Therapy?

Band Biography 1989 - Andy and Fyfe start Therapy? in Northern Ireland Northern Ireland, 1989. Andy Cairns from Ballyclare and Fyfe Ewing from Larne meet at a gig of local bands. A mutual taste in music and attitude drives them to decide to start a band. Their influences include Big Black, Sonic Youth, Rapeman, Hüsker Dü, Butthole Surfers, The Undertones, That Petrol Emotion, Captain Beefheart, Motörhead, Mudhoney, early Metallica, Fugazi, The Stooges, Loop, Funkadelic, Can, Belgian New Beat, Trance, Techno, Hip Hop (Public Enemy) and Jazz (John Zorn). They decide on the name Therapy?—it’s short and easy to remember. Rehearsing in Fyfe’s bedroom after school and when Andy has time off from the factory he works in, they put together their early material with Fyfe on drums and vocals and Andy on guitar and vocals. Easter/summer they go to a small studio on Belfast’s Lisburn Road and put down their first demo, including: Bloody Blue, Skyward, Body O.D. and Beefheart/Albini, with Andy filling in on bass duties. Needing a bass player to complete the line up they recruit Fyfe’s school buddy Michael McKeegan on bass. Michael, an energetic and enthusiastic metal fan, is influenced by the same music as the boys but also adds to the party: Voivod, Carcass, Napalm Death, Black Sabbath and various Grindcore, Black, Speed and Doom Metal. They play their first gig that summer at Belfast Art College organized by Giro’s gig collective, supporting Decadence Within. Later that year they record their second demo in a studio in Lurgan. The tracks are Multifuck, Here Is, S.W.T. and Punishment Kiss. They play more gigs round Northern Ireland and decide to record their own single. 1990 - First single, first UK tour, first recording contract The Meat Abstract single is recorded early this year at Homestead Studios, Randalstown with engineer Mudd Wallace. The 7” vinyl single is released on the bands own Multifuckingnational Records. 1000 copies are pressed up. English D.J. John Peel plays the single, as do Northern Irish D.J.’s Mike Edgar and Johnny Hero. The band sells the single in Caroline Music Records and Heroes and Villains Records in Belfast, as well as at their gigs. It soon sells out. That summer they do their first UK tour supporting brilliant Derby band The Beyond. Taking any support slots they can, Therapy? open for Fugazi, Loop, Ride, Inspiral Carpets, Teenage Fanclub, Ned’s Atomic Dustbin and Tad. At a Revolting Cocks / Silverfish gig in Edinburgh that year they give a copy of their single to Leslie Rankine from Silverfish, who passes it on to their record company boss Gary Walker of London based Wiiija Records. Wiiija and also head of their distribution, John Loder at Southern Express show an interest in the band. Going back to Homestead Studios the band record the rest of what will be their first album, Babyteeth. 1991 - First album ‘Babyteeth’ tops UK Indie Charts Babyteeth is released in July of this year. The band tours the UK again and starts doing press, raising their profile. The John Peel Radio Sessions and relentless gigging keep the band busy. They also do a major tour opening for Minneapolis noise rockers Babes in Toyland. Babyteeth goes to no. 1 in the English and Irish Indie charts. Towards the end of the year the band go into Southern Studios in London to work on their second album with engineer Harvey Birrell. 1992 - Mass touring and major label follow ‘Pleasure Death’ Pleasure Death is released in January on Wiiija/Southern Records and goes to no. 1 in the UK Indie Charts. Quarterstick records in America, run by Corey Rusk, releases Caucasian Psychosis, a compilation of both the Babyteeth and Pleasure Death albums. Mass touring follows with the band making their first forays into mainland Europe, doing well in Germany and France before returning to do their first major festivals at Reading and Finsbury Park in the UK and the Feile in Southern Ireland. That summer the band signs to major label A&M Records and heads to Loco Studios in Wales, again with Harvey Birrell, to begin work on their next album. That October the band releases Nurse which makes the UK Top 40 Album Chart. Teethgrinder, the album’s single, makes No. 30 in the singles chart. Magazine front covers with NME and Melody Maker follow, as well as the band’s first trip to the USA where they do their own small headline tour and open up for The Screaming Trees in New York. They end the year with a sold out tour of Britain and Ireland. 1993 - Interest rises in one of the hardest working bands around The band starts the year in Black Barn Studios, Oxfordshire recording the Shortsharpshock EP with producer Chris Sheldon. Released early that year the lead track Screamager goes top 10 in the UK and lifts up the band’s profile even more. The band play English charts show Top Of The Pops and the following tour is sold out. The band makes the cover of Kerrang! magazine and return to mainland Europe for a successful tour. During