Biography
At least four musical acts are known to go by the name Sidewinder:
1) Sidewinder are from Canberra, Australia and released three EP's ("T Star" and "Yoko Icepick" both in 1993 and "The Gentle Art Of Spoonbending" in 1995) and two full albums (debut album "Atlantis" from 1996 and "Tangerine" in 1997).
Sidewinder managed to combine the best of the dirty sounding 60's with modern pop/rock and a just the slightest hint of psychedelica as well. On "Tangerine" they even expanded their musical style by adding modern electronic beats and computer based studio-trickery to the already very addictive mix. "Tangerine" was released in September 1997, The album received fantastic reviews and made quite a few year end top 10 lists for 1997.
The singles from this album were "Titanic Days", "Here She Comes Again", "God" and "Mummy/Daddy".
M. Craft (Martin) has gone on to have a solo career.
2) Taking his name from the Lee Morgan standard, Scottish based DJ and musician Alan Bryden has recorded a series of singles and an album as SIDEWINDER for the now defunct FENETIK MUSIC, a subsidiary of techno/electronic label SOMA RECORDS. His multiple sample based track 'Stanways Revenge' (SOMA LP 16S) in 1999 caused a minor tremor amongst jazz dance DJs around the world and after appearing on Groove Armada's Back To Mine mix CD for DMC in 2004 (BACK CD4) went on to appear on numerous other downtempo/leftfield/jazz compilations. An album RESOLOUTION was released in the UK in 2003 (TIK CD001) and licensed to KSR in Japan in 2004 (KCCD-124). The album was preceded by a highly rated 7" single featuring two tracks from the album, the disco boogie cut up 'Ego Riot' and the future jazz groove 'Missing Link'. After a lengthy hiatus, a new album 'Mythologies' is set for release in late 2009.
3) Eric Gieseke, better known as Sidewinder to the demoscene; a musician who established his name in the early 90s, producing tracker modules on the Commodore Amiga. Aided with his Ensoniq SQ-2 synthesizer, a personal depot of audio samples, and the tracker music creation software Protracker, his collection of tracker modules exceeds the hundred, being active in the demoscene between 1992 and 1995. Following multiple releases through groups like Megawatts, Porphyria, JAVA and InfoCorner, Sidewinder released his self-published debut album Future Shock 2 in 1994. The following year, Sidewinder left the demoscene in pursuit of recording music directly from his synthesizer, and later on experimenting with soundcard technology. Some of his subsequent efforts were eventually presented on the 1999 album 2BadSheep, alongside a handful of late tracker modules. Additional tracks have also been featured on various online audio distribution platforms throughout the years, like the former MP3.com, the discontinued Ampcast.com, ACIDplanet.com, and SoundClick.
Sidewinder has also provided music for independent game developers, being featured in the 1993 artillery game Scorched Tanks on the Commodore Amiga, the widely popular 1998 brick-buster classic DX-Ball 2 on the PC, and its 2001 sequel, Rival Ball. Ranging from techno, rave and breaks, to house, technopop, and even a few jazz-influenced tunes, Sidewinder's music spans a vast variety of styles. Most of his previously released tracker modules can be downloaded via Aminet, while some of his later recordings can be found on his old website.
Although Sidewinder retired from making music in 2005, a new wave of Sidewinder started rolling in late 2018, following the establishment of independent record label Sheep Hour Records. Sidewinder's new label was founded in response to the artist's desire to leave behind a stronger legacy for his music, and has been focusing on publishing new but true-to-form studio remasters of select tracks. Released on December 14, 2018, DX-Ball 2 Sound Selection was Sidewinder's first release through Sheep Hour Records, presenting fully recreated versions of the 4 songs that made the initial DX-Ball 2 soundtrack in 1998. The label has since put out multiple releases of remastered material, including Sidewinder's third studio album, Timeless.
All latest Sidewinder news can currently be found through Sheep Hour Records, as posted on the label's website and Twitter. Sidewinder's new releases are also available on Bandcamp and YouTube.
4) Sidewinder, The (UK)
...was also a one-off side-project of Justin Broadrick & Kevin Martin. They've recorded one album Colonized in 1996 and one 12" EP "Implant" in 1997. The album features sound experiments, distorted 808 beats, feedback and general insanity.
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