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SPLINTERED (UK)

Experimental noise-rock band founded by Richard Johnson and ex-members of former group, Playground, in 1989/1990. Seen as contemporaries of the then thriving UK 'noise-rock' underground, itself drawing from post-punk, art-rock, psychedelia, industrial music and outsider music, Splintered originally lasted until 1998. They also released many side-project records, often on Steve Pittis' (Band Of Pain) Dirter imprint or Richard Johnson's own Fourth Dimension label but likewise turning up on labels such as Meeuw Muzak and Ralf Wehowsky's Selektion. Splintered ground to a standstill shortly following a European tour in late 1997, although another release happened soon after. Stuart Carter, Hassni Malik and Richard Johnson then formed Theme, a group more concerned with abstract textures, drones, occasional eastern sounds, cut-ups and suchlike than anything resembling the 'rock' employed by Splintered. Theme continue to this day, while the original lineup of Splintered reunited in April 2015 for a concert at a festival in London that can be seen as the start of some renewed activity beginning with some one-off concerts. There is tentative talk of new recordings, too.