Defenestration
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Defenestration |
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| Status | Information needed |
| Active years | 2000 - 2004 |
| Origin | Kettering, England, United Kingdom |
Biography
IN THE BEGINNING
Along time ago in a galaxy far, far away
The people of Kettering a small Northamptonshire market town in the heart of the English countryside were blissfully unaware that their children were being brainwashed by outside dark forces - oh yes the METAL GODS had spoken!
The little shell likes of every kid that wanted to escape the mundane
Routine of work, sleep, work of their forefathers picked up guitars, bass’, drums, and microphones and began thrashing out all their built up frustration and anger.
No different to the rest were Gen Tasker, Jay Thompson and Robert Reeves.
Gen and original Defenestration drummer Chink had formed a band at the local youth club called Chi. The line-up was Gen - vocals, Chink - drums, Lyndsey Smith - Bass and Jordan Page - Guitar. Together they performed a hand full of local gigs at pubs, jam nights and the local college. However it wasn’t long before Jordan decided to leave to form his own band ‘Occupational Hazard’ He was swiftly replaced by Jay Thompson of another Kettering band Killin’ Zoe (now Scurge) and a second guitarist Jays long time school friend Robert Reeves.
The new line-up began about writing new and better material and decided that their new sound deserved a new name. So came
DEFENESTRATION the act of throwing someone or something through a window!
To try and secure more, further afield gigs the band recorded a 4-track demo called ‘19’ at Northampton’s Lodge studio.
The demo described by Metal Hammer magazine as a “Brutal Coal Chamber affair, brimming with youthful energy” done its job and more and more gigs started to pop up. It also managed to catch the ear of a local Music Management firm ‘Absurd management’ who started to take a keen interest in Defen.
It was also about this time that the band decided that it wasn’t working out with Lyndsey on Bass and so a decision was made that she should leave.
Robert (usually referred to as Reeves) took over on Bass for a couple of gigs until a replacement could be found.
The space was filled in late 1999 by Scott Warner, Who had been playing in a band called ‘Guest’ in his hometown of Corby (8 miles North of Kettering)
Scott and Jay vaguely knew each other from going to parties of mutual friends, but were to become mates after enrolling in the same music course at Northampton College.
The next six months were spent writing more new songs and playing to as many people as possible, supporting bands such as Tribute to nothing, Stampin’ Ground, Meathook Seed and Napalm Death.
The band also earned their first live reviews in magazines such as Metal Hammer and Kerrang all of which boasted words like “interesting” “promising” and “potential”
It was this positive feedback that persuaded Absurd Management to take on Defen as their newest recruits.
The band were soon whisked off to Square Centre Studios in Nottingham to record a demo of new songs with well-known producers Simon Efemey (Napalm Death, Paradise Lost, The Wildhearts) and Russ Russell (Meathook seed, Lock up, Brutal deluxe, The Junket).
They recorded 3 tracks - Henstrain, In and Glory. The result was heartening it was a big departure from the sound of ‘19’ they were starting to loose their Nu-Metal edge and secure their own sound.
Within only five days ‘Dream Catcher Records’ had offered the band a deal and Absurd had taken over full time management.
Luckily the band had all just finished college so could devote all their time to their music.
First of all they embarked on their first full length tour, playing 14 dates up and down England supporting another local band, from Corby ‘Raging Speedhorn’.
For all concerned the tour was a success! Defen receiving better reviews than ever and earning a number of new fans.
This apart from more song writing, and a few scattered gigs, including two nights at the Camden Monarch with Napalm Death brings us to December of 2000 and the beginning of the recording of their debut album.
HAMMER OF THE ‘ONE INCH GOD’
The band, were back in Nottingham at Square Centre with Simon and Russ. The idea was for the whole band to go in for a week before Christmas, to record the Bass and Drums spend Christmas and New Year at home then all return in January to finish off Guitars, Vocals and Mixing.
However constant arguments and fights between Gen, Jay and Chink soon changed this.
Gen, Jay, Reeves and Scott returned to the studio in January without Chink and whilst there after much thought and debate they decided to fire him from the band.
The band will admit this was a touchy time it was the start of 2001 they had an album under their belts the world at their feet but no drummer!
Dave Thompson (Jay’s brother) of Scurge filled in on drums for a couple of gigs until Stacey Maher from Wellingborough was brought in as a full time placement.
Now with an album to sell and a point to prove the band hit the road big time, playing anywhere and everywhere they could.
