The Membranes

Trackimage Playbut Trackname Playbut Trackname
Spike Milligan's Tape Recorder 05:35 Tools
The Universe Explodes Into A Billion Photons Of Pure White Light 04:13 Tools
Muscles 03:10 Tools
Do The Supernova 03:10 Tools
Tatty Seaside Town 02:53 Tools
Myths and Legends 06:48 Tools
21st Century Man 06:48 Tools
A Strange Perfume 06:48 Tools
Space Junk 06:48 Tools
Dark Matter 04:36 Tools
Money Is Dust 06:48 Tools
Everything's Brilliant 04:04 Tools
Kafka's Dad 04:36 Tools
Ice Cream For Crow 03:11 Tools
Ice Age 03:25 Tools
The Multiverse Suite 04:04 Tools
In The Graveyard 05:22 Tools
Shine On Pumpkin Moon 04:04 Tools
If You Enter the Arena, Be Prepared to Deal with the Lions 04:04 Tools
Dark Energy 05:22 Tools
Hail To The Lovers 05:22 Tools
Black is the Colour 05:22 Tools
Magic Eye (To See The Sky) 05:22 Tools
Love Your Puppy 03:51 Tools
5776 (The Breathing Song) 05:22 Tools
A Murder of Crows 05:22 Tools
The Hum Of The Universe 06:46 Tools
Fashionable Junkies 02:00 Tools
Get A Head 04:45 Tools
Snow Monkey 04:45 Tools
What Nature Gives…nature Takes Away 04:45 Tools
Kennedy '63 02:47 Tools
Electric Storm 05:52 Tools
All Skin and Bone 06:46 Tools
A Murmuration of Starlings on Blackpool Pier 06:46 Tools
The 21st Century is Killing Me 06:46 Tools
High Street Yanks 02:17 Tools
The City is an Animal (nature is Its Slave) 02:17 Tools
The Kiteman 04:21 Tools
The Throat 04:08 Tools
Shot By My Own Gun 04:17 Tools
spaceships 02:35 Tools
Everyone's Going Triple Bad Acid, Yeah! 03:03 Tools
Everything’s Brilliant 04:21 Tools
Attraction For The Easy Life 04:46 Tools
I Am Fish Eye 03:22 Tools
Deep in the Forest Where the Memories Linger 03:22 Tools
Big Fun Tonight 03:36 Tools
Voodoo Chile 03:39 Tools
Dreadful Sound Engine 04:21 Tools
Viva! Spanish Turncoat 02:39 Tools
Kick Out 03:44 Tools
Man From Moscow 03:11 Tools
1986 03:23 Tools
Green and Ghostly Land 08:28 Tools
The Magical And Mystical Properties Of Flowers 08:28 Tools
Nocturnal 08:28 Tools
High St. Yanks 02:17 Tools
Gift Of Life 06:36 Tools
Mother Ocean/Father Time 06:36 Tools
Bulbous Love Child 02:38 Tools
Mr. Charisma Brain 03:52 Tools
More Skin and Bone 05:26 Tools
the murder of sister george 03:55 Tools
Chewing the Fat 03:20 Tools
Big Nose And The Howlin Wind 02:45 Tools
Barbed Snake Fish Thing 05:21 Tools
Groovy Fuckers 02:29 Tools
Bang! 01:43 Tools
Typical Male Penis 02:46 Tools
Winter (The Beauty and Violence of Nature) 02:46 Tools
Time Warp 1991 03:12 Tools
the elvis i knew was no junkie 00:56 Tools
day my universe changed 02:46 Tools
snaffleflatch 02:27 Tools
Fuck My Old Boots 02:29 Tools
Demon Seed/Demon Flower 02:29 Tools
John Robb's 91st Nightmare 03:38 Tools
Fireface 01:32 Tools
The Ghosts of Winter Stalk This Land 01:32 Tools
sleazeball 02:11 Tools
Corn Dolly Fear 03:31 Tools
Pandora's Box 03:31 Tools
Cheap Male Aggression 03:25 Tools
Jaw cracker fuzz 04:21 Tools
thank heavens for the iron horse 03:16 Tools
I Am Fisheye 03:19 Tools
Let's Take the Death Trip 02:47 Tools
Dark Energy - Mark Lanegan Remix 03:30 Tools
Punk Out Baby! 03:08 Tools
Postdetergent Vacuum Cleaner Man 03:31 Tools
New Blood for Young Skulls 04:21 Tools
Bacon Factory 02:15 Tools
The World Acclaims Eternal Protein Man 01:52 Tools
Phoney TV Repair Man 02:54 Tools
Slab (Overture) 02:22 Tools
Wounded Bull In Victorian England 04:24 Tools
