The Comsat Angels -

The Comsat Angels were an English post-punk band that co-developed the ethereal neo-psych subgenre with their 1980–82 Polydor albums Waiting for a Miracle, Sleep No More, and Fiction. On Jive Records, they made the 1983–85 albums Land and 7 Day Weekend, followed by the 1986 Island release Chasing Shadows.

Members: Stephen Fellows (guitar, vocals), Kevin Bacon (bass), Mik Glaisher (drums), Andy Peake (keyboards, vocals), Simon Anderson (guitar, 1993-95), Terry Todd (bass, 1993-95)

Background

The Comsat Angels formed in 1977 as Radio Earth, a Sheffield quartet with guitarist/singer Stephen Fellows, bassist Kevin Bacon, drummer Mik Glaisher, and keyboardist Andy Peake, all newcomers to the scene.

On November 18, they played Newcastle University as the opening act for Pere Ubu, an American proto-punk band with dada sensibilities. Ubu’s set inspired Radio Earth’s musical overhaul and name change.

Their name came from “The Comsat Angels,” a 1968 short-story about Christ’s second coming by English novelist J. G. Ballard (first published in the December ’68 issue of Worlds of IF magazine).

“Red Planet”

In March 1979, the Comsat Angels debuted with the maxi-single “Red Planet,” a Steve Fellows composition backed with the group-written numbers “I Get Excited” and “Specimen No. 2.”

The Comsats self-released “Red Planet” on Junta Records, a DIY one-off. They housed the single in an illustrated sleeve with their name spelled “Com-Sat” Angels and the members identified as Stephen Even (Fellows), Dresden (Bacon), Michael Spencer-Farquahar (Glaisher), and The Jazz Orange (Peake).

A1: “Red Planet” (2:44) winds up with lockstep bass and hi-hat, ushering a thick four-chord progression (F→Am→E♭→A♭), flanked with channeled vocals and faint keyboard swirl. Fellows intends to reach the red planet (Mars), his refuge from “this crumbling land” (Earth). In his first three days on Mars, he intends to “get some atmosphere… set up the lights… get some EVA (extravehicular activity)” and “see the sights.”

B1: “I Get Excited” (2:55) opens with an icy four-note Farfisa riff (FF..GG..). Verses proceed across a plomping half-note rhythmic pattern; thrice broken by two-note fuzzy interludes. Fellows “gets excited at the sight of a circle” and a girl who “gives bananas” that “make [his] face turn purple.”
B2: “Specimen No. 2” (2:29) has a syncopated bass ostinato (in F) with fuzz-laden, thudding eighth-note precision (Stranglers meets Joy Division).

Junta first pressed 2,000 copies on black vinyl through Orlake Records, a Dagenham plant reputed for pressing colored vinyl and controversial picture discs.

After the first run sold, the Comsats ordered a second run on red vinyl, housed in a red/yellow variation of the same sleeve. They adopted pseudonyms to retain financial benefits.

Peel Sessions

On October 10, 1979, the Comsat Angels cut their first session for BBC Radio One DJ John Peel, whose 10/25 broadcast aired early renditions of “Total War,” “Independence Day,” “Baby” (all earmarked for their first album) and “Ju Ju Money.” Their Peel session impressed Polydor A&R man Frank Neilson, who signed the Comsats to a three-album deal.

Meanwhile, the Comsats toured England and the Netherlands, where they embarked on a short package tour with the Dutch acts Minny Pops and Ze Popes, both signed to the post-punk Plurex label.

“Ju Ju Money” (recorded later for their third album) first appeared on Bouquet Of Steel, a blue-vinyl comp on the Sheffield-based Aardvark label. Bouquet featured fifteen unsigned acts, including Artery (“The Slide”), I’m So Hollow (“Touch”), B.Troop (“Peroxide Romance”), Shy Tots (“Robot Maid”), and Veiled Threat (“Torch”).

On April 29, 1980, the Comsat Angels cut their second Peel session for the DJ’s 5/8 broadcast, which aired “Real Story,” “Monkey Pilot,” “Waiting for a Miracle” (all slated for their now-finished album) and “Home Is the Range,” an upcoming b-side.

