Eureka Machines are a British pop rock band based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, who formed in 2007.Vibrations Magazine Interview, March 2008 The band consists of Chris Catalyst (also of The Sisters of Mercy and The God Damn Whores) on lead vocals & guitar, Davros (aka Dave) on guitar & backing vocals, Pete Human on bass guitar & backing vocals and Wayne Insane on drums. Described as "power pop" by Classic Rock magazine, they are something of a cottage industry, putting out their own records and being self-managing and self-promotingScreaming Tarts interview, 8 May 2009 while also touring and gaining press coverage and airplay at a national level.
Formation and origins Eureka Machines began with Chris asking Wayne to join but since Wayne was still committed to his previous band, Chris had to wait for him to become available before they could start working together in 2007 on early tracks.Leeds Guide, August 2008 Some of these tracks then appeared on MySpace in August 2007.Eureka Machines Myspace, first blog entry regarding demos 12 August 2007 Dave/Davros and then Steve Morricone (also of The Scaramanga Six) were invited to join the band.Sandman Magazine, May 2008
All 4 members had previously been in other local, and in some cases more well-known acts. Chris Catalyst is a current member of The Sisters of Mercy, The God Damn Whores and was previously in AntiProduct, The Scaramanga Six, The Dead Pets, Catylyst (with 2 'y's) and used to do a solo act as Robochrist which he has described as being currently on indefinite hold.Sphere Magazine Interview, 15 January 2010 Steve Morricone is a founding member of The Scaramanga Six and also plays with Kava Kava and Being 747. Wayne Insane had previously been in Vatican Jet and Orka.No Title Magazine, March 2009 Dave had previously played alongside Chris in Catylyst but had then taken a break from music before being invited back to join Eureka Machines.
The band played their debut gig supporting Forward Russia at the Brudenell Social Club on 14 December 2007 (a line-up which also included The Scaramanga Six).Leeds Music Scene Gig listing for 14/12/07 Further local gigs followed, with 3-track demo CDs being sold at the shows.Leeds Music Scene demo review, 6 January 2008
From the start they had a uniform appearance onstage, wearing black suits with white ties and matching T.U.K. shoes. Chris has described this as being part of the act: "so many bands nowadays look the same. I wanted to stand out from that."
Early momentum In February 2008 the band were asked to appear as support on a UK tour with Ginger of The Wildhearts, this was an acoustic tour with Chris and Dave playing acoustic as support.Kerrang Magazine review, 26 March 2008 During the tour they sold their original demo CD and a limited edition 6-track live acoustic session CD,Eureka Machines Myspace blog, 5 February 2008 selling almost 500 CDs over the 13 date tour.Eureka Machines Myspace blog, 6 March 2008
In March the band appeared on the Raw Talent show on BBC Radio Humberside to do a live session, again acoustic (9 March). Regular airplay followed on both BBC Radio Humberside and BBC Radio Leeds with another full band live session being broadcast on 5 October 2008.
In April a planned UK tour supporting AntiProduct was cancelled due to health problems within the AntiProduct camp.www.eurekamachines.com news article 6 April 2008 Instead they quickly organised their own local dates instead, and amongst other gigs they played Live at Leeds, a local weekend-long festival which saw Eureka Machines play twice on Saturday 3 May, once during the afternoon as part of Live at LeedsYorkshire Evening Post article, 30 April 2008 and again in the evening at local rock night 'Rock of Ages'.
In July the band recorded their first videos with Ash TV, one was a promo for the track Everyone Loves You,Huddersfield Daily Examiner, 18 August 2008 the other was a spoof version of MTV Cribs which appeared on YouTube in early August. More live videos were recorded at another local festival, Leeds Unity Day on 16 August.
Their largest live date for the summer was being asked to appear on the BBC Introducing Stage at the Reading and Leeds Festivals.BBC Reading and Leeds 2008 Eureka Machines profile
Debut album: Do or Die The debut album Do or Die was released on local label Wrath Records (run by Steve and Paul Morricone) on 1 September 2008 both digitally and physically, with an album launch party taking place the same day in local Leeds curry house The Bengal Brasserie. The album was both self-released and self-produced, and grew out of recordings Chris had started with additional tracks being added on in stages. The album was mastered by Jase Edwards (of Wolfsbane and The God Damn Whores)Sandman Magazine, September 2008 and as well as guitar, bass and drums it included Chris playing piano, trombone and xylophone and Steve playing saxophone.Croydon Guardian 8 September 2008
Describing the album, Chris said 'it's basically like rock and roll cabaret - a big heap of rock music that makes people smile'.Croydon Guardian, 8 September 2008 Do or Die gained positive reviews from Kerrang!, Classic Rock, Rock Sound, Leeds Guide, Sandman magazine, No Title magazine and Black Velvet Fanzine, as well as airplay on BBC Radio 1, BBC 6 Music, Xfm, Channel Five, MTV2, Scuzz and various local stations.Giltzine Interview 10 February 2010
Touring and further releases 2008 to 2012 Following the album release the band toured throughout September 2008,www.eurkeamachines.com previous gig listings including supporting The Wildhearts at their sold out show at Shepherd's Bush Empire on 20 September.Kerrang! magazine review, 11 October 2008 More touring followed throughout January and February 2009.
