The Comsat Angels: Biography

The Comsat Angels
Formed:
Jan 1, 1978 in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England

Disbanded:
Jan 1, 1995

Genres:
New Wave and Synth Pop Music, Rock Music, Alternative Rock Music, Punk and Hardcore Rock Music

Decades Active:
1970's|1980's|1990's


Artistic Quality
Medium
Cultural Impact
Low
Popularity
Low



Erroneously regarded as a synth pop band -- or worse yet -- as "that group that had the song in that one scene of Real Genius," the Comsat Angels were actually amongst the cream of the early-'80s post-punk and new wave flock. Their first three albums were every bit on par with the best of the era. Frequently darker but less dramatic than Joy Division, their early material featured haunting (not goth) atmospherics and moody lyrics, supplanted by economic instrumental interplay that never sounded jumbled. After this early period that spawned three marvelous LPs, the band fell prey to commercial and legal pressures for several years. In the early '90s they surprisingly re-emerged as a bang-up rock band, a return to their original spirit and drive.

After numerous incarnations and name changes (as Mrs. Tibbets and the Skylids, to name a couple), the Sheffield-based Radio Earth (guitarist and vocalist Stephen Fellows, drummer Mik Glaisher, keyboardist Andy Peake, and bassist Kevin Bacon) found themselves opening for Pere Ubu in Newcastle. After the gig, the quartet reached a consensus that they had been blown off the stage and intimidated by the headliners' sense of focus and ability to confuse. Radio Earth opted to go on hiatus and sort out whether or not to continue.

Figuring that self-consciousness was their main gaffe, they regrouped with the focus on letting things come naturally, rather than thinking things out beforehand. This idea worked and the band felt able to continue. Re-christening themselves the Comsat Angels as a reference to a short story by J.G. Ballard, they took a loan from Glaisher's dad to record and release the four-song Red Planet EP in 1979. Sending BBC DJ John Peel a copy was a smart move; Peel immediately requested a few more copies and booked them for one of his famous Peel Sessions.

Polydor was the first major label to take interest in the band. Though a risky move, signing with the big label allowed the Comsats to pay back the loan to Glaisher's dad, and the deal removed them from the shady distributor of their debut EP. Though selling through two small pressings of it, the band didn't see a penny from it. The three-album deal yielded what would be regarded by shamefully few as some of the finest post-punk releases of the early '80s. However, being on a major hampered their ability to gain support of the press (although what press they did receive was generally glowing), and Polydor really had no clue what they had on their hands. Only "Independence Day" (from their debut Waiting for a Miracle) managed to chart at all, single-wise. After the contract expired, Polydor let the band go. The Holland wing of Polydor issued Enz, collecting some of the band's best moments and B-sides for their supportive Dutch market.

the Comsats weren't able to make a big impression in the States, as anyone tipped off to the band overseas would have to buy their records on import. Their first three records received no U.S. distribution. This didn't prevent them from booking an extensive U.S. tour supporting Gang of Four in 1982. (Gang of Four's guitarist, Andy Gill, had written the first major feature on the Comsats in 1979 for the NME.) Just prior to leaving for the tour, the Comsats received a call from the Communications Satellite Corporation (ComSat), who had been pestering the band for a year at this point. They had threatened to take the band to court for stealing their name. Somehow, Communications Satellite received word of the tour dates (Hmmm, wonder how?) and got the band to agree that they would be called either "CSA, formerly the Comsat Angels" or "the C.S. Angels" for all activities in the United States. After that was cleared up, the Comsats played the first few dates on their first U.S. tour, only to be cut short by illness. Of those dates, the band was shocked at the reception they had received, a result of college radio support.

the Comsats later signed with Jive, who paired them up with synth-pop producer Mike Howlett. The band expressed that they wanted to make a conscious aim for the top of the charts, and Howlett was seen as the man to help them do it. 1983's Land was a marked departure, focusing on the prevailing trends of current British pop. This sacrificed much of the band's original creativity, and the mainstream effort backfired. 1985's 7 Day Weekend (puzzling enough, the record was produced by James Mtume) suffered even more as a ham-fisted attempt to craft radio-ready singles, though it did gain them exposure for the use of "I'm Falling" in the movie Real Genius. 7 Day was more awkward than Land, entirely misrepresentative of the band. (Imagine if Wire had attempted to turn into Level 42 after 154.)

While licking Jive wounds, the band spotted Robert Palmer championing them on TV and contacted him. Within an hour, Palmer's weight with his label, Island, earned the Comsats a new record deal. With Palmer's help on production, Chasing Shadows was the closest the band were to their original style, despite some of the material being second-rate. It was good enough that the band frequently referred to it as their fourth album. It too died a commercial death.

The band proposed to build a studio on Island's dollar, rationalizing that once it was built, there would be no more studio costs. Island agreed, and Axis Studio was built in their native Sheffield. Receiving mixed signals from their various label contacts, the Comsats underwent a grueling process of trying to improve both the U.S. and U.K. wings of their label and ended up concocting material that erred on the side of bland hard rock. Though much of their new record was done by 1987, it wasn't until 1990 that the record saw issue -- and under a new alias, no less. Changing their name to Dream Command obviously detached them from their cult fan base, but in lieu of the record's blandness, it was best that it didn't bear a Comsat Angels logo.

At this point, the Comsats finally realized that their efforts at pleasing others -- whether it be label heads or consumers -- had been fruitless. They inked a deal with RPM/Thunderbird in the U.K. and Caroline in the States, releasing My Mind's Eye in 1992. Harking back to their early days, while throwing on more layers of guitar, the album was an undeniable success artistically. It was a tough update of Sleep No More-era Comsats. Unsurprisingly, it was met with commercial indifference and spotty critical praise. Kevin Bacon, who had started to flex his production skills for other artists, opted to leave the Comsats after the record. Their first lineup change ushered in Terry Todd as Bacon's replacement on bass, and Simon Anderson was added as second guitarist. The band issued The Glamour in 1995, their heaviest effort. Donning more obvious guitar riffs and hooks than ever, it made for a fine post-grunge record, without losing the necessary presence of Peake's nifty keyboard swells. the Comsats opted to retire soon after, bowing out in fine fashion.

Fellows released an album of ambient guitar instrumentals in 1997 and also took a young band by the name of Gomez under his wing as manager. Bacon continued production work for the likes of Finley Quaye and Longpigs, also producing his own electronic material. Glaisher and Peake continued to sporadically work together.

- Andy Kellman, All Music Guide

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