The Fraudulent Increments

Back row from left: Dobie Grid (Percussion), Randy Trumb (The Stones of Ambiguity), Thomas Puffin (Rhodes Piano), Peter Repeater (Alto Sax), Ricky 'Thump' Hives (Drums)

Front Row from Left: Godfrey Wemble (Guitar), Cretin Dan (Electo-Washboard), Danson Dogrell (French Horn), Ernest Platitude (Ooze Pipe), The Delusion (Vibes)

Relaxed: Trent Bensone (Bass & Vocals)


Furious scene leaders of the confrontation Shet-Jazz scene, where their unique "nail-down-a-blackboard" sound and fierce, politically incorrect stance brought them plaudits from both the rock press ("Damaging" - The **** You Reader) and the high brow jazz set ("That's hep!" - The Chin Magazine). Formed around a nucleus of Trent Bensone (Bass & Vocals), Godfrey Wemble (Guitar) and Ernest Platitude (Ooze Pipe), the free floating line up stormed the top ten in 1978 with their 24 minute single, "Agriculture!".

The band Hailed from the south island, where the music scenes dedication to overblown experimentalism and routine animal cruelty put them at odds with the North Islands more pastoral and easy going bands, typified by the softly spoken fusions of "Winsome Pond" and the floral drones and traditional farming methods of "The Cobblestones"

Things came to a head in 1981, when, enraged by the mainstream success and apparent sell out of North Island press darlings, "Scrivener's Hat" and the chart busting, Grimmy award winning, conceptually high brow Folk-Disco duo, Petre & Horsesmith, The Fraudulent Increments led a coalition of the willing across the dangerously unpredictable Octopus Sea to visit anarchy on their musical neighbours.

Braving the churning waters in traditionally made Coracles (small handmade boats fitted with traditional PA equipment), they made landfall then set about torching the North's ancient wooden recording studios, one of which was responsible for Britain's first number one single*.

This single act of groovy vandalism cemented their place among critics everywhere. Such praise, combined with mainstream success in recent years, sees the band setting fire to far more salubrious venues these days. The bands success culminated in the release this year of "Red Hot Barbican", a triple CD concert recording which includes the fear stricken wails of fans that were still struggling to escape from the historic centre for the arts when the roof finally gave way...

Discography

1978 Think like a Mountain
1978 Rampant Excursions (Split LP with The Really Wild Girls)
1980 Elk! Elk! Elk!
1981 Crumpled Husk
1984 Brown Sounds
1987 Pretty Pretty Asthma
1990 Gay Compass
1994 Plexi-Funk
1998 Wild Candy
2003 Placidly Beige
2006 Party Time Hot Steam
2009 Red Hot Barbican




* Released in all the then contemporary formats, including Carved Box, Merlin's Scroll and Ye Willow Switch, the uptempo reading of Henry VIII's monster smash "Greensleeves", arranged in the then cutting edge Madrigal-Bop style, rocked the hit parade in Feb 1532.