Everyone's Going triple Bad Acid Yeah 01:32 Tools
Almost China 02:30 Tools
Dragonfly 06:20 Tools
Long Live the Hooligan 06:20 Tools
La Bruja 03:43 Tools
Cor Blimey Ain't England Snidey 03:30 Tools
Mr Charisma Brain 03:50 Tools
High St Yanks 03:30 Tools
Hollywood Girl 03:14 Tools
Time Warp 03:30 Tools
The Universe Explodes into a Billion Photons of Pure White Light - James Dean Bradfield Remix 06:20 Tools
Great Mistake 03:00 Tools
Big Nose and the Howling Wind 02:45 Tools
All Roads Lead to Norway 01:38 Tools
Entertaining Friends 04:10 Tools
Too Fast to Live 06:20 Tools
Long Live the Hooligan! 02:43 Tools
Hey Shithead 04:31 Tools
King Cotton Whiplash 04:18 Tools
Funny Old World 02:50 Tools
The Hitch 02:59 Tools
postdetergent vaccum cleaner man 03:31 Tools
phoney t.v. repair man 04:18 Tools
The Kite Man 04:21 Tools
The Universe Explodes into a Billion Photons of Pure White Light - Clint Mansell Remix 04:15 Tools
Halfway On the Sofa With My Martini 06:20 Tools
Introducing Stunted Thunder 06:20 Tools
Caretaker Mentality 03:13 Tools
Anjie 04:55 Tools
Kennedy 04:15 Tools
John Robb's 91st Nightmare - Instrumental 04:14 Tools
Do the Supernova - Phillip Boa vs. The Membranes Remix 04:14 Tools
What Nature Gives...Nature Takes Away 04:14 Tools
Tu Culo 01:56 Tools
21st Century Man - Justin Broadrick Remix 04:14 Tools
What You Been Listening Too 01:06 Tools
Coda (Thad's Call) 00:51 Tools
Auto Flesh 03:35 Tools
Fuck My Old Boots (Robo Cop and Seacombe) 02:25 Tools
More Than a Kiss, the Freak Flag Remains High 04:23 Tools
Cleansed Again 02:51 Tools
Space Junk - Reverend and the Makers Remix 04:55 Tools
In the Graveyard - Carter Tutti Remix 02:25 Tools
The Throat (live) 04:15 Tools
Growling People 04:15 Tools
A Missive from Couch Potatoe Command 03:41 Tools
Tuff Veggie Agro 03:25 Tools
Too Fast To Live, Too Fast To Die 05:36 Tools
Nocturnal (Kitty Lectro Remix) 05:36 Tools
Hail to the Lovers - Youth Remix 04:23 Tools
Dark Matter - Keith Levene Remix 03:13 Tools
Punk Out Baby 04:23 Tools
5776 (The Breathing Song) - In the Nursery's Space Dust Version 05:36 Tools
Dark Energy (Mark Lanegan Remix) 05:36 Tools
Big Decision (Slight Return) 04:23 Tools
Life, Death And The Scary Bits In Between 04:14 Tools
24 Hour Drinking at Northern Prices 03:25 Tools
Space Junk - Mark Stewart Remix 03:13 Tools
Machine gun suk 03:25 Tools
5776 (The Breathing Song) - Die Fledermaus' Chaos Magick Mix 04:23 Tools
Sexy? Big Tongue! 04:14 Tools
Spike Milligan's Tape Recorder (W/ Philip Boa's Voodoo Club) 03:25 Tools
The Universe Explodes into a Billion Photons of Pure White Light - Estonian Version 02:51 Tools
In the Graveyard - Inca Babies Remix 03:25 Tools
Day My Univers Changed 01:30 Tools
Everything's Brilliant (Version) 03:25 Tools
spike milligans tape recorder 04:14 Tools
Hey Bryn Maer 02:59 Tools
Space Hopper Ignites 02:59 Tools
If You enter the arena you've got to be prepared to deal with the lions 03:35 Tools
Vile Antics of Super Yob 02:51 Tools
The Universe Explodes Into A Billion Protons Of White Light 04:14 Tools
The Vile Antics of Super Yob 03:25 Tools
Cor Blimey! Ain't England Snidey 03:48 Tools
Timewarp 1991 (Long Live Trad Rock) 04:14 Tools
Magic Eye (To See the Sky) - Barfak Remix 04:23 Tools
Bang 04:14 Tools
Hum of the Universe - Alexander Hacke Remix 04:23 Tools