Increasing workload led to a parting of the ways as Chris Catalyst left The Scaramanga Six in October 2008Scaramanga Six mailing list newsletter, 17 October 2008 to concentrate on Eureka Machines (although he remains a member of The Sisters of Mercy) and Steve Morricone left Eureka Machines in February 2009 to focus more on The Scaramanga Six and the educational Being 747 show 'Amoeba to Zebra'. Both parties have been quoted as saying they still remain friends.Vibrations Magazine, March 2009 Steve was replaced on bass by Pete Human, previously from Leeds band The Gushers.
In May they released the single "Everyone Loves You"Screaming Tarts magazine, 8 May 2009 and album title track "Do Or Die" was made Classic Rock magazine's track of the day. The single was supported with further live dates both headlining and supporting other artists such as Ginger of The Wildhearts, Laika Dog (featuring Tony from Terrorvision), The Stranglers and Sigue Sigue Sputnik.
In the summer of 2009 they played festivals including Guilfest,Guifest Website band profile Moor Music Festival, Wickerman FestivalWickerman Festival Website 2009 Line up and Trashstock in Nottingham.
Single "Being Good is Okay, but Being Better's Better" was released as a free download on 2 September through their website, with a video to accompany it made by Paul Morricone of Poison Pen Films.
Classic Rock Magazine featured the band again in November 2009 by putting "The Story of My Life" on a cover mounted CD.www.eurekamachines.com news item 1 November 2009
In December the band completed their biggest UK tour to date, supporting Electric Six for 14 dates throughout the UK & Ireland in Academy venues.
At the end of the year they were featured in a piece in American Spin magazine where the album Do or Die was reviewed as a 'gem you may have missed'.Spin Magazine, published December 2009
In January 2010 Eureka Machines were included on a charity download album called The Haiti Project put together by Round Records.Alt Sounds news article 26 January 2010
On 2 December 2010, Eureka Machines released the first single from the second album, "These Are the People Who Live in My House", as a free download on their website, premiering the video at the same time.Eureka Machines website news page
In early 2012 the band flew to Poland for a couple of dates in April,Eureka Machines gig list 2012 and played some one-off shows in the UK at events like the 'Kill your idols' all dayer in Manchester and a Mick Ronson Legacy show in Hull.
On 11 October 2012, Eureka Machines appeared in the British soap opera Emmerdale playing at a fictional music festival. The festival 'HomeFields 2012' was filmed as part of the soap’s 40th birthday celebrations. The full festival line up was Scouting for Girls, The Proclaimers, DeLorean Drivers, Eureka Machines and folk singer Brendan Croker.ITV media website article
Second album: Champion the Underdog Work started on recording album two, entitled Champion the Underdog, at the start of February 2010.Classic Rock magazine 'Ones To Watch 2010' feature, January 2010 The album was recorded throughout 2010 and early 2011 in a variety of studios Eureka Machines website news page article 24 February 2011 before being released on 3 May 2011 on Wrath Records. The album was produced by Jase Edwards and Chris Catalyst, and features guest artists including Steve and Paul Morricone (from The Scaramanga Six) on saxophone and vocals and Willie Dowling (Honeycrack, Jackdaw4) on strings & piano.Credits on album liner notes
Other reviews from local and national press were also positive: “It retains all that was good about the first album and, adds a depth of song writing and performance that make this an excellent follow-up... 4 out of 5” – Leeds Guide.Leeds Guide review 19 April 2011 “One of the most entertaining and special bands the UK has to offer right now” – Uber Rock.Uber Rock Review 25 April 2011 “Brilliant slices of catchy pop rock” – Contact Music.Contact Music Review 29 March 2011 “If there’s any justice, this should be the album that finally breaks down the walls and makes the world sit up and take notice of the Eureka Machines.” – Pure Rawk.Pure Rock Review 19 April 2011 “This band, without question possess the most “fun” rock ‘n’ roll sound (and best dress-sense) in all of Yorkshire’s rock scene. 4 out of 5” – Soundsphere.Soundsphere review 2 April 2011 “Eureka Machines have a winning formula that they want to bring to the table, the fun, bop and bounce ricochets through this album. 8.5 out of 10” - This is not a scene.This is not a scene review 21 April 2011
To support the release the band toured extensively in May and June 2011.Sinister Angels Realm 16 March 2011 The track made available via the website upon the album's release, "(I’m) Wasting My Time (Yet Again)" was featured in Classic Rock’s Heavy Rotation section in June 2011: “With one of those monster ‘woah-oh’ choruses, this new song from the Eureka Machines proves that their debut album of sparkling power pop wasn’t a fluke.” Classic Rock Heavy Rotation section, page 18 of Classic Rock Magazine June 2011
Pledge campaigns for third and fourth albums In October 2012 the band launched a PledgeMusic campaign for their third album, Remain in Hope. The pledge page went live on 25 October, and had reached the target amount within 2.5 hours.Pledge Music campaign page By the time the project was completed, they'd raised over 500% of their target from over 1,200 pledgers. Fans received video updates, covers and an acoustic album for taking part. The album was released to the public on 21 February 2013.
For the fourth album Brain Waves they returned to PledgeMusic with a more ambitious target in November 2014 to make a new album and a DVDLouder Than War review and raised 100% of their funding within 80 minutes of going live.Pure Rawk news article By the end of the pledge campaign the total was 390%. The first incentive fans received was an EP of cover versions called Remain in Eighties. This was followed by a Christmas raffle in which Chris gave away his trademark Ibanez guitar.