Curve

Real Name:
Dean Garcia, Toni Halliday
Profile:
Seminal indie rock/electronic crossover group who originally met through David Stewart of Eurythmics, whom Toni has know since she was a teenager. Dean played on two Eurythmics albums, Touch and Be Yourself Tonight. The two played together in the unsuccessful 80s band, State of Play, and parted on acrimonious terms. However, they resolved their differences and formed Curve in 1991.
Their first releases were very successful in the UK indie scene, but, despite critical acclaim, they never grew beyond that level. Low sales of their second album, "Cuckoo", led to the group splitting for four years, with Toni and Dean working with others. They reformed in '97 and released "Come Clean", the singles from which made a bigger splash in the US than their earlier material. However, the momentum didn't continue and label difficulties caused them serious problems.
Further releases failed to attract much interest outside of their core fanbase and, following the release of a two-disc retrospective in 2004, Toni called it a day on 31 January 2005, saying that the group had "come to its natural end with a lot of good work achieved in the last 15 years."
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Shortcut Code: [a5373]
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Discography

Releases:
Blindfold EP (EP, Single) (5 versions)   Anxious Records 1991
Cherry (EP, Single) (8 versions)   Anxious Records ... 1991
Frozen (EP, Single) (9 versions)   Charisma ... 1991
Bonus 5 Track CD (CD, Promo, Car)   Anxious Records, BMG 1992
Doppelgänger (Album) (10 versions)   Anxious Records ... 1992
Falling Free (12", Promo, S/Sided, Ltd)   Anxious Records 1992
Faît Accompli (Maxi, Single) (7 versions)   Anxious Records ... 1992
Horror Head (Single) (7 versions)   Anxious Records ... 1992
Pubic Fruit (CD, Comp)   Charisma 1992
Blackerthreetracker (EP, Single) (4 versions)   Anxious Records 1993
Blackerthreetrackertwo (2 versions)   Anxious Records 1993
Cuckoo (Album) (10 versions)   Anxious Records ... 1993
Cuckoo Four Track Album Sampler (CD, Smplr, Promo)   Anxious Records 1993
Missing Link EP (EP) (2 versions)   Charisma 1993
Radio Sessions (Comp) (3 versions)   Anxious Records 1993
Superblaster (Single, Maxi) (2 versions)   BMG ... 1993
Pink Girl With The Blues (Single) (2 versions)   Fatlip Recordings 1996
Chinese Burn (Maxi, Single) (11 versions)   Universal Records ... 1997
Come Clean (Album) (7 versions)   Universal Records ... 1997
Alligators Getting Up (CD, Single, Promo)   Universal Records 1998
Coming Up Roses (Maxi, Single) (10 versions)   Universal Records 1998
Curve For Bookies (CDr, Promo)   Universal Music Publishing Group 1998
Caught In The Alleyway (File, MP3, 128)   Not On Label (Curve Self-released) 2000
Turnaround (File, MP3, 128)   Not On Label (Curve Self-released) 2000
Gift (CD, Smplr, Promo)   Hip-O Records 2001
Gift (Album) (4 versions)   Hip-O Records ... 2001
Open Day At The Hate Fest (CD, Album)   Fatlip Recordings 2001
Perish (Minimax, Single)   Artful Records 2002
The New Adventures Of Curve (CD, Album)   Fatlip Recordings 2002
Advance Music (2xCDr, Promo)   Chrysalis Music Group USA 2003
Curve (CD, Promo)   Chrysalis Music UK 2003
Want More Need Less (Maxi) (2 versions)   Hoop Culture Records 2003
The Way Of Curve 1990 / 2004 (Comp) (2 versions)   BMG UK & Ireland ... 2004
Weekend (File, MP3, 160)   Not On Label (Curve Self-released) 2005
Remixes:
Seven Ways (Album) (2 versions) Words (Curved Headcase... Mute ... 1996
Tekno Party - Verze : 5.0 (CD, Comp) Words (Curves Headcase... Popron Music 1997
