Elizabeth Davidson Fraser, Robin Guthrie, Simon Philip Raymonde, Will Heggie
Origin Grangemouth, Scotland
Founded in 1981 by Robin Guthrie, Will Heggie and Elizabeth Fraser, the Cocteau Twins have always been a threesome. In 1983, Will Heggie departed the band and, in 1984, Simon Raymonde joined Robin and Liz. This lineup would be the de-facto Cocteau Twins until their breakup in 1998.
Genre:
Dream pop/Ambient (1986-1997)
Ethereal Wave (1983-1986)
Gothic rock/Post-punk (1979-1983)
Website: CocteauTwins.com
~Elizabeth Fraser~
Born: August 29, 1963 in Grangemouth, Scotland.
Liz is the vocalist and lyricist in Cocteau Twins, and co-founded the group in Scotland in 1981 with her long-time companion Robin Guthrie and their friend Will Heggie. Her unique vocal stylings and mysterious, indecipherable lyrics have generated much debate over the years, but she has often been taciturn on the matter when asked about it.
Now among the world's most acclaimed singers, she parted ways professionally with Cocteau Twins in 1998 to pursue her solo ambitions. Liz has appeared as a guest-vocalist on numerous other recordings with other artists, has performed for film soundtracks, and was invited by Peter Gabriel to lend her spectacular voice to the UK's "Milennium Dome Project" in 1999.
Liz has two daughters—Lucy and Lily—and makes her home in Bristol, England with her partner, musician Damon Reece.
Liz has two daughters—Lucy and Lily—and makes her home in Bristol, England with her partner, musician Damon Reece.
~Robin Guthrie~
Born: January 4, 1962 in Grangemouth, Scotland.
Robin is a co-founder of Cocteau Twins, and is one of the principal songwriters and musicians. Robin's unique style of guitar-playing and songwriting—not to mention his deft production skills in the recording studio—have earned him the respect of musicians throughout the world.
Working at first with Will Heggie and, since, with Simon, Robin has played guitar, bass, keyboards, drums and other instruments over the years, plus programming, sampling and sound processing.
Robin shares duties with Simon as a partner in Bella Union Records, and he now works and lives in France with his wife, Florence, and their two children. He is also the proud father of Lucy Belle, his daughter with Liz.
In addition to his work as a producer and engineer, Robin's latest musical collaboration is Violet Indiana, with singer Siobhan de Maré (formerly of MONO). VI's first full-length LP, Roulette, was released in 2001 to much critical acclaim. Their second LP, Russian Doll was released in 2004. Robin's first solo record, Imperial, was released in March 2003 by Bella Union. His follow-up LP, Continental—plus two EPs, Everlasting and Waiting for Dawn—were released in spring 2006. (You can buy Robin's solo albums online at Darla Records in the USA and from RocketGirl in the UK.)
~Simon Raymonde~
Born: April 3, 1962 in Tottenham, England.
Simon, along with Robin, is a principal songwriter and musician in Cocteau Twins. Having joined Liz and Robin in 1984, Simon has helped shape the signature "Cocteau sound" since then - primarily with bass, guitar, and piano.
Following the break-up of Cocteau Twins in 1997, Simon was the first to release a solo work, entitled Blame Someone Else, in 1998, which was widely praised by critics and fans alike.
While Simon continues to focus a great deal of energy on Bella Union Records and its burgeoning stable of new artists, he has collaborated with other groups, including the Autumns and the Czars, while continuing to pursue his own musical interests.
Simon lives in England with his wife, Karen, and their two sons, Stanley and William.
Simon Raymonde on Amazing Radio:
Mondays from 7pm, Saturdays from 1pm
“I was in a little-known dream-pop combo called ‘Cocteau Twins’ in the 80s and 90s before starting Bella Union. We sign bands of dubious character and we find this works best. I listen to a lot of new music, and bring the best of it to Amazing Radio.”
