MEMBRANES, THE ”If You Enter The Arena, You've Got To Be Prepared To Deal WIth The Lions” 7”EP

Exclusive brand new triple A-side single from the legendary Membranes.  Glorious 7 inch black vinyl on the Louder Than War label. 500 copies only for the world.

This single is the first release from the band since 1990 and follows their really successful appearance at ATP festival where they were asked to play by another former support band My Bloody Valentine. The three track single is the Membranes at their manic best. It ranges from the dark 'If You Enter The Arena You Must Be Prepared to Deal With The Lions' to the electric shock garage rush of 'Fuck My Old Boots' to the melodic, euphoric, yet melancholic 'Everything's Brilliant'.

Formed in 1977 in Blackpool by frontman John Robb and a collection of dislocated 15 year olds the Membranes were inspired by punk, they played their first gigs before they had learned any chords and how to tune their guitars. They turned this into a fine art into what would be termed post-punk over a series of critically acclaimed releases in the eighties that saw them tour the world with their out of control live shows and discordant wild records.  Their touring took them all over the world from touring Iron Curtain Eastern Europe, endless criss crossings of America where they were a recognised precursor to the late eighties American noisenik bands like Big Black (Steve Albini is a big fan) and they were signed to Homestead Records and theirsupport bands included Afghan Whigs, Pussy Galore, White Zombie and back in the UK My Bloody Valentine, Wedding Present, Pop Will Eat Itself and many others. Their manic energy and imagination was an influence on a whole scene of Eighties underground bands that frontman John Robb recently wrote about in the Death To Trad Rock book. They were signed to Creation Records for an album, had a top 5 in the John Peel Festive 50 and had the heaviest basssound ever, their gigs were wild mosh pits and liberal use of confetti saw causing PA’s to break down and having to pay the cleaners extra money after each show. The Membranes was not just a band but a collective of artists, musicians and pranksters - their collective also included Simon Clegg who was responsible or the band's distinctive artwork and Ian Tilton, brother of original guitar player Mark who went on to be come a top music photographer.