Smash (British band)

{{Short description|British punk rock band}} {{Redirect|S*M*A*S*H|the Swedish miniseries|S*M*A*S*H (TV miniseries)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}} {{Use British English|date=July 2015}} {{Infobox musical artist |  | name = S*M*A*S*H | image = | caption = | background = group_or_band | alias = | origin = Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England | genre = {{hlist|Punk rock|new wave of new wave}} | years_active = 1984–1996, 2004–2016-present | label = Hi-Rise Recordings, Virgin, Sub Pop, Major League Productions (MLP) | associated_acts = Carter USM, The Bleach Boys | website = {{URL|https://www.facebook.com/smash-54281614881/|Official Facebook page}} | current_members = Ed Borrie<br /> Simon Parry<br /> Rob Hague | past_members Salv Alessi = }} '''Smash''' (normally typeset as '''S*M*A*S*H''') are an English punk rock trio, who enjoyed brief notoriety in the early 1990s in the UK.<ref name="Larkin"/> S*M*A*S*H was formed by Ed Borrie (vocals, guitar), Salvatore Alessi (credited as Salv) (bass), and Rob Hague (drums) in Welwyn Garden City in Hertfordshire, England.<ref name="PhoenixFM">{{cite web|url=https://www.phoenixfm.com/2019/09/29/resurrection-show-53-ed-borrie/|title=Resurrection - show 53 (with Ed Borrie)|date=29 September 2019|publisher=Phoenix FM }}</ref>

==Career== Ed Borrie and Salvatore Alessi formed S*M*A*S*H after meeting at school in the mid-1980s - Salvatore had previously been in a band called GLC.<ref name="Larkin">{{cite book|title=The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music|editor=Colin Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=Virgin Books|date=1997|edition=Concise|isbn=1-85227-745-9|page=1051}}</ref> Rob Hague joined soon afterwards.<ref name="PhoenixFM"/>

The band's sound recalled the late 1970s and early 1980s punk and new wave bands. The British music press were enthusiastic about the band creating a scene called New wave of new wave, along with similar UK bands of the time such as Echobelly, Sleeper, Compulsion and These Animal Men.<ref name="AMG">{{cite web |first= |last= |url={{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p44808/biography|pure_url=yes}} |title=Biography by Michale Sutton |website=AllMusic |accessdate=23 April 2009}}</ref>

The band's second single was a tribute to feminism called "Lady Love Your Cunt",<ref name="Larkin"/> after an essay of the same name by Germaine Greer. It appeared on their debut mini album "S*M*A*S*H" which was a compilation of their first two limited edition 7" singles, and was well received by critics. The band made some appearances on UK TV programmes such as ''Naked City'', as well as live performances, including a collaboration with Billy Bragg during an Anti-Nazi League rally.

With a recording contract, the band toured tirelessly, increasing press coverage and attention from fans.<ref name="Larkin"/> The trio still found time to laugh at themselves, occasionally performing under the name S*H*I*T*E.

S*M*A*S*H became the first act to appear on the BBC Television flagship chart show ''Top of the Pops'' (TOTP) without having released a single. The trio played "Shame" on TOTP, after their debut EP reached number 26 in the UK Albums Chart.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book | first= David | last= Roberts | year= 2006 | title= British Hit Singles & Albums | edition= 19th | publisher= Guinness World Records Limited | location= London | isbn= 1-904994-10-5 | page= 508}}</ref>

Their only hit single was "(I Want to) Kill Somebody", which was only available in the shops for one day in 1994. It reached number 26 in the UK Singles Chart.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/> Its controversial subject matter eventually lead to its banning.<ref name="AMG"/> Their debut full-length album, ''Self Abused'', was not a commercial success, although the group remained a favourite of the critics.<ref name="AMG"/>

The band recorded a single for the Seattle based label Sub Pop, but S*M*A*S*H remained virtually unknown outside the UK, despite a whistle-stop tour of the United States and support slots across Europe.<ref name="AMG"/> The EP "Another Love Song E.P." followed in 1995, before the group released their final single, "Rest of My Life", a year later.<ref name="AMG"/> The band split up in 1996.<ref name="AMG"/>

In 1997 bass player Salv joined Carter USM as a full-time member, but in 2004 the trio reformed, recording a number of tracks for a forthcoming EP and playing several gigs around the UK.

Recently Rob has been playing drums for The Bleach Boys.

S*M*A*S*H's second LP, ''Icon'' was released on 8 October 2007, 13 years after their ''Self Abused'' album.

The band released a third album, ''Goodbye WGC'', in 2017. They were due to release a fourth album in 2018/2019, but split at the end of 2018.<ref name="PhoenixFM"/>

On 24 July 2019, Ed Borrie played his first solo gig at the Lexington, London, supporting My Life Story, and in promotion of his solo album ''What Goes On''.

==Discography== {{Infobox artist discography |Artist = S*M*A*S*H |Image = |Caption = |Studio = 3 |Live = |Compilation = |Video = |Tribute = |EP = 3 |Singles = 5 |Miscellaneous= |Music videos = |B-sides = |Soundtrack = |References = }} ;Studio albums * ''Self Abused'' (5 September 1994, Hi-Rise Recordings) UK No. 59 * ''Icon'' (October 2007, Hyper) * ''Goodbye W.G.C.'' (24 February 2017, self-released)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/goodbye-welwyn-garden-city/1207273878|title=Goodbye Welwyn Garden City by S*M*A*S*H|website=Music.apple.com|accessdate=2 October 2019}}</ref>

;Extended plays * ''S*M*A*S*H'' (March 1994, Hi-Rise Recordings/Virgin) UK No. 28 * ''Another Love Song E.P'' (1995, Hi-Rise Recordings/Virgin) * ''(Without Regret.)'' (2014, esprit de corps)

;Singles * "Real Surreal" b/w "Drugs Again" / "Revisited No 3" (1993) * "Lady Love Your Cunt" b/w "Shame" (1993) * "(I Want to) Kill Somebody" (1994) UK No. 26<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/> * "Barrabas (Piloted)" b/w "Turn on the Water" (1994, Sub Pop) * "Rest of My Life" b/w "Tidal Wave (Parts One And Two)" (1995)

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://myspace.com/llyc S*M*A*S*H on Myspace]

Category:English punk rock groups Category:English musical trios Category:Britpop groups Category:People from Welwyn Garden City Category:Musical groups from Hertfordshire