Difference between revisions of "Genitus Lung"

Latest revision as of 12:51, 10 March 2008

Originally called Janitor's Lung, Genitus Lung were formed in 1995 while the members were still at high school. They were Tamlyn Martinovich (bass), H. Walker (drums, vocals) and frontman Logan Poppelwell (guitar, vocals). There are conflicting versions of how this trio came about (see the discussion page for further information).

Janitor’s Lung’s first gig was an "evening recital" held in the band's school music room at St. Paul’s Collegiate, where their music tutor was Stan Jagger. The band’s sudden and unexpected delivery of industrial-grindcore-punk and raw, unadulterated noise caused a riot amongst their fellow schoolmates and some considerable damage to the school. Duly impressed, Stan organised a gig for the band at The Exchange, supporting Raleigh 20 - true to form, Janitor's Lung brought the house down.

During 1996 the trio regularly supported Disjecta Membra, whom Martinovich was by this time a member of, and became aligned with the darker corners of the scene playing alongside the likes of FALLen, Lure and Usine. They adopted the name of Genitus Lung when the organiser of a gig called Hell Is Real (featuring Disjecta Membra, Johnny Fist and the Tsunami Band) misheard the band's name over the phone and put Genitus Lung on the poster.

Membra and Lung's sets often melded into one another through improv-noise segues from one band to the next. Genitus Lung often performed with walls of old TV screens on-stage screening looped footage of violence, chaos and destruction. At other times, screaming transvestites ran into the audience and threw pieces of raw meat at one another. Although Genitus Lung never released any recordings (one attempt to record them destroyed Michel's PA), a Live to Air performance with Disjecta Membra in Contact 89FM's Fridge was broadcast in late 1996, from which recordings circulatated.

Also during late 1996 Logan Poppelwell formed a short-lived solo project known as Falling Cynic, which, when playing live featured Michel from Disjecta Membra on guitar and Bevis Langman Painter on drum-machines and various noises. Painter had moved to Hamilton from Auckland in 1996 and became a regular sound-tech and musical contributor to both Disjecta Membra and Genitus Lung between 1996 and 1998.

In January 1997 Disjecta Membra relocated to Wellington taking both Martinovich and Painter with them. Genitus Lung went into hiatus, but reformed between July and August of that year to support Disjecta Membra's Achromaticia New Zealand tour.

Later in 1997, Martinovich, Walker and Painter all moved to Auckland, while Poppelwell moved to Waiheke Island. Martinovich and Walker attempted to resurrect Genitus Lung with a new frontman based in Auckland, but this was short-lived.

Walker and Painter formed AVOTOR between 1998 and 1999. AVOTOR went on to release two albums (Looming on KOG Transmissions in 1999 and Billion on their own label Midium Records in 2004) along with several singles/EPs, remixes and compilation appearances, and have successfully toured both Europe and America. Painter left AVOTOR in 2004 (last seen heading for Japan) and was replaced by Martinovich, who joined the band on their US tour - thus reuniting the founding members of Genitus Lung. AVOTOR still play in Hamilton on occasion.

External Links[edit]

Midium Records (home of AVOTOR)