Origin London, England Record label PIAS Recordings | Years active 2009–present | |
Labels Test Card Recordings, Believe Recordings, PIAS Recordings Website publicservicebroadcasting.net Members J. Willgoose, Esq. , Wrigglesworth Genres Alternative rock, Art rock, Indie rock, Electronica, Dance-punk, Krautrock Albums The Race for Space, Live at Brixton, Inform‑Educate‑Entertain, The War Room, Every Valley Profiles |
Public Service Broadcasting are a London-based pseudonymous musical duo consisting of J. Willgoose, Esq. on guitar, banjo, other stringed instruments, samplings and electronic instruments; and Wrigglesworth on drums, piano and electronic instruments. The band have toured internationally and in 2015 they were announced as nominees in the Vanguard breakthrough category of the fourth annual Progressive Music Awards, staged by Prog magazine, which they won.
Contents
History
At first, the band consisted solely of Willgoose. He made his public debut at The Selkirk pub in Tooting, London, England in late 2009. Shortly afterwards he issued EP One. Teaming up with Wrigglesworth on drums the band played its first festival in September 2010, Aestival in Suffolk, and work began on a second EP, The War Room, which was released in May 2012. Since then, the band has released two albums, Inform-Educate-Entertain (2013); and The Race for Space, released on 23 February 2015. This was supported by two shows at the National Space Centre in Leicester celebrating the albums launch. The album charted just outside the top 10 in 11th place in the UK in its release week and reaching Number 1 in the UK Independent Charts for that week. A follow up EP was released at the tail end of 2015 (Sputnik/Korolev) which was backed up by a UK tour climaxing in the bands biggest headline show, a sold-out night at the O2 Brixton Academy, of which a live album was released in 2016. While writing The War Room the band formed a close relationship with the British Film Institute, using their material during live shows. On 10 March 2017, PSB unveiled a new single titled Progress featuring vocals from Tracyanne Campbell from Camera Obscura with photo shoots showing the band as a three-piece with JF Abraham featured on promotional photos. On March 20, 2017 it was revealed that the band are to release their 3rd studio album entitled Every Valley about the coal mining industry's rise and fall in the Welsh Valleys between the 1950's and 1980's. It will be released on 7 July 2017 and, as with The Race for Space the band have two album launch concerts lined up in Ebbw Vale where the LP was recorded
Music style and live performances
The band plays instrumental music, with Willgoose noting that "singing is never going to work. I'm not going to be happy with it, I'm not going to be comfortable playing it to other people." They take samples from old public information films, archive footage and propaganda material, attempting (with tongue firmly in cheek) to 'teach the lessons of the past through the music of the future'.
For live shows the pair are augmented by visuals expert Mr. B and bass guitarist and flugelhorn player JF Abraham, who also features on The Race for Space.
Albums
EPs
Singles
Songs
GagarinThe Race for Space · 2015
SpitfireInform-Educate-Entertain · 2013
Night MailInform-Educate-Entertain · 2013