Words (Single) (5 versions) Words (Curves Headcase... Mute ... 1997
Čágo Belo Tekno! Vol. 7 (2xCD) Words (Curves Headcase... Popron Music 1998
Marilyn (CD, Maxi) Marilyn (French Kiss M... Columbia 2003
Join The Dots: B-Sides & Rarities 1978>2001 The Fiction Years (Comp) (3 versions) Just Say Yes (Curve Mix) Fiction Records ... 2004
Production:
5 Reel (Cass) Turkey Crossing New Musical Express 1993
Peace Together (Comp) (2 versions) What A Waste Island Records 1993
Vorsprung Dyk Technik (Remixes 92-98) (Comp) (2 versions) Chinese Burn (Forbidde... Deviant Records 1998
26 Mixes For Cash (Comp) (3 versions) Falling Free (Aphex Tw... Warp Records ... 2003
Hybrid (2xLP, Ltd, Comp, Num) Down In The Park Jagged Halo 2004
Mix:
Join The Dots: B-Sides & Rarities 1978>2001 The Fiction Years (4xCD, Comp)   Rhino Records (2) 2004
Appears On:
Volume Eight (CD, Comp) Low And Behold Volume 1993
Words (Maxi) (3 versions) Words (Curves Headcase... MFS ... 1997
Manchester United Beyond The Promised Land (CD, Album) Chainmail Virgin, Virgin 2000
Ballistic: Ecks Vs. Sever (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (CD, Comp) Hell Above Water Varèse Sarabande 2002
Hybrid (Album) (3 versions) Down In The Park Jagged Halo ... 2003
Perfecto Presents... Sandra Collins (2xCD, Comp, Mixed) Cold Comfort (Attentio... Thrive Records 2004
The Brit Box: UK Indie, Shoegaze, And Brit-Pop Gems Of The Last Millennium (4xCD, Comp, RM + Box) Coast Is Clear Rhino Records (2) 2007
Tracks Appear On:
Indie Top 20 Volume 12 (Album, Comp) (2 versions) Ten Little Girls Beechwood Music 1991
Rollercoaster U.S. (CD, Maxi) Clipped Def American Recordings 1991
Volume Two (CD, Comp) Already Yours (Basemen... Volume 1991
Best Of Independent 20 (Comp) (2 versions) Ten Little Girls Beechwood Music 1992
In A Field Of Their Own - Highlights Of Glastonbury 1992 (2xCD, Comp) Faît Accompli New Musical Express 1992
Independent 20 Volume 14 (Comp) (2 versions) Die Like A Dog Beechwood Music 1992
Independent 20 Volume 15 (2 versions) Fait Accompli (Extende... Beechwood Music 1992
IndieHits (Comp) (2 versions) Fait Accompli Telstar 1992
Ruby Trax - The NME's Roaring Forty (Comp, Album) (3 versions) I Feel Love New Musical Express 1992
5 Reel (Cass) Turkey Crossing New Musical Express 1993
Independent 20 Volume 16 (2 versions) Horror Head (Remix) Beechwood Music 1993
Indie Top 20 Volume 18 (Album, Comp) (2 versions) Missing Link Beechwood Music 1993
Peace Together (CD, Promo, Comp) What A Waste Island Records 1993
Peace Together (Comp) (2 versions) What A Waste Island Records 1993
The Alternative Way - Everything Is Beautiful (CD) Falling Free Ariola Benelux 1993
Volume Eight (CD, Comp) Low And Behold Volume 1993
Pinacle Cassette Upfront 0004 (Cass, Comp, Promo) Untitled Pinnacle Independent News 1994
The Doom Generation - Music From The Motion Picture (Comp) (2 versions) On The Wheel American Recordings 1995
Truebrit - 40 Essential Indie Hits (2xCD, Comp) Fait Accompli PolyGram TV 1996
Volume 17 - Fifth Birthday Bumper Bonanza! (Comp) (2 versions) Test Volume 1996
2 Lagered! (CD, Comp, Mixed) Chinese Burn (Witchman... Universal Music (New Zealand) 1997
Music From The Gregg Araki Movie: Nowhere (Comp) (4 versions) Nowhere Mercury 1997
Perspective - A Collection Of Remixes 1992-1997 (Comp) (2 versions) Chinese Burn (Forbidde... MFS ... 1997
Underground Beats (Volume 7) (2xCD) Chinese Burn (Paul Van... CD Pool 1997
Universal Ser Fremover Vol. 5 (CD, Promo) Chinese Burn (Steve Os... Universal Music (Norway) 1997
CMJ New Music Volume 55 March 1998 (CD, Comp, Promo) Coming Up Roses College Music Journal 1998
