mute/recoil.html

recoil.bio

It's hard to explain what Recoil is , in only one sentence , Recoil comes from the imagination and the work of mainly one man : Mr Alan Wilder ,, ex member of Depeche Mode from 1982 to 1995. Recoil isn't a band in the standard way , it's more a concept in itself , in which the main core and mind is Alan WIlder himself . Alan worked with many artists for the lyrics of the songs of Recoil but he composes all the music of each of the songs of Recoil

The Recoil adventure starts back in 1986 with the release of a mini album "1+2" , both tracks from that album are mostly composed by samples from Depeche Mode songs .In 1998 is released the LP Hydrology suivra ensuite en 1988 ,which is an instrumental album (the CD version features the first EP : 1+2 as bonus tracks ). Already at that time Alan explains that he works with Recoil, outside of what he can do with Depeche Mode , to explore ways he couldn't do among Depeche Mode.
In 1992 is released the Bloodline LP , where Alan worked with other artists to write the lyrics of the songs. He has quite a special way to work , he first work all the musical scheme of the song and then gives each of the artists he collaborates with the song so he/she could put some words over it , Already at that time he works with artists such as Toni Halliday (Curve) , Douglas Mac Carthy (Nitzer Ebb) and the enigmatic Moby . This album features some very catchy tunes at the first listening as the famous "Faith Healer" performed by Douglas Mac Carthy ( it's a cover version from the band "The Sensational Alex Harvey Band" ) as well as the re-arranged version by Wilder of a song by Bukka White, famous bluesman.

Alan Wilder leaves Depeche Modeon June 1st 1995 ; now being completly free to doo all he wants to do with his projectt : Recoil , he also lives now with Hepzibah Sessa, previous member of the band Miranda Sex Garden who were the guests at the Depeche Mode concerts back during the Devotional Tour , in 1994 to promote Songs of Faith and Devotion.

In 1997 Wilder releases the LP called "Unsound Methods" in which he goes on a most experimentation side that he already started with Bloodline ; you can also find again some artists such as Douglas Mac Carthy, Hepzibah , Hildia Campbell ( one of the gospel singers from the devotional tour ) and also Siobhan Lynch among others .. On this album I would advice you to listen carefully to songs like "Drifting" where you can feel the deep, intense and troubling voice of Siobhan Lynch as well as "Missing Piece" ( where you can hear Wilder whispering ) also Stalker performed by Mc Carthy.

In 2001 has been released the last Recoil LP l : LIQUID, where Alan Wilder insisted more on the "spoken word" side of the songs which are more performed like telling a tale / story during the whole LP. He collaborated with artists such as Diamanda Galas or Nicole Blackman,in order to give the feeling that through the album you follow a kind of story a travel through different experiences that leads you to the conclusion with Black Box , showing you some hard, soft , tragic, dark and touching moments at different times . One of the song that is the most representative of that feeling is Black Box which opens and closes this album ; it's a song that reflects one of the tragic events that Wilder and his girlfriend were witness : a plane crash while they were driving on a road . Through all the songs of LIQUID Wilder wanted to show how this fluid, evasive , and weird aspects that life can be seen , in all its ways : sometimes calm, but also anxious , and quite mysterious and beautifull all at once ...

I can't say that Recoil is for everyone's ears , as radio formatted music, but it's full of intensity , emotions and you can clearly feel the great techniques and the musical skills of Alan Wilder,as he already gave an aspect during his years among Depeche Mode.

recoil.disco

1986 - 1+2
1988 - Hydrology
1992 - Bloodline
1997 - Unsound Methods
2001 - Liquid

recoil.links

Here are some websites you have to visit to know more about Recoil :

http://www.recoil.co.uk Shunt , official site
http://www.mute.com/mute/recoil/recoil.htm Recoil section at Mute Records
http://www.recoil.dabsol.co.uk/
http://www.alanwilder.de/

French language sites about Recoil :

http://perso.wanadoo.fr/tibok/
http://perso.club-internet.fr/varamb/recoil
http://www.depechemodecentral.com/Recoil-home.htm
http://www.liquid.be.tf/
http://recoiline.free.fr