The League of Gentlemen (band)

The League of Gentlemen were a band active during March–December 1980 that featured guitarist Robert Fripp of King Crimson fame. Other members included bass guitarist Sara Lee (who later joined Gang of Four, the B-52's, and Indigo Girls), keyboardist Barry Andrews (formerly of XTC; later of Shriekback) and percussionist Johnny Toobad, replaced late in the band's tenure by Kevin Wilkinson (later of China Crisis and Squeeze).[2][3]

The League of Gentlemen
OriginDorset, England
GenresPost-punk, new wave
Years active1980
LabelsEG/Polydor
Associated actsRobert Fripp, King Crimson, XTC, Shriekback, Gang of Four
Past membersRobert Fripp
Sara Lee
Barry Andrews
Johnny Toobad (Johnny Elichaoff[1])
Kevin Wilkinson

The 1980 group should not be confused with Robert Fripp's first semi-professional band in the 1960s, which had the same name.[4]

Fripp referred to the 1980 band as "a second-division touring new wave instrumental dance band".

The Trouser Press Record Guide described the League of Gentlemen's music as typically taking "a simple medium-to-fast backbeat over which Fripp and Andrews locked horns, with melodic development emerging slowly, surely, subtly."[5] Trouser Press also suggests that the League's foray into dance oriented rock was a precursor to Fripp's reformed King Crimson in the early 1980s.[6]

The band toured extensively in Europe and North America throughout 1980.[7]

There are 77 specific tour dates detailed in the sleevenotes on the album The League of Gentlemen. Missing from this list are four (possibly warm-up) gigs at the 14th Century Hunting Lodge (now Lodge Farm House),[8] outside the grounds of Kingston Lacy near Wimborne Minster, Dorset, England. These gigs are dated 24 to 27 February and pre-dated the first 'official' gig on 10 April at Moles, Bath.

Discography

Studio album

Live album
  • Thrang Thrang Gozinbulx (constructed from bootleg recordings) (Discipline Records, 1996)

Compilation
  • God Save the King (Editions EG, 1985)

Album Personnel
  • Robert Fripp - guitar
  • Sara Lee (musician) - bass
  • Barry Andrews - organ
  • Kevin Wilkinson - drums (except A4 Heptaparaparshinokh and A5 Dislocated)
  • Johnny Toobad - drums on Heptaparaparshinokh and Dislocated
  • Danielle Dax - vocals and lyrics ("Hamsprachtmuzic") on Minor Man; she also provided the cover artwork for the album

Notes
  1. Smith, Sid. "Johnny Toobad Is Dead". Dgmlive.com. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  2. Tamm, Eric. "Chapter Eight: Out of Retirement – The Drive to 1981". Progressive Ears / Robert Fripp – from Crimson King to Crafty Master. Archived from the original on 3 March 2012. Retrieved 28 February 2012.
  3. Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 348. CN 5585.
  4. Biography by Bruce Eder. "The League of Gentlemen | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  5. Fleischmann, Mark; Robbins, Ira (1991). "Robert Fripp". In Ira A. Robbins (ed.). The Trouser Press Record Guide. New York: Collier Books. p. 263. ISBN 0-02-036361-3.
  6. Grant, Steven; Fleischmann, Mark; Robbins, Ira A. (1991). "King Crimson". In Ira A. Robbins (ed.). The Trouser Press Record Guide. New York: Collier Books. p. 367. ISBN 0-02-036361-3.
  7. "League of Gentlemen 1980 Tour Dates". Dgmlive.com. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  8. "Lodge Farm House near Kingston Lacy (C) Mike Searle :: Geograph Britain and Ireland". Geograph.org.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
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References


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