The Thought Criminals were formed in 2004 when Rocky Goode and Kirlian Blue met by chance outside a cancelled Club Night in South London. Kirlian asked Rocky if he wanted to start a Band and it went from there. The name comes from the George Orwell novel 1984. Rocky and Kirlian we’re both Unconventional in thought and dress.
Musically Kirlian was a throwback to the early 80s Synthpop Movement who as a DJ in some small clubs would play stuff like Gary Numan, Ultravox, Visage, Soft Cell, Depeche Mode, John Foxx, Nitzer Ebb, Front 242, The Human League, DEVO. Rocky pretty much was into numerous genres such as Glam such as T-Rex and David Bowie but was also heavily into London’s huge Dance Club Scene. The two merged their musical tastes to create some bastard child of Industrial, Alternative Dance and Heavy 80s Synths
Kirlian had just met a Producer called Tony Messenger while working as a Web Design Teacher in a South London College. The duo pretty much started recording tracks in weeks and Tony made their simple ideas and sounds into polished tracks. Lyrically Rocky and Kirlian both being spawned in south London wanted to do something Tongue In Cheek. Rocky as a Custom Car Mechanic had already made his Custom Microphone Stand as wild as his Cars.
The Thought Criminals by late 2004 had enough tracks to perform live. They made their debut at a backstreet Pub called The Ivy House near Peckham. It was a make or break night and the first four songs played got no response. Rocky decided to kick Kirlian of the stage to much amusement then Cyberslut kicked in and everyone in the venue was up dancing to it. The Thought Criminals now pretty much we’re a live Alternative Dance Act. Rob Henry a known Dance Producer joined Tony Messenger on Production.
In 2006 The Thought Criminals added a live band and pretty much blitzed Camden and several Universities. They Headlined: The Brixton Mass, Camden Underworld, Brixton Mass, Dublin Castle, and Goldsmiths College. Problem being was there was no Scene for The Thought Criminals so they’re playing to a Indie/Rock audience in many cases which were totally against convention but had created a live and loyal following. The Single “I Wanna Be A Celebrity” was released it did not sell loads but became a Iconic track and was always begged for by the audiences.
The follow-up Single “Suicide Bomber” in 2007 became quite popular. Tongue in Cheek Lyrics about George Bush, and Saddam seemed to get the Band barred from Radio, and even some poor chap thrown off a Plane for playing it. But both Singles we’re re-released in Sweden by “EFS Records” and the Band played out there in a small Record Store heavily intoxicated. Humorously enough the live band stole a few songs and ended up making Rocky and Kirlian quite a bit in Live royalties .
In 2008 the live Band had gone but did more shows with a extra keyboardist. The band got a licensing deal from “WTII Records” formally Wax Trax! In the US and released their Debut album “Die Young : Stay Pretty”. And I Wanna Be a Celebrity hit No.14 on the Canadian College Radio Charts. The Band followed up in 2009 with the single “All The Freaks” which actually picked up mainstream Club Play across Europe and a remix of it featured on a Promo Only comp with Depeche Mode, Moby and Jarvis Cocker. This would add to many US, Swedish, Russian and British Compilations they would feature on.
2010 onward the duo played several clubs and a huge Fetish Night and started working on the second Album back with Tony Messenger as Producer. And played in 2013 in Camden at Kirlian’s own Club Night Living On Video a 100 capacity venue which had a 176 people turn up. The Thought Criminals added a new bassist called Danny Fades. The last few years after many personal restrictions the Band are back ready to release a new Album and the long awaited “Dirty Electro EP” in the fall (winter) of 2016. With a heavier sound in places but keeping to their traditions of Tongue in Cheek Lyrics.
SOURCE: Official Bio
LINKS:
http://thethoughtcriminals.co.uk
http://www.facebook.com/thethoughtcriminals
http://www.twitter.com/thethoughtcrims
