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Specimen es sin duda una de las mas notorias y conocidas bandas dentro del batcave y deathrock internacional de todos los tiempos fundada en 1980 esta banda fue una de las piedras angulares del movimiento Goth-punk de inglaterra y fundadores del batcave.

La historia de esta banda se remonta a la ciudad de Bristol englaterra. Corria el año de 1980 cuando esta banda ofrecia como su primer concierto un recital gratuito en las calles de londres dedicado a la boda del Principe de gales con Lady Diana.

Para el año de 1982 la banda se mudo al barrio de Soho en londres en donde Ollie Wisdom vocalista y fundado de la banda fundo y manejo el infame club conocido como the batcave durante 1982 a 1983 en donde se llevaron multiples eventos con legendarias bandas del genero como Alien Sex Fiend, Sex beat, Sex Gang Children, Anorexic Dread y por supuesto Specimen. Al club tambien llegaron a ir incontables figuras dentro del naciente movimiento postpunk y goth como Siouxsie sioux, Robert Smith entre otros.


La musica de Specimen era unica y original en sus tiempos, ritmos alocados y que motivaban al baile desenfrenado, la voz de Ollie siempre provocativa y sensual cargada fuertemente de homoerotismo lograba hipnotizar a todos los presentes; sus presentaciones siempre tan motivantes y envolventes e insinuantes invitaban a los presentes a formar parte del ritual.

Cabe destecar que a pesar de la fuerte imagen que ejercia ollie Wisdom en la banda no era quien atraia mayormente los reflectores si no que lo hacia Johnny Slut tecladista de la banda, quien con su particular apariencia androgina, su estetica tan perfectamente trabajada dejaba boca abierta a cualquier espectador y rapidamente se convirtio no solo en la imagen de la banda si no tambien en un icono de la escena mundia que aun en nuestros dias es un icono dificil de superar para todos los musicos y artistas dentro del deathrock.




para 1984 la banda haria una gira por los estados unidos, pricipalmente en New york y California, durante la cual la banda decidio abrir traspasar el batcave momentaneamente a la ciudad de New york en donde pasaria sus ultimos dias de vida tanto del club como de la banda.
Durante la carrera de Specimen estos no lograron lanzar un disco completo, solamente demos y sencillos y un mini album, pero en 1997 dos discos completos saldrian al mercado conteniendo varias famosas canciones de la banda.

Despues de la separacion de la banda el guitarrista Jon Klein trabajo durante 7 años al lado de Sioxsie and the banshees antes de trabajar con Sinead O'Connor.

Jhonny Slut formaria Diskord Datkord junto a Mark Tinley antes de trabajar con "The KLF","Adamski" y mas recientemente en Atomizer al igual que maneja y creo el club llamado Nag Nag Nag en Londres.

En años recientes la banda re-nacio con nuevos integrantes y unicamente el Gutarrista Jon Klein continua en la alineacion actual, la nueva banda lanzo el disco "Electric Ballroom" en 2007. En julio de 2008 la banda anuncio que darian un unico concierto en Londres con la alineacion original de 1983 para celebrar el 25 aniversario de la creacion del batcave del cual se desprendio el disco en vivo "Specimen Alive at the Batcave"
Este año (2oo9) la banda anuncio otro concierto para el mes de julio nuevamente con la alineacion original.

Batastrophe (1983)

Singles

"Returning (From A Journey)" / "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" (1983)

"Beauty Of Poison" / "Tell Tail" (1983)

"Sharp Teeth" / "Hex" / "Holes" (1985)

"Indestructible / "Brainburst" (1986)

English Version:


Specimen is without a doubt one of the most notorious and well know great bands from the Batcave and deathrock worlwide from all times. Formed in 1980 this band was one of the roots of the goth-punk movement from England and funders of the Batcave.

The history of this band begun in Bristol England about the year of 1980 when this band offered his first recital on the streets of london in honour to theWedding Celebration of the Prince of Wales and Lady Diana.

In the year of 1982 the band move to Soho in London where Ollie Wisdon Vocalist and member from Specimen funded and manage the infamous club called "batcave" durin 1982-1983. In such club notorious bands perform in the local bands like Sex gang children, sex beat, alien sex fiend anorexic dread and Specimen Ofcourse. Several artist of the goth comunity visited the club like Robert Smith from "the cure" and Siouxsie Sioux.

Specimen's music were original and Unique, rithyms out of control that motivate to dancing and frenezi, The always provocative and sensual so charge of homoerotism voice of Ollie blow the minds in the club in every performance, their acts were always motivatings, overwhelmings to the crowds invite to be part of the ritual.

