History of SoG by Nick

BRIGHTON BASED SPIRIT OF GRAVITY was launched in January 2001 by local live art liberationists Nick Rilke and Tony Rimbaud of Maphead Productions. It was a night intended to present Maphead's latest music project Malevich, which needed a stage for the unique electronic collision of spoken word and unspeakable sounds. Never intending to be a purely solo showcase, Rimbaud and Rilke set about pulling, kicking, screaming and sampling other like minded artists into the fray. Thus, enlisting to the cause were Spirit of Gravity co-namer and wired-up glass guru Dan Powell and no-noise free-formers Clarence Palmer. The first event was born.

Those early days at the Lift were a crucial part of establishing the Spirit of Gravity ethos. In front of small but dedicated audiences, the attempt to present an artform more used to recording in bedrooms than performing on stage gradually developed. Artists that had never performed before were encouraged to take that step. Electronica finally had a place to call its own. And often present in the audience were the musicians that were later to join the Gravity as founding members of the collective. They included Waxed Apple, Remote (Hot Roddy) and Multiplex. Another tradition was also established that continues to this day, whatever the venue: the chaos of several musicians setting up and performing with what seems like thousands of wires and plugs as multiple pieces of equipment balance precariously on wobbly tables.

Events of note
MAR: Multiplex, eventual collective members become the first band on a label (Toytronic, Senton) to play at the Gravity. Malevich's label (Woolmark) appear in their suits.
APR: Initial sighting of Henry Collins, the future Shitmat, as part of Vadar Sound System. The other half Dan Powell unites with Billy Multiplex and Nick Malevich to set the ultimate Spirit sartorial trend: the goatee - glasses combo
MAY: The first gig away from the Lift and the first to charge admission. This heralded the start of the capitalist exploitation of our audience. SINCE THAT SLIGHTLY CHAOTIC SONIC CAESAREAN, much changed. The Lift sadly closed down, trampled underfoot in the name of progress by everyone's favourite whine bar Polar; a cold desolate region where no intelligent life can be found. The Lift was a valuable institution for anything alternative, and although he was always odd and occasionally infuriating, our best wishes went to erstwhile promoter, booker, publicist, sound engineer and practitioner, Geoffrey Reed; the Lift's life and soul. Our abiding memory of the tear-tattooed terror is of him performing, hanging from the lighting rig, and scratching with his feet. Vinyl, not himself.

By the time of the first anniversary in January a new home was found at the Free Butt. A larger venue spurred on the Gravity's ambitions and a pinnacle of artistic and commercial success was just around the corner. As a part of the May Brighton Festival an all day festival of live electronic music, featuring ten bands over ten hours, sold out the Free Butt. This event was the culmination of a group effort by the majority of the practitioners involved; and illustrated our desire to challenge the way music was created, played, presented and packaged. From this moment the Spirit of Gravity musician's collective was officially formed. The rest of 2002 saw the Gravity continue to consolidate our audience and the year culminated in another ambitious project with the Midwinter Weekender featuring twelve acts over two evenings.

Events of note
APR: First appearance by website creator and totallyradio presenter Chris (Hot Roddy) Cook as Remote. This was also the last gig with founders Malevich as the 'house band'. In a bloodless coup Malevich topple themselves in favour of a comittee. In exchange the committee drop all charges. Though not at the door.
MAY: To accompany the all day festival, the Gravity produces its first ever CD. Unlike the festival it does not last all day. Like the festival it has only one scratch
JUN: Fresh from its success in May the Spirit of Gravity, officially collectivises. Rimbaud and Rilke formally hand over the reigns of power and, in the spirit of solidarity, the organisation paraphrases George Orwell for its motto: 'More geeks good, two geeks bad!

The third year was the 'difficult second album' for the Spirit of Gravity. To a certain extent after a period of growth the audience numbers levelled out; perhaps in part due to new promoters taking more demonstrative electronica into club nights. Nevertheless artistically there were a few highlights.
The May Brighton Festival was once again a catalyst for an ambitious project. The 'City of Gravity' was a multi-venue festival within a festival that saw three events over five seperarate nights. 'Cinematronica' combined music and visuals, 'Hard of Hearing' brought artists together in experimental collaboration, and the 'Festival Party' was a night of unadulterated up-for-it beat-driven electronica.

Then in August, out of the blue, the Gravity went global as Brighton based internet station totallyradio invited the collective on board. Fronted by Chris Cook and Nick Rilke, the Spirit of Gravity radio show continued with our policy of promoting new and live electronica. Invited guests from the collective and beyond joined the lads for their fortnightly hour of tracks, chat and shameless plugging of anything we liked. To cap the year off in fine style the mighty Max Tundra packed out the Free Butt in November for our most popular gig in 18 months.

Events of note
MAY: The last vestiges of Maphead the original promoter is removed from the collective as info@maphead.org is replaced by www.spiritofgravity.com on our posters. Members of the public get to see the change when one poster remains up in Brighton after voracious club promoters slip up and forget to completely cover the walls of a back street launderette.
MAY: Our website is born. Nearly a year later search engines list over 170,000 results for the 'Spirit of Gravity'. Predictably, this is ten times less than 'Britney Spears'. Refreshingly, this is ten times more than 'donkey sanctuary'.
OCT: The great national Radio One sponsor a gig as the collective is deservedly recognised by the musical establishment. As a result Top of the Pops style 'whooping' is heard for the first time. We're here in the year, and we hope you will join us.