The Legendary Pink Dots have been one of my favourite bands for quite a while.  I have read and listened to many interviews with them along with a fair number of articles (read, not listened to, of course!).  I am a well-informed fan (I do dislike the word but, alas . . .) so forgive me if I don’t quote sources.  Anyone familiar the Dots can verify what I write.  If I am mistaken, feel free to correct me.

The Legendary Pink Dots started in England, in a squat, with several instruments along an insane ambition and curiosity.  They built a following from the ground up.  They made several cassette recordings that circulated well before their first live gig.  A few years later they emigrated to Holland fleeing the Thatcherworld that England was seemingly turning into.  The Dots documented what they saw around them in an Orwellian concept album called The Tower.  In an interview, the lead vox, Edward Ka’spell, said that when that album was largely ignored they thought, “Well, that’s it, then.”  So it was off to the Netherlands where they were becoming increasingly popular.  They have been there ever since.

Their early influences came primarily from Krautrock, Prog Rock and ’60’s English underground Psychedelia.  The lyrics mostly come from Edward’s dreams, literally.  He has stated that he keeps a recorder by his bed at all times.  The topics range from surrealistic scenes to religion, to politics, to Sci-fi, to mythology, to mysticism, to heartbreak, to suicide, to characters that are very introspective,  to . . . as you can tell the list goes on.  The lineup has had numerous changes (very numerous) but the two constant members have been Edward and Silverman (his name derives from one of the characters in their songs that Phil (the Silverman) had sympathy for).

They have been largely independent throughout their career and have been on a shoestring budget for most of their 35-year existence.  That is not to say they haven’t garnered attention from the mainstream world.  Once Ted Templeton of Warner Bros. fame sent them a letter asking for a meeting.  The letter got lost in their fan mail for something like two years (might have been less but it was quite a long time).  When they found it, they laughed and pinned it to their wall.  They usually tour the states every two years driving in a rented trailer.

I have been experiencing their music since 1991.  I found them by listening to a great college radio show called “Psychedelic Sunday” out of Michigan State University.  The track I heard was an instrumental (believe it or not, I have forgotten which one).  I sought them out a music store that had a lot of imports and bought Legendary Pink Box.  It was a two disc set (one disc was a collection of earlier songs redone, which is something they have since vowed never to do again.  The other disc was a collection earlier songs in their original form).  But it was the two albums they released after this that sealed it for me.  Shadow Weaver pts. 1 and 2 (Malachai).  Taken together, they comprise a flowing continual listening experience.

I will write more about this band for sure but it is getting late . . . I’m sure you’ll understand.  They are well worth checking out and supporting.  There will be more about them.   Oh, I already said that?  It must be getting late!