A Witness were an alternative rock band formed in 1985 in Stockport, Cheshire, England, by Rick Aitken, Keith Curtis, Vince Hunt and a drum machine, later replaced by Alan Brown (of bIG fLAME fame).

Initially signing to the Ron Johnson label, debut EP 'Loudhailer Songs' put them at the forefront of a wave of Beefheart-influenced bands that emerged in the mid-1980's. They gained further attention due to the inclusion of the track 'Sharpened Sticks' on the NME's C86 cassette in the following year.

Debut album 'I an John's Pancreas' followed later in 1986, with a further two 12" singles on the Ron Johnson label (one each in 1987 and 1988) before it's collapse. Communion issued the US-only 'Sacred Cow Heart' compilation in 1988.

Guitarist Rick Aitken died in a climbing accident 1989, and the band split. The band's sessions for John Peel were collected on an album ('The Peel Sessions'), and a posthumous single 'I Love You Mr. Disposable Razors' was issued in 1990 on the Vinyl Drip label.

Keith Curtis went on to play guitar for John Robb's Membranes and bass in Goldblade. Vince Hunt recorded soundscape albums before forming Marshall Smith in 1997, with Alan Brown and former Pram drummer Daren Garratt.

Interest in the band has never waned, and a retrospective 'Threaphurst Lane' was issued in 2002, while 2006 saw the reissue of 'I am John's Pancreas'.

Discography

Singles

• Loudhailer Songs (1985, Ron Johnson, 12", ZRON 5)
• Red Snake (1987, Ron Johnson, 12", )
• Raw Patch (1988, Ron Johnson, 12", ZRON 30)
• I Love You Mr. Disposable Razors (1990, Vinyl Drip, 12", SUK 010)

Albums

• I am John's Pancreas (1986, Ron Johnson, LP, ZRON 12) (2006, Euphonium, CD, )
• Sacred Cow Heart (1988, Communion, LP/C, COMM003/C)
• The Peel Sessions (1989, Strange Fruit, LP/CD, SFPMA/CD 206)
• Threaphurst Lane (2002, Overground, CD, )