Quickspace

by Heather Phares
Shortly after the breakup of his acclaimed indie pop group the Faith Healers at the end of 1994, London-based guitarist/vocalist Tom Cullinan formed Quickspace Supersport with Sean Newsham (bass), Wendy Harper (vocals/guitar), Max Corradi (drums), and Barry Stillwell (keyboards). While Cullinans new band retained some of the same droning tension and fuzzy pop sensibilities of the Faith Healers, Quickspace Supersports sound proved more malleable and their lyrics more upbeat.
In March 1995, the group released their debut 7, Quickspace Happy Song #1, on their own Kitty Kitty Corporation label. Though they received an initially tepid response from a Brit-pop-preoccupied press, Quickspace Supersport found friends in bands such as Sebadoh and Stereolab, both of whom they toured the U.K. with later that year. By October 1995 and the release of their landmark Superplus EP, the British press caught up with the bands tense-but-varied drone pop, and raved about their singles and live shows. Just as the momentum behind them seemed to reach critical mass, Quickspace Supersport took a six-month hiatus.
In the summer of 1996, the band returned with more than half its lineup replaced and half its name removed. Only Cullinan and Newsham remained from the original group, and new members Nina Pascale (guitar/vocals), Paul Shilton (keyboards), and Chin (drums) reenergized their sound. Now simply Quickspace, they released the bouncy, driving Friend single that November. In June 1997, Quickspace released their self-titled debut album to warm reviews. Songs like Swisher and Quasi-Pfaff showcased the bands lilting, folky and experimental dimensions, and Song for Someone illustrated why some writers described them as Stereolab that rocks. While they recorded their second album, the group released Quickspace Supo Spot, a singles and b-sides collection that included hard-to-find compilation tracks, Peel sessions and demos, and the Precious Mountain EP, which gave a taste of the bands increasingly refined production and arrangements.
After holing up in the studio for the remainder of 1997, Quickspace rewarded their fans patience by releasing two 7s (compiled on the Precious Little EP) in spring 1998 and an album, Precious Falling, later that summer. Just before the albums release, drummer Chin left the band and was replaced by Steve Denton. With the number of names, band members and styles the band plays with, the only constants in Quickspaces world are quality and change. Fittingly enough, 2000s The Death of Quickspace was even issued on a new American label, Matador.