The Display Team

The Display Team are a six-piece independent progressive punk band from South-East London, UK. According to Orange unsignedAct the group "has appealed to legions of brave ears, enabling the band to tour the UK and Europe several times, at clubs, pubs and festivals of every size."^[1] The Display Team has received airplay in the UK on BBC Radio 6 Music^[2] and Phoenix FM,^[3] along with many shows podcast by DJs on Kooba Radio which is heard worldwide on the Internet.

History

Begun in 2000, the band was known as Mumrah until 2006. The original members were Iain MacKenzie (rhythm guitar), Jimb (guitar), Chuckles the Clown (drums and voice), Greg Cruse (bass) and DJ Implant (voice and turntables). This incarnation was short-lived and Implant and Cruse left the band; Iain MacFrenzy assumed the position of lead vocalist and Nixo (bass) became a full-time member. The band expanded to include Mickey Bones (trombone, voice) and Tiny Tommy Toot-Fruit (Arif Driessen, trumpet and voice, now of UK/US ambient rock band *Shels). Toot Fruit left the band in 2008 to be replaced by T-Cass (trumpet, voice). The line-up at that time consisted of Iain MacFrenzy (rhythm guitar and voice), Chuckles The Clown (drums and voice), Jimb (lead guitar and voice), Oz (bass guitar and voice), Mickey Bones (trombone and voice) and T-Cass (trumpet and voice).^[1][4] This personnel recorded the album, Drones, in mid-2008 which was released on the Genin label^[5] - home of Djevara, Elephant Vs Leopard, Thumpermonkey, Claypigeon, Frowser and Pigshakle - on 1 February 2010.

Due to his commitments elsewhere, T-Cass left in early 2010 to play in alt-rock band They Came From Japan, and was replaced by Samwise, formerly of ska-punk band The Lovespuds, at the end of April. In November 2012, Joshing joined the band on guitar and voice, replacing MacFrenzy who had departed in 2011.

Their music borrows from rock, ska, punk, progressive rock, funk, doo-wop, swing, hardcore and metal.

The Display Team's recordings have been played on BBC Radio 6 Music by Tom Robinson^[2] along with Phoenix FM^[3] and Kooba Radio.^{[6][7][8][9][10][11][12]} With other bands their contribution to the CD compilation Un-Scene 4 was noted by Rock Sound music magazine as deserving of "an honourable mention."^[13]

The group tours the UK and throughout Europe^[1] and has appeared on the BBC introducing stage at Rhythms of The World festival,^[14] Wasted Festival^[15] and Big Rivers Festival in the Czech Republic alongside bands such as Mad Caddies.^[1][16] Under their previous moniker Mumrah they played Uxfest in 2004 and 2006.

The Display Team's music has been influenced by "a wide range of pilferable sources, including Frank Zappa, Cardiacs, Mr. Bungle, Queen and a selection of punk and ska bands too numerous (and sometimes obscure) to single out by name."^[1] The band themselves also cite Mad Caddies, Madness, Reel Big Fish, Goldfinger, The Specials and The Beach Boys.^[17]

Band Members

Current members

Discography

Albums/EPs

Huzzah!

(As Mumrah)
(Double EP)
Re-released on Riot 2006

Track List:
1. The Toilet
2. Do One
3. RoboChap Vs. Party Boy
4. Floggin' A Dead Horse

5. Gloi Polloi
6. You've Got A Great Future (Behind You)
7. Whinge Binge
8. Big Cheese & Hungry Mice

Drones

Official Debut Album Released on Genin Records 2010

Track List:
1. Worry Sponge
2. Gnaw The Iron Paw
3. Norwegian Honey
4. Check-Up (from the neck up)
5. Irksome Treasurer
6. Body-Renting
7. Karma's Gonna Get You (filthy scum)
8. Pitfalls of Politeness
9. Wring Wrong
10.A pathetic Pill
11.Conjunctivitis
12.A Letter To Russia

Singles

Worry Sponge

2007

Track List:
1. Worry Sponge
2. I Smell Like An Old Man

References

External links

• The Display Team website
• Orange Unsigned Acts page about The Display Team