Biography
Scottish dance music unit, who shared the same One Little Indian Records label as their fellow countrymen the Shamen, but failed to replicate their success. It was not through want of effort, or, for that matter, talent. The band took their name from "Finny Tribe", a name given to the entire fish species by Irish religious sect the Rosicrucians, as well as by the common people of that country. Chris Connelly, Philip Pinsky (Born Philip David Pinsky, 23 March 1965, Appleton, Wisconsin, USA), David Miller (Born David Francis Ashbride Miller, 20 July 1962, Moffat, Dunfrewshire, Scotland), Mr Samples (Born John William Vick, 6 November 1965, Edinburgh, Scotland), Simon McGlynn and Thomas McGregor were the members of the original six-piece formed in Edinburgh in 1984. Finitribe founded their own label, striking out with a debut EP, Curling And Stretching, in October. One month later they played their first gig together supporting Danielle Dax at London ULU. By 1986, they had acquired their first sampler, and released "DeTestimony", an influential cut in both the acid house and, later, house movements. The following year they began an ill-fated liaison with Chicago's Wax Trax! Records, releasing a version of Can's "I Want More". Following problems with the label, vocalist Chris Connelly eventually elected to remain, ostensibly as part of Ministry and Revolting Cocks, but also recording solo.
Finitribe re-emerged in 1989 with the curtailed line-up of Mr Samples, Philip Pinsky and David Miller. Vick and Pinsky had previously been colleagues in Rigor Mortis, and Miller had served in Explode Your Heart. Their influences remained both traditional rock and indie giants (Dog Faced Hermans, Magazine) and a myriad of new and old dance innovators (Jah Wobble, Tackhead, Sparks, Sub Sub, Orbital). A succession of well-regarded releases on One Little Indian failed to deliver them much in the way of commercial reward. The first and most notable of these was the acidic "Animal Farm", which sampled the "Old McDonald" nursery rhyme and laid torrents of abuse at the door of the McDonald's hamburger chain. The ensuing fuss, hardly deflated by a "Fuck Off McDonald's" poster campaign, brought the band significant media exposure for the first time.
Entering the 90s, Finitribe looked as though they might expand beyond cult tastes with a new, kitsch image (white boiler suits peppered with stars) and more pop-dance-orientated material. As critics pointed out, they resembled an underground version of the Pet Shop Boys. By 1992, they had resurrected the Finiflex label and opened their own studio complex in Leith. Reduced to a nucleus of Miller and new vocalist Katy Morrison, Finitribe released a new studio album (Sleazy Listening) in 1998.
Discography:
Noise Lust And Fun (Finiflex 1988)***, Grossing 10K (One Little Indian 1990)***, An Unexpected Groovy Treat (One Little Indian 1992)***, Sheigra (London 1995)**, Sleazy Listening (Infectious 1998)***.
Source: Encyclopedia of Popular Music
