Tony Wakeford


Anthony Charles Wakeford is a British neofolk musician, who primarily records under the name Sol Invictus. He is also a member of the punk rock band Crisis and a co-founder of Death in June.

Biography

Early work

Wakeford was the bassist for the English punk rock band Crisis. An openly left-wing and anti-fascist band, Crisis performed at events organized by Rock Against Racism and the Anti-Nazi League. Crisis disbanded in 1980, but Wakeford later began touring with a new line-up of the band in 2017. Wakeford, Crisis guitarist Douglas Pearce and Patrick Leagas co-founded the band Death in June. In early 1984, Wakeford was fired from Death in June for "bringing his 'right-wing leanings into the group'"; at the time he had been a member of the National Front . In 2007, Wakeford described his National Front membership as "probably the worst decision of my life". Wakeford had also been a member of the Odinic Rite, a neopagan organization. After being fired from Death in June, Wakeford formed the post-punk band Above the Ruins, and in October 1984, they released a nine song demo album on cassette, Songs of the Wolf, which was distributed through the London-based P.O. box BCM Grimnir, and from the National Front bookshop in Croydon. The band's lyrics denounced communism, capitalism and liberalism. The demo received a favorable review from Nationalism Today, the journal of the National Front. The following year, Above the Ruins contributed the song "The Killing Zone" to No Surrender, a compilation of recordings by white nationalist bands, and in late 1985, announced that their demo would be "soon to be available on record".

Sol Invictus

In 1987, Wakeford distanced himself from right-wing views, and formed the neofolk band Sol Invictus, adapting the band's name from a cult that predated Christianity. The band's music combines acoustic guitar playing and "neo-classical instrumentation" with elements of industrial music. Due to Wakeford's past political associations, Sol Invictus has been accused of neo-fascism.
In 1990, Wakeford formed his own record label, Tursa. With distribution by World Serpent Distribution, Tursa released numerous albums by Sol Invictus, starting with Trees in Winter. After World Serpent dissolved in the 2000s, Cold Spring began distributing the band's albums.

Discography

YearTitleFormat, special notesArtist
1984Songs of the WolfCassette/CDAbove the Ruins
1987ImperiumLP Current 93
1987Christ and [the Pale Queens Mighty in Sorrow]2xLP Current 93
1988Earth Covers EarthLP Current 93
1989Music, Martinis and MisanthopyLP/CDBoyd Rice and Friends
1989Cooloorta Moon12"Nurse With Wound
1989Crooked Crosses for the Nodding GodCDCurrent 93
1990Looney RunesLP, CD 1992Current 93
1990HorseLP Current 93
1991Creakiness12"Nurse With Wound/Spasm
1992Soresucker12"/CDNurse With Wound
1992Revenge of the Selfish ShellfishCDWakeford/Stapleton
1993La CroixCDTony Wakeford
1994Above us the SunCDTony Wakeford
1994Summer Ends7" Tony Wakeford
1996Cupid & DeathCDTony Wakeford
1996CantosCDL'Orchestre Noir
1998Autumn CallsCDWakeford/Tor Lundvall
1998ElevenCDL'Orchestre Noir
1998Believe MeCDTony Wakeford
2000Three NineCDHowden/Wakeford
2002ParisCD Tony Wakeford
2003WormwoodCDHowden/Wakeford
2004The Murky BrineCDHaWthorn
2005Cups in CupboardCDThe Wardrobe
2005MarseillesCD Duo Noir
2006A Sandwich ShortCDThe Wardrobe
2007Into The WoodsCDTony Wakeford
2008Marble HeartCDGrey Force Wakeford
2008GhostsCDTriple Tree
2008The Affordable Holmes EPCDOrchestra Noir
2008Lucifer Before Sunrise7"The Wardrobe
2009Not All of Me Will DieCD released by The Eastern Front label, IsraelTony Wakeford
2011OdditiesCDTony Wakeford