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London After Midnight (LAM) is a rock music project formed in the 1990s by singer/songwriter/bandleader and instrumentalist Sean Brennan. LAM has retained and nurtured the political and socially aware element of the punk scene that virtually vanished from the music scene in the early 90s, evidenced in songs like "Revenge" (originally released on the LAM demo in 1991) and in the huge amount of literature handed out at concerts and online supporting animals rights and various progressive social and political causes. LAM can most accurately be defined as a political dark alternative-rock music entity. LAM has a large worldwide following, with many Gothic Rock fans (LAM outspokenly shuns artistic limitations via labels such as "gothic", however) (Gothic Beauty magazine, USA, Autumn 2005, allmusicguide.com)
Despite rejecting genre labels, LAM has been credited with reviving the faltering Gothic music scene in the early 90s (Dark Asylum magazine, issue 1, USA, 1995, page 16) and "paving the way for future bands" in the genre (Revolver magazine May 2003, page 31). Dark Zone magazine (Poland, summer issue 1998, page 34,) writes "This is the worlds biggest goth band who reactivated the whole genre".
Ideology and Style
Brennan is known for his support of animal rights, pro-environmental and human rights issues, anti-corporate control of media, and progressive, and liberal politics. However, Brennan's music ranges from the intensely personal to broader issues ranging from racism, social and political issues, animal rights, etc. (the new London After Midnight music in particular, played in concert since 1998, is very political, with songs like "Feeling Fascist", "The Pain Looks Good on You", "America's a F*cking Disease", etc). Zillo magazine (Germany, March 1996, page 29) writes that LAM's music is "very sensuous and unique...that creates an atmosphere of inexpressible haunting beauty". The lyrics are even sometimes presented with a sense of morbid wit - with songs like "Your Best Nightmare", an Edward Gorey-esque tale, as noted in Dark Entries magazine (Belgium 1999, page 10).
London After Midnight maintains a strong underground and independent "personality" despite being popular sellers (charting in the top 10 European DAC charts with each of 3 CDs released, verified via Deutsche Alternative Charts) and a major draw at music festivals year after year. (Music Connection magazine, USA, January 2001, page 51)
Touring
London After Midnight has headlined and co-headlined concerts and major festivals with bands like The Cure, Green Day, HIM (HIM often cites LAM as a favorite artist) ("Orkus Magazine", Germany, May 2003), Rammstein, Soft Cell, and many more, headlining and co-headlining to crowds of over 30,000 in Latin America, the US and Europe. LAM began performing primarily on the west cost of the USA and eventually travelled outside the USA in Mexico in 1994 (something few alternative bands were doing at the time (Music Connection magazine, USA, January 2001, page 51) and eventually toured the UK, France, Germany, Italy, South America and the USA. London After Midnight has varying live members who join Brennan when the band performs live. However they typically do not play on recordings or write music used for LAM ("LAM Last.fm", Outburn magazine, USA, Autumn 1999, page 32, Reforma newspaper, Mexico City, August 7 2001).
Releases
LAMs music has been released in various formats since 1990; cassette 12 inch vinyl picture disks, CD and video. The first four song demo morphed into the first cassette release of "Selected Scenes from the End of the World" in 1991. It was later released on CD in 1995 (Apocalyptic Vision/Trisol Europe), 1998 (Metropolis USA), and re-released with bonus tracks in 2003 in Europe (Trisol) and Russia (Iron D). In 1994 Brennan recorded and released a cassingle for the forthcoming full length album "Psycho Magnet". All the songs were later re-recorded for the final release of "Psycho Magnet" which was released in 1996 (Apocalyptic Vision/Trisol) and 1998 (Metropolis) and later re-released with bonus tracks in 2003 in Europe (Trisol) and Russia (Iron D). LAM released a CD single for "Psycho Magnet" called "Kiss" in 1995 in Europe (Apocalyptic Vision/Trisol). In 1998 LAM released "Oddities" in Europe (Apocalyptic Vision/Trisol) and the USA (Metropolis) along with a 3 song video titled "Innocence Lost" in Europe (Apocalyptic Vision/Trisol) and the USA (Metroopolis).
In 2006 a new London After Midnight song was released on the "Saw II" motion picture soundtrack (Trisol Records, Europe), which went to number one on the German Alternative Charts (DAC). LAM's new CD is scheduled for release in 2007.
Discography
- Does not include original cassette releases, singles or compilations
- 1992 - Selected Scenes from the End of the World USA self release cassette (revised CD released in 1995 in Europe, 1998 USA, and extended CD released in 2003 in Europe and Russian Federation)
- 1996 - Psycho Magnet European release (1998 USA release and extended CD released in 2003 in Europe and Russian Federation)
- 1998 - Oddities European release (1998 USA release)
- 2006 - Saw II soundtrack with the song Fear (European release)