Malcolm Ross – Biography

Finding inspiration in the more intelligent pursuits to evolve from the Punk movement of1976/77, and latterly Cleveland’s Pere Ubu and the New York City art-punk sounds of the Velvet Underground and Television, Josef K originally formed in Edinburgh in mid-1978 as TV Art. Originally a trio, featuring guitarists Paul Haig and Malcolm Ross and drummer Ronnie Torrance, they were briefly joined by bassist Gary McCormack, who went to find another kind of infamy of with Oi! Punks, The Exploited. David Weddell took over on bass early in 1979 and the group became part of a flourishing Edinburgh scene which then included The Associates, The Visitors, Fire Engines, Scars and Another Pretty Face.

 In the Summer of 1979 TV Art became Josef K, reflecting Paul Haig's then-fascination with Czech writer Franz Kafka. Visually, they took their cue from avant-punks Subway Sect, and took to sporting sharp, dark suits from Oxfam; the monotone drabness countered by wildly colorful psychedelic shirts.

They promptly released their debut single (Chance Meeting b/w Romance) on their own Absolute label, and it wasn’t long before they found themselves recording for the now legendary, Postcard Records, Alongside Orange Juice, Aztec Camera and the Go-Betweens , Josef K were one of the four bands that made up the label’s flawles roster. In two years, they recorded five singles and the one and only album (The Only Fun In Town) released during Postcard’s original incarnation, before disbanding in 1982 following their final show at Glasgow Maestros.

“Josef K was like a gang. We would all hang out together. We didn't like talking to promoters and such. It was snobbishness to an extent. We just thought that they weren't in the gang or on the same wavelength. I suppose we were quite puritanical. We didn't like sexism or laddishness... It was modernist. I was quite interested in the original mod movement, and that was one of the influences in wearing suits. Again, it was a reaction to the whole dirty, long-haired thing that punk reacted to, but punk wasn't too far off it either. Punks were just as dirty. I didn't like that - I wanted some kind of dignity. We were forward looking”. (Malcolm Ross)

After the demise of Josef K, guitarist Malcolm Ross became something of a gun for hire, accepting an invitation to join Orange Juice one week after the split was announced. They had already recorded their debut album You Can't Hide Your Love Forever therefore Ross did not contribute, but did complete the accompanying tour, and remained on board when the original line-up fragmented early the following year. Orange Juice MkII then hit commercial paydirt with the hit single Rip It Up in February 1983, which peaked at Number 8. Unfortunately, Orange Juice were unable to build on this success, and watched nine of their singles stall between numbers 75 and 41 between 1981 and 1984. Ross contributed several songs during his tenure and stuck around until late 1983, but finally quit after the Texas Fever album.

Post-Orange Juice, he joined Roddy Frame in Aztec Camera as second guitarist, in time to record and tour the Mark Knopfler-produced Knife album. Ross's role was strictly as a session player, and following the promotion duties demanded by Knife’s release, the group disbanded, Frame only later re-emerging with the Love album in 1987.

In 1985 Ross embarked on the High Bees project with wife Syuzen Buckley on vocals. However, after a handful of live concerts and one single, She's Killing Time, on Supreme International Editions in October, the project faded. Since then Ross has worked with former bandmate, Paul Haig, ex- Moodist Dave Graney, and - with Weddell – backed Nick Currie/Momus live. After completing a music degree in London, Ross released two distinguished solo albums on chic German label Marina, Low Shot (1995) and Happy Boy (1998). He was hired as musical consultant on The Beatles biopic Backbeat (1993) and contributed to the original score of Chocolat (2000), featuring Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp. He recently cropped up on ex-Fire Engine, Davy Henderson’s The Nectarine No.9’s last album, I Love Total Destruction (2004) and is currently working with another ex Fire Engine, Russell Burn, on a new project called Stac Lee.