| The League of Gentlemen | |
| Background: | group_or_band |
| Origin: | Dorset, England |
| Years Active: | 1980 |
| Label: | EG/Polydor |
| Associated Acts: | Robert Fripp, King Crimson, XTC, Shriekback, Gang of Four |
| Past Members: | Robert Fripp Sara Lee Barry Andrews Johnny Toobad (Johnny Elichaoff)[1] Kevin Wilkinson |
The League of Gentlemen were a band active during March–December 1980 formed by King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp. They should not be confused with Robert Fripp's first semi-professional band in the early 1960s, which had the same name.[2]
The other members of the band were bass guitarist Sara Lee (who later joined Gang of Four, the B-52's, and Indigo Girls), keyboardist Barry Andrews (formerly of XTC, later of Shriekback) and drummer Johnny Toobad (Johnny Elichaoff). Toobad was replaced late in the band's tenure by Kevin Wilkinson (later of China Crisis and Squeeze).[3] [4]
Fripp referred to the 1980 band as "a second-division touring new wave instrumental dance band".
The Trouser Press Record Guide described the League of Gentlemen's music as typically taking "a simple medium-to-fast backbeat over which Fripp and Andrews locked horns, with melodic development emerging slowly, surely, subtly."[5] Trouser Press also suggests that the League's foray into dance oriented rock was a precursor to Fripp's reformed King Crimson the following year.[6]
The band toured extensively in Europe and North America throughout 1980.[7] The album sleeve notes state that they played a total of 77 gigs during 1980 and includes a full list of all these gigs starting at Moles, Bath on 10 April 1980 and finishing at the School of Economics, London on 29 November 1980.
The tour was split into three parts:
Missing from the list are four (possibly warm-up) gigs at the 14th Century Hunting Lodge (now Lodge Farm House),[8] outside the grounds of Kingston Lacy near Wimborne Minster, Dorset, England. These gigs are dated 24 to 27 February and pre-dated the first 'official' gig on 10 April at Moles, Bath.
Drummer Johnny Toobad left the band during Part 3 of the tour in Manchester on 22 November and was replaced for the remaining five dates by Kevin Wilkinson, who was in the support band.