EP
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510:"I Love You, Mr Disposable Razors", "Disposable dance version", "Tomorrow Never Knows"
320:(2008), then converted the band into a live unit featuring Harry Stafford (keyboards,
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308:. Vince Hunt recorded three critically acclaimed soundscape albums as Pure Sound;
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fame). Keith Curtis (vocals) and Noel Kilbride (guitar) joined the group in 1983.
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468:(1986, Ron Johnson, LP, ZRON 12) (2006, Euphonium, CD, EUPH001) UK Indie No. 18
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486:"Lucky in London ", "Camera", "Kitchen Sink Drama", "Regular Round" "Drill One"
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507:"I Love You, Mr. Disposable Razors" (Nov. 1989, Vinyl Drip, 12", SUK 010)
351:, was issued on Overground Records in 2002, while 2006 saw the reissue of
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drummer Daren Garratt, recording a debut album 'Colours'. Hunt joined the
201:-influenced bands that emerged in the mid-1980s, and won praise from the
483:"Loudhailer Songs" (Nov. 1984, Ron Johnson, 12", ZRON 5) UK Indie No. 9
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502:"Nodding Dog Moustache", "Faglane Morris Wind", "Zip Up", "Raw Patch"
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499:"One Foot in the Groove" (May 1988, Ron Johnson, 12", ZRON 30)
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Interest in A Witness has never waned, and a retrospective,
367:. "Sharpened Sticks" was included on the NME's collection
581:"C86 Band A Witness Reform For 25th Anniversary Gigs"
801:
C86 Band A Witness Reform For 25th Anniversary Gigs
451:album, but had never performed live with the band.
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691:The Guinness Who's Who of Indie and New Wave Music
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494:"Red Snake", "Regular Round", "Hard Days' Love"
232:When Brown moved on to launch his solo project
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402:The footage features six songs from the album
628:The Great Alternative & Indie Discography
491:"Red Snake" (1987, Ron Johnson, 12", ZRON26)
386:, their 1988 final release with Ron Johnson.
8:
280:compilation (1990) included their cover of
20:
129:https://www.facebook.com/awitnessofficial
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554:(1989, Strange Fruit, LP/CD, SFPMA 206)
534:Threaphurst Lane: The Best Of A Witness
296:Keith Curtis went on to play guitar for
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197:put them at the forefront of a wave of
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826:Musical groups disestablished in 1989
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831:Musical groups reestablished in 2013
418:, who owned it as of December 2012.
286:Break on Through (To the Other Side)
536:(2002, Overground, CD, OVERVPCD88)
525:(1986, Communion, LP/C, COMM003/C)
821:Musical groups established in 1982
14:
155:brought them to the attention of
16:English post-punk/indie rock band
217:cassette in the following year.
836:1982 establishments in England
816:English post-punk music groups
670:Mr. Spencer (1985) "Singles",
278:Through The Looking Glass 1967
262:Through the Looking Glass 1966
163:, for whom they recorded four
1:
422:Reformation with new line-up
852:
799:Louder Than War news item
624:Strong, Martin C. (1999).
676:, 14 December 1985, p. 22
189:Initially signing to the
72:, Communion, Vinyl Drip,
207:. A review of the EP in
725:"Inca Babies - Welcome"
693:. Guinness Publishing.
178:were formed in 1982 in
110:Rick Aitken (1956–1989)
96:Christine Hunt (violin)
61:1982–1989; 2013–present
753:Lazell, Barry (1997).
689:Larkin, Colin (1992).
384:One Foot in the Groove
324:), Rob Haynes (drums,
234:The Great Leap Forward
112:Triss King (1966–2008)
359:Paris concert footage
229:compilation in 1988.
74:Strange Fruit Records
757:. Cherry Red Books.
755:Indie Hits 1980–1999
466:I Am John's Pancreas
449:I am John's Pancreas
404:I Am John's Pancreas
390:The Oberhausen tapes
365:I Am John's Pancreas
353:I Am John's Pancreas
274:Tomorrow Never Knows
222:I Am John's Pancreas
153:I am John's Pancreas
785:on 24 October 2007.
731:on 10 February 2007
253:The Wedding Present
88:Alan Brown (guitar)
587:. 1 December 2013.
517:Compilation albums
373:Death To Trad Rock
248:, where he lived.
92:Rob Haynes (drums)
585:Louderthanwar.com
552:The Peel Sessions
318:Acts of New Noise
258:The Peel Sessions
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94:Vince Hunt (bass)
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781:. Archived from
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727:. Archived from
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523:Sacred Cow Heart
433:The Nightingales
409:Loudhailer Songs
349:Threaphurst Lane
227:Sacred Cow Heart
195:Loudhailer Songs
193:label, debut EP
151:and début album
149:Loudhailer Songs
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90:Crayola (vocals)
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733:. Retrieved
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159:disc jockey
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114:Keith Curtis
106:Past members
57:Years active
18:
654:"Biography"
604:"A Witness"
546:Live albums
455:Discography
441:Inca Babies
338:Inca Babies
332:and former
322:Inca Babies
270:The Beatles
191:Ron Johnson
157:BBC Radio 1
76:, Euphonium
70:Ron Johnson
810:Categories
779:"Homepage"
564:References
310:Pure Sound
145:indie rock
50:indie rock
416:John Robb
377:John Robb
330:Big Flame
326:Goldblade
314:Submarine
306:Goldblade
302:Membranes
298:John Robb
284:' track "
282:The Doors
246:Liverpool
199:Beefheart
184:Big Flame
180:Stockport
176:A Witness
161:John Peel
141:post-punk
137:A Witness
46:Post-punk
37:, England
35:Stockport
25:A Witness
429:Sarandon
165:sessions
242:Bogshed
125:Website
85:Members
761:
735:31 May
697:
673:Sounds
636:
276:" and
210:Sounds
171:Career
66:Labels
42:Genres
31:Origin
759:ISBN
737:2020
695:ISBN
634:ISBN
369:C-86
334:Pram
300:'s
288:".
272:' "
268:of
215:C86
204:NME
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256:(
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