England Expects Every Man To Do His Booty 02:59 Tools
Entertaining Friends (1987 Version) 02:11 Tools
If You Enter The Arena, You've Got To Be Prepared To Deal With The Lions 01:30 Tools
Money Is Dust - Tunnelmental Experimental Assembly Remix 03:25 Tools
The Universe Explodes Into A Billion Photons Of Pure Light 04:15 Tools
Hail to the Lovers - Therapy Remix 03:25 Tools
Time Warp 1991 (Reprise) 03:41 Tools
Great Mistake (1987 Version) 04:14 Tools
Thanks Heaven For The Iron Horse 02:51 Tools
Spike Milligan’s Tape Recorder 05:36 Tools
Jaw Crackers Fuzz 04:15 Tools
What Nature Gives... Nature Takes Away 04:15 Tools
Everyone's Going Triple Bad Acid. Yeah ! 04:23 Tools
A Murmutation Of Starlings On Blackpool Pier 04:23 Tools
Tatty Seaside Town. 02:51 Tools
Tatty Seaside Town (4) 03:41 Tools
Muscles (1987 Version) 04:14 Tools
All Roads Lead to Norway (1987 Version) 04:14 Tools
The Universe Explodes Into A Billion Photons Of Pure White Light (James Dean Bradfield Remix) 04:14 Tools
Angie 02:11 Tools
Mr. Charisma Brain (Live) 02:59 Tools
(The World Acclaims…) Eternal Protein Man 03:41 Tools
Voodoo Chile (Slight Return) 03:41 Tools
Voodoo Child (Slight Return) 03:48 Tools
John Robb's 91st Nightmare [Original Instrumental Full Length Version] 03:41 Tools
The Universe Explodes into a Billion Photons of Pure White Light (Clint Mansell Remix) 03:41 Tools
Auto-Flesh 02:59 Tools
The Univers Explodes Into a Billion Photons of Pure White Light 03:25 Tools
Myths and Legends (Different Version?) 03:25 Tools
Space Hopper Ignies 03:25 Tools
What Nature Gives (6 Music Session, 2 July 2019) 03:25 Tools
Great Mistake (John Peel Session - 30/05/1984) 03:48 Tools
01 Fashionable Junkies 03:41 Tools
Everthing's Brilliant 04:04 Tools
In the Graveyard (Carter Tutti Remix) 02:11 Tools
21st Century Is Killing Me (6 Music Session, 2 July 2019) 02:11 Tools
Strange Perfume - Riley Session 020719 02:11 Tools
Snow Monkey (6 Music Session, 2 July 2019) 02:11 Tools
(The World Acclaims...) Eternal Protein Man 04:14 Tools
Space Junk (Reverend and the Makers Remix) 04:14 Tools
Dark Matter (Keith Levene Remix) 04:14 Tools
French Fried Cat/Skid Row Baby 02:11 Tools
Life, Death and tha Scary Bits in Between 04:14 Tools
Big Nose and Howling Wind (John Peel Session - 30/05/1984) 04:14 Tools
Spike Milligan's Tape Records (John Peel Session - 30/05/1984) 04:14 Tools
Gift Of Life (Part One) 02:59 Tools
Everyone's Going, Triple Bad Acid Yeah! 02:59 Tools
Space Junk (Mark Stewart Remix) 02:59 Tools
Hail to the Lovers (Youth Remix) 02:59 Tools
A Missive From Cough Potatoe Command 02:59 Tools
Everything‚s Brilliant 02:59 Tools
Tuff Vegie Agro 03:05 Tools
The Gift of Life 02:59 Tools
Mother Ocean / Father Time 02:59 Tools
Dark Energy (6 Music 260116) 02:59 Tools
Snafflelatch 02:59 Tools
Gift Of Life (Part Two) 02:59 Tools
Love Yr. Puppy 02:59 Tools
penal landscape gardner 02:11 Tools
