The Darkside

Emerging from the pioneering work of Spacemen 3, the Darkside formed under the leadership of Pete Bain, also known as Pete Bassman, who had departed the group ahead of its 1989 album Playing with Fire. Back in his native Rugby, England, Bain met singer Nick Hayden, who invited him into the Darkside; the refreshed ensemble soon began playing local shows and laying down demos. Following the inking of a record contract, the original drummer departed, prompting the arrival of another Spacemen 3 veteran, Stewart “Rosco” Roswell, in time for the band’s 1990 debut single “Highrise Love.” Midway through a British tour, Hayden suddenly exited, compelling Bain to handle vocals; the resulting trio of Bain, Roswell, and guitarist Kevin Cowan tracked the 1990 album All That Noise. Maintaining their pattern of personnel shifts, Roswell decided to abandon drums for keyboards, which brought in percussionist Craig Wagstaff for the 1991 limited-edition live release Psychedelicise Suburbia. After Cowan’s departure following the sessions for 1992’s Melomania, Roswell switched to guitar and the band completed the EP Mayhem to Meditate. Although demos for a third album were recorded, the label turned them down, leading to the group’s eventual dissolution.