The Simon Raymonde Show
The Simon Raymonde Sessions: BIRD
The Simon Raymonde Sessions: WALL
The Simon Raymonde Sessions: Dear Pariah
The Simon Raymonde Sessions: Madam
The Simon Raymonde Sessions: Blessa
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Music Videos:
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~Carolyn's fingers with the album Blue Bell Knoll (1988)~
~Heaven or Las Vegas with the album Heaven or Las Vegas (1990)~
~Aikea-Guinea with the album The Pink Opaque (1986)~
~Bluebeard with the album Four-Calendar Café (1993) ~
~Evangeline with the album Four-Calendar Café (1993) ~
~Tishbite with the album Milk & Kisses (1996) ~
~Echoes of Forgotten Places Robin Guthrie~
~Slideshow Cocteau Twins...~
Cocteau Twins were a Scottish alternative rock band active from 1979 to 1997, known for innovative instrumentation and atmospheric, non-lyrical vocals. The original members were Elizabeth Fraser (vocals), Robin Guthrie (guitar, drum machine) and Will Heggie (bass guitar), who was replaced by Simon Raymonde (also bass guitar) early in the band's career.
While the entire band earned much critical praise, Elizabeth Fraser's distinctive vocals received the most attention. At times barely decipherable, Fraser seemed to veer into glossolalia and mouth music. Allmusic reviewer Ned Raggett writes that "part of her appeal is how she can make hard-to-interpret lyrics so emotionally gripping."
Cocteau Twins have proven to be one of the most prolific bands in modern music, with dozens of releases spanning their 15-year career—nearly 140 individual songs.
This Discography and Videography focuses on the basic information about each release, with details concerning UK, Canadian and US releases, with some information about Japanese or other international versions of material. For a more exhaustive discographic analysis, visit the 4AD/Eyesore Database (for information up to 1991).
~~~Music~~~
Cocteau Twins discography!
Garlands (1982)
Head over Heels (1983)
Treasure (1984)
Victorialand (1986)
The Moon and the Melodies (1986), (in collaboration with Harold Budd)
Blue Bell Knoll (1988)
Heaven or Las Vegas (1990)
Four-Calendar Café (1993)
Milk and Kisses (1996)
Ivo Watts-Russell (born 1954 in Northamptonshire, England) was joint-founder with Peter Kent of the indie record label 4AD. He has also produced several records, although he preferrs to use the term "musical director".
One of his most better known productions is the Cocteau Twins debut Garlands. Their song "Ivo" on the album Treasure is also ostensibly named after him. He also led This Mortal Coil, writing and selecting songs, the musicians and singers for each song, and even occasionally playing keyboards. Watts-Russell's last project was The Hope Blister, releasing two albums: ...smile's ok and Underarms. Underarms was originally released as a limited edition CD; it was rereleased in 2005, with an extra CD of remixes by Markus Guentner entitled Sideways.
Having sold the label back to its original distributors, Beggars Banquet Records, at the end of 1999, Watts-Russell now works in art and photographical publishing.
One of his most better known productions is the Cocteau Twins debut Garlands. Their song "Ivo" on the album Treasure is also ostensibly named after him. He also led This Mortal Coil, writing and selecting songs, the musicians and singers for each song, and even occasionally playing keyboards. Watts-Russell's last project was The Hope Blister, releasing two albums: ...smile's ok and Underarms. Underarms was originally released as a limited edition CD; it was rereleased in 2005, with an extra CD of remixes by Markus Guentner entitled Sideways.
Having sold the label back to its original distributors, Beggars Banquet Records, at the end of 1999, Watts-Russell now works in art and photographical publishing.
Ivo Watts-Russell was joint-founder with Peter Kent of
the indie record
label 4AD. He has also produced several records, although he preferrs to
use the term "musical director".
4ad Review:
When they first emerged in the early 80s, the Cocteau Twins were compared most often to Siouxsie & The Banshees, but in truth they never sounded like anyone – or anything – else. Taken together, their nine albums, and sixteen EPs/singles, sound less like a band and more like an element of nature. Which was very 4AD. Ivo Watts-Russell has always claimed that his aim was to unearth music that was timeless, free of any trend, movement or era and even in their earliest incarnation, the Cocteau Twins were true to that remit, firmly charting their own course.
