Pink Dots Close

With a title taken from the Spanish version of the band's motto – "sing while you may" – Canta Miedras Puedas is a useful enough single-disc compilation of the Legendary Pink Dots' work in the first half of the '90s…

The Legendary Pink Dots are an influential, staggeringly prolific group led by enigmatic frontman Edward Ka-Spel. Emerging from the early-'80s post-punk underground and sometimes categorized as industrial due to associations with bands like Skinny Puppy, the group's music is nearly impossible to pin down, drawing from Krautrock, ambient, folk, synth pop, and numerous other styles.

“A cubicle for you, a cubicle for me….but not together…” The Year 2020 was not a year for a band to 'get things together in the country', or gather in a room to write songs. This statement certainly applied to the Legendary Pink Dots with two members in The Netherlands and one in the UK. The pandemic reared its ugly head as the Dots’ criss-crossed Europe on the second stage of their 40th Anniversary Tour. Just a few days before much of Italy locked down the band was in Milan. A few days later, the destination was Cologne where they opted for a hotel in the countryside… it turned out that the resting place was one village away from the most lethal outbreak of the virus in Germany. The tour eventually finished in a sold-out club with a worryingly low ceiling in London. There were hugs, a real feeling of togetherness with a truly lovely audience. Then the World stopped.

“Curse” was intended as the Pink Dots’ first official album, but a surprise request from a label to release the cassette album “ Brighter Now” on vinyl meant the proposed debut was delayed for a year. In the interim, many new songs were recorded, the line-up of the band changed and the entire complexion of the album changed drastically. It remains a strong favourite within the Dots’ community to this day.