1980 Singles

On May 16, the Comsat Angels made their Polydor debut with Total War, an EP with two songs from their upcoming LP (“Total War,” “Waiting for a Miracle”) and the exclusive “Home Is the Range.”

B2. “Home Is the Range” (3:33)

Total War appeared in a red/black sleeve with an illustration of a compass speed dial.

On July 11, 1980, the Comsat Angels released their third single: “Independence Day,” another preview of their upcoming album backed with “We Were,” an exclusive.

B. “We Were” (4:12)

“Independence Day” appears on Band’its at Ten O’Clock, a 1980 Polydor/101 Records comp with cuts by Huang Chung (“Baby I’m Hu-Man”), Jane Kennaway & Strange Behaviour (“Catch Cool”), The Piranhas (“Yap Yap Yap”), and Thompson Twins (“Squares and Triangles”).

Waiting for a Miracle

The Comsat Angels released their debut album, Waiting for a Miracle, September 5, 1980, on Polydor.

Waiting for a Miracle features ten group-credited originals, including “Missing In Action,” “Postcard,” and the pre-released single sides “Total War,” “Waiting for a Miracle,” and “Independence Day,” plus the earlier Peel-broadcast numbers “Baby,” “Real Story,” and “Monkey Pilot.”

The lineup on this album — singer/guitarist Stephen Fellows, keyboardist Andy Peake, bassist Kevin Bacon, and drummer Mik Glaisher — held for fifteen years and eight studio albums.

1. “Missing in Action” (4:01) opens with howling guitar-echo, revved-up snare (:30 onward) and a rapid seven-note bass theme (E B C♯. G B F♭ B [x4]). Sixteen-bar verse in G major (G-B-D-B-G-E-D-A). Bridge: the bass theme (“What’s that sound?”). Harmonized Farfisa-driven chorus in G (“Lost in the last attack”). The narrator exits the grind, described in metaphors of warfare (possibly inter-galactic). He’s found a vocation outside of it (“Ghost writer in the sky”).
2. “Baby” (2:58) Drum intro (snare fill, hi-hat). Bridge (“You wrap me up”) with swelling picked guitar figure (A-C♯-D… G-B-D…). The narrator extricates himself from a confining relationship, despite the comforts (“The clothes I wear, they make me weak”).
3. “Independence Day” (3:46)
4. “Waiting for a Miracle” (2:57) has a medium-uptempo bass/drum verse pattern (E….G..B…). Bridge: cymbals, reverb-laden guitar noise (distant). Faint ringing keyboard on second verse. Fellows waits for a miracle to happen with a woman who “only has time for essential dreams.”
5. “Total War” (3:47)
6. “On the Beach” (3:41)
7. “Monkey Pilot” (4:24) has a staccato guitar/bass figure (D…G.B. C…E.B.) with a homophonic vocal/keyboard melody; mimicked by the drum cadence. Modulated Farfisa middle. Fellows invokes the monkey flying a plane idiom (dangerous, improbable tasks) for his own wayward undertakings.
8. “Real Story” (3:44) has a bassline intro/chorus theme (A..C→[plucked B/D over C]) and a tripping rhythmic verse (in E, with darting minor thirds). Swelling “He got the word” chorus with faint organ. The subject has an alternate grasp on reality; possibly due to an inability to distinguish fact, fiction, and dream (“he thinks he’s in another place when he goes to sleep”). This could be drug/mental-health related (“I heard that he lost the beat… now he’s in unreal estate”).
9. “Map of the World” (3:50)
10. “Postcard” (4:08)

Sessions spanned ten days in January 1980 with producer Peter Wilson, a soundman on contemporary titles by the Angelic Upstarts, Cockney Rejects, The Passions, and The Vapors.

Waiting for a Miracle displays cover photography by Martyn Goddard (Sound Affects, A), who captured moving traffic amid the glowing evening lights of Sheffield Parkway. The cover features graphics designed by Alwyn Clayden, whose visuals also appear on 1980 sleeves for Grand Prix, Jon Anderson, Sad Cafe, and Visage.

