‘Kill Your Love / Please Kill Me’ out now (New Heavy Sounds)
Transmaniacon
in 2014 were the band formed from the split of XM3a (One (huge) single
and a Black Moth Split release on NHS Records). The heavy riffing and
over-driven organ and synth Prog/Sci-Fi/Space Rocking was given an
altogether new vibe with the arrival of vocalist and song-smith Simon
Holliday. Simon’s vocal performances on the following album ‘The
Darkening Plain’ were astounding - dark and utterly convincing - and
punk/post-punk tinged (sitting as they did on the epic 25 minute
‘Quintessence of Dust’ alongside a Lydia Lunch spoken Word appearance) -
think Jello Biafra/John Lydon.
It
was perhaps this unusual alliance of styles and the dark theatricality
of the album and band (only one ever immersive performance of a 35
minute ‘Quintessence’) that meant while the album was well received, it
was also not completely understood either.
Simon
was to leave the band to join London noise-punks Art Trip several
months later during the song-writing for the follow up album, Suzie
Pellet.
Simon’s
sad, premature death in March this year shocked the band along with the
large musical fraternity with whom Simon had worked with during his
musical career (From 80’s/90’s Camden days with The Unbelievers
alongside The Faith Healers and Snuff to producing Skinny Girl Diet and
playing back in home-town, Portsmouth with Milton Underground
Resistance. From synth and sound for Stereolab to on the road with Yeah
Yeah Yeahs and Turin Brakes). As a tribute to Simon, Transmaniacon have
revisited, remixed and mastered two of Simon’s songs written at the time
of ‘The Darkening Plain’ album but not released at the time.
Both dark an dense (neither fitting thematically with the post-apocalyptic sci-fi setting for the album)
‘Kill Your Love’ A driving and ferocious ‘Deep Purple’ rocker about a doomed relationship
‘Please Kill Me’ A pounding and Doomy progger of angst about illness and assisted death
The
tracks are available as a free/name your price digital single by NHS
Records with a new sleeve design by Simon’s brother, artist Dan
Holliday.
Simon
would go on to release albums with Art Trip and the Static Sound,
Milton Underground Resistance and (extraordinarily) Micro-wave Wankers!
He also had tracks recorded for his very first solo album.
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Some Tributes
One
of life’s greatest sick jokes is that you often only realise how loved
or how deeply talented a person really was after they’re gone. We (Turin
Brakes) knew Simon as the best sound man we’d ever worked with and over
14 years fell in love with the man behind the mixer. It turns out there
was an absolute killer song writer and performer behind that mixer too.
These tunes with his excellent collaborators Transmaniacon shed even
more light across the landscape of his musical legacy. They’re heavy as
hell and take no prisoners and I can see Simon’s cheeky grin from heaven
as he watches us all get our ears smashed off by his wonderfully
progged up sonic confessions. It is an absolute mind blowing joy to hear
them finally find their way to the world.
Olly Knights - Turin Brakes - May 2024
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I can't quite believe of Si's passing. In my heart and mind he is still vibrant with life force.
Alas
I have to come to terms with the fact that I won't cross paths with him
any more, at Cafe Oto or other venues or having him work on our sound
as he he used to.
He was so appreciated for his kindness and his frank way of speaking -quite untypical for a brit!-.
Nonjudgemental he treated every one equally, no predjudice or projection. He was fair to people.
It
has been so fun and a priviledge to work and be on tour with him. He
has been a big part of our Stereolab story, forging our sound and all
our travels around the UK and Europe and a little later traveling around
the US and beyond. He was a fantastic touring buddy.
I miss him greatly and hope that where ever he may be he is traveling on and on, restfully, joyfully.
Laetitia Sadier - Stereolab June 2024
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Simon
Holliday was more than an uncle to us he was a mentor and also
dedicated a number of years to supporting us on the road tirelessly as
Skinny Girl Diet including changing my guitar strings in high pressure
situations he always went above and beyond for everyone he loved and
admired. He was one of the first people I met with one of the most
unique and eclectic music tastes and also possessed buckets of musical
talent and ability that I now try to emulate in my own art. He will
always be an inspiration to me, so to see this record out in the world
is personal blessing for us. From the bottom of my heart thank you to
Paul and Ged from NHS records for putting this record out. I know he
would have loved the gesture and the fact that he would still be
releasing music from the grave. That was very much his humour and style.
Keep on rocking uncle Si
Delilah - Skinny Girl Diet
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During
his time with Art Trip & the Static Sound Simon had a massive input
both musically and in the studio, particularly at the mixing desk. He
was a major driver for our collective efforts. He'll be much missed.
Tony/Art Trip
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“I
first met Simon at the sausage machine in the very early 90’s. The
steady Eddie sound man responsible for making the greatest club sound
magical. With that, the requisite late nights in north London not
wasting youth on the young. Fast forward my early years in New York and
I’d see him perched in the crows nest sound board at Irving plaza mixing
one of those London bands. Somehow we stayed in some form of touch and I
was able to draft him in for some yeah yeah yeahs uk and europe action.
I was the kind of person I wish I knew better and was able to see more
of. Humor, humility, and humanity- a presence sorely missed.”
Dave Burton Tour Manager - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
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"I
loved Simon's energy. Enthused with a wicked, cynical sense of humour
that was never cruel. We laughed a lot! Also. Fun fact about Kill Your
Love. The song was inspired by We Live In Brooklyn by Roy Ayers! Simon
told me.”
Karl Hussey - Ten Benson / Transmaniacon
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Simon
brought so much to every musical project with which he was involved.
Inspiration, commitment, passion, performance, and an encyclopaedic
knowledge of all that’s best in rock music.
Steve Cox - Transmaniacon
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I wrote this poem about my Dearest friend and Brother in Law Simon
The Man He Was
He was an anarchist through and through
A feminist ally which I suspect you never knew
A man who supported women in all their endeavours Regardless of race, age and gender Because that's the kind of man Simon was
A girl learns to play guitar he never told her that she couldn’t
A middle-aged woman sings he never made her feel like she shouldn’t
What's more, he lets her take the lead
He understands the drive the need
Because that's the type of man Simon was
I play the same three chords in all my songs he lied
Putting his own prolific talent aside
To build her confidence to pick up the guitar again
And step back into the arena surrounded by men
Because that’s the kind of man Simon was
He was a safe space in a room
He was laughter amidst the gloom
He was a walking wall of sound
Someone you loved to be around
Because that's the type of man Simon was
From obscure reggae tracks to funk and soul
Post-punk to goth and rock and roll
So many genres that he knew
And that he was more than happy to share with you
He sang and wrote songs galore
Told me about albums I never heard of before
He compiled huge amounts of playlists Tape cassettes he’d give out as gifts
Because that's the type of man Simon was
Mel Holliday - Art Trip & The Static Sound
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