The Magnificents met at Edinburgh Art College around the turn of the century. They were formed as a birthday present for a girlfriend and played a one off set of Northern Soul songs for their debut gig. People danced.
Deciding this could be the least degrading post art college career choice they carried on. Forgetting to write any songs the second gig was 20 minutes of disturbing noise and feedback involving gas masks and wheelchairs and eh, head shaving. People cried.
From Wigan to Throbbing Gristle in one easy step.
From that day to this they have endeavoured to marry these two differing performance techniques and the desire to make people dance while crying continues.
On their first European tour they were spotted playing in the pit of an abandoned steelworks by DJ Mooner owner of legendary underground record label Erkrankung Durch Musique who went on to put out their debut EP Kids Now in 2001.
Over the years they have built a reputation as one of the most exciting and unpredictable live bands around and have toured with Stereolab, Trans Am, The Beta Band( the only band ever to do so) and Mogwai.
Back in Edinburgh, hidden under the city in the rat and fungi infested M-Bunker they went on to record the 4 Claws of The Underground EP, followed by the self titled debut album released on Edinburghs own KFM Records. The NME called them, ‘the real sound of the youth’, although they did have Oasis on the cover, so, uh, yeah.
Following a year of experimentation, code breaking, alchemy and the continued search for enlightenment they are back with both the Ring Ring Oo Oo EP and the new album Year Of Explorers.
Git Some!