The band's name was plucked from an old Simple Minds track, but the foundations were laid some time before, when old school friends Robin and Will saw Liz dancing in a disco. In a stroke of precognitive genius, the boys decided that if Liz could dance that well, then she should be able to sing that well, too. Some time later, Robin's chance meeting with early 4AD signings The Birthday Party resulted in a tape being sent to Ivo, who was thrilled by what he heard, and encouraged them to record more. Plans for a debut single were shelved, and the stark, mercurial Garlands appeared instead. Describing it as "haunting", "spellbound", "diaphanous", and discerning a "frosting of sweetness", the critics wore out their adjective; this was rock music - just - but it was conjured in the unlikeliest environment from the strangest of material.
They stayed a trio, with a drum machine on board, so preserving their tightly knit, private world. In fact, that world was diminished rather than expanded when, after two EPs and a European tour, Will Heggie left, leaving Robin and Liz, by then a couple, to carry on as a duo. The pair recorded the Head Over Heels album and the Sunburst And Snowblind EP in 1983. On these recordings, Liz could be heard forming her own language - recognisable words emerging and submerging in a maelstrom of her own, coated and drowned in Robin's swelling guitar.
Bass player Simon Raymonde, formerly of The Drowning Craze, joined the band at the end of 1983. A trio again, the band recorded The Spangle Maker EP, which included the majestic ‘Pearly-Dewdrops' Drops’, their first Top 30 hit. With Simon on board, the band developed bottom end, deeper eddies and currents, but an increased lightness of touch, too. They were evolving with each release, with Liz especially pushing herself further and further. Back in the studio, 1984's Treasure brought more layers of ornateness, opaqueness and stateliness to the band's sound. This time, Liz's songtitles were names: not just 'Lorelei' and 'Pandora', but 'Ivo', 'Persephone' and 'Aloysius' too. Liz, in her naivety, never considered that people might put those titles and the album cover (all lace and shadows) together, and came up with the 'fey Victoriana' tag that the trio came to hate.
Despite this sort of misinterpretation, the music continued along its own resolute path, through three EPs in 1985: Aikea-Guinea, Tiny Dynamine and Echoes In A Shallow Bay. Each one signalled a move towards an increasingly abstract 'floating' sound - a move that culminated in Robin and Liz (minus Simon) recording the largely acoustic, non-percussive Victorialand. The Cocteaus re-emerged 12 months later with Blue Bell Knoll, which was warmer and lusher than ever, but more concentrated and concise too. This progression was even more marked with 1990's Heaven Or Las Vegas: an audible release of tension and a surge of unfettered love that is many people's favourite Cocteaus album. Heaven Or Las Vegas was also the last record the Cocteau Twins made for 4AD. They'd been part of the family for years, helping to define what the press used to call the "4AD sound", and it's almost always the way that family members must at some point leave the nest. The die was cast, and they departed for Fontana, releasing two more albums (Four Calendar Café, and Milk And Kisses) before disbanding in 1996. Four years later, the 4AD retrospective Stars And Topsoil served as a reminder of the trio's uniquely bewitching music.
Cocteau Twins
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Cocteau Twins Still Not On Speaking Terms 15 Years After Split
Former Cocteau Twins star Elizabeth Fraser has revealed she's still not on speaking terms with former lover and bandmate Robin Guthrie 15 years after the group split.
The Pearly Dewdrops Drops singer is preparing to launch her live comeback as part of Antony & the Johnsons star Antony Hegarty's upcoming Meltdown Festival in London - and she has opened up about her relationship, or rather lack of it, with her ex.
She tells Mojo magazine, "I'm still not really friends with Robin and I don't know if that will ever be possible because we went through so much. The best way of dealing with it is by keeping contact to a minimum. There's no way to communicate without a referee, or without one person not speaking, and that's just not possible. I can't live like that any more."
And Fraser tells the publication she fears the Cocteau Twins should have parted ways when she and Guthrie first split up: "I regret not calling a halt to it much earlier, but we were a family, however dysfunctional."
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