Wastelanders : A brief history....
Made up from:
Akamas - (Vocals/Percussion);
Emma Rivers-Fletcher - (Vocals/Guitar);
Lee Morriss - (Guitar/Piano/Bass/Programming);
1992 Akamas is contacted by Lee Morriss in response to an advert for musicians placed in a musical supply shop. Together with Steve Metters they meet and write first song at integral jam (the song Suspend remains one of their most important works). With bass player Ian Rockett they play as WASTELAND, performing unofficially to friends.
1993 Wasteland play thier only official gig, supporting Indian Queens at the Breakwater Inn. The band are described as "punk" by the sound engineer, probably due to their playing all the songs at twice normal speed. Soon afterwards the pub is closed down for printing its own money upstairs. (nb. Wasteland was not paid for this gig). A recording is made at a studio in Devon. Highwire, 10,000 degrees and Satellite Alive are all too new to be included on the tape. Band dissolved in August.
1994 Akamas joins the Poetry Exchange in Plymouth, an outfit which meets to discuss and perform poetry. Morriss joins River, a Plymouth band that includes Steve Metters on drums. Akamas and Morriss continue to work on songs together, completing formats of Satellite Alive, Any Other Day, and Float. Early versions recorded on 4 track.
1995 Akamas performs throughout the south west with the Exchange. Publication of poems sees a burst of creativity and for the first time in two years new songs begin to emerge. "Dockyard Blues/1985" and "Lithium Sundae" are cast at this time, the latter being a poem set to the first piece of music ever composed by Morriss. River continue to perfom live sets throughout UK and France, a track gets radio air play.
1996 With the dissolution of River, Akamas and Morriss meet regularly to work on their new project entitled Wastelanders. This is to be a retrospective movement, collecting and recording the songs they had written since 1992 and putting them together on CD.
1997 Twelve songs are recorded on an unnamed CD at spudshed studios in callington, engineered and mixed by Paul Cradick (ex Working Hands).
Ollie Stygal (ex Nero Circus) provides the lead guitar line on "Lithium Sundae", and the central poem is dirtied up to provide an even more desperate sound. Mike Knoble shares vocal duties on a few of the other tracks.
1998 From their OPENhouse studio, Wastelanders begin working on new songs. About a dozen tracks are demoed at this time including "Real Life" and "Heart Black as Coal". Late in the year, Akamas' friend Emma Rivers-Fletcher is invited to jam with the duo. Her interest in folk and country brings a new edge to the Wastelanders sound, and a female voice adds a different dimension to the older songs.
1999 Akamas, Morriss and Rivers-Fletcher write songs together and separately. In March, work begins on recording the first Wastelanders demo CD. Completed in June, the CD contains five songs:
"Real Life"; "Heart Black as Coal"; "Highwire"; "Lithium Sundae"; "Satellite Alive"
Good reviews and enthusiastic feedback encourage the band to get started immediately on its successor. First accoustic gigs are being lined up, and work continues. Songs to expect very soon include "Monument","Endless Loop", "Devil's Point" and "Static".
The band enter the "uksounds.com" top ten at No. 6, and reach the No. 1 spot within 24 hours. Real Life remains at No.1 for two weeks.
Oct '99:
Satellite Alive enters the "uksounds.com" top ten at No. 9, after a week on the chart, the track reaches the No. 1 spot.
Nov '99:
Lithium Sundae enters the "uksounds.com" top ten at No. 10. Within a week the track makes No. 1.
Akamas (b. 9th November '72, Plymouth, England.)
Lyrics / Poems. Lead and Backing Vocals / Percussion.
Lee Morriss (b. 29th June '71, Plymouth, England.)
All music / Guitars, bass, keyboards and programming.
Emma Rivers-Fletcher (b. 11th June '71, England.)
Lyrics. Lead and Backing Vocals / Guitar.
Mail Us: Wastelanders@Hotmail.com
