Ring (band)


Ring were an English psychedelic rock band active during the 1980s.
The band is notable for having helped to launch the subsequent musical careers of Robert White, Michael Tubb and Christian Hayes.

Sound and style

The band was noted for its diverse music "blending all manner of riffs and noises" and for its band members' tendency to use circus-style face-paint. This sometimes resulted in them being accused of copying Cardiacs, a fellow musical act of the time that had emerged some years previously and were already renowned for their eclectic and unique sound, as well as their manically exaggerated stagecraft and use of face-paint. Commenting on the Zag And The Coloured Beads homepage, one unidentified member or associate of Ring has admitted that Ring's final cassette album, Nervous Recreation, sounded "transparently in awe of Cardiacs."

History

Ring evolved out of the south London experimental rock scene of the 1980s and played frequently at London free festivals of the time. The band released three cassette albums and had a shifting line-up in which members used a variety of pseudonyms.
The two consistent core members were Ian "Zag" Faichne and Robert White. Other key members included Bronwen Grieves and Mick Oynugulos, both of whom played on the first two cassette albums. Michael Tubb contributed to the middle period of Ring activity, playing guitar on the second cassette album. Greaves and Oynuglos left the band before the third cassette album Nervous Recreation, for which White and Zag were joined by a new line-up including Christian "Bic" Hayes, Adrian and Stompy and Jonny Karma.
It is not precisely recorded when Ring came to an end, but it seems likely that the band petered out in 1990 following White and Hayes' recruitment into Levitation—a band with much more music industry interest than their other projects.

Musical connections and further activity

Ring had a longstanding connection with Zag And The Coloured Beads with whom they shared three members at various times and Bing Organ's Beastly Scrapings during the middle period.
As previously mentioned, Robert White and Christian Hayes both joined Levitation in 1990, from which Hayes went on to form Dark Star. White later set up The Milk And Honey Band in 1994, in which he was joined by Michael Tubb in 1999.
Roughly parallel to his time with Ring, Christian Hayes was working with The Dave Howard Singers and subsequently Cardiacs. He would also work with Panixsphere, Heather Nova and The Pet Shop Boys. He currently works as a solo artist under the name of Mikrokosmos.
In 2019 and 2023, respectively, O De Dun Dun and Nervous Recreation were digitally reissued in remastered form.

Pseudonyms

In addition to Faichne and Hayes being universally known as "Zag" and "Bic" respectively, Ring members and guest contributors tended to operate under a variety of pseudonyms. Here are the pseudonyms used for the main members.
  • Ian Faichne - a.k.a. "Zag", "ZagRing" or "Zaggo Raggetty Crowman"
  • Michael Tubb - a.k.a. "Mik Tubb"
  • Robert White - a.k.a. "Bob White", "Bob The Duke Chalky White", "Duke Bob Chalky White"
  • Bronwen Greaves - a.k.a. "Bronisynthi" or "BronWen Greavsy"
  • Mick Oynugulos - ak.a. "Micky"
  • Adrian Barker - a.k.a. "Flat Hat"

List of members

  • Ian "Zag" Faichne - guitar, synthesizers, vocals, percussion
  • Robert White - bass, synthesizers, voice, percussion, guitar
  • Mick Oynugulos - drums, percussion, voice
  • Bronwen Greaves - synthesizers, voice
  • "John-a-gram" - saxophone, voice
  • "Steve Ring" - guitar, percussion, voice
  • "Rory Cavity Store" - vocals
  • "Taff Swansea" - percussion
  • Rachel Howard - vocals
  • Michael "Mik" Tubb - guitar
  • "Big Ron" - electronic drums
  • "Mr Timothy Whiskers" - vocals
  • Christian "Bic" Hayes - guitar, synthesizers, voice
  • "Matt" - guitar
  • "Tom" - drums
  • "Mark" - keyboards
  • "Jonny Karma" - vocals
  • "Stompy" - vocals
  • "Trog A.K.A. Trogledyte Cave-Dweller" - synthesizers

Albums

Demo Tape No. 1 October 1984 O De Dun Dun
  • ''Nervous Recreation''