Their first concerts were tentative duo outings in local manchester venues such as the Aaben cinema foyer in Manchester.

They continued working in their 8 track studio and in 1990 released the Ho! Fat Wallet: Cassette album; An hour long first album released on Manchester’s Bop Cassettes.

They also released a vinyl 12inch EP “Pay Me My Money Down” on Big Biz Niz Records It was a 4:Track 45 r.p.m. with hand painted covers. A Limited Edition, unfortunately no more left!

The early spaceheads sound is based around studio multi-tracking, big brass sections.

There are not many live gigs at this time as Andy joins Manchester’s “indie” heroes James and finds himself on “top of the pops” and touring the world.

Andy leaves James in the summer of 1992 and they honour him and Spaceheads by inviting them as the support act on their “acoustic” tour at the end of 1992. A cassette was released to go with the tour of bits of the 12inch single along with a couple of new ideas that never saw the light of day.

Over the next 3 years Spaceheads develop their live sound based around looped trumpet played through harmoniser pedals (as Andy discovers the wonderful digitech Whammy pedal). They start playing regularly around Manchester and London, and had a short tour of Holland (hosted by their friends in the band “The Ex”) and played in Poland in 1993 as part of the “other London Music festival”.

Other highlights were an Appearance at Disobey club in London in 1994 with Richard James (Aphex twin), subsequently released on Blast First’s compilation 3 Fingers and a Fumb.

Andy was now based in London and Richard in Manchester, but they managed to put together a mix of recordings, mostly done in a padded sound proofed room in a  council flat in Brixton London.


These recordings form the basis of Spaceheads: First Spaceheads CD release; on “Red Note” in Europe and “Dark Beloved Cloud” USA.
This CDs mixture of studio, live tracks and remixes introduces the Spaceheads to a world-wide audience.

You are at Chapter 2 – “Early Years 89-95”
Here are the links to the other chapters

Chapter 1 – Pre Spaceheads
Chapter 3 – Touring 96-02
Chapter 4 – Collaborations 03-12
Chapter 5 – Electric Brass 13-today