Their first real taste of a headlining came with the ‘Rocksound’ sponsored ‘Nu-Titans Tour’, which was followed with two weeks around the U.K in a bus with Napalm Death.
The next tour was to be different! It was to be a 5-date school tour to bring metal to kids to young to get in clubs. Ending with a gig at Gen, Jay and Reeves old school in Kettering being filmed for a Mtv2 documentary.
The next step was Evolution fest 3 with Lost Prophets, Stampin’ Ground and Earthtone9. It was a 4-date mini tour playing in Scotland, Northern Ireland, The Republic of Ireland and Wales all in just four days!
As if this wasn’t enough to tier the hardest of working bands Defen were straight back out on a month long headline tour to support the release of their album ‘One Inch God’ which came out on Dream Catcher in the middle of May.
The album received brilliant reviews in all the music magazines being referred to as the “Best and most self-assured sounding British debut album since Iron Maiden some twenty years before!”
The band however didn’t let the hype surrounding them phase them and just carried on doing what they enjoyed doing best - Playing!
July saw them supporting U.S 80’s legends Megadeth and the highlight of August was there triumphant fourth from last slot on the Carling stage at the Reading and Leeds festival.
The band used September to rest and write a few new songs.
Then came the news that they had been invited to open the Wembley Arena leg of the ‘Tattoo the Planet’ tour supporting Biohazard, Cradle of Filth, Slayer as well as old friends Raging Speedhorn, Napalm death and soon to be new friends Therapy?
It turns out that Therapy? Ended up inviting Defen to support them on their European tour spanning from October right through to the middle of December playing in England, Scotland, Germany, Holland, Switzerland, The Czech Republic, Belgium, Austria and ending in Ireland. It was the best tour yet the band was going down well and everyone had a great time, except Stacey who was becoming distant to the other four members.
The rest of the band however thought it was just a phase and that it would pass - They were wrong!
2002 THE YEAR OF THE SLUG
Christmas came and went as did the New Year and Defen were back at Square centre Studios by the 2nd of January. They recorded two new tracks ‘Away or Dead’ and ‘Wooden man’ for a split E.P with Scurge, called ‘The Year of the Slug’. Again Stacey didn’t seem to want to enter into the spirit of things, this and problems with the whole recording process made up the minds of the other four members and their management - If Stacey wasn’t happy then it would be best for all concerned if he left.
The only problem was that they were now without a drummer once more and a headline tour for February was already booked!
Gordon Morrison from Raging Speedhorn offered to help out and drum on the tour and began to learn the new material but then recording commitments called him away and the band were back to square one.
Luckily an old friend of Jay and Scott’s from college Ben Gordelier (son of Angelwitch Bass player Pete Gordelier) was available and stepped in at the last minute.
The new line-up had a few practices and by the 1st of February was at The BBC’s Madervale studio in London to record a live session for the Radio 1fm Rock Show.
The result was brilliant they were sounding tighter than ever and the very next day they left for a 15 date tour with Scurge as support to promote the E.p. unfortunately the tour was cut a few dates short when Gen was struck down with a chest virus.
The band used this time to rest and practice a little more but was back on the road in March with Will Haven.
After this tour the band went into the practice room everyday for two months writing over 30 songs making demos of the one’s they liked and scrapping that ones that didn’t make the grade.
Then out of the blue at the same time Ben quit the band to concentrate on his home run studio and Absurd Management decided they couldn’t afford to keep Defen on their books.
The latter of the two didn’t matter so much, but for the third time Defen were without a drummer! By this time the band were convinced they had picked up some Spinal Tap type drummer curse along the way.
A lot of bands would have crumbled at this stage but Defen; never ones to give up carried on as usual.
They looked around for a new drummer and eventually found Kieran Brain from Corby. They had sort of known him for a while as he had played in a local band Dtox for years.
As soon as Kieran was in place the new and most determined line up yet went about sorting out a demo of new material with Mark Daghorn (Cradle of filth, Marrilion, Fish) at New Rising Studio.
They have already set about using this demo to gain interest from record companies interested in putting out the second album and to find a new manager.
15th January 2003.
Members
- Gen Tasker - Vocals
- Jay Thompson - Guitar, Vocals
- Rob Reeves - Guitar
- Scott Warner - Bass
- Kieran Brain - Drums
- Stacey Maher - Drums
- Chink - Drums
Discography
Albums
- One Inch God
- Ray Zero
EPs
- The Year Of The Slug
- For Us It Ends When We Drown