For the US market, Polydor gathered the album’s first half (barring “Baby”) on Made In Britain, a new wave band sampler with four cuts each by The Invaders (with early punk fixture Soo “Catwoman” Lucas), Excel (a Yorkshire teen pop-punk band), and Protext (a Belfast punk band).

1980–81 Shows

The Comsat Angels plugged Waiting for a Miracle on multiple autumn dates with newcomers The Fixx. On September 24, both acts played the Bridge House in Canning Town with up-and-comers Depeche Mode.

On October 5, the Comsats played a multi-act bill at London’s Lyceum Theatre with Killing Joke, Pink Military, Wah! Heat, and Liliput. As the support act for the Japanese electro-trio Yellow Magic Orchestra, the Comsats embarked on a national tour that hit Oxford (10/11: New Theatre), Birmingham (10/12: Odeon), Manchester (10/13: Apollo), and Southampton (10/18:Gaumont).

In late October, the Comsats opened six straight nights around Britain with Captain Beefheart, including stops in Cardiff (10/25: University), Bristol (10/26: Colston Hall), Glasgow (10/28: Apollo), and Liverpool (10/29: Rotters).

On February 3, 1981, the Comsat Angels did their third session for John Peel, whose 2/9 broadcast aired four new songs: “Be Brave,” “At Sea,” “Eye of the Lens,” and “Dark Parade.”

On February 16, the Comsats supported Siouxsie & The Banshees at Hammersmith Palais. The two acts embarked on an eleven-date tour that included stops in Leeds (2/25: University), Edinburgh (2/27: Playhouse), and Newcastle (3/3: City Hall).

The Comsats broke for sessions. On March 29, they released their fourth single: “Eye of the Lens” and “At Sea,” both Peel-previewed non-album tracks. The single appeared in a deep-blue sleeve (red trim) that retains their Asian-style logo and circular theme. “Eye of the Lens” also appeared on 12″ with two additional songs: “Another World” and “Gone.”

On June 6, the Comsats headlined Sheffield’s Top Rank club, supported by B-Movie and The Past Seven Days.

Sleep No More

The Comsat Angels released their second album, Sleep No More, on August 21, 1981, on Polydor.

Sleep No More contains ten group-written songs, including “Light Years,” “Eye Dance,” “Goat of the West,” “Sleep No More,” and the Peel-previewed numbers “Dark Parade” and “Be Brave,” plus “Gone” from the recent 12.”

CD reissues of Sleep No More add the remaining three songs from the March ’81 “Eye of the Lens” 12”.

1. “The Eye Dance” (3:42)
2. “Sleep No More” (2:51)
3. “Be Brave” (3:49)
4. “Gone” (3:27)
5. “Dark Parade” (5:08)
6. “Diagram” (3:53)
7. “Restless” (3:14)
8. “Goat of the West” (3:23)
9. “Light Years” (4:24)
10. “Our Secret” (4:10)

11. “Eye of the Lens” (4:04)
12. “Another World” (4:40)
13. “At Sea” (4:26)

Sessions occurred in March 1981 at Polydor Studios, once again with Peter Wilson, who produced Sleep No More in sequence with singles by The Jam (“Absolute Beginners”), The Nips, The Wall, and the second Passions album, Thirty Thousand Feet Over China. Wilson’s after-hours methods included multi-floor miking with Glaisher’s drums placed near the studio building’s elevator shaft.

Sleep No More displays tinted monochrome portrait shots (back cover) by Dutch rock photographer Anton Corbijn, whose photography graces contemporary sleeves by Bill Nelson, Fad Gadget, Joe Jackson, Peter Hammill, The Slits, and Wah!

Sleep No More quickly sold its initial press run and reached No. 51 on the UK Albums Chart.

1981–82 Shows

Five days before the album’s release, the Comsats played Rotterdam New Pop ’81, a Zuiderpark festival event (8/16) with sets by Au Pairs, Department S, Johnny Warman, Scars, The Sound, and Dutch post-punks The Tapes.

