Here is a brief histoire of the band, additional moog, prior to the glam rock outfit we now know and observe :
Pre-1992 - Who's Harold Hucus ?
James Williams is in slow education in Shropshire. 'Additional Moog' is a name he invents for a fictional French "Starsky and Hutch instrumental theme tune band". He and friend David Tudor spend English lessons coming up with dozens of odd song titles by using a French vocabulary book as their sole source.
1992-1993 - The Gene Wilder Experience
Some of those odd song titles become real pieces of 'music' when James records some abstract avant folk with David on drums and keys and another friend Helen Morris who "interprets" a selection of kitchen utensils as percussion. Heavily inspired by 'Smiley Smile' and Syd Barrett, songs such as 'Fried Curly Sausage Roll Brother', 'Rub Seafood Into The Seafood' and 'Kipper Traffic' form the transatlantic pop album 'A Chemist's Philosophy'. Titling the band 'The Additional Moog', James threatens to send the tape to John Peel.
1994 - American Stars & Bars
The 'the' is dropped from 'The Additional Moog' and one of the lost early hits 'Doughnut' with its potent lyrical themes of a LSD riddled bike ride has regular airplay on a small radio station in Mid Wales. Explorations in lo-fi 4-trackism continue. David and James team up on an almost semi-regular basis for the 'Free Surf and No Surf' sessions. James, having digested much 'Trumans Water' and 'Pavement', now has a feel on a direction for the music. He tracks down the singer from Trumans Water who now has a different band called 'Soul-Junk' and hatches a plot for a double sided 12" LP. Jobs and college come crashing in to put all that on eternal hold. Meantime, a call comes from a Canadian label called 'Fifth Beetle'. They want to put out an Additional Moog 7" and a couple of 10" albums. As a taster, the label puts out a compilation CD called 'Slow Children At Play'. 'The additional-moog' as the band is credited do themselves no favours by giving the label what can only be described as a "joke mix" of one of the 'Free Surf' tracks called 'Hey Hey Houlihan' rather than the proper version. Amongst some oddball tracks on said comp. it actually sounds like it could be a pop song in another dimension. 'Fifth Beetle' has great plans but when they sign 'Princess Superstar' there are all kinds of legal problems and the label apparently folds - holding the unreleased master for 'Free Surf And No Surf'.
1995-1997 - Hot Dogs For The Mystery Gang
Additional Moog moves into what can officially be called "Phase III". James buys an Alesis drum machine and goes into 'Brian Wilson studio project' mode. An early Beck-esque version of 'Cruising By Moon' dates back to this era. The songs start sounding a little countrified. Not Americana as such. We're talking rural Shropshire here, not rural Texas. David T emerges from his world ramble from time to time to add his inimitable dabblings, although these are few and far between and the 'Additional Moog' sound has now taken a slightly less leftfield turn.
1998-2003 - The Second Drummer Drowns
Here we move into "Phase IV" - the precursor to what can only be described as "The Bunker Years". The launch of mp3.com is an ideal platform for the release of a host of Additional Moog demos. These prove popular. In the short time the website hosts unsigned acts, AdMoog gets thirty thousand downloads. James encounters other likeminded artists from many corners of the globe at people start asking whether Additional Moog will play live. For a one man studio project based in a small market town, this isn't an option just yet. James gets talking to Pavement drummer Bob Nastanovich and invites him to drum on some Additional Moog material. Bob, an amiable man, agrees with some enthusiasm. Tapes are sent, many phone calls are exchanged and Bob books studio time in the States. In the meantime, Pavement split up and Bob gets a job tour managing for Steven Malkmus and The Jicks. Back to the 8 track.
