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Josef K
Biography
Inspired by the artsy side of the '70s New York scene and the anti-careerist stance of punk, Edinburgh natives Paul Haig (vocals, guitar), Malcolm Ross (guitar), and Ronnie Torrance (drums) formed a band with an apparently unmentionable name. Future Exploited member Gary McCormack came and went as the bassist, with the trio eventually renaming itself TV Art. David Weddell eventually filled the gap, with the band frequently playing in and around their town. By the end of 1979's summer, they had recorded a demo and changed their name to Josef K.

November of that year saw the release of the nervy Chance Meeting single on the one-off Absolute label. Allen Horne and Orange Juice member Edwyn Collins struck a verbal deal with the band for their Postcard imprint, who released a series of the band's singles. The first was a double pack with the funk/soul-influenced Orange Juice gracing one half, which helped break ground on the press-derived "Scottish Sound." In late 1980 the band recorded an LP's worth of material in less than two weeks. The somewhat slickly produced Sorry for Laughing was canned by Horne and the band for tilting the sound toward the rhythm section, rather than highlighting the guitars and sounding live.
Selected Discography