Killing Time (psychedelic band)
[...] Time was formed in 1989 by Adam Pringle (vocals; ex-Compressed Heads), Nina Grant (bass, vocals; ex-Good and Evil) and Chris Paine (guitar; ex-Utter Stench). A procession of drummers came through the band before the end of 1989 until Tubby Wadsworth (ex-Massive Appeal, Fester Fanatics) joined as a permanent member.
The band started out playing the inner-Melbourne circuit and in June, 1990 their line-up expanded with the inclusion of guitarist Jed Starr (real name Darren McCormack, ex-Massive Appendage, Fester Fanatics). [...] Time's style then shifted away from Stooges-style grunge leanings to a more contemporary hard rock style. Led Zeppelin, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Living Color were obvious influences.
In February, 1991 the groups first recording, the 12-inch EP "Ruby's Mind", was released and they quickly outgrow their fanatical Melbourne crowd. The EP's first pressing ran just 800 units but by August, 1991 10,000 units had been pressed and The Release had made the Australian Top 20.
[...] Time became the subject of a furious bidding war between every major record company in Australia. They eventually signed a deal with Sydney-based independent label Red Eye.
Red Eye reissued "Ruby's Mind" in July of 1991, followed by the CD EP "The Mandlebroth Set" in October 1991. The band issued the CD single "Dream Alone"/"Mystery Line" in February, 1992, after which Jed Starr left to re-form Fester Fanatics. His place was taken by Chris Collins (ex-Greg Brady Overdrive). Drummer Tubby Wadsworth also left the band at this point to be replaced by Syd Green.
Dream Alone went to number 13 on the National Aria Charts and rated in the Top 20 on Video Hits. [...] Time landed a national tour with Janes Addiction and Baby Animals to support the success of the Dream Alone single and also jumped on the outdoor festival Big Day Out alongside Silverchair, The Cruel Sea, Iggy Pop, et.al.
[...] Time then signed an international record deal with Polydor Records, and entered the studio with American producer Terry Date (best known for his hard rock production work with Soundgarden and Pantera) in May, 1992 to begin recording their debut album. Due to a band also called [...] Time in the USA and another in Japan, the local [...] Time became Mantissa in August 1992. The name was inspired by John Fowles' novel "Mantissa" in which Mantissa was deemed the goddess of creativity. Mantissa's debut album "Mossy God" came out in October, 1992 which coincided with the band's Australian tour support to the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Two singles were lifted from the debut Mantissa album, "Mary Mary" (which peaked at #55 on the Australian charts in November, 1992) and "Land of the Living" (#60 in March ,1993). Excerpts from the ‘Mary, Mary’ clip were used on the movie score for the American film "SFW" starring Stephen Dorff and Reece Witherspoon.The album mixed grinding, heavy riffs, Grant's rumbling bass lines and Pringle's dramatic vocals with a mystical feel and all manner of psychedelic touches. Following the release of "Mossy God" and the single "Land of the Living" in the USA mid-1993, Mantissa spent nine months touring across America. The band returned to Australia and issued a new CD single "Sanctify" in June, 1994. This was followed by an Australian support tour in November for US rock heavyweights Pantera.
"Land of the Living" was released in 1993 and saw another national tour. It placed in the Top 40 on Video Hits. Performed at Big Day Out alongside Ministry and Hole. With new management (Spin Doctors & Meatloaf) and using the advance from the U.S. signing, Mantissa relocated to America in 1993. Basing themselves out of New Jersey, and armed with two vans and a sound guy called Dr BOB, they toured extensively (220 shows) across forty-two states. Occasionally hopping on support spots with Dave Sykes (Whitesnake, Thin lizzy) and Mindfunk (another band produced by Terry Date).
Landing back in Oz in 94' saw the guys and girl back in the studio to record the EP "Interalia" at Sing Sing in Melbourne with Michael Letho (Marcia Hines, Darryl Braithwaite, Rush, Jesus Christ Superstar, Mark Seymour, Shine movie score). A national tour ensued to support the release. Mantissa was the opening act (should we say dog meat rather) for Pantera in 1994 in Melbourne and Adelaide.
In 1995, the band recorded "Thirst" at Sing Sing Studios and Gotham Studios in Melbourne. This was to be their last album and the final tour concluded at The Metro in Sydney in 1996.
ADAM PRINGLE: The last word we had on Adam Pringle was that he was on an "extended horticultural excursion" in Northern New South Wales somewhere. He has been spotted from time to time in Melbourne when he returns.
There was talk of Adam pursuing a new project a few years ago under the name Damaged Goodz but this doesn't seem to have eventuated.