The Comsat Angels and The Sound embarked on a joint UK tour that covered eight cities, including Aberdeen (9/19: Victoria Hall), York (9/23: TA Center), and Bath (9/27: Tiffany’s).

On September 28, 1981, the Comsat Angels played their fourth session for John Peel, whose 10/7 broadcast featured two Sleep No More songs (“Our Secret,” “Goat of the West”), an upcoming b-side (“Now I Know”), and the recurrent rarity “Ju Ju Money.”

In October, the Comsat supported U2 on an eighteen-date UK tour that greeted the Irish band’s second album, October. American new wavers Wall of Voodoo appeared as a third act on the first three stops: Norwich (10/1: East Anglia University), Nottingham (10/2: Rock City), and Salford (10/3: University).

On October 30, 1981, the Comsat Angels released a non-album maxi-single: “Do the Empty House,” a new cut backed with the Peel-previewed “Now I Know” plus “Red Planet Revisited,” a thematic followup to their first single.

A: “Do the Empty House” (3:30)
C: “Red Planet Revisited” (3:32)

“Now I Know” appeared on their subsequent album. “Do the Empty House” appeared in a lime/olive sleeve with sun and steeple outlines.

On November 11, the Comsats played London’s Dominion Theatre, supported by the Mo-dettes and the Cuban Heels.

In May 1982, as sessions progressed on their third album, the Comsat Angels dropped their sixth single: “It’s History,” a non-album track backed with “Zinger,” a preview of their upcoming longplayer.

On July 15, 1982, the Comsat Angels commenced their sole North American tour at Ripley’s Music Hall in Philadelphia. The tour hit Boston, New York, Toronto, and Montreal. They played double-bills with Gang of Four in Washington DC (7/16: Ontario Theatre) and Ann Arbor (7/22: Hill Auditorium). After the Michigan show, they cancelled the remaining ten dates due to Bacon’s bout of appendicitis.

In August, the Comsats performed in Reykjavik, Iceland, a receptive market to their dark sound.

Fiction

The Comsat Angels released their third album, Fiction, in August 1982 on Polydor.

Fiction features ten group-written originals, including “After the Rain,” “Don’t Look Now,” “What Else!” and two recent Comsats b-sides (“Now I Know,” “Zinger”), plus the twice-Peel’d “Ju-Ju Money.”

CD reissues add the recent a-side “It’s History” and both sides of their subsequent single, plus “Mass,” an outtake from their prior album.

1. “After the Rain” (3:58)
2. “Zinger” (3:29)
3. “Now I Know” (3:58)
4. “Not a Word” (3:44)
5. “Ju-Ju Money” (3:28)
6. “More” (3:33)
7. “Pictures” (4:26)
8. “Birdman” (5:01)
9. “Don’t Look Now” (4:47)
10. “What Else!?” (4:32)

Sessions spanned May and June, 1982, at Studio Strawberry, a state-of-the-art facility in Stockport, Greater Manchester, once operated by 10cc. This was the Comsats third and final album with Peter Wilson, who produced Fiction in sequence with the final Jam singles and the third Passions album (Sanctuary).

Fiction has an inner-sleeve with a pink/purple group shot by Scottish photographer Peter Anderson, whose visuals also grace 1981/82 sleeves for Altered Images, Aztec Camera, Simple Minds, and Southern Death Cult.

On October 17, the Comsats played London’s Lyceum Theatre with The Sound, Blue Orchids, and New Model Army. Twelve days later, the Comsats issued their seventh single: “After the Rain,” a remix of the album track backed with “Private Party.” Both songs appear on Fiction CD reissues.

11. “It’s History” (3:40)
12. “After the Rain (Remix)” (4:00)
13. “Private Party” (3:48)
14. “Mass” (3:47) dates from the Sleep No More sessions.

