Mad, absolutely mad....
In 1993 they released Need For Not, the first "proper" album which was preceded by the single World Around. Their last release with Bickers in Europe was the single Even When Your Eyes Are Open,
the album Meanwhile Gardens was only released in Australia. After Bickers left they carried on under the name Levitation, but nothing really good came out of that.
Thatīs Terry Bickers for you, bonkers, nuts etc. He formed Levitation after splitting with the House of Love, he didnīt get along too well with Guy Chadwick. In 1991 Levitation released a string of singles which were later compiled on Coterie. Like many of the single
compilations of that time itīs actually a really good album, with a few live versions as well.
Levtitationīs music was not really Shoegazing, it was far to pompous for that, proper prog rock with 10 minute long songs, guitar solos and everything else you need. Coterie was brilliant, Need For Not the masterpiece, a great album. I remember seeing them live at Reading a few years ago and it was one of the best sets of the whole festival, pure energy.
Terry Bickers is now in a band called Monkey 7 (see the link below), whoīve got some music on their page, but since the comps in my office donīt have soundcards I donīt have a friggin clue what they sound like. Bic, Dave and ummm, the other one ;) are now in Dark Star who are really rather lovely....
Live Review: MM "... are Levitation too far out? While other bands take it one step at a time, have they leapt into space and severed the umbilical cord? ..."
about World Around, February 1992, MM: "Thereīs a chorus of sorts, and stuff about animals turning blue in your stomach, but itīs Daveīs ludicrously-athletic drumming that ultimately blows your mind. Itīs gloriously frenetic, and so fucking quick off the mark itīll take a few plays just to tame the blur into some kind of image."
about Squirrel, MM "Bunch of hippies. Write a song next time."
Terry Bickers, MM: "I just wanna have a boat thatīs docked and sample dolphin sonar blips and try to hear if they have any message for us."
Terry Bickers, MM: "Iīd like to come back as an otter."
Terry Bickerīs new band Monkey 7
