Symposium

Pictures

gif

Listen to, buy or share

Buy

Buy on Amazon Amazon Expand purchase options
  • Digital download
  • Amazon Amazon
  • Juno Juno
  • iTunes iTunes
  • Physical media
  • Amazon Amazon Search
  • eBay eBay Search
  • 91,557
    scrobbles
  • 11,300
    listeners

Tags

Everyone’s tags

More tags

Biography

The band formed while still in school in Kensington, London, in 1995. The line up was: Ross Cummins (vocalist), Hagop Tchaparian (guitarist), Joe Birch (drummer), William McGonagle (guitarist), and Wojtek Godzisz (bassist). The band had a selection of up tempo and cheerful, yet mosh pit-friendly songs which, together with their very young average age of eighteen, bought them attention within London and landed a record deal with the Infectious record label. Some writers suggested that they sounded like youthful exuberance.

Debut single “Drink the Sunshine” in 1996 was followed by support from NME who placed them on the “Bratbus Tour” - an annual tour of four hotly-tipped bands which would visit Universities in the UK. The band’s energy-filled stage show had been noted and Melody Maker ran a cover proclaiming the band to be the “best live band in the UK” in March 1996. The band released a mini album One Day At a Time and a #25 hit single, “Farewell to Twilight”. This was followed by a well-received headlining tour which generated good reviews. Many fans went to multiple dates on the tour, and they enjoyed the stagediving antics of singer Cummins, and the rest of the band. These anarchic shows added to the band’s increasing reputation. Another single “Fairweather Friend” was a ska punk number which led to a Top of the Pops appearance in which Cummins managed to stagedive and the audience invaded the stage.
Read more… Edit bio

Tracks selected by this artist

Tracks selected by this artist

Top Albums

Listening Trend

11,300listeners all time
91,557scrobbles all time
Recent listeners trend:

Start scrobbling and track your listening history

Last.fm users scrobble the music they play in iTunes, Spotify, Rdio and over 200 other music players.

Create a Last.fm profile

Shoutbox

Leave a comment. Log in to Last.fm or sign up.

  • Bassett81

    Wojtek Godzisz (main songwriter from Symposium) is performing his solo material on Friday August 31st at The Bull & Gate in Kentish Town, London!!!!! http://www.clubfandango.co.uk/gig.php?id=2503

    1 Aug 2012 Reply

  • natalie0790

    I saw that on Wikipedia about the reformation but there is nothing else. No Twitter or anything, the only information I can find on them which is decent is on Last.fm

    5 Apr 2012 Reply

  • antom

    Wikipedia says that they're reforming for a UK tour this Spring - haven't heard anything else on this, wondered if anyone else had?

    3 Mar 2012 Reply

  • brownieboy

    Not even 100k plays, why?

    12 Mar 2011 Reply

  • themartialarts

    Great live band at least.

    24 Apr 2010 Reply

  • stooboy

    Saw them at the Island in Ilford when they first came out, and saw them at a couple of festivals. Great band. Listening to them makes me feel 18 again!

    30 Mar 2010 Reply

  • alix266

    Love them! I did a Symposium fanzine in my youth...happy days :)

    22 Jan 2010 Reply

  • am_i_risch

    one of the best bands to come out of the 90's UK scene, for definate. shame it was so short lived :(

    14 Jan 2010 Reply

  • pigeondetective

    saw them support blur ( i think it was blur ) in about 98/99 and my mate caught ross's sweaty sock haha mmmmmmm. great band .

    30 Nov 2009 Reply

  • zer0mike

    First gig, i was 17 and came out very deaf, thanks lads, was an amazing show, kinda broke my heart seeing you in the Buzzcocks lineup! did make me re listen to your albums though!

    23 Nov 2009 Reply

  • iceflames

    how come they only have 5,726 listeners?!! awesome band!! great music!!

    21 Aug 2009 Reply

  • monkismo

    Best festival set ever was them at Glasto 97. Ross spent the whole set urging the crowd to throw mud at them and at the end told everyone to go and do the same to Sting! Class.

    14 Aug 2009 Reply

  • beanstur

    love them! saw them in holland a few times never stopped missing them after they quit (ok i might be overreacting) .. now would be a nice time for a reunion :P

    29 Nov 2008 Reply

  • Biricharas

    I love 'one day at a time' and 'farewell to twilight' b sides!

    30 Sep 2008 Reply

  • Gilaventi

    Are Symposium one the greatest bands Britain has ever produced? Join The British Rock Artists League and vote for them in Band Qualifying to get them in the final tournament. Spread the word!

    26 Jun 2008 Reply

  • zer0mike

    First band i ever saw live, my ear's haven't been the same since. I miss you Symposium!

    26 Apr 2008 Reply

  • tom_edwards

    Yeah if anyone has MP3s of the missing ones (Schostakowitsch, Twist, Last Song Forever I think?) e-mail them over and I'll post them up. Can't strictly do 'On The BBC' though cos the recordings are theirs.

    6 Mar 2008 Reply

  • TheAlexH

    Excellent work Mr. Edwards. I see you've even added the elusive Sh*t! :)

    14 Feb 2008 Reply

  • jonaschrist

    haha i'm a bit late on the act, only just heard them from a Reading 98 CD i found in a charity shop! good stuff though!!

    6 Jan 2008 Reply

  • tom_edwards

    Nearly all their tracks (bar a couple of vinyl only ones) are up for streaming now.

    22 Dec 2007 Reply
    • All 30 shouts

Top Listeners