New Model Army (band)
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New Model Army are a modern punk band, more melodic than many of their classic counterparts, and widely respected for their unwavering political stance, and working class ethics.
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Biography
The band was named after the English revolutionary army of Oliver Cromwell. Led by guitarist / vocalist, Justin Sullivan (who performed under the name Slade The Leveller in the early 1980s), the group has an extremely loyal cult following. The band has also collaborated with electric violinist Ed Alleyne-Johnson, who worked with them on their Top 30 single "Vagabonds", and their album "Thunder and Consolation", as well as touring extensively with them for five years. New Model Army frequently tour with more than 5 band members.
The group also tours as 'Justin Sullivan and Friends', which means a more acoustic set without some players (which ones varies), and is linked to Red Sky Coven, in which Justin Sullivan also plays. In early 2003, Sullivan released "Navigating By The Stars", a solo album recorded with other band members and featuring Danny Thompson on double bass, and Mark Feltham on harmonica.
After a short tour at the end of 2004, the group returned to the studio to record their ninth studio album, "Carnival". EMI recently released a couple of remixed earlier albums. As the band themselves say it: "Although there is nothing new within the packages they have been very sympathetically re-packed and remastered and do sound very, very good."
In 2004 their one-time drummer, Robert Heaton, died of pancreatic cancer.
One of their other members, Ricky Warwick went on to form The Almighty.
Music
New Model Army's music is often classified as intense, angry, and powerful. The group experiments frequently with quieter, acoustic material, which sometimes has a punk rock feel and sometimes doesn't.
Lyrics are always very poetic, but still manages to express political and humanitarian messages. Songs like 51st State earned the band cult status in movements against American imperialism (and also a prohibition to enter the USA for many years).
Trivia
- Their song Christian Militia (1983) appears in the BBC drama Edge of Darkness.
- Brazilian Thrash Metal band Seputura did a cover version of ‘The Hunt’ on their Chaos AD album
- "Notice Me" was used on Dom Jolly's Trigger Happy TV
Main Contributors
- Justin Sullivan - Vocalist - born on 8 April, 1956, in Jordans, Buckinghamshire, England
- Robert Heaton - Drummer - born Robert Charles Heaton, on 6 July, 1961, in Knutsford, Cheshire; died of pancreatic cancer, on 4 November, 2004.
Discography
Studio albums
- Vengeance (1984)
- No Rest For The Wicked (1985)
- The Ghost Of Cain (1986)
- Thunder And Consolation (1989)
- Impurity (1990)
- The Love Of Hopeless Causes (1993)
- Strange Brotherhood (1998)
- Eight (2000)
- Carnival (2005)
Other Albums
- New Model Army (1987)
- Radio Sessions 83-84 (1988)
- Raw Melody Men (1991)
- BBC Radio One Live In Concert (1993)
- B Sides And Abandoned Tracks (1994)
- Small Town England (1997)
- All Of This – The “Live” Rarities (1999)
- ...& Nobody Else (1999)
- History - The Singles 85-91 (1992)
- New Model Army 3 x CD (2000)
- History – The Best of New Model Army (2001)
- The Best (2001)
- Lost Songs (2002)
- Great Expectations – The Singles Collection (2003)
- Original 20 (2004)
- The Collection (2004)