2004-2006 - Left The North, Travelled South...Got Confused
South being Birmingham. "Phase V" is the era in which the real Additional Moog finally comes into being through no fault of its own. James meets Chester drummer Ian Powell in their mutual workplace and the pair find they both like R.E.M. and Abba. A Birmingham-based Benny/Bjorn cover band is out of the question so they consider an R.E.M. one instead. Drafting in fellow colleague Tim Rumboll on keyboards they start looking for a bass player. After a handful of moderately frustrating R.E.M.ersals, Tim suggests they play some of James' material instead. Additional Moog is finally a real band with the option to play live. First a bass player is still required. A bassist who has no love of slap style and will promise to only play with four strings. An advert is placed in Birmingham Central Library. Only one person responds - and he's a guitarist. So Alex Reynolds from Walsall joins, starts learning the bass instead. The band rehearses hard for many weeks until all hairstyles are correctly in sync. Birmingham's Bar Academy is the venue for the band's debut gig supporting a soon-to-be-heard-of K.T. Tunstall. It goes well. American label "Lost Cat Records" becomes interested in releasing the band. James agrees to licence a limited release of his previous mp3.com demos under the title 'Lost Engines'. Around this time it seems like a good idea to look for a fifth player to augment the line-up. This proves to be a good decision as Tim Rumboll suddenly chokes on his own vomit backstage at one of the band's notorious Tupperware parties. A Dave Matthews "enthusiast" called Dion Judge becomes the person who would be that fifth player but is now the fourth member instead. Despite being a West Brom fan, he is asked to play guitar with the band and even agrees. The new-look four piece get back to rehearsing and soon resort to working the streets in order to pay for their subterranean rehearsal studio. Initally referred to with affection as "The Bunker", members of the band spend many happy/rewarding/frustrating/semi-enjoyable/wasted hours here. Additional Moog begin spending money on petrol and exploring motorway services en route to various gigs throughout the land. Meantime, they record a track for a compilation CD of Midlands bands. Rather than the obvious indie classic 'Lets Eat Out' and with Dion being absent from the session they opt last minute for the folky 'Picnic Injection, 1974' - described by some as "oh yeah I see...it's like an instrumental with backing vocals". When the engineer leaves the room long enough for the band to construct a proper mix they go home fairly happy. That is, until the "mastered" version comes out and someone it seems has decided to turn it up to 11. Or maybe 12.
The band decide to record a debut single. Somehow - maybe because it's a favourite of Dion - they choose 'Holy Jukebox'. The B-side is James' favourite 'Old Computer Instrumental' - maybe because he doesn't have to sing on it. Lost Cat release it as a download single and a numbered 7". Some more radio play follows. James decides not to send the 7" to John Peel. Around this time it seems like a good idea to get a keyboard player. A friend of Dion's called Duncan Cook volunteers himself at a gig. 5 piece rehearsals and gigs follow. Among the best, a surprise birthday party gig complete with snowman in a Welsh village hall for original aux-mooger Helen. Among the worst, a trip to the Betsey Trotwood in London. Before the gig even starts James manages to lock the keys to the van inside the boot. The short-lived 5 piece comes to an end when keyboard player Duncan dies in a bizarre gardening accident. For a little while the band revert to a more musically comfortable 4 piece before expanding back to the ever-risky 5 piece with the signing of Middlesborough hot shot Mark Rose. The band is sounding better than ever but with Mark and Dion sharing additional moog and guitar duties it isn't long before the inevitable and things come to a head while attempting to overdub a twin guitar solo. Dion leaves the band to record an album of his acoustic numbers with the Birmingham Philharmonic. Back to a 4 piece James links up with Austin, Texas songwriter David Lutes to arrange a short US tour. The band goes over as an acoustic 3 piece and enjoys staying in a log cabin in the middle of nowhere – with the exception of Mark who is scared of spiders and basically any "creepy crawlies" and wishes he were staying in a (probably roach infested) five star motel instead. Back in the UK work finally starts on the debut album. Over an erratic period they record thirteen random tracks they just happen to be playing live at the time. Ian's drums at are tracked in Birmingham at 'The Bunker' before the band relocates to a farmhouse in Mid Wales to record vocals and guitars. David Lutes stops by while on a UK tour to add to the fun by lending some Barry Gibb-esque vocals. The album is finished in Shropshire and by this time it becomes clear that the band was never truly at home in Birmingham and with geography against them it makes sense to relocate to Shropshire on a permanent basis.
