Alison Statton & Spike + Stuart Moxham

Three Welsh musicians who have changed the rules of pop. Several times. The trio which Statton created with the Moxham brothers (Stuart and Philip) in 1978, Young Marble Giants, gave expression to the adjective “minimalist”: prominent bass lines, sobbing organ fragments and a vocalist who imposed with a faint, ghostly voice. Post-punk had never sounded so austere, skeletal and non-aggressive. Literally “kitchen-sink”. Very anti-rock. Kurt Cobain (Nirvana) took good note of the attributes of YMG in both attitude and music. In fact, Colossal Youth was one of his favourite LPs. (Hole also did a version of their “Credit in a Straight World”.) Another famous fan is David Byrne. After the trio broke up, Stuart Moxham founded The Gist (whose “Love at First Sight” was a major hit on the continent) which was based on the same principles as YMG. Statton started up the surprising big band Weekend with radio format-jazz-pop-Afro-samba-calypso influences (La Varieté (1982) is unbeatable), and then released a number of records with Spike Williams (Alison Statton & Spike), among them the ethereal, melancholy Tidal Blues (1994).

Bio written by Kiko Amat, co-director of CCCB's Primera Persona festival