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Drill are a band from North East England.

They were formed in early 1989 and released albums on the Abstract Sounds, Retribution Records and Muza Muza labels. After splitting in 1994 they reformed in 2005 and have been writing and recording new material for a new album due for release in 2008.

Drill are notable for not using a drummer and for writing industrial rock music with time signature and tempo changes within each song and for writing songs that do not follow the typical verse, chorus, bridge etc song structures.

1989 - 1994

Unhappy with the musical direction their former band (The Shotgun Brides) was taking Kev Wilkinson and Tony O'Brien started Drill in 1989. They were joined very briefly by Antony Bircham, however being unable to recruit a bass player or drummer the band disbanded shortly after.

In 1990 Kev Wilkinson and Tony O'Brien, were joined by Si Malarkey and Chris Clarke to record a demo containing the tracks I ... Love and House fire. Unable, however, to find a drummer to play the complicated rhythms required by the band they used a drum machine to record the drum parts. The line up at the this time was:
Kev Wilkinson - Vocals, Guitar, Programming
Tony O'Brien - Guitar
Si Malarkey - Bass Guitar
Chris Clarke - Guitar

Shortly after recording the demo was recorded, Si Malarkey and Chris Clarke left the band and were replaced by Simon Moore and Dave Craig, with Drew Gallon helping out in between times.

The demo along with support slots with Bomb Disneyland (later to be known as Bomb Everything) and Ride led to the band recording and releasing the album Skin Down in 1991 on Abstract Sounds . The line up at the this time was:
Kev Wilkinson - Vocals, Guitar, Programming
Tony O'Brien - Guitar
Simon Moore - Bass Guitar
Dave Craig - Guitar

Dave Craig was replaced by Andy before the band recorded and released the album White Finger in 1992 again on Abstract Sounds. For one track on the album The sound of rock, they were joined by guest drummer Gary Binns and Chris McCormack from the band ForGodsSake. Chris McCormack later went on to form 3 Colours Red. The White Finger album saw the band use sampling and move towards a more electronic sound.

The band released the album Paroxysm on Retribution Records in 1993 and the live album Snuffed on Muza Muza in 1994. The line up of the band for these albums was:
Kev Wilkinson - Vocals, Guitar, Programming
Tony O'Brien - Guitar
Simon Moore - Bass Guitar
Rob Meek - Samples
Steve Chahley - Samples/FX

In 1994 the band ceased. Kev Wilkinson and Tony O'Brien went on to form Big Road Breaker, Simon Moore played in The Coyotemen and Hug Lorenzo. Antony Bircham played in Kennedy and Betsy Kohler and Si Malarkey played in Under the Doctor.

2005 onwards

In 2005 the band reformed with original members:
Kev Wilkinson - Vocals, Guitar, Programming
Tony O'Brien - Guitar
Si Malarkey - Bass Guitar
Simon Moore - Bass Guitar
Antony Bircham - Guitar

They were joined briefly on drums by Mark Lough from Hug Lorenzo, however due to conflicting commitments he left and the band went back to using sequenced drum patterns.

In 2007 Tony O'Brien left the band to be replaced briefly by Dave Francis.

Current Line Up

Kev Wilkinson - Vocals, Guitar, Programming
Si Malarkey - Bass Guitar
Antony Bircham - Guitar
Simon Moore - Bass Guitar

Skin Down Abstract Sounds : 1991 : Vinyl 1) Pylons 2) I see collision 3) Imp sister junior 4) I love 5) Cave 6) E 7) Scat hag 8) Slip 9) Compressed head

Album reviews Paint it Red Butterfly Stomach Melody Maker Metal Hammer Skateboard Spiral Scratch

White Finger Abstract Sounds : 1992 : CD 1) Real talk shit 2) Uniforms 3) Kill pet shoppers 4) You never win 5) The sound of rock

Album reviews The Guardian Melody Maker Paint it Red Select Siren M8

Paroxysm Retribution Records : 1993 : CD 1) Quasi god role 2) Mind collapse 3) Rape 4) Quasi god role (derMIC version) 5) Mind collapse (DefMIC) 6) Quasi (MIC)

Album reviews Intermedia

Snuffed Muza Muza : 1994 : CD 1) Eye of silence 2) Mind collapse 3) Kill pet shoppers 4) Real talk shit 5) Quasi god role 6) Omni lock mind

Album reviews Paint it Red