discography
"Stick Together" 7"ep - (Tartan, 1994)
"Watch Out" 7"ep - (Tartan, 1995)
"Trespass" 7" ep - (Damaged Goods, 1995)
"Tartan Material" LP/CD (Damaged Goods, 1996)
"Karma Chameleon" 7" ep (Damaged Goods, 1997)
"Live In Slovenia" tape (1997)
"Anaesthetized" CD ep (Self Destruct /Tartan, 1999)
"Forced Knowledge" LP/CD (Moon Ska Europe, 2000)
compilations
"Best Punk Rock In England, Man" CD - (Snuffy Smile, 1996)
split LP w/ Machine Gun Etiquette and Nutcase (Trapdoor Recordz, 1997)
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Line Up
- Andi - Vocals /Lyrics
- Stiff - Bass /Grunts
- Simon - Drums
- Jenny - Sax
- Alex - Guitar /BVocals
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EX-CATHEDRA formed in late '91, getting together every week or two to cover old fave's and contrive new ones. Before long we had gathered enough originals for a live set and set to work on gigs. After seeing the reception we were receiving we decided to release our first 7 track demo entitled "The Reality Demo", (100 copies) in '92-'93. We continued playing the Glasgow circuit and gaining larger audience's. Spurred on by this we began work on a 4 track EP entitled "Stick Together" which we released on our own self-financed Tartan Records label. The EP was well received and sold out within 6 months, we released a 2nd EP "The Watch Out EP", toured the Netherlands and Belgium and headed into '94. We began to attract some record company interest and released a 7" single "Trespass" on Damaged Goods. Touring extensively on the UK pub and club circuit we managed to secure some auspicious support slots including SLF, NOFX, Bad Religion, UK Subs and Rancid. Whilst playing with Rancid in Leeds one of Rancid stated "Ex-Cathedra were the best thing the UK scene has got", which numerous fanzines always question us about. However all the band were too drunk to remember Rancid even saying it! Whilst Lady Luck helped us in our vocation she did not accompany us in our tour van as this was also the start of 'the curse of Ex-Cathedra' regarding 4 wheeled vehicles. When on tour with Rancid, playing the prestigious Brixton Academy, we had to push-start the fully loaded van......with us running after the van and the fans running after us......we decided that for the rest of the tour it was better to get our supporters to push it for us! As invites poured in we took the chance and travelled back to Europe in our repaired van. Touring Germany, Holland, Belgium, Austria, Italy, Czech Republic and Slovenia the gigs were great and our fan base covered most of mainland Europe. With the free beer etc becoming all too much for Andi (singer), he resolved to give up the temptations associated with a rock 'n' roll lifestyle. This soon caught on among the crowds and incorporating the X of eX-cathedra became known as straight-edge (or was that somebody else?). By '96 we felt it was time for an album and having sold out of all the 7" singles Damaged Goods agreed to press 2000 copies on CD/Vinyl of our debut album "Tartan Material". The pressure became intense and something had to blow, it did, our bass player and drummer exploded into a thousand pieces. Just as reality set in, out of the dust arrived a new bass player and drummer accompanied by a shiny new saxophone player. This line up is the best yet and the new improved sound was what we had been looking for, a really tight unit. From here we did one more 7"single, a cover of the old Culture Club song "Karma Chameleon" for Damaged Goods and then started work on our 2nd album. Having been asked to play Morecombe in July '98 at a 3 day Holidays In The Sun punk festival we encountered Curtis of Taang! Records (USA) whom we dragged into our stinky old van to suffer our new demo. After much beer he showed interest and later that year agreed to bring it out in America. Another tour in Europe arranged and the band set off to Holland but after just one gig in Amsterdam our beloved van finally deceased. We gave her an honourable funeral and set the whole damn thing alight. The rest of the tour was done in a hire van and we still managed to come back with some dosh, this we used to finish the album. With a bit of spit and polish the new album was ready, being called "Forced Knowledge" which was taken from the name of the cover painting which had been done by a friend. Now for a European label. A couple of chance encounters later and talks were being held with Moon Ska Europe. Lady Luck comes back after a short holiday and the man from Moon Ska he say YES! The month is unimportant, but the year is 2000 and packaged in a fancy cellophane wrapped cover comes out our fabulous new album "Forced Knowledge". The tours are coming in and the CD's are selling like umbrellas do in Scotland. Now there's no stopping us!
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