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| Chrome Hoof |
[UK/Southern, Rise Above]
The doom metal and glistening disco of Chrome Hoof had its beginnings in two brothers with very different musical backgrounds. The duo expanded into a sprawling ensemble performing funked up doom metal in incongruous space-jazz jumpsuits. As of 2007, the glittery group has about ten members on instruments such as saxophone, trumpet, guitars, bass and drums.
Cult doom band Cathedral bassist Leo Smee and his brother Milo Smee started Chrome Hoof in 2000. As a duo, their music was mostly electronic. They started playing warehouse parties about five years ago – battling it out with bass and drums, quarter inch 4-track, an Atari, sampler and Poly 800 synth – as way to fulfill their long held dreams of exploring their disco glitter-ball side.
Leo and Milo had been experimenting together since the mid-90s before Chrome Hoof came into being. Combining Leo’s background in bile and downward spirals with Milo’s taste for groove-based music – he’s DJ Acid House, Hip Hop and Disco since 1990, and was busy producing 'freak beat’ electronics and remix’s under the guises Kruton, Binary Chaffinch and Invincible Scum, and started 5 Mic Cluster on Output Records, with fellow techno producer Mark Broom.
The brothers found common ground in bands such as Faust, King Crimson, Magma, This Heat and Brain Ticket, and they’ve been melding their opposing influences ever since, best consolidated on their 2007 album Pre-Emptive False Rapture (Southern Records). Over the years, the band gradually swelled with people from varied musical backgrounds giving Chrome Hoof a vast array of talent to draw from. First to be recruited was Chloe Herington, the bassoonist, after meeting Leo on the street, followed by Emmett Elvin (Keyboards/Synth/Sampler), Andy "Mister" Custard (Guitar/Percussion) Emma Sullivan (Trumpet/Vocals/Keyboard/Percussion), Sarah Anderson (Violin), Lola Olafisoye (Vocals) and Tim Bowen (Cello).
Chrome Hoof’s first release was an independently produced EP in 2000 called Broken Claw. Three years later, they recorded a self titled album released on Tritone, and released an extended EP, Beyond Zade, on Rise Above Records in 2006. They remixed the Test Icicles for Domino in 2005 and have just been asked to do the same for Simeon Mobile Disco.
The band has toured the USA with Sunn0))), supported Add N to X’s last ever show, headlined America’s Tapestry Festival for three years running. They played 2007's Camden Crawl festival, and supported the Klaxons and Justice. At Portishead’s All Tomorrow’s Parties, Chrome Hoof was joined on stage by Damo Suzuki from CAN.
> Chrome Hoof on Myspace
Appearances:
> CTM.08 > CRANKED UP DISCO
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