2007 – Handcuffed To The Wheel
Fifteen years and countless musical twists and turns after the first piece of music is recorded by something calling itself 'the Additional Moog' the band's debut album finally comes out. The band decide to release 'Thirty Three & A Third' through 'Fight This Generation! Records' and launch the album with a rare gig back in Oswestry. Around this time news reaches the band that bass player Alex Reynolds has apparently internally combusted offstage. Being reduced to a three piece at a most critical time for the band is a little unfortunate to say the least but initial shock and frustration dissipates.In summer 2007 the band start work on their second album "Lonely On The Rail" back in Shropshire. Meantime Dion "Belmont" Judge fills in on a few gigs on bass guitar before being called back to his day job in a Bay City Rollers tribute band . During 2008 there is a time-distance equation problem which makes finishing the new album somewhat of an extended process. Overdubs are completed at Saxondave's studiospace in Staffordshire and at Random Room in Shropshire. Finally mixed by Christmas of 2008, the album - now called "Endless Air" will see the light of day in Spring 2009.
Pre-1992 - Who's Harold Hucus ?
James Williams is in slow education in Shropshire. 'Additional Moog' is a name he invents for a fictional French "Starsky and Hutch instrumental theme tune band". He and friend David Tudor spend English lessons coming up with dozens of odd song titles by using a French vocabulary book as their sole source.
1992-1993 - The Gene Wilder Experience
Some of those odd song titles become real pieces of 'music' when James records some abstract avant folk with David on drums and keys and another friend Helen Morris who "interprets" a selection of kitchen utensils as percussion. Heavily inspired by 'Smiley Smile' and Syd Barrett, songs such as 'Fried Curly Sausage Roll Brother', 'Rub Seafood Into The Seafood' and 'Kipper Traffic' form the transatlantic pop album 'A Chemist's Philosophy'. Titling the band 'The Additional Moog', James threatens to send the tape to John Peel.
1994 - American Stars & Bars
The 'the' is dropped from 'The Additional Moog' and one of the lost early hits 'Doughnut' with its potent lyrical themes of a LSD riddled bike ride has regular airplay on a small radio station in Mid Wales. Explorations in lo-fi 4-trackism continue. David and James team up on an almost semi-regular basis for the 'Free Surf and No Surf' sessions. James, having digested much 'Trumans Water' and 'Pavement', now has a feel on a direction for the music. He tracks down the singer from Trumans Water who now has a different band called 'Soul-Junk' and hatches a plot for a double sided 12" LP. Jobs and college come crashing in to put all that on eternal hold. Meantime, a call comes from a Canadian label called 'Fifth Beetle'. They want to put out an Additional Moog 7" and a couple of 10" albums. As a taster, the label puts out a compilation CD called 'Slow Children At Play'. 'The additional-moog' as the band is credited do themselves no favours by giving the label what can only be described as a "joke mix" of one of the 'Free Surf' tracks called 'Hey Hey Houlihan' rather than the proper version. Amongst some oddball tracks on said comp. it actually sounds like it could be a pop song in another dimension. 'Fifth Beetle' has great plans but when they sign 'Princess Superstar' there are all kinds of legal problems and the label apparently folds - holding the unreleased master for 'Free Surf And No Surf'.
1995-1997 - Hot Dogs For The Mystery Gang
Additional Moog moves into what can officially be called "Phase III". James buys an Alesis drum machine and goes into 'Brian Wilson studio project' mode. An early Beck-esque version of 'Cruising By Moon' dates back to this era. The songs start sounding a little countrified. Not Americana as such. We're talking rural Shropshire here, not rural Texas. David T emerges from his world ramble from time to time to add his inimitable dabblings, although these are few and far between and the 'Additional Moog' sound has now taken a slightly less leftfield turn.
