Richard Johnson (4)

Having been involved with music via the popular UK fanzine, Grim Humour, and Fourth Dimension Records, Richard later felt compelled to try something more direct. As a result, in 1985, he grouped with several friends and a drum machine to commence rehearsals on a combination of noise/post-punk/industrial-influenced songs that were to shortly go under the Playground moniker (a name chosen due to its not really suggesting the kind of music they played). At the end of the '80s, Playground fragmented and most of the group, led by Richo, formed the more serious and developed Splintered very soon after. Splintered continued until 1997/1998, leaving behind them a vast body of work on numerous labels around the world...some industrial and some from the more noise-rock end of the spectrum. Whilst Splintered never really split, they have never done anything since. As such, Richard, along with Stuart Carter and Hassni Malik, formed Theme, who've so far played a few sporadic concerts in Europe, have three albums out and appear on a couple of compilations...