The Brain

The Brain

The Brain is a group from Bournemouth, United Kingdom. The name is used for more than one act: a 1960s British psychedelic rock group, an electronic studio project, and a radio show. The group associated with Bournemouth is a 1960s rock and psychedelic act.

1960s psychedelic group

The Brain is a short-lived British psychedelic group that includes future members of King Crimson: Michael Giles, Peter Giles, and Robert Fripp. The band records one single on Parlophone in 1967 before changing its name to Giles, Giles & Fripp and moving to Decca in 1968. It is also known under the name Trendsetters Ltd.

Electronic studio project

The Brain is also the name used by Paul Fox and Tommy Grenas for a musical collaboration that begins after they first play together when Fox joins Pressurehed in the early 1990s. In 1993, they start recording improvised electronic performances under the name Mandra Oleka, then adopt The Brain as a name that reflects both a reference to a German record label and the idea that the music comes from the mind’s deeper regions. Their early work includes the cassette release Lo Fi and the debut CD Access and Amplify.

After building a library of recordings over three years, the duo help organise the first United States tour of the German electronic pioneers Cluster, with Russ Curry of Curious Music also involved. During that period, guitar player Bond Bergland of Factrix and The Saqqara Dogs joins the tour after meeting the group at a pre-tour concert in San Francisco. The Brain then continues performing live in Los Angeles.

Live appearances and collaborators

Notable performances include shows at Spaceland with Holger Czukay of Can and Dr. Walker of Air Liquide, a performance at Gemini Manor in Hollywood with Daevid Allen and Gilli Smyth of Gong, and another Spaceland show with Marina Rosenfeld.

Radio show

The Brain is also a monthly radio show noted for eclectic DJ sets and a wide selection of tracks.