The Sound

Today’s band is a lesser post-punk classic, UK act The Sound. The band formed in 1978 as the Outsiders, switching up their name in 1979 after a quick lineup shift.

Their sound was akin to the likes of the intitial wave of post-punk, and the band toured with the likes of friends and cohorts the Chameleons, Echo & the Bunnymen, Au Pairs, and the Comsat Angels. Singer Adrian Borland’s lyrics would often ruminate on existentialist affairs and paranoid observations, while the music would mix synthesizers and horns with fast-paced rhtyhms and guitars.

Throughout their tenure, the band recorded five full length records, a few peel sessions, and a slew of EPs and singles before their split in 1987, just after a canceled European tour. Adrian would persue a solo career, but the band would never reunite, as keyboardist Colvin “Max” Mayers would pass on in 1993 and Adrian Borland would commit suicide in 1999. However, the band lives on- several reissues of the Sound’s catalog and tributes to their material have since materialized, and the band’s influence can be heard in many modern post-punk acts.

I’ve uploaded two tracks- the first from their second record, 1981’s From the Lion’s Mouth and the second a track from their 1980 debut Jeopardy.

download The Sound- ‘Fatal Flaw’
download The Sound- ‘Heartland’

For your viewing pleasure, here’s a video of the Sound performing ‘Sense of Purpose’ (From the Lion’s Mouth‘s lead-off single) on the Old Grey Whistle Test:

Even though most of the band’s material was released for the first time on CD earlier this decade, those copies are still hard to come by. Keep your eyes peeled for them!

2 Responses to “The Sound”

  1. This is one my fav bands of all time. I have seen them live 2 times, the last one in Vitoria (Spain) few days before they broked up.

    All these albums still sound fresh and are little gemms. The live In The Hothouse is simply amazing, the same than Jeopardy and From The Lions Mouth.

    You are right, these albums were recently released by first time in CD by renascent.co.uk but right now most of them are rare find with prices over the 125-150 dollars.

  2. I’ve seen the Sound on several occasions. The first time in London 1980 at the age of 15. Later I met Adrian Borland a few times to interview him for my radio show that I had from 1982-1987. It’s bad to interview people if you are a fan. But in this case just the opposite. He was a fantastic person and a truly enigmatic stage figure. The fact that he never became a true rockstar is a shame. But as great as the albums are they don’t come close to the live band The Sound. I know what I’m talking about cause I’ve seen a lot of bands. The Sound is/was the best live band ever. It’s sad that Bo (he told me he was called that when he grew up, because my name is Bo) took his life. But if there’s a heaven then I’ll see him doing wonderful gigs up there.
    /Bosse Löthén Sweden

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