NINA GRANT: Word is Nina has been on the same extended vacation as Adam but she has been known to return to Melbourne more frequently and, from our eyewitness accounts, "looks great".
CHRIS PAINE: Before [...] Time Paine was actually a very successful skateboarder, featuring in magazines and publications across the country. Word is the three original [...] Time Melbournites were your regular skater punk kids. Paine was somewhat of a mascot for the Prahran skate shop of the time known as "Cheap Skates". The shop was just a stone's throw from the local skate bowl and many of the skater kids from the area congregated there to watch their local hero Paine do his thing. Music came along to this crew when iconic Melbourne store Fretted Instruments turned the Cheap Skates building into their Prahran store. This became the store from which [...] Time/Mantissa bought most all of their equipment throughout their career.
Chris Paine had been spotted a few times around Melbourne riding a mountain bike in the past few years. Apparently he has a mountain biking and motocross hobby but no one we've caught up with was ever able to engage Chris in conversation. He had withdrawn from more than just music from all accounts and was the one for whom rock excess has been most difficult to shake.
It had appeared that music and Chris Paine had parted company until late last year Mechatronix turned up. We believe it's an industrial type of outfit complete with drum machine but the bands page at DoubleHardRecords.com has disappeared. The band did gig around the inner-Melbourne circuit so if anyone knows anything more drop us a line.
UPDATE Thanks to Mechatronix lugger Stuart we can update you on the movements of Mechatronix. Stuart sent us this update on August 25th, 2003: Mechatronix have changed guitarists, due to "musical differences", which is why they haven't been gigging for a while. Their new guitarist, "Kiwi Joe", rocks hard and does the old "twiddly twiddly" up the guitar neck really well. The drummer, Michael "Doc" Nelson ( a man, not a machine ), plays an electronic drumkit and is the backbone of the band's hard driving sound. Chris Paine does the vocals, bass and some guitar and it's great to see him back on stage looking and performing well and free from "rock excess". The band have been hard at work perfecting their sound and recording tracks. There are 4 tracks available to download to mp3 or listen to at http://www15.brinkster.com/kryptica/index3.html in the NEWS section. The new line up will be playing their tunes at The Duke of Windsor in September and are looking to play other venues. The quality of their sound turns other musician's heads so if you like three piece bands that "punch above their weight", get along and see them. You won't regret it, ( and I might get paid!).
TUBBY WADSWORTH: Drummer Tubby Wadsworth has spent his past decade or so playing jazz and rock covers. He was last spotted about three years ago by one of our eyewitnesses playing in a small group in the back corner of a pizza bar in Liverpool, New South Wales.
JED STARR: Jed Starr was originally a Sydneysider who formed Festers Fanatics, a band that came within a poofteenth of signing a major label deal after both Rose Tattoo and Guns 'N' Roses threw their significant weight behind them. He came down to Melbourne to escape the hassles, as he saw them, of the Sydney scene. Starr took [...] Time to the next level in their careers, refining their music from the punk/grunge they'd started playing. When Starr had tired of the [...] Time gig (for many reasons) he left to form Melbourne band Starworld. There were legal issues with his former bandmates and Starr reportedly suffered from the strain. Fester's was reformed around April/May of 1994 and went on for a while before Jed returned to Sydney.
Tubby Wadsworth is in collaboration with a number of emerging Sydney rock bands and has lived in Newtown for the last 10 years. He makes his living as a drum teacher and has done so for many years. He is in contact with Jed Starr but, according to Tubby, is not likely to re emerge as a working musician anytime soon.
CHRIS COLLINS: Chris Collins has done little musically since the demise of Mantissa. He has played a little with fellow former Mantissa member Syd Green. Besides that we know nothing more of his movements.
SYD GREEN: In late 1995, following the dissolution of Mantissa, Syd Green joined Christ Art Museum. He spent the next few years playing with CAM and another band, Guilding The Lily, before joining iOTA in 1999. He is also into producing and is apparently doing very well at it. iOTA released their new album, "La Caravana", about three weeks ago and are currently touring in support of the release. They spend the next few weeks in New South Wales, commencing from next Saturday with six dates supporting The Whitlams. A few headlining shows will follow The Whitlams supports with more dates to be announced.
UPDATE - 28th JUNE 2005 Info regarding Sydney Green ([...] Time et al) at www.catbird.com.au and www.sydgreen.com.au are Syd's latest ventures...
SPECIAL NOTE One of the two or three original drummers of [...] Time was Russell Hopkinson. His tenure was short-lived but we thought his inclusion was worth special mention as he went on to drum for Nursery rimes, then scored the plumb spot behind the skins for You Am I, a gig he holds until this day.