New Year 2026 Update

 

Whoa! 2025 was so busy, no-one got round to updating our blog!  Here's what we've been doing:

Our new studio album Welcome To Karmic City was released in July via The Slightly Off Kilter (cd + download) and our own Rubber Bus imprint (download + bonus track).  It includes some live favourites and some brand new material and features guest vocalists Tim Hawthorn (Anarchetypes, Invisible Orchestra of Tibet) and writer/author Daniel Spicer (The Wire magazine, Repeater Books).

Simultaneously (ish) we released a series of three special eps featuring remixed material, new songs, old songs and oddities; Urban Dust ep, Open A Can! and Brainchime! All can be found here:

https://rubberbus.bandcamp.com/

We also welcomed our new drummer - yes another one! - Michael into the band, and he made his debut with us on Sunday 1st Feb at Splitting The Atom at Brighton's Green Door Store.  We've almost got access to enough percussionists now to reactivate The Schizo Drummers Of Yarg, who've not played live - as far as I know - since 1996.  You have been warned!

Andy, George, Mark and Paul have also been working on their ambient music project SOMNAMBULANCE; releasing a live album; Tripartite Drifting Lab on Liverpool's Moolakii imprint and their second self-released album From The Chalk To The Stream back in August.  They collaborated with Andrew from Gnostic Rebellion during that session, and there's rumours that some of those recordings may also see the light of day...

https://somnambulanceuk.bandcamp.com/

Andy Roid has also been busily working a new album with his trio with Brian Abbott (Invisible Opera Company of Tibet) and Bob Hedger (Jah Buddha, FOAM) Entropy Zero.  Their latest set is great, check it out here:

https://theentropyzeroproject.bandcamp.com/album/entropy-zero-presents-absolute-zero

2025 was a relatively quiet year gig-wise, but we did enjoy performing at KozFest once again!  We have played KozFest a few times now; it's always great fun and the site has moved to a beautiful new location up a mountain in Wales; we were very pleased to be invited again in 2025.  To anyone considering going in 2026, we highly recommend it!

Plus, we're just about to embark on an exciting new remix project involving a veteran dub poet, but more on that soon!

Here's some nice things people have said about us recently:

''Nice set!'' - Matt McCartney, Codex Serafini

''...comes across as a mix of early 60s European electronic music, post-form stonerism and a smidgen of Gong'' - Byron Coley, The Wire magazine

''...a punky-reggae episode of strident chaos...'' - Ed Pinsent, The Sound Projector magazine

''Rubber Bus brought the sunshine and lazy summer afternoon vibes'' - Semley Music Festival

photo by Paul Lewis

A little bit of fun...

 

 We're visiting our spiritual home in Brighton on Saturday 29th October - yes, the Prince Albert on Trafalgar Street just by Brighton Station and gateway to the infamous North Laine area.

Back in the day, we ran our Cabal Cabaret events from the Albert, used it for a photoshoot and prior to the upstairs being refitted as a venue bar, it even provided lodgings for our original keyboard player!

Brighton's ace promoters Real Music Club take it over for the 29th and we play on a great bill featuring full-on spacerock vibes of the legendary Space Falcons (Nik Turner/Youth) and the acoustic cosmic balladry of the amazing Tim Hawthorn all the way from Glastonbury.  

Summer 2022 japes

 

 

RUBBER BUS at VISUAL RADIO ARTS

 

Watch our full live performance at Visual Radio Arts in Devizes from Monday 28th February here:

https://www.facebook.com/visualradioarts

Featuring the full band line-up with guests Tim Hawthorn (Anarchetypes) on vocals, Gregg McKella (Paradise 9, Glissando Guitar Orchestra) on American tin clarinet and Tony TwoDogs (Dreamcatcher) on djembe and vocals...

..."on this 'Bus you don't need no fare..."

New mixes for free download

 

To start off 2022 in  a positive style, we're offering mixes of our new track "Dub Liberty" for free download!

There are already three mixes available, with more to be added regularly!

Dive in!

https://rubberbus.bandcamp.com/album/dub-liberty

Return To Reason cassette reviewed in The Wire

 

Byron Coley reviews our Lockdown album "Return To Reason" in his Size matters column in the December 2021 issue of The Wire magazine - page 65.

"...This cassette displays an interesting handle on live electronics with a definite psychedelic edge.  It comes across as a mix of early 60s electronic music, post-form stonerism and a smidgen of Gong."

A few copies of the cassette left, or download, from here:

https://rubberbus.bandcamp.com/album/return-to-reason 

NOH YOGAH out now!!!

 

www.rubberbus.bandcamp.com

Release date:  10^th August 2021

Fresh from their first live performance since the beginning of the pandemic at KozFest in Devon, UK this summer, RUBBER BUS announce the release of Noh Yogah, their first full length album since a recent run of EPs, a lathe cut 7” and their vintage “lost” album Take It Easy.

A mix of dub, space rock and ambient, the reformed RUBBER BUS present brand new material seasoned with a dash of unreleased archive material from the original 1990s line-up. 

