MY_VITRIOL

MY VITRIOL

RAVI AND SOM FIRST MET BEING NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOURS IN THEIR HALLS OF RESIDENCE AT COLLEGE. A FRIEND OF THEIRS WHO WAS STUDYING TO BE A STUDIO ENGINEER OFFERED TO RECORD THEM A DEMO AS A PROJECT. AFTER TWO DAYS OF NOT SLEEPING AND GETTING EVERY AVAILABLE FREE STUDIO SLOT THE COLLEGE HAD, FIVE TRACKS WERE COMMITTED TO TAPE, RAVI PLAYING DRUMS AND SOM PLAYING THE REST OF THE INSTRUMENTS. THIS WAS PUT TOGETHER AS THE 'DELUSIONS OF GRANDEUR' EP UNDER THE NAME OF MY VITRIOL. ABOUT 250 CDRS WERE PRESSED. THE TITLE OF THE EP WAS A SARCASTIC OBSERVATION OF A COMMON SITUATION AMONGST UNSIGNED BANDS.

ONLY ABOUT 30 OF THE CDS ACTUALLY FUNCTIONED PROPERLY DUE TO TECHNICAL REASONS, BUT ONE OF THESE WERE HANDED TO RADIO ONE DJ STEVE LAMACQ AT A GIG. WITHIN DAYS LAMACQ HAD BROADCAST A TRACK ON THE SESSION UNSIGNED SLOT.

IN THE MONTHS TO COME TRACKS FROM THE DEMO APPEARED ON COMPILATIONS BY ORG RECORDS AND ABUSE RECORDS. EVEN AT THIS EARLY STAGE, THE BAND HAD GOOD PRESS AND RECEIVED RADIO PLAY ON VARIOUS STATIONS IN THE UK, EUROPE AND ASIA THROUGH THESE COMPILATIONS. THIS RESULTED IN GREAT A&R INTEREST, BUT THE BAND HAD TO CONCENTRATE ON THEIR STUDIES, DESPITE THIS DISTRACTION.

ONCE EXAMS WERE FINISHED, THE MISSION WAS TO COMPLETE THE LINE UP. A SEEMINGLY DIFFICULT TASK WAS RESOLVED WHEN GUITARIST SETH TAYLOR WAS DISCOVERED WHEN THE BAND WENT TO SEE THEIR FRIENDS MUY FEO SUPPORT THE INFLUENTIAL PSYCHEDELIC-METAL BAND MINT 400 AT THEIR FAREWELL SHOW. MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST CAROLYN BANNISTER WAS DISCOVERED PLAYING BASS AT A GIG. CAROLYN, WHO WAS ALSO STUDYING AT THE SAME COLLEGE, HAD BEEN IN MANY BANDS PREVIOUSLY, INCLUDING BRIEF LIAISONS WITH DONNA FROM ELASTICA.

MY VITRIOL’S’ DEBUT DOUBLE A-SIDE SINGLE ALWAYS: YOUR WAY/ PIECES WAS RELEASED BY ORG RECORDS ON THE 6TH OF DECEMBER. IT RECEIVED A LOT OF AIPLAY AND MADE PLAYLISTS FOR RADIO ONE AND X-FM, -THE FIRST UNSIGNED BAND TO ACHIEVE THIS ON THE LATTER. THE SINGLE WAS ALSO WELL RECEIVED BY THE MUSIC PRESS, GAINING SINGLE OF THE MONTH AND SINGLE OF THE WEEK IN VARIOUS PUBLICATIONS (INCLUDING KERRANG, FRONT, THE FLY, ROCKSOUND).

THE LAST WEEK OF 1999, THE BAND SIGNED A DEAL WITH INFECTIOUS/ MUSHROOM, HOME TO OTHER ACTS SUCH AS ASH AND GARBAGE, ONLY 7 GIGS INTO THEIR CAREER. THEIR 10TH GIG WAS AT NME PREMIER SHOWS HELD AT THE LONDON ASTORIA.