Grid Central: Latest News

Here's some great news from Richard Norris, March 17, 2004:

"The Grid are currently recording in London, and are set to play live (initially in the UK) later in the year. The new tracks are electronic/analogue dance monsters with a couple of ambient tracks thrown in. Very in keeping with the old Grid sound, but updated for 2004.

"We are also doing remixes - the first two are for Client "In It For The Money" (Toast Hawaii/Mute) and Atomizer "Ball and Chain" (International Deejay Gigolos). Both are big floor analogue dance tracks.

"We have a new e-mail if anyone needs to contact us: gridcentral@yahoo.co.uk"

The Grid are back! As per this email I received on September 25, 2003:

"Dear Matt,
just a short note to let you know Dave and myself have reformed The Grid!
we are working on tracks and hope to release something in the near future, as well as play live next year.
just thought you might like to know!
best wishes"
Richard Norris

While on hiatus as a group since 1996, Dave and Richard respectively continued to pursue a variety of musical projects.

According to the official Marc Almond website, Soft Cell will play two concerts in London in November 2000. No further details are available yet. [MAY 11, 2000]

Four Ambient Tales by Billie Ray Martin with The Grid is to be re-released on CD in May 2000 on Ms. Martin's own record label, Stahl II Records. [MAY 11, 2000]

I have added a listing for Grid remixes of the song 'If' by the band If? [MAY 11, 2000]

Dave Ball and Ingo Vauk, under the name Mi7, have done two remixes of the single 'Delerium' by Euphoria on Six Degrees Records in the U.S. That single came out on vinyl and CD on June 22, 1999. The self-titled "Euphoria" album came out on July 13, but does not contain the Ball/Vauk remixes.

The Security Service in England is still often called MI5. The MI stands for military intellgence. In the case of Mi7, does MI denote a special branch of musical intelligence? I say, "Yes!" [OCTOBER 8, 1999]

He says Gold Star the band is going cool (!) and he's started a club called Gold Star @ The Social, every Saturday from 18th September at The Social, 5 Little Portland St., London W1. Expect records out later this year (!). [SEPTEMBER 21, 1999]

"Marc has started writing new songs for a Soft Cell album. Marc has discussed the idea many times with Dave Ball and they have considered collaborating together countless times under another name, but lets face it, it has to be Soft Cell. The album will consist of ten brand new tracks and it will be released later next year. They are both excited about the prospect of live shows to accompany the release and a full tour. Both Marc and Dave want to side step the whole retro revival that they will inevitably be drawn into, but with a brilliant album of new material it should be avoided. The Soft Cell album will be dark, disturbing with a 90's feel, and evoke the spirit of Soft Cell totally. It does not mean an end to either Marc or Dave's solo projects". [AUGUST 4, 1999]

Richard Norris has produced tracks for Elastica's next album.[03SEPT98]

Big Buddha are no more, according to an item in festival programme for onedotzero. The item is about two artists who did a promo clip for the Big Buddha song, 'Gizmo', that appears as a b-side to the single, 'Be Here Now':

"kieran evans + joe berger: big buddha: gizmo*

"Big Buddha was a short-lived project of Richard Norris [ex-Grid], and Karl Leiker. Gizmo is a 'lost' promo blending visuals from 50s pulp book sleeves to weird B-serial, Like A Velvet Glove Cast In Stone. A collaboration between live-action and still graphics specialists, Evans and Berger."

Note from same website: "onedotzero is an agenda-setting event for digital creativity, showcasing inspiring contemporary visuals from the worlds of digital film, new media, and computer gaming."

Read The All Music Guide's listing of The Grid. [September 21, 1999]

"This 2 CD collection marks the start of a three part series of releases by Psychic TV from the legendary, pioneering and prolific "ACID HOUSE"; 'TEKNO ACID BEAT" and "INFINITE BEAT" period of their increasingly influential and much respected existence. Several remixes by seminal figures like Andy Weatherall; Greedy Beat Syndicate; The Grid; Tim Simenon (Bomb The Bass); DJ Doktor Megatrip and others are also included. Originally released under many different artistes names, the tracks in this series are now correctly credited for the first time. The accompanying full color booklet contains previously unpublished and comprehensive sleeve notes and historial anecdotes illustrated by a wealth of never before seen photos, flyers and memorabilla from the ACID years. All the covers and box art are from original collages by Genesis P-Orridge that were commissioned especially for this project."

More News

Big Buddha	From Concrete Records website: "Big Buddha will be making their live debut in August [1997]. See them at Bath, Moles - 1st August; Essential Festival @ Finsbury Park, London - August 2nd. Expect something loud and shouty with live drums and lots of guitars. Another Big Buddha single will be released at the end of September [1997]. Also catch Richard Norris from the band DJing at a club near you.". [03FEB98] Also, from the Concrete website: "Founder member of The Grid, Richard Norris has now hooked up with Californian bass player and singer Karl Leiker to form Big Buddha. The band started last summer as Richard and Karl, but is currently reanimating into a full throttle drum n' bass n' hammond n' guitars band for live dates later on this summer. Their first single 'Be Here Now' was released on 9th June [1997]. Make up your own mind, but one thing is for sure, it deserves to be listened to loudly!" Big Buddha performed at Essential Weekender in Finsbury Park, London, on August 2, 1997, 'Dance Day', on the Millenium Stage. Richard Norris had a DJ set as well. Big Buddha also had a performance date in Belgium on August 23, 1997. Any other confirmed dates?	Dave and Ingo and Kylie, Oh My!	Dave Ball and Ingo Vauk are collaborators on the new eponymously-titled Kylie Minogue album due out March 23, 1998 in U.K. Dave and Ingo have worked on at least four songs as co-writers with Kylie, essentially providing the music to her lyrics, and as producers. Three of the tracks, 'Through The Years', 'Breathe', and 'Limbo' are on the album. The other track, 'Tears', was the b-side to the second single, 'Did It Again'. 'Limbo' was initially released as a b-side to the album's first single, 'Some Kind Of Bliss'. 'Breathe' was released as a single in U.K. on March 9. Other Kylie collaborators include the house music makers Brothers in Rhythm and James Dean Bradfield of the Manic Street Preachers. The album, due out last summer under the title of "Impossible Princess", was postponed for U.K. release due to a name change decided on following the death of Princess Diana. The special 3-D (lenticular?) packaging was redone. The album did come out in late 1997 in Japan under the previous title.

"The Heavenly Social has changed its name to The Heavenly Jukebox. New residents alongside Jon Carter and Ricard Fearless include The Psychonauts, Richard Norris, Bentley Rhythm Ace and Kris Needs."