1998-2003 - The Second Drummer Drowns
Here we move into "Phase IV" - the precursor to what can only be described as "The Bunker Years". The launch of mp3.com is an ideal platform for the release of a host of Additional Moog demos. These prove popular. In the short time the website hosts unsigned acts, AdMoog gets thirty thousand downloads. James encounters other likeminded artists from many corners of the globe at people start asking whether Additional Moog will play live. For a one man studio project based in a small market town, this isn't an option just yet. James gets talking to Pavement drummer Bob Nastanovich and invites him to drum on some Additional Moog material. Bob, an amiable man, agrees with some enthusiasm. Tapes are sent, many phone calls are exchanged and Bob books studio time in the States. In the meantime, Pavement split up and Bob gets a job tour managing for Steven Malkmus and The Jicks. Back to the 8 track.
2004-2006 - Left The North, Travelled South...Got Confused
South being Birmingham. "Phase V" is the era in which the real Additional Moog finally comes into being through no fault of its own. James meets Chester drummer Ian Powell in their mutual workplace and the pair find they both like R.E.M. and Abba. A Birmingham-based Benny/Bjorn cover band is out of the question so they consider an R.E.M. one instead. Drafting in fellow colleague Tim Rumboll on keyboards they start looking for a bass player. After a handful of moderately frustrating R.E.M.ersals, Tim suggests they play some of James' material instead. Additional Moog is finally a real band with the option to play live. First a bass player is still required. A bassist who has no love of slap style and will promise to only play with four strings. An advert is placed in Birmingham Central Library. Only one person responds - and he's a guitarist. So Alex Reynolds from Walsall joins, starts learning the bass instead. The band rehearses hard for many weeks until all hairstyles are correctly in sync. Birmingham's Bar Academy is the venue for the band's debut gig supporting a soon-to-be-heard-of K.T. Tunstall. It goes well. American label "Lost Cat Records" becomes interested in releasing the band. James agrees to licence a limited release of his previous mp3.com demos under the title 'Lost Engines'. Around this time it seems like a good idea to look for a fifth player to augment the line-up. This proves to be a good decision as Tim Rumboll suddenly chokes on his own vomit backstage at one of the band's notorious Tupperware parties. A Dave Matthews "enthusiast" called Dion Judge becomes the person who would be that fifth player but is now the fourth member instead. Despite being a West Brom fan, he is asked to play guitar with the band and even agrees. The new-look four piece get back to rehearsing and soon resort to working the streets in order to pay for their subterranean rehearsal studio. Initally referred to with affection as "The Bunker", members of the band spend many happy/rewarding/frustrating/semi-enjoyable/wasted hours here. Additional Moog begin spending money on petrol and exploring motorway services en route to various gigs throughout the land. Meantime, they record a track for a compilation CD of Midlands bands. Rather than the obvious indie classic 'Lets Eat Out' and with Dion being absent from the session they opt last minute for the folky 'Picnic Injection, 1974' - described by some as "oh yeah I see...it's like an instrumental with backing vocals". When the engineer leaves the room long enough for the band to construct a proper mix they go home fairly happy. That is, until the "mastered" version comes out and someone it seems has decided to turn it up to 11. Or maybe 12.
