DIAGRAM BROTHERS

The Diagram Brothers were a quartet of passingly deranged Mancunians who produced a few singles, an album and an EP mostly on the Buzzcock's New Hormones label, all except their first single We Are All Animals. They did songs of urban angst in the most discordant way possible, usually with brass and electric guitars but they weren't afraid to use milk bottles, bread trays and Casio VL-Tones either. Art terrorism at its most polite. They wrote songs about Satanism among the fondue folk, mail order bargains that turn out to be utter rubbish, Little Englanders and people who think that buying a motorbike instantly makes them James Dean. They also put the Manchester Evening News to music which is probably a first. Trouser Press magazine reckoned that they were a poor man's XTC but this is a disservice to both bands. They both liked to play silly buggers on occasion but otherwise had little in common.

information for this piece comes from Jonathan Howard

Andy said about the Diagram Brothers in an exclusive interview with One Of The Three 

"Diagram Brothers from 1980 to 1982. Me and my brothers formed this guitar band, in Manchester. I played bass guitar. We called the music "Discordo". The music was made to a strict formula or set of rules. All the guitar chords were based on discordant notes, all the beats were very simple rock or disco, and all the words were very very straightforward and down to earth. Let me give you an example :

"Bricks, lay them down in a straight line. Bricks, build them into a wall. Bricks, very useful objects. They're not expensive at all."

The Diagram Brothers were big favourites on the John Peel show, we recorded three sessions for him that he played many times. The Diagram brothers recorded 2 singles, an album and an EP for New Hormones label ( the Buzzcocks label). They are not available any more, although me and my brothers are looking into getting them re-released on CD."

The line-up for the band was :

Fraser Diagram - Vocals / Guitars

Lawrence Diagram - Guitar

Andy Diagram - Bass

Simon Diagram - Drums

The releases were :

October 1980 - We Are All Animals / There Is No Shower 7" (Construct Records - cat no CON-1)

July 1981 - Bricks / Postal Bargains 7" (New Hormones - cat no ORG9)

November 1981 - Some Marvels Of Modern Science (LP) (New Hormones - cat no ORG17)

July 1982 - Discordo 10" EP  (New Hormones - cat no ORG21)

January 2007 - Some Marvels Of Modern Science plus extras (CD - LTM Records)