Bis
Left to right: Steven Clark, John Clark, Amanda MacKinnon
Background information
Origin	Glasgow, Scotland
Genre(s)	Electro-pop Post-punk Pop Punk
Years active	1994 - 2003
Label(s)	Chemikal Underground Grand Royal spinART Records Lookout Records Wiiija
Associated acts	The Kitchen Data Panik Italian Electro Dirty Hospital
Website	http://www.bisnation.com/
Members
Steven Clark John Clark Amanda MacKinnon

Bis are a Scottish rock band composed of Steven Clark (Sci-fi Steven), John Clark (John Disco), and Amanda MacKinnon (Manda Rin). Formed in 1994, the band broke up in 2003, reforming in 2007 for a series of concerts.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Rise to fame 1.2 Split and future projects 2 Discography 2.1 Albums 2.2 Compilations 2.3 EPs 2.4 Singles 2.5 Splits 2.6 V/A Compilations of Note 3 References 4 External links

History

The 3 musicians formed Bis in 1994, when Manda and John were in secondary school and Steven had recently finished. About a year later, they appeared on Top of the Pops performing Kandy Pop from their Secret Vampire Soundtrack EP ahead of its release, widely reported as the first such appearance by an unsigned act. Bis had a number of EPs that almost scraped into the UK top 40, including Sweet Shop Avengerz. In the late 1990s "Eurodisco", from the album Social Dancing, became a notable success for the band.

The band's name, rhyming with 'this', derives from "Black Iron Skyline", a former band of John and Steven.

Rise to fame

The band's early releases were on Glasgow's lo-fi Chemikal Underground label, run by The Delgados, before transferring to Wiiija where labelmates included Cornershop. In the USA, their records appeared on the underground label K Records and on the Beastie Boys' Grand Royal label. They toured extensively both in the UK and abroad—their diverse influences reflected in the kind of acts they appeared with: Pavement, Garbage, Luscious Jackson, Foo Fighters and Gary Numan among them.

Mainstream United States first encountered the band during the closing credits of The Powerpuff Girls animated series. Their song Detour was also given some radio airplay in the U.S. They enjoyed a period of considerable success in Japan—selling nearly 100,000 copies of their debut album in the first week of release.

Split and future projects

The band broke up in 2003, after playing a farewell show at King Tut's Wah Wah Hut. All remain active in the local music scene. Steven and John play in Dirty Hospital and Manda DJs. Manda was also in a band called The Kitchen, whilst John joined ska band The Amphetameanies which include members of Belle & Sebastian and Pink Kross.

In 2005, they announced on the official Bis website that together they'd formed a new band, called data Panik with Stuart Memo on bass and drummer Graham Christie. After releasing two 7" singles, however, the band split.

Bis contributed a song to the game Jet Set Radio Future called "Statement Of Intent". In 2005, Bis performed in animated form on the CBBC children's cartoon BB3B.

As of 2006 Manda Rin is working on solo material.

To celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the release of their debut album The New Transistor Heroes, Bis re-formed in April 2007 for 3 shows in Glasgow, Manchester, and London. A Greatest hits compilation entitled We are Bis from Glasgow, Scotland was released on CD to coincide with these shows.

Discography

Albums

• The New Transistor Heroes (1997, Wiiija, Grand Royal/Capitol & Tristar/Sony)
• Social Dancing (1999, Wiiija, Grand Royal/Capitol & V2)
• Play Some Real Songs: the Live Album (2001)
• Return To Central (2001, spinART, Apex & Tilt)

Compilations

• Icky-Poo Air Raid (1997, Rock)
• Intendo (1998, Grand Royal)
• I Love Bis (2001)
• Plastique Nouveau (2002, spinART)
• We are Bis from Glasgow, Scotland (2007, Cherry Red)

EPs

• Transmissions on the Teen-C Tip! (1995, Acuarela)
• Disco Nation 45 (1995, Chemikal Underground)
• The Secret Vampire Soundtrack (1996, Chemikal Underground)
• Bis vs. the D.I.Y. Corps (1996, teen-c recordings)
• Atom-Powered Action! (1996, Wiiija)
• This Is Teen-C Power! (1996, Grand Royal)
• Techno Disco Lovers (1998, V2 & PIAS)
• Music For A Stranger World (2001, Wiiija, Lookout! & V2)
• fukd i.d. (2001, Chemikal Underground)
• Fact 2002 (2001, Optimo Singles Club and Other Related Recordings)
• Plastique 33 (2002, spinART)

Singles

• Kandy Pop/Sweet Shop Avengerz (1997, Tristar/Sony) - (1997, Wiiija)
• Everybody Thinks That They're Going To Get Theirs (1997, Wiiija & Shock) - (1997, Tristar/Sony)
• Kid Cut (demo) (1997)
• Eurodisco (1998, Wiiija, Grand Royal/Capitol)
• Action & Drama (1999, Wiiija, Shock)
• Detour (1999, Wiiija & Grand Royal)
• What You're Afraid Of (2001, spinART)
• Protection (2001, Tilt)
• The End Starts Today (2002, Artful)

Splits

• Heavenly/Bis split (1996, K)
• Lugworm/Bis split (1997, Guided Missile)
• Bis/The Apples in Stereo split (2000, Rhino)

V/A Compilations of Note

• Songs About Plucking (1996, Fierce Panda)
• the Smiths is Dead (1996)
• Random (1997, Beggar Banquet)
• At Home with the Groovebox (2000, Grand Royal)
• Powerpuff Girls: Heroes and Villains (2000, Rhino)

References

External links

• Bis Nation - Official website
• Audiojunkies Interview with Manda Rin
• Interview with Data Panik at their first London gig, August 2005
• Bis interview, July 1997
• Unofficial Bis xbx