Life Without Buildings

Life Without Buildings were a Scottish indie rock band that released one full length album and one live album along with a few EPs. Named after a track by English new wave band Japan. The band was formed during the summer of 1999 by students of the Glasgow School of Art and the line up consisted of vocalist Sue Tompkins, drummer Will Bradley, bassist Chris Evans and guitarist Robert Johnston.

Their only full length album, Any Other City, was released in 2001 and features a unique vocal performance and lyricism by Sue Tompkins. They took a distinctive approach to song-writing and in an interview with The Quietus, Sue had the following to say:

I think that my part in the band came out of listening, actually. Even though it might not sound like that. I tried to weave in and out of what they’re doing. But the listening was quite important. I remember, we used to have rehearsals and they would play for quite a long time and I wouldn’t do anything. I would just listen to what they were doing. And I used to go through moments where, I remember, initially, I would go, what am I going to do? What am I going to do? I sort of would play about with stuff in my head. And there used to just come a point where I would just stand up and try something. And I think, what was probably the thing with the guys in the band, I don’t think, really, they heard anything I was actually saying. Really. I think they didn’t. They were really loud.

Pitchfork placed Any Other City on the 128th position in their 200 Best Albums Of The 2000s list. While not a mainstream success by any means, the band enjoys a cult following which earned them the 21st place on Rolling Stone’s 40 Greatest One-Album Wonders list.

Since disbanding as a band, the members have gone on to pursue careers in different forms of art. Most notably, Sue Tompkins has been doing exhibitions all over the planet.