A SUBTLE PLAGUE was a socially conscious avant-rock unit formed in the mid-80's at Bard college in upstate New York, that travelled the world relentlessly for over a decade and disbanded at the tail end of the 20th Century. In the aftermath of their continent hopping journey they left behind many broken vehicles, numerous releases on various labels, as well as a few children and some new musical projects that continue to forge ahead in the 21st century.
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Main members of the musical collective included vocalist Pat Ryan and three German born brothers who'd lived in Africa as children, Benjii Simmersbach, Patrick Simmersbach and Christopher Simmersbach. Early lineups featured saxophonist & steelophone player Jonathan Levy and later on singer Analucia DaSilva.
They also ran through a Spinal Tap-esque string of drummers including past & future members of bands like The Chills, Poi Dog Pondering, Helios Creed and The Bedlam Rovers. Tom Watson of Slovenly played some guitar parts on their "Implosion album. Near the end of their run, they took on final drummer Magnus Fleischmann .
Cities they resided in included Philadelphia and San Francisco where they recorded music for Rough Trade subsidiaries Heyday and Normal records as well as indies like Harp,Komotion and Sky . They ended their run living part time in the Czech Republic , Germany and Hungary while signed to World Service a Rough Trade affiliate distributed in Europe.
On October 20th 1997 Trocadero/ Rough Trade released "Independent Study" a retrospective CD .Prior to that, they released four full length CD's, one EP, three 7" 's and had songs on numerous compilations including Marijuana's Greatest Hits. They were known for passionately dramatic & energetic shows, and the influential German magazine Spex called them at their peak "the best live band the U.S. underground has to offer."
New bands operating these days spawned from past members of A Subtle Plague include The Durgas and A Drastic Measure featuring Chris & Benji Simmersbach and The Cult Inside My Head with Pat Ryan and Magnus Fleischmann.
Over the years and miles, Therapy, Alice Donut, Iggy Pop, Noir Desir, Jesus Lizard, Sonic Youth, The Melvins, Feelies and Mudhoney are among some of the many bands who have flyers proving they played with A SUBTLE PLAGUE.
selected discography
Failed Pop Experiment 7" Single (1988 ASP)
Inheritance LP/CD/CS (1989 Heyday/Rough Trade)
i wanna kill the president/Only Suckers Vote 7" Single (1992 Harp)
Kalifornia Must Be Punished -live- - Cd maxi EP ( 1994 France)
No Reprise CD/LP ( 1995 Rough Trade)
Secret Lives CD/Digital Download ( 1996 Trocadero)
hung to dry CD (1996 Grosse Rose Records, PIAS France)
Trigger To Nowhere / My Horizon / I Can't Take It No More CD single (1996 Rough Trade )
Independent Study CD ( 1997 Trocadero)
http://asubtleplague.com
related sites:
http://www.thedurgas.com
http://www.myspace.com/thecultinsidemyhead
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