Enz

In December 1982, the Comsat Angels released Enz, a collection of their Polydor singles sides with song-by-song liner notes by Fellows, who gives thanks to multiple parties, including the Minny Pops and the Ze Popes. Enz contains ten songs, including eight non-album rarities:

A1. “Independence Day” (4:40) their third single and second Polydor a-side (July ’80), also included on Waiting for a Miracle.
A2. “Do the Empty House” (3:27) their non-album fourth a-side (October ’81).
A3. “Total War” (3:44) their second single and first Polydor a-side (May ’80), also included on Waiting for a Miracle.
A4. “It’s History” (3:35) the non-album b-side to “Do the Empty House.”
A5. “Another World” (4:36) from the 12″ of their third Polydor single (March ’81).
B1. “Eye of the Lens” (3:56) the a-side of their third Polydor single.
B2. “At Sea” (4:18) the b-side of their third Polydor single.
B3. “Mass” (3:20) an outtake from Sleep No More; excluded for its stylistic dissimilarity to that album.
B4. “Home Is the Range” (3:26) the non-album b-side to “Total War.”
B5. “After the Rain” (3:52) the remix single version of the Fiction opening track.

Enz appeared in a dayglo green cover with uncanny visual similarities to Enz of an Era, the 1982 Split Enz compilation issued one month earlier by Mushroom Records in a dayglo green cover. Enz displays a monochrome Comsats group shot (back-cover) by Kees Tabak, whose photography also appears on contemporary sleeves by the Dutch acts Doe Maar, Golden Earring, New Adventures, The Meteors, and Voices.

The Comsat Angels left Polydor and signed with Jive Records, a US-based division of the Zomba Group of Companies.

Land

The Comsat Angels released their fourth album, Land, in September 1983 on Jive.

Land contains nine group-written songs, including the singles “Will You Stay Tonight” and “Island Heart” and a rerecorded version of their 1980 single “Independence Day.”

1. “Will You Stay Tonight?” (4:18)
2. “Alicia (Can You Hear Me)” (3:56)
3. “A World Away” (5:17)
4. “Independence Day” (3:51)
5. “Nature Trails” (4:54)
6. “Mister Memory” (5:15)
7. “Island Heart” (3:56)
8. “I Know That Feeling” (5:16)
9. “As Above, So Below” (5:39)

The Comsat Angels preceded Land with “Will You Stay Tonight,” released as an August single with the non-album b-side “Shining Hour.”

B. “Shining Hour”

Sessions occurred in June 1983 at London’s Battery Studios, where erstwhile Gong bassist Mike Howlett produced Land in sequence with Blancmange, China Crisis, Hunters & Collectors, and Jive’s first international breakout act, A Flock of Seagulls (Listen).

Blancmange assistant Nigel Green engineered Listen amid work on Jive titles by Q-Feel, Whodini, and The Belle Stars.

In October, the Comsats lifted a second single: “Island Heart” backed with “Scissors and the Stone,” a non-album exclusive.

B. “Scissors and the Stone”

Listen features graphics by Da Gama, the design firm responsible for covers on 1983 releases by Endgames, Freur, The Glove, and Siouxsie & The Banshees.

The back cover features a tilted group shot (also used on the “Island Heart” sleeve) by Mike Owen, whose photography also graces contemporary sleeves by Fun Boy Three, Grand Prix, Jacqui Brookes, and Kiki Dee.

7 Day Weekend

The Comsat Angels released their fifth album, 7 Day Weekend, in late 1985 on Jive. The title stems from an unrecorded Comsats song about unemployment.

7 Day Weekend features ten group-written originals, including the 1984 singles “Day One” and “You Move Me (One Good Reason).” Side One contains the 1985 singles “Forever Young” and “I’m Falling.” The latter appeared in the 1985 sci-fi comedy Real Genius starring Val Kilmer.

1. “Believe It” (4:20)
2. “Forever Young” (4:04)
3. “You Move Me” (4:27)
4. “I’m Falling” (4:05)
5. “Close Your Eyes” (4:38)
6. “Day One” (4:03)
7. “You’re the Heroine” (4:12)
8. “High Tide” (4:46)
9. “New Heart and Hand” (4:30)
10. “Still It’s Not Enough” (4:48)

“You Move Me (One Good Reason)” first appeared as a May 1984 single backed with the non-album “Land.” Stephan Fellows vetoed Jive’s intent to use a session guitarist for the single.

