Josef K

:(This page also refers to Paul Haig's project of the Dub Organiser. For Chris Lane's project of the same name, see Dub Organiser(2)).
Josef K were a Scottish post-punk band, active between 1979 and 1982, who released singles on the Postcard Records label. The band was named after the protagonist of Franz Kafka's novel The Trial. Although they released just one album while together and achieved only moderate success, they have since proved influential on many bands that followed. The band was formed in 1979 originally as TV Art by Paul Haig (vocals, guitar) and Ronnie Torrance (drums), later joined by Malcolm Ross (guitar, keyboards), with Gary McCormack added on bass guitar, who soon left (later joining The Exploited) with David Weddell replacing him.
(For further information please see Wikipedia.)
== Links To Peel ==
Peel played Josef K's material often in the late 70s and early 80s, including two sessions, as well as less frequently after their split, into the 21st century. Although officially listed as a session, the group's first outing for the DJ was actually composed of tracks recorded for an intended debut album that the band chose not to put out. The scrapped recordings eventually saw an official release in 1990 under the title 'Sorry For Laughing'.
While the Edinburgh band are often associated with the influential Postcard indie label, based in Glasgow, Peel had already given airtime to their debut single on the Absolute imprint of Orange Juice drummer Steven Daly before they came under the "Sound Of Young Scotland" banner. The final Josef K single, also played by Peel, was released by Les Disques Du Crépescule in Belgium, a label with close links to Factory Records.Writer Paul Morley later described Josef K as "a Manchester band who'd been dislocated to Edinburgh".
According to one story, Josef K frontman Paul Haig wrote to the DJ to express gratitude for his support but was not at home when Peel phoned the musician up in return, leaving the radio presenter to thank Haig's mother instead.
After Josef K's early demise, Ronnie Torrance joined Peel session band Boots For Dancing, while Malcolm Ross played with former Postcard labelmates Orange Juice and Aztec Camera, as well as others including Barry AdamsonEx-Magazine, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, etc. and 90s Peel session mainstays Nectarine No. 9.Led by former Fire Engines frontman David Henderson. Both former JK musicians and ex-bandmate David Weddell also featured in 4AD band Happy Family(2),Not the band of the same name on the 50 Gazillion Watts label of Half Japanese that Peel played in the early 1990s. with Nick Currie (aka Momus).
In 2012, two Paul Haig solo albums were among the first 100 LPs by artists beginning with H when details of Peel's record collection were first released online.
Peel-played performers seen as influenced by Josef K include the Wedding Present and June Brides, as well as self-proclaimed fan Johnny Marr of the Smiths, plus a fresh generation of "indie revival" bands in the new century such as Rapture, Franz Ferdinand and the Futureheads.
== Sessions ==
1. Private tape, unknown recording date. First broadcast 24 March 1981, repeated 04 May 1981, 09 September 1982
*Pictures / Chance Meeting / No Glory / Endless Soul.
2. Recorded 15th June 1981. First broadcast 22 June 1981, repeated 13 July 1981, 29 December 1981, 08 January 1985, 03 April 1985. Available The Only Fun In Town 2xLP (reissue), 2019, Les Disques Du Crépuscule TWI052   'Heaven Sent', 'The Missionary' and 'Applebush' available on Entomology (Domino REWIGCD30). 'Heaven Sent' and Heart Of Song' available on Young And Stupid (Supreme International Editions)
*Heart Of Song / Heaven Sent / Applebush / The Missionary.
== Other Shows Played ==
;1979
*15 November 1979: Chance Meeting (7") Absolute ABS 1
;1980
*25 March 1980: Romance (7” - Chance Meeting) Absolute ABS 1
*06 August 1980: Crazy To Exist (7" - Radio Drill Time / Crazy To Exist) Postcard PC 80-3
*16 August 1980 (BFBS): Radio Drill Time (7" - Radio Drill Time / Crazy To Exist) Postcard PC 80-3
*13 September 1980 (BFBS): Radio Drill Time (7" - Radio Drill Time / Crazy To Exist) Postcard PC 80-3
*20 October 1980: Radio Drill Time (7" - Radio Drill Time / Crazy To Exist) Postcard PC 80-3
*01 December 1980: It's Kinda Funny (7") Postcard POSTCARD 80
;1981
