Pitchshifter

Lore & Background

Pitchshifter was formed in 1989 (initially spelled Pitch Shifter) by guitarist and programmer Johnny Carter and bassist Mark Clayden, later joined by Stu Toolin, and then Jon 'JS' Clayden (Mark Clayden's brother). During this time, the band played with local bands and soon gained attention of the Peaceville Records. They have cited major influences as Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Metallica, Nine Inch Nails, Led Zeppelin, The Cure, The Doors, The Sex Pistols, The Ramones, and Ministry. During 1990, the band started recording their début album, Industrial, with the main vocalist being Mark Clayden instead of JS, who contributed with backing vocals. The band later went on a small tour with bands like Napalm Death.

The band later joined the British label Earache Records where they released their mini-album/EP Submit. Later, Stuart Toolin left the band, and they hired drummer D.J. Walters, now being a four-piece band. Later, the band released their second album, Desensitized. The band played at the Phoenix Festival in Long Marston, England, in 1995. The band's manager, armed with a tractor, arranged for an enormous crop circle replica of the band's famous 'eye' symbol to appear in the adjoining field to the festival site during the night prior to their performance there. The crowd's enthusiasm for the band when they performed was so high that they rushed the stage, making Pitchshifter's performance the first in the history of the festival to be stopped early.

As the band undertook a reorientation of its sound and image, the band's name was restyled from the two-word Pitch Shifter to the compounded Pitchshifter and recruited former The Prodigy live guitarist Jim Davies, returning to a five-piece lineup. During this period, the group also began to incorporate nu metal and drum and bass influences, genres that were prominent at the time, which were first showcased on the single 'Genius'. The track was later included in Test Drive 5 and the Mortal Kombat: Annihilation soundtrack, which helped the band to gain platinum recognition. In 1998, the band released their fourth album www.pitchshifter.com, which is their best selling album, selling around 60,000 copies in the U.S. The band later played in Ozzfest 1998 and Livid in support of their album.

Reader's Guide

Pitchshifter's significance lies in their role as one of the originators of industrial metal, alongside Godflesh, and their later adoption of nu metal and drum and bass influences. Their 1998 album www.pitchshifter.com, compared with groups like The Prodigy, became their best-selling release, selling around 60,000 copies in the U.S. The band gained a platinum certification through the Mortal Kombat: Annihilation soundtrack, which included their single 'Genius'. Despite little mainstream success, they performed at major festivals including Ozzfest, Phoenix Festival, and Damnation Festival. Their history includes a notable incident at the 1995 Phoenix Festival where a crop circle replica of their eye symbol was created, and their performance was stopped early due to crowd enthusiasm. The band went on an indefinite hiatus in 2003, but reunited for a short tour in 2018 to coincide with the 20th anniversary of www.pitchshifter.com. Their legacy includes influencing the industrial metal genre and bridging industrial, nu metal, and electronic sounds.

Did You Know?

• Pitchshifter's performance at the 1995 Phoenix Festival was the first in the festival's history to be stopped early due to crowd enthusiasm.
• The band's manager arranged for an enormous crop circle replica of the band's 'eye' symbol to appear in a field adjoining the Phoenix Festival site.
• The album Deviant was banned in Poland due to outrage over its cover art, which depicted a cross between Pope John Paul II and Queen Elizabeth II.
• Founder Johnny Carter and drummer D.J. Walters left the band in 2000.