# Guapo (band) > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Guapo_(band) > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Guapo_(band).md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guapo_(band) > Source revision: 1301030962 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) This article needs more citations. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Guapo" band – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (January 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Guapo Genres Avant-prog[1] Years active 1994 (1994)–present Members David J. Smith Kavus Torabi Emmett Elvin Sam Warren Past members Matt Thompson Rojer Macoustra Pid Caroline Kraabel Daniel O'Sullivan James Sedwards **Guapo** are a British [experimental rock](/source/Experimental_rock)/[art rock](/source/Art_rock) band formed in 1994 by drummer/percussionist Dave Smith and guitarist/vocalist Matt Thompson, though the band gained a wider audience with the contribution of multi-instrumentalist [Daniel O'Sullivan](/source/Daniel_O'Sullivan_(musician)). The lineup as of 2015 consists of Smith, guitarist [Kavus Torabi](/source/Kavus_Torabi), bassist Sam Warren and keyboardist Emmett Elvin of [Chrome Hoof](/source/Chrome_Hoof). ## Music Guapo have affiliations with the [Rock in Opposition](/source/Rock_in_Opposition) movement, after performing with bands such as [Magma](/source/Magma_(band)) and [Present](/source/Present_(band)) at the [Rock in Opposition](/source/Rock_in_Opposition) Festival at [Carmaux](/source/Carmaux), [France](/source/France) in 2007. ## The Trilogy The Guapo album *Elixirs* concludes a recondite trilogy of recordings initiated by *[Five Suns](/source/Five_Suns_(album))* (2003) and *Black Oni* (2004), which has been referred to as the "Empire Strikes Back" record. Every record takes on new musical hues and offers disparate ideas and perspectives. However, an upheaval in the line-up, which of recent years had been anchored by the trio of Daniel O'Sullivan, Matthew Thompson, and David Smith, triggered a change in course when Thompson left the band in 2005. ## Other projects Both Smith and O'Sullivan perform in the antique-prog band [Miasma & the Carousel of Headless Horses](/source/Daniel_O'Sullivan_(musician)). Smith created a large scale, multi media installation entitled "The Other Side of the Island" for which he made a soundtrack with O’Sullivan and Antti Uusimaki under The Stargazers Assistant moniker (the recordings of which were released on Aurora Borealis last year). Smith also plays with members of [Coil](/source/Coil_(band)), [Cyclobe](/source/Cyclobe) and [Shock Headed Peters](/source/Shock_Headed_Peters) in the Amal Gamal Ensemble. Despite these distractions, Guapo has been maintained as a primary focus and "Elixirs" has been three years in the making. ## Line-up Following the departure of Thompson, O’Sullivan and Smith added two London musicians to the fold, [James Sedwards](/source/James_Sedwards) (of avant-rock band Nought) and [Kavus Torabi](/source/Kavus_Torabi) (of [Cardiacs](/source/Cardiacs), [Knifeworld](/source/Knifeworld) and formerly [The Monsoon Bassoon](/source/The_Monsoon_Bassoon)). The line-up toured the US in 2006 with synth-prog band, [Zombi](/source/Zombi_(band)). O'Sullivan recently left the band to concentrate on other projects ([Æthenor](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Deep_in_Ocean_Sunk_the_Lamp_of_Light&action=edit&redlink=1) (Vhf Records), Mothlite ([Southern Records](/source/Southern_Records)), Grumbling Fur as well as moonlighting in the live line-up of [Sunn O)))](/source/Sunn_O))))) and keyboardist Emmett Elvin recently joined. More recently Sam Warren (Tunguska Butterfly, Thumpermonkey) has joined on bass. Adapted from [AllMusic](/source/AllMusic).[1] **Current members** - David J. Smith – drums (1994–present) - [Kavus Torabi](/source/Kavus_Torabi) – guitar (2006–present) - Emmett Elvin – keyboards (?–present) - Sam Warren – bass (2015–present) **Former members** - Matt Thompson – bass, guitar (left 2005) - Rojer Macoustra – bass (1994–1996) - Pid – bass (1996–1997) - [Caroline Kraabel](/source/Caroline_Kraabel) – saxophone (1999–2000) - [Daniel O'Sullivan](/source/Daniel_O'Sullivan_(musician)) – keyboard (2003–?) - [James Sedwards](/source/James_Sedwards) – bass (2006–2015) **Live members** - David Ledden – bass (2005–2006) ## Discography ### Albums - 1997 *Towers Open Fire* CD (Power Tool Records) - 1998 *Hirohito* CD (Pandemonium Records) - 2001 *Great Sage, Equal of Heaven* CD (Pandemonium/Tumult) - 2004 *[Five Suns](/source/Five_Suns_(album))* CD ([Cuneiform Records](/source/Cuneiform_Records)) - 2005 *[Black Oni](/source/Black_Oni)* CD ([Ipecac Recordings](/source/Ipecac_Recordings)) – produced by [Jaime Gomez Arellano](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jaime_Gomez_Arellano&action=edit&redlink=1) (limited-edition LP version released 2007 on Hlava Records) - 2008 *Elixirs* CD ([Neurot Recordings](/source/Neurot_Recordings)) - 2013 *History of the Visitation* CD + DVD ([Cuneiform Records](/source/Cuneiform_Records)) - 2015 *Obscure Knowledge* ([Cuneiform Records](/source/Cuneiform_Records)) ### EPs and singles - 1995 *Hell is Other People* EP (Power Tool Records) - 1996 *Guapo is No More* EP (Power Tool Records) - 1997 *Horse Walks Into a Bar* EP (Power Tool Records) - 1998 *Guapo vs. Magma* EP (Pandemonium Records) - 2006 *Twisted Stems* limited edition 7" single (Dot Dot Dot Music) - 2006 *Twisted Stems* CDEP (Aurora Borealis) ## Discography (collaborations) ### with [Ruins](/source/Ruins_(Japanese_band)) and The Shock Exchange - 2000 *Death Seed* CD (Freeland Records) ### with [Cerberus Shoal](/source/Cerberus_Shoal) - 2003 *The Ducks and Drakes of Guapo and Cerberus Shoal* CD ([North East Indie Records](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=North_East_Indie_Records&action=edit&redlink=1)) ## See also - [Romantic Warriors II: A Progressive Music Saga About Rock in Opposition](/source/Romantic_Warriors_II%3A_A_Progressive_Music_Saga_About_Rock_in_Opposition) ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-AllMusic_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-AllMusic_1-1) York, William. ["Guapo Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More"](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/guapo-mn0000544591). [AllMusic](/source/AllMusic). Retrieved 29 March 2025. ## External links - [Official website of GUAPO](http://www.guapo.co.uk/) - [Allmusic.com entry](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/p512603/biography) - [The Official website of MIASMA & THE CAROUSEL OF HEADLESS HORSES](http://www.headlesshorses.co.uk/) Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF National United States Artists MusicBrainz --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Guapo (band)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guapo_(band)) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guapo_(band)?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.