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*16 March 1981: Sorry For Laughing (7") Les Disques Du Crépescule TWI 023
*02 April 1981: Sorry For Laughing (7") Les Disques Du Crépuscule TWI 023
*08 April 1981: Revelation (7" - Sorry For Laughing) Les Disques Du Crépescule TWI 023
*29 April 1981: Pictures (7" - Chance Meeting) Postcard 81 5
*11 May 1981: Chance Meeting (7") Postcard POSTCARD 81 5
*19 May 1981: Chance Meeting (7") Postcard POSTCARD 81 5
*02 June 1981: A Chance Meeting (7") Postcard POSTCARD 81 5
*04 June 1981 (BFBS): Chance Meeting (7") Postcard POSTCARD 81 5
*07 July 1981: Fun N' Frenzy (album - The Only Fun In Town) Postcard Postcard 81-7
*15 July 1981: Fun 'N' Frenzy (album - The Only Fun In Town) Postcard 81-7
*15 July 1981: Sorry For Laughing (album - The Only Fun In Town) Postcard 81-7
*19 July 1981 (BFBS): Citizens (album - The Only Fun In Town) Postcard 81-7
*19 July 1981 (BFBS): Revelation (album - The Only Fun In Town) Postcard 81-7
*19 July 1981 (BFBS): Forever Drone (album - The Only Fun In Town) Postcard POSTCARD 81 7
*27 July 1981: Forever Drone (album - The Only Fun In Town) Postcard POSTCARD 81 7
*30 July 1981 (BFBS): The Angle (album - The Only Fun In Town) Postcard Postcard 81-7
*04 August 1981: Citizens (album - The Only Fun In Town) Postcard 81-7
*13 August 1981: Heart Of Song (album - The Only Fun In Town) Postcard 81-7
;1982
*23 March 1982: The Missionary (7" - The Farewell Single) Les Disques Du Crépescule TWI 053
*29 March 1982: The Missionary (7" - The Farewell Single) Les Disques Du Crépescule TWI 053
*14 April 1982 (BFBS): The Missionary (7" - The Farewell Single) Les Disques Du Crepescule TWI 053 (session version)
*15 April 1982: The Missionary (7" - The Farewell Single) Les Disques Du Crepescule TWI 053 (session version)
*02 May 1982 (BFBS): The Missionary (7" - The Farewell Single) Les Disques Du Crepescule TWI 053 (session version)
*10 August 1982: Sorry For Laughing
;1984
*21 May 1984: The Missionary (7" - The Farewell Single) Les Disques Du Crépuscule TWI 053
*23 May 1984 (BFBS): The Missionary (7" - The Farewell Single) Les Disques Du Crépuscule TWI 053
*26 August 1984 (BFBS): Radio Drill Time (7" - Radio Drill Time / Crazy To Exist) Postcard PC 80-3
;1985
*22 July 1985: Sorry For Laughing (LP - The Only Fun In Town) Postcard
*13 August 1985: Fun 'N' Frenzy (LP - The Only Fun In Town) Postcard
;1986
*01 October 1986: Radio Drill Time (7" - Radio Drill Time / Crazy To Exist) Postcard PC 80-3
*02 October 1986 (BFBS): Crazy To Exist (7")' (Postcard)
;1987
*25 February 1987: Heaven Sent (12") Supreme International Editions
*09 October 1987 (BFBS): Fun 'N' Frenzy (LP-The Only Fun In Town)' (Postcard)
;2002
*13 June 2002: Radio Drill Time (LP - Young And Stupid) LTM
;2003
*23 October 2003: Sorry For Laughing (7") Les Disques Du Crépescule TWI 023
;Paul Haig solo
*10 November 1981: Soon (7") Rhythm Of Life RHYTHM 001
*22 June 1982: Running Away (7") Operation Twilight OPT 003
*23 June 1982 (BFBS): Running Away (7") Operation Twilight OPT 003
*13 December 1982: Blue For You (12") Interference INT-2 / Les Disques Du Crépuscule
*05 January 1983 (BFBS): Blue For You (12") Interference Int-2 / Les Disques Du Crépuscule
*08 May 1983 (BFBS): Heaven Sent (7") Les Disques Du Crepescule
*17 May 1983: Heaven Sent (7") Les Disques Du Crépuscule
*15 June 1983: Never Gave Up (Party, Party) (Heartache Mix) (promo 12") Les Disques Du Crepescule / Island
*06 July 1983: Never Give Up (Party Party) (12") Island
*13 July 1983 (BFBS): Never Give Up (Party, Party) (7") Les Disques Dy Crépescule IS 124
*01 August 1983 (BBC World Service): Never Give Up (Party, Party) (7") Les Disques Dy Crépescule IS 124
*11 October 1983: Adoration (album - Rhythm Of Life) Les Disques Du Crépuscule
*17 October 1983: Don't Rush In (album - Rhythm Of Life) Les Disques Du Crépuscule
*31 October 1983 (BBC World Service): Adoration (LP - Rhythm Of Life) Les Disques Du Crépuscule
;Happy Family
*29 March 1982: Puritans (7") 4AD
;Dub Organiser
*28 March 1989: I've Got A Weapon (12") Play Hard
*11 April 1989: I've Got A Weapon (12") Play Hard
== Covered ==
(The list below was compiled only from the Cover Versions page of this site. Please add more information if known.)
Artist | Track | First Known Play
*Propaganda: Sorry For Laughing 22 July 1985
== See Also ==
*Record Collection: H
== External Links ==
*Wikipedia
*(Guardian, 2006) Josef K, Entomology
== References ==
Category:Artists
Category:Covered