B. “Land”

Sessions occurred at Battery Studios with Land producer Mike Howlett and engineer Bryan “Chuck” New, a recent soundman for Baron Rojo, Def Leppard (Pyromania), Diamond Head, and Roman Holliday. Freelancer Phil Vinall assisted New amid projects with the Icicle Works and the John Miles Band. Sessionist Pete Q. Harris supplemented the Comsats on Fairlight synthesizer.

“Day One” first appeared in September 1984 as a second advance single, backed with the 1983 a-side “Will You Stay Tonight.” Zambian singer Stevie Lange (once of Chris Thompson’s Night) sings backing vocals on “Day One.”

Industry vet James Mtume produced the album’s two 1985 singles with engineer David Dachinger. Mtume (a Seventies free-jazz keyboardist and percussionist) led his own recent soul-funk group. His past production credits covered the worlds of jazz (Gary Bartz, Roy Ayers) and soul-funk (Spinners, Stephanie Mills).

“I’m Falling” accompanied 7 Day Weekend as the Comsats’ September 1985 single, backed with the album track “New Heart and Hand.” In November, Jive lifted “Forever Young” as the album’s fourth single, backed with “Still It’s Not Enough.” Both a-sides (plus “Believe It”) feature backing vocals by Peter Beckett, an Irish Eurovision winner. The Comsats co-produced the two b-sides with Chris Tsangarides, a recent soundman for hard-rockers Anvil, Gary Moore, Thin Lizzy, and Y & T.

“Day One” appears on Beat the Bands of Modern Dance, a 1985 Dutch VIP Records comp with cuts by ABC (“Poison Arrow”), Alphaville (“Big In Japan”), Daryl Hall & John Oates (“Adult Education”), David Sylvian (“Pulling Punches”), Depeche Mode (“Just Can’t Get Enough”), Heaven 17 (“Temptation”), Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark (“Locomotion”), Simple Minds (“I Travel”), Tears For Fears (“Change”), Wang Chung (“Dance Hall Days”), and Yazoo (“Don’t Go”).

“High Tide” appears on Modern Times, a 1985 German TELDEC comp with cuts by The Associates (“Breakfast”), Blancmange (“Time Became the Tide”), The Colourfield (“Castles In the Air”), The Cure (“Charlotte Sometimes”), Killing Joke (“Love Like Blood”), The Stranglers (“Let Me Down Easy”), The Style Council (“Homebreakers”), Theatre of Hate (“Anniversary”), and Yello (“Desire”).

In 2001, 7 Day Weekend reappeared on CD with “Land” and the Rolling Stones cover “Citadel” as bonus tracks.

Chasing Shadows

The Comsat Angels released their sixth album, Chasing Shadows, in late 1986 on Island.

Chasing Shadows features eight group-credited originals, including “The Cutting Edge,” a sophisti-pop classic that garnered airplay on US college radio.

“You’ll Never Know” features vocalist Robert Palmer, a Comsats fan who secured their Island deal.

1. “The Thought That Counts” (6:03)
2. “The Cutting Edge” (5:09)
3. “Under the Influence” (4:22)
4. “Carried Away” (5:09)
5. “You’ll Never Know” (4:57)
6. “Lost Continent” (5:05)
7. “Flying Dreams” (5:45)
8. “Pray for Rain” (5:02)

The Comsat Angels co-produced Chasing Shadows with Kevin Moloney and Rob Fraboni. Palmer earned an “executive producer” credit for his role as benefactor.

Island lifted “The Cutting Edge” an a February 1987 single backed with “Something’s Got to Give,” a non-album track added to later CD editions.

B. “Something’s Got to Give”

Elsewhere, Fellows collaborated with Human League members Phil Oakey, Ian Burden, and their journeyman drummer Jim Russell (Curved Air, Stretch) on “The Real Thing,” the penultimate track on the League’s 1986 comeback album Crash.

Discography: