Curve

Curve was a British music group formed in 1991 chiefly around the collaboration of Toni Halliday and Dean Garcia. Their sound was a mix of shoegaze, electronic and alternative rock. Halliday is a singer-songwriter who sang with The Uncles and Bonk in the early 80s. Guitarist and producer Garcia played bass guitar on Eurythmics' "Touch" and "Be Yourself Tonight" albums, and the two were introduced to each other by Dave Stewart of Eurythmics. Toni Halliday and Dean Garcia briefly formed the group State of Play in the late 1980s before parting ways. She attempted a solo career in the late 80's, releasing the album "Hearts & Handshakes" in 1989. The album was produced by Halliday and Alan Moulder, who also produced music for Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails and My Bloody Valentine, to name a few. Halliday then reunited with Garcia to form Curve. Their alchemy the second time around created sonically charged music, setting heavy beats and Garcia's densely-layered guitar tracks and feedback against Halliday's airy vocalization of lyrics that frequently explore such topics as alienation, addiction and love on the wane. Curve made an impact in the early 90's shoegaze scene, along with other bands Lush, Pale Saints, Slowdive and the ground-breaking My Bloody Valentine. They released 3 albums in the early 90s: "Doppelgänger" (1992), "Pubic Fruit" (1992), which compiled their first 4 EP's, and "Cuckoo" (1993). On the albums "Doppelgänger" and "Cuckoo", Curve worked with producer Flood (U2, Smashing Pumpkins). Songs such as "Horror Head", "Coast Is Clear" and "Faît Accompli" brought them critical acclaim and built a solid fanbase for the group. After nearly a decade-and-a-half of partnership backed by an ever-changing line-up, the band took a break in the mid-1990s. During their hiatus, Halliday formed the band Scylla. Their track "Helen's Face" was featured on the Showgirls soundtrack. Garcia began a solo project under the name Headcase. Toni Halliday also collaborated with other artists, most notably with Leftfield on the track "Original," with Recoil on two songs, "Edge To Life" and "Bloodline" from "Bloodline," with The Future Sound of London on the song "Cerebral" and with Paul van Dyk on "Words (Curved Headcase Mix)." The single "Pink Girl with the Blues" (1996), marked Curve's official return, followed by their 4th full length album "Come Clean." Curve contributed the track "Nowhere" to Greg Araki's movie of the same name. Halliday also married producer Alan Moulder. Their final album was 2002's "The New Adventures Of Curve," released only over the internet. In 2004 "The Way Of Curve," a best-of compilation was released, featuring their most popular songs and singles, as well as rare B-sides and fan favorites. Halliday announced on their official web site in early 2005 that the group had finally run its course and was no more. Whether this is their final curtain call or just their most recent hiatus remains to be seen. After the split Toni Halliday started a solo project entitled Chatelaine and currently she's working on a new album. Dean Garcia founded a new band SPC ECO with his daughter Rose Berlin on lead vocals. He also produced an album by Collide and formed a temporary band The Secret Meeting with the members of Collide.