‘Beyond the realm of natural vision’
“In another universe altogether… incredible” (Nat Cramp NME)
“Every sound you ever heard was but a preliminary exercise in hearing, for the all embracing maelstrom of The Telescopes”
(j.Seltzer Melody Maker 1989)
Formed in 1987 by Stephen Lawrie, spacerock legends The Telescopes have been mining a unique anti-myopian seam of drone/dream noise & psych for over 20 years.
Along with bands like Loop, Spacemen3, JAMC & MBV the group were responsible for creating the kind of mind expanding Spacerock music that influenced bands like Ride, Slowdive and the whole Shoegaze/ Nu-gaze genres.
Their “#Untitled Second” album for the legendary Creation records is now perceived by many as a lost classic. While re-issues, on labels such as Bomp! Rev-ola, Spaceage, Midsummer Madness and The Committee To Keep Music Evil, brought their early sounds to a new generation of ears, and prompted the NME to declare ‘the genius of The Telescopes’.
Their current music has been described as- “primeval drone, rich in texture, with soaring feedback, forever spiralling outward, fractal and hypnotic – a bed of noise percolating at the edges of audition.” The Wire described them as having ‘ a very real & crazy originality that carries fat tons of wallop’. And Julian Cope is a fan.
An album of new songs is now underway, following sessions at the Brian Jonestown Massacre studios in Berlin.
The group were invited by Portishead to play last years ATP at Alexandre Palace in London, where they performed songs from their (livid) debut album Taste. An event that will be repeated at this years Austin Psych fest. curated by The Black Angels.
There are two new Telescopes singles scheduled for release in April 2012, the first is a drone version of Nick Drake’s lost classic ‘Black Eyed Dog‘ on the Trensmat label, and the second is a new Telescopes composition featuring One Unique Signal, entitled ‘We See Magic And We Are Neutral, Unnecessary“. This will be a flexi-postcard release on The Dream Machine label.
Keep a watchful ear..
A GIANT LEAP 