Recent material has been playlisted by Steve Barker’s On The Wire show on BBC Radio Lancashire, The Wirebender on Berlin’s Radio On, Michael Hodges’ Temple Of Shadows and The Kev Ellis Show.  RUBBER BUS have remixed material by MOTA and Kaleidophon, and curate the Dulcet Business News compilations on The Slightly Off Kilter Label.

“…a punky-reggae episode of strident chaos…”

 – Ed Pinsent, The Sound Projector

“The band create a mellow, blunted atmosphere well suited to chillout rooms at 4am…”

– Jon Maple

“You know what they say about the line between madness and genius, and certain tracks… have a passing acquaintance with genius.  They’re not at loggerheads with madness either, come to think of it…”

 – George Berger (author of Let’s Submerge – Writings From The Punk Rock Underground, The Story Of CRASS and Dance Before The Storm: Official Story Of The Levellers)

 

NOH YOGAH cd imminent!!!

 

The brand new cd NOH YOGAH is released on cd and dl by the band on 10th August 2021!!

Featuring contributions from friends Gregg McKella of Paradise 9, Deano Ferrari of Here & Now, Simon Mandragora, Lee Adams of Fujiya & Miyagi and Imitation Electric Piano, Inches Hovis and even tv's A Place In The Sun's Scarlette Douglas!

https://rubberbus.bandcamp.com/album/noh-yogah

tracklist:

NOH YOGAH feat. Gregg McKella

ONE OF CLIVES

WHAT D'YOU MAKE OF THIS?

SONNICK ENNJI

SAY YES TO THE STRESS

IS THAT ALL WE ARE? feat. Gregg McKella

AMBIENT CRYSTAL BEEM

PLANT A SEED

EARTHING MR BAYLIS

dedicated to the memory of DJ Wooly

Take It Easy re-release imminent

 

The Slightly Off Kilter Label re-release "Take It Easy" on cd on 30th July 2021!

Initial copies include a free download code for the super-limited cassette "Return To Reason" from last year, plus some vintage 'Bus ephemera.  Available from the RUBBER BUS bandcamp page:

https://slightlyoffkilter.bandcamp.com/album/take-it-easy

RUBBER BUS at KozFest 2021!!!

 

RUBBER BUS on the Daevid Allen Stage at KozFest 2021, viewed remotely here by Temple Of Shadows' DJ Michael Hodges.

RUBBER BUS shows booked for 2021!!!

 

22-25 July               KOZFEST, Devon, UK

17 - 19 September  GLASTONBURY PSYCHFEST, Glastonbury, UK

Noh Yogah ep - Free to download

FREE DOWNLOAD:

https://rubberbus.bandcamp.com/album/noh-yogah-ep
 

1.  Noh Yogah feat. Gregg McKella

2.  One Of Clive's

3.  What D'You Make Of This?

4.  Sonickk Ennji

RUBBER BUS 2020:

Andy Roid - synths

King Razor - bass

George - guitar

Tony TwoDogs - drums

Saul Yarg - samples and production

and special guest Gregg McKella on american tin clarinet

Dry In Shade ep

Brand new four track ep recorded March - July 2020.

The Corona Virus Lockdown enabled musicians everywhere to stop and reassess their practice and ultimately produce more new work in  2020.  Since their last studio session in February as a group, RUBBER BUS have been busy in their respective home studios during lockdown and a new album of the results is on the way.  In the meantime, check this ep-length offering of ambient, experimental, dub techno-tinged electronica for free or name yr price:

https://slightlyoffkilter.bandcamp.com/album/dry-in-shade-ep

1.  Cosmic Egg
2.  Riverssandtides
3.  Late In The Day
4.  Dub Angels

Thanks to The Slightly Off Kilter Label, Soundgas, Basement Studios, Rikers Libido Studios, Washouse Studio. 

upcoming autumn 2019

Same, same...but different...

photo by Stuart Palmer

Rubber Bus teamed up with Andy Roid and Tony TwoDogs at Chaplin's Cellar Bar in Bournemouth last week for their first proper live outing for 20 years.  They played old favourites "Oh Yeh", "Dance Mother..." and "Intense Intent..." as well as brand new versions of "Apollo 8" and "Spaceman".
You can check the desk recording out for FREE here:
https://slightlyoffkilter.bandcamp.com/album/rubberroidbus-live

Rare live appearance!

On Thursday 15th of August, Rubber Bus will be performing live at Bournemouth's premier alternative music venue Chaplin's Cellar Bar in Boscombe!

Saul Yarg and Prof. Plum will be performing old and new material with guests Andy Roid (Music of the Andys, ex-Here & Now synthesiserist), dj King Razor and Tony Two Dogs from Dreamcatcher.

Bring a bucket and spade!

At the start of 2019, "Death By Yoga", the first Rubber Bus remix of MOTA's 2017 KozFest performance saw the light of day on the Dulcet Business News compilation on TSOKL, Steve Barker played tracks from Take It Easy on his excellent and long-running On The Wire radio show for BBC Radio Lancashire and in June, Simon Wade spoke about the group on his show The Wirebender for Berlin's RadioOn. 
Saul Yarg and Prof. Plum head up a new live version of the band from Summer 2019 with friends Andy Roid (Music of the Andys and Here & Now) and Tony TwoDogs (Dreamcatcher)...