The band decide to record a debut single. Somehow - maybe because it's a favourite of Dion - they choose 'Holy Jukebox'. The B-side is James' favourite 'Old Computer Instrumental' - maybe because he doesn't have to sing on it. Lost Cat release it as a download single and a numbered 7". Some more radio play follows. James decides not to send the 7" to John Peel. Around this time it seems like a good idea to get a keyboard player. A friend of Dion's called Duncan Cook volunteers himself at a gig. 5 piece rehearsals and gigs follow. Among the best, a surprise birthday party gig complete with snowman in a Welsh village hall for original aux-mooger Helen. Among the worst, a trip to the Betsey Trotwood in London. Before the gig even starts James manages to lock the keys to the van inside the boot. The short-lived 5 piece comes to an end when keyboard player Duncan dies in a bizarre gardening accident. For a little while the band revert to a more musically comfortable 4 piece before expanding back to the ever-risky 5 piece with the signing of Middlesborough hot shot Mark Rose. The band is sounding better than ever but with Mark and Dion sharing additional moog and guitar duties it isn't long before the inevitable and things come to a head while attempting to overdub a twin guitar solo. Dion leaves the band to record an album of his acoustic numbers with the Birmingham Philharmonic. Back to a 4 piece James links up with Austin, Texas songwriter David Lutes to arrange a short US tour. The band goes over as an acoustic 3 piece and enjoys staying in a log cabin in the middle of nowhere – with the exception of Mark who is scared of spiders and basically any "creepy crawlies" and wishes he were staying in a (probably roach infested) five star motel instead. Back in the UK work finally starts on the debut album. Over an erratic period they record thirteen random tracks they just happen to be playing live at the time. Ian's drums at are tracked in Birmingham at 'The Bunker' before the band relocates to a farmhouse in Mid Wales to record vocals and guitars. David Lutes stops by while on a UK tour to add to the fun by lending some Barry Gibb-esque vocals. The album is finished in Shropshire and by this time it becomes clear that the band was never truly at home in Birmingham and with geography against them it makes sense to relocate to Shropshire on a permanent basis.
2007 – Handcuffed To The Wheel
Fifteen years and countless musical twists and turns after the first piece of music is recorded by something calling itself 'the Additional Moog' the band's debut album finally comes out. The band decide to release 'Thirty Three & A Third' through 'Fight This Generation! Records' and launch the album with a rare gig back in Oswestry. Around this time news reaches the band that bass player Alex Reynolds has apparently internally combusted offstage. Being reduced to a three piece at a most critical time for the band is a little unfortunate to say the least but initial shock and frustration dissipates.In summer 2007 the band start work on their second album "Lonely On The Rail" back in Shropshire. Meantime Dion "Belmont" Judge fills in on a few gigs on bass guitar before being called back to his day job in a Bay City Rollers tribute band . During 2008 there is a time-distance equation problem which makes finishing the new album somewhat of an extended process. Overdubs are completed at Saxondave's studiospace in Staffordshire and at Random Room in Shropshire. Finally mixed by Christmas of 2008, the album - now called "Endless Air" will see the light of day in Spring 2009.
Additional Moog is :
J "Llama" Williams - guitars, bass, keyboards & vocals (1992-)
with :
Mark "DeVito" Rose - bass, guitars, keyboards & backing vocals (2005-)
Ian "Cozy" Powell - drums, percussion & backing vocals (2004-)
Mark "DeVito" Rose - bass, guitars, keyboards & backing vocals (2005-)
Ian "Cozy" Powell - drums, percussion & backing vocals (2004-)
early learning :
David "Vincent" Tudor – drums, keyboards & vocals (1992-1994, 1997)
Helen "Fizzgog" Morris – vocals & assorted kitchen utensils (1992-1993)
Helen "Fizzgog" Morris – vocals & assorted kitchen utensils (1992-1993)
once upon a time in the West :
Dion "Belmont" Judge – guitar, bass & backing vocals (2004-2005)
Duncan "Norman" Cook – keyboard (2005)
Alex "Smalls" Reynolds – bass (2004-2007)
Tim "Bailey" Rumboll – keyboard (2004)
Dion "Belmont" Judge – guitar, bass & backing vocals (2004-2005)
Duncan "Norman" Cook – keyboard (2005)
Alex "Smalls" Reynolds – bass (2004-2007)
Tim "Bailey" Rumboll – keyboard (2004)