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The Membranes are a post-punk band formed in Blackpool, Lancashire in 1977, the initial line-up being John Robb (bass guitar), Mark Tilton (guitar), Martin Critchley (vocals) and Martin Kelly (drums). Critchley soon left, with Robb and Tilton taking on vocals, and Kelly moving to keyboards, with "Coofy Sid" (Coulthart) taking over on drums. Their first release was the "Flexible Membrane" flexi-disc in 1980, and over the next 11 years they would go on to release 6 studio albums. Their first single proper, "Muscles", was a single of the week in the UK music press and a big club hit in New York being played in the Danceteria by the likes of The Beastie Boys eventual DJ Mojo and other cutting edge New York DJs. Kelly left after "Muscles", to be replaced by Steve Farmery on guitar for the follow-up Pin Stripe Hype EP. The band pioneered the avant noise scene of Big Black and Sonic Youth for several years with their critically acclaimed "Spike Milligan's Tape Recorder" single and Death To Trad Rock EP (which were indie chart top 5 records in the UK) and their debut Gift Of Life album. They were the first band to be signed to Alan McGee's Creation label but the deal fell though when McGee could not afford to pay their studio bill for the "Spike Milligan's Tape Recorder" single. The band relocated to Manchester in 1983, and "Spike Milligan's Tape Recorder" was issued on the Criminal Damage label, which met with a positive critical response but distribution problems limited its impact. In 1984/85 The Membranes had a ferocious live reputation with the loudest gigs in the UK and their anti rock attitude. Mark Tilton's quiff and John Robb's exploding hair and wild clothes gave them an instantly recognizable and uncategorizable image. Musically they were beyond punk as well with their dedication to noise but always with songs buried in the power. Tilton's slide guitar and frenetic rhythm guitar combined with Robb's outrageously heavy bass and heartfelt vocals as well as Coofy Sid's pounding drumming created an instantly original sound. After The Membranes, Robb went on to form Sensurround and later Goldblade. The group were a key part of the post punk DIY scene and toured the world several times and when My Bloody Valentine and then Shellac asked them to reform for separate ATP festival events it made sense for them to continue after a 25 year break. Their upcoming album in June, Dark Matter/Dark Energy is already getting a great reaction from the press and media and their gigs have been stunning. When John Robb met the head of the CERN project after a TEDx talk they were both speaking at it was the start of the Membranes most audacious album. Long and intense talks about the universe followed and the idea of the birth and then the death of the universe seemed perfect for a song cycle for the Membranes new album and for special one of gigs called The Universe Explained where Robb interviews scientists on stage and the band play at the end. All the songs touch on aspects of space- from the opening track that is about the big bang of the universe to Joe himself explaining the universe over the spooky Multiverse Suite to the closing track, the Hum Of The Universe ,where the band try and capture the beauty and violence of the end of the universe and a human life. During the recording of the album Robb’s own father died and his death is threaded through many of the songs and the idea that when we all die we return our dust and energy to the endless void. Tracks like In The Graveyard deal directly with watching his father die and his father can even be heard talking about the universe at the beginning of the same track. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.