This Mortal Coil  

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This Mortal Coil was a music collective led by Ivo Watts-Russell, founder of the British record label 4AD. Although Watts-Russell and John Fryer were technically the only two official members, the band's recorded output featured a large rotating cast of supporting artists, many of whom were otherwise associated with 4AD, including members of Cocteau Twins, Pixies, and Dead Can Dance. The project became known for its gothic, dream pop sound, and released three full albums beginning in 1984 with It'll End in Tears.

Background

Watts-Russell had founded 4AD in 1980, and the label established itself as one of the key labels in the British post-punk movement. Following several releases, Watts-Russell developed the idea of collaborating under the name This Mortal Coil. The name is taken from the Monty Python's Flying Circus "Dead Parrot sketch", which in turn is a quote from Shakespeare's Hamlet ("... what dreams may come, when we have shuffled off this mortal coil...").

Quoting the 4AD website:

"This Mortal Coil was not a band, but a unique collaboration of musicians recording in various permutations, the brainchild of 4AD kingpin Ivo Watts-Russell. The idea was to allow artists the creative freedom to record material outside of the realm of what was expected of them; it also created the opportunity for innovative cover versions of songs personal to Ivo."

One of the label's earliest signings was Modern English. In 1983, Watts-Russell suggested that the band re-record two of its earliest songs, "Sixteen Days" and "Gathering Dust", as a medley. At the time, the band was closing its set with this medley, and Watts-Russell felt it was strong enough to warrant a re-recording. When the band rebuffed the idea, Watts-Russell decided to assemble a group of musicians to record the medley: Elizabeth Fraser and Robin Guthrie of Cocteau Twins; Gordon Sharp of Cindytalk; and a few members of Modern English. An EP, Sixteen Days/Gathering Dust, resulted from these sessions. A cover of Tim Buckley's "Song to the Siren", performed by Fraser and Guthrie alone, was recorded as a B-side for the EP. Pleased with the results, Watts-Russell decided to make this the A-side of the 7" single version of the EP, and the song quickly became an underground hit, leading Watts-Russell to pursue the recording of a full album under the This Mortal Coil moniker, 1984's It'll End in Tears.

In June 1998, Watts-Russell began releasing albums in a similar vein to his TMC projects, under the name The Hope Blister.

Discography

Studio albums

• It'll End in Tears (CAD 411 – October 1984)
• Filigree & Shadow (DAD 609 – September 1986)
• Blood (DAD 1005 – April 1991)

Compilations

• Dust & Guitars (TAD 3X23CDJ – August 2012)

Boxsets

• 1983–1991 (Warner Bros 45135 – March 1993)
• This Mortal Coil (TMCBOX1 – November 2011)

Singles and EPs

• "Sixteen Days/Gathering Dust" EP (AD 310 – September 1983)
• "Kangaroo"/"It'll End in Tears" EP (AD 410 – August 1984)
• "Come Here My Love"/"Drugs" (limited 10" single release – BAD 608 – September 1986)

Contributions

• Acid, Bitter & Sad on Lonely Is an Eyesore (CAD703 – 4AD compilation album, 1987)

The Hope Blister

• ...Smile's OK (July 1998)
• Underarms (April 1999)
• Underarms and Sideways (January 2006)