Origin United Kingdom | ||
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Past members Ivo Watts-RussellJohn Fryer Genres Ambient music, Acoustic music, Folk music, Post-punk Albums It'll End in Tears, Filigree & Shadow, Blood, 1983–1991, Sixteen Days / Gathering | ||
This mortal coil song to the siren official video
This Mortal Coil was a gothic dream pop collective led by Ivo Watts-Russell, founder of the British record label 4AD. Although Watts-Russell and John Fryer were technically the only two official members, the band's recorded output featured a large rotating cast of supporting artists, many of whom were signed to, or otherwise associated with, 4AD. About half of the songs released were cover versions, often of 1960s and 1970s psychedelic and folk acts. On each of the band's three LPs, at least one song would also be a cover of a 4AD artist, and most of the original songs were instrumentals.
Contents
- This mortal coil song to the siren official video
- This mortal coil you and your sister acoustic cover by ryan o donoghue
- Background
- Studio albums
- Compilations
- Boxsets
- Singles and EPs
- Contributions
- The Hope Blister
- Songs
- References
The name "This Mortal Coil" is taken from the Monty Python's Flying Circus "Dead Parrot sketch", which in turn is a quote from Shakespeare's Hamlet.
This mortal coil you and your sister acoustic cover by ryan o donoghue
Background
Watts-Russell had founded 4AD in 1980, and the label established itself as one of the key labels in the British post-punk movement.
Quoting the 4AD website
One of the label's earliest signings was Modern English. In 1983, Watts-Russell suggested that the band re-record two of its earliest songs, "Sixteen Days" and "Gathering Dust," as a medley. At the time, the band was closing its set with this medley, and Watts-Russell felt it was strong enough to warrant a re-recording. When the band rebuffed the idea, Watts-Russell decided to assemble a group of musicians to record the medley: Elizabeth Fraser and Robin Guthrie of Cocteau Twins; Gordon Sharp of Cindytalk; and a few members of Modern English. An EP, Sixteen Days/Gathering Dust, resulted from these sessions.
Recorded as a B-side for the EP was a cover of Tim Buckley's "Song to the Siren", performed by Fraser and Guthrie alone. Pleased with the results, Watts-Russell decided to make this the A-side of the 7" single version of the EP, and the song quickly became an underground hit, leading Watts-Russell to pursue recording a full album under the This Mortal Coil moniker.
In June 1998 Watts-Russell began releasing albums in a similar vein to his TMC projects, under the name The Hope Blister.
Studio albums
Compilations
Boxsets
Singles and EPs
Contributions
The Hope Blister
Songs
FytIt'll End in Tears · 1984
Song To The SirenIt'll End in Tears · 1984
Sixteen Days / Gathering DustSixteen Days / Gathering Dust · 1983