Curiously regarless the strong presence of the image that Ollie had he was not the main focus image of the band, it was Johnny Slut The keyboard man, who with his particular androginous image, his perfect stetic and style blow the minds from every eyes that laid the look on him, and quickly he became in the main image not only from the band but also form the batcave and an icon of the batcave and deathrock in the whole world, such a Icon that even now in our days no-one can replaced him.

During 1984 the band toured USA mainly NYC and California, during this tour specimen decided stablished in NYC and with them the "batcave" also move to USA. During Specimen years they never recorded a full album, only recorded some demos and singles and a mini album, but in 1997 two full LP were released featuring some of the most famous songs from the band.

After specimen, the guitarrist Jon Klein worked for 7 years with Siouxsie and the banshees and then with Sinead O'Connor.

Johnny slut formed Diskord Datkord along with Mark Tinley and more recently "Atomizer" and so is a dj and manage the london club called "Nag Nag Nag".

In recent years the band Re-born with new line-up and only Jon Klein still on the band. The new band release a new full album in 2007 "Electrib Ballroom" in wich Atomizer re-mixed Kiss kiss bag bag. In july 2008 the band offered a concert in london with the original line up celebrating the 245th anniversary of the batcave fundation. from that concert the live album called "SPecimen Alive at the Batcave" were released. This year (2009) the band announced other concert for july also with the original 1983 line up.

El Batcave era un club nocturno en Londres, Inglaterra en el 69 de Dean Street. Es considerado como el lugar de nacimiento de la subcultura de goth inglesa. Es uno de los puntos de reunion mas famoso para el goth, el nombre fue tomado del término Batcaver, solia describir a los admiradores del original gothic rock / deathrock. El término Batcave todavía es usado por europeos para referirse a la música Gótica con un sonido de Postpunk prominente y atmósferas tetricas.
El club fue abierto en Julio de 1982. Especializado en New Wave y Glam Rock, que luego esto enfocaria al Gothic Rock. Ollie Winsdom, vocal de la banda Specimen, fue quien manejo el club con ayuda del director de produccion Hugh Jones. Famoso en el Batcave incluyó leyendas como Robert Smith, Siouxsie Sioux, Foetus, Marc Almond, Nick Cave and Danielle Dax.



Una serie de bandas tocaria en el club, sostenidos por Dj's residentes Hamish McDonald y Annie Hogan ( Marc Almond miembro de la banda). Las bandas implicaron un acto electro como la principal Alien Sex Fiend, dirigida por Alice Cooper influenciada por Nick Fiend. El lider de la banda Specimen, tomo la influencia de los años 70's el glam rock y Sex Gang Children quien demostros su influencia por el deathrock, dark cabaret y Gothic Rock. El club tambien mostro peliculas en blanco y negro en el viejo teatro en el cual tambien destacaba el cabaret insolito. La mayor parte de la imagen y la manera usada por la subcultura puede ser remontada atrás a las bandas que jugaron en el Batcave.



Actualmente, bandas nuevas de deathrock subgenero del goth, tienden a describir su musica como "Batcave", es muy notorio que estas bandas son de paises donde no hablan ingles.





English Version

The Batcave was a nightclub in London, England at Meard Street Soho. It is considered as the birthplace of the English goth subculture. As one of the most famous meeting points for early goths, it lent its name to the term Batcaver, used to describe fans of the original gothic rock/ deathrock music. The term Batcave is also still used by Europeans to refer to Gothic music with a prominent Post-Punk sound and spooky atmospheres.

The club opened in July 1982. Originally specialising in New Wave and Glam rock, it later focused on Gothic rock. Ollie Wisdom, the lead singer in the house band, Specimen, ran the club with the assistance of production manager Hugh Jones. Famous regulars at the Batcave included legends such as Robert Smith, Siouxsie Sioux, Foetus, Marc Almond, Nick Cave and Danielle Dax.

A diverse array of bands would play at the club, backed up by their resident DJs Hamish McDonald and Annie Hogan ( Marc Almond band member). The bands involved electronic leading act Alien Sex Fiend led by Alice Cooper influenced vocalist Nik Fiend, the host's band Specimen who took ample influence from 1970s glam rock and Sex Gang Children a group who would go on to prove influential in deathrock, dark cabaret and gothic rock movements. The club also showed black and white movies in the old theatre and occasionally featured unusual cabaret. Much of the image and fashion used by the subculture can be traced back to the bands who played at the Batcave.

In recent times, newer bands from the deathrock subgenre of Goth have began to once more describe their music as "Batcave", it must be noted that these bands are generally from non-English speaking countries, though the original bands who played at the club have had their style dubbed as "Batcave" and so in some sense the term is accurate.