Day 141. How many more days?
Phosphene: I had recommended the band earlier this year as they were releasing songs that were going to be included in their album “Lotus Eaters”. Well, the good news is that the album is out now! There are 10 fine songs of terrific melodies and guitars by this Portland, Oregon, band!
Neurotic Fiction: this post punk band from Bristol sounds really exciting. They have a 7″ EP called “Romance” that was just released and it is a corker. 4 songs with female vocals, catchy choruses and some great guitars! I need to order this!
The Shells: never heard of them before I must say, but here is a collection of 34 songs the band recorded between 1999 and 2005. The band actually released one 7″ on Little Mafia Records and it is quite cool to discover now this Austin band formed by Carlos Jackson, Laurelin Outman, Tommy Stockslager and Mike Nelson.
Ferns: this is fantastic news! the best band ever from Kuala Lumpur is going to be back with an EP later in August! It is called “Navalgazing” and will come with 4 songs! At this time we can preview the opening track “Auf Wiedersehen”, a beautiful indiepop song. The EP will be released on CD and I urge not to miss it. If you are a proper fan there will be t-shirts as well!
The Sylvia Platters: what a nice discovery! This Vancouver band has written a terrific jangly pop song called “Invisible Ink” and I am delightfully surprised. Alex Kerc-Murchison, Nick Ubels, Tim Ubels and Scott Wagner are the people behind this band, and I have to say I will start following them from now on! Looking forward to more songs by them.
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The short lived Gothenburg label Reazone to Release Records was founded by Joakim Johansson in the late 80s, releasing their first record in 1989. The next year, 1990, the label would release a 7″ by the band Drums in Minor. This is the one I am interested in today.
This band also hailed from Gothenburg and I don’t know much about them. Actually I know nothing. So I want to learn more.
This 7″ had just two songs. The A side had the terrific “You Would Be Sorry” while the B side had “Cold As My Hand”. We know that both songs were recorded at RRL Studios and were mixed at Studio Urania. It is not clear how many copies were pressed, but it is estimated to be less than 1000. Another interesting fact I learned from Musikon is that supposedly there was going to be an LP album to be released next but the record company folded. Was this album recorded? Would be great to find out!
We also know the band members:
Johan Forsman – guitar, vocals
Patrik Andersson – bass
Carl-Johan Rydén – guitar, vocals
Benno Damerau – drums, vocals
And we know too about other bands they have been involved with. For example Johan Forsman had been in Fidget and worked in production for Brandgul, Caesars Palace, Cry, Godnose, Gordon, Honey is Cool, Soundrack of Our Lives, Thåström. Patrik Andersson had been in Arrows, Extaz, Pöbel Möbel, Long John, Los Concombres, Railroad, Hydra, Pejnäs Ork, MAgnus Johansson and Suffer.
Then some very good finds on Youtube. Johan Forsman has a channel where he has uploaded a few tracks by Drums in Minor! We find the A side of the 7″, “You Would Be Sorry“. A 1990 song called “Drowning in the Pool of Life“. Then there is “Blast” which was recorded in 1991 but written in 1989. “Coming Down For Me” which was produced by J. Cremonese and recorded at Musicamatic, with Nille Perned as the engineer.
Then on Wikipedia I find an entry for a band called Simpkins. According to this they had the same band members and all. It may have been that Drums in Minor changed names at some point? Would be interesting to find out!
And that’s it really. It seems Simpkins first release was in 1993. It was an album. After that there would be another album and two EPs. But I am curious right now about their time as Drums in Minor, especially as it seems there are more songs, even an unreleased album! Who would know more about this cool sounding Göteborg band!
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3 Responses to “:: Drums in Minor”
Thanks so much for including us and our new album, Roque! We’re quite proud of Lotus Eaters and love that the tunes resonated with you.
The a-side track is awesome!! Any chance you’d mind sharing the b-side “Cold as my Hand”?? I’d love to hear it too!!
Thank you
Hi!
My name is Patrik and i was the Bass player in Drums In Minor.
The single was to be followed with a full legth album as you wrote but the Label went bank rupet and the album never saw the light of the day but, yes there is an album recorded and mixed from that era and we still have the tapes some where. The band then changed name to Simpkins and release 2 CD´s and 2 CD singles aswel before we broke up in -95.
I still have some 7″ laying around if anyone is interested to buy a copy.
Cheers