Nikita: Music From The Television Series (CD, Comp, Album) Chinese Burn TVT Soundtrax 1998
Nocturnal (Album, Comp) (2 versions) Fait Accompli Procreate ... 1998
The Z (2xCDr, Promo, Comp) Chinese Burn (Flood Mi... Universal Music Publishing Group 1998
Underground Beats (Volume 12) (2xCD) Coming Up Roses (Blue ... CD Pool 1998
Vorsprung Dyk Technik - Remixes 92-98 (Comp) (4 versions) Chinese Burn (Forbidde... Deviant Records 1998
Zoo Magazine CD Sampler 13 (CD, Smplr, Promo) Flood (Non Album Version) Zoo Magazine 1998
Original Soundtrack - La Femme Nikita (CD, Comp) Chinese Burn BMG Ariola 1999
Manchester United - Beyond The Promised Land (Comp, Album) (2 versions) Chainmail Virgin 2000
The Cornerstone Player 027 (CD, Comp, Promo + CD, Comp, Promo, Mixed, Enh + CD) Want More Need Less Cornerstone Promotion 2001
Ballistic: Ecks Vs. Sever (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (CD, Comp) Hell Above Water Varèse Sarabande 2002
CD Side 8 (CD, Smplr) Hell Above Water D-Side 2002
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - The Soundtrack (CD) Hell Above Water Hip-O Records 2002
Sonic Seducer Cold Hands Seduction Vol. 22 (CD, Enh, Smplr) Hell Above Water Sonic Seducer 2002
26 Mixes For Cash (Comp) (5 versions) Falling Free (Aphex Tw... Warp Records ... 2003
Perfecto Presents... Sandra Collins (2xCD, Comp, Mixed) Cold Comfort (Attentio... Thrive Records 2004
A Bugged Out Mix By Miss Kittin (Comp) (2 versions) Falling Free (Aphex Tw... Resist Music ... 2006
Like A Daydream - A Shoegazing Guide (CD) Horror Head Castle Music 2006
Live 16/03/2007 (CDr, Mixed) Chinese Burn Not On Label (Maximus (12) Self-released) 2007
The Brit Box: UK Indie, Shoegaze, And Brit-Pop Gems Of The Last Millennium (4xCD, Comp, RM + Box) Coast Is Clear Rhino Records (2) 2007
This Is For You Shits (CD, Mixed, Ltd) Falling Free (Aphex Tw... Warp Records 2007
Distant Noise Mix (File, MP3, Mixed, 192) Falling Free (Aphex Tw... Distant Noise Records  
Unofficial Releases:
Doppelgänger (CD, Album + Box, Ltd)   Anxious Records 1992
London Underground #1 (12") Chineseburn (Van Dyk Rmx) Not On Label 1998
Falling Free (12", S/Sided)   Not On Label (Curve), Not On Label (Aphex Twin) 2003
Remixes 1 (2x12") Falling Free (Aphex Tw... Not On Label (Aphex Twin) 2005
▸ show all 2 reviews

Reviews & Discussion

Review by donnacha Dec 21, 2005 (edited over 4 years ago)
Curve have got to be one of the UK's most unfortunate bands. Emerging out of the shoegazer scene with a new crossover sound that only a small section of the UK scene was ready for, the commercial failure of "Cuckoo" led them to split at the worst possible time. In 1993, the UK mainstream wasn't quite ready for dark electronic rock, even with a Nine Inch Nails remix, the US scene wasn't ready for foreign bands doing what had only just broken through there. By 1995, the time was perfect, but Curve weren't there, allowing Butch Vig to create a band, Garbage, to fill the gap and attain the success Toni and Dean had craved. Their return in 1998 was simply too late, they had minor success with the singles off "Come Clean", but not enough to keep the label happy and it was downhill from there.
Review by mudslut23 Aug 03, 2003
I am completely in love with Toni Halliday and her voice. I cannot understand why Curve never became huge. Bands like Garbage totally ripped them off and took it to the bank. Nonetheless, Curve made great electronic and rock music. They always had some great remixers as well. I believe they had Aphex Twin remixing them way before anyone else. I am nominating Horrorhead as the national anthem.

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