Capdown[a] is an Englishpunk rock band fromMilton Keynes. Originally known as Soap, their songs have political themes as alluded to by their name, which is aportmanteau of Capitalist Downfall. Mixingska,punk,hardcore,dub,drum and bass, andreggae, Capdown built a reputation around their independent releases and numerous tours.
The band members had been playing together since the age of 14. The band, originally known as Soap, had sent the demo of theTime For Change EP to the indieHousehold Name Records in 1998 and had played a gig withLink 80 at the record company's request, which led to them being signed onto the label. The EP was released in 1999 under the new name of the band, Capdown (short for Capitalist Downfall).[1][2][3][4]
In May 2000, Household Name Records released Capdown's debut albumCivil Disobedients. The album featured hardcore, but also mixed inska anddub. According toDrowned in Sound the album kick started an underground punk scene.[5] The album went on to be listed at 76 in theNME's top one hundred list for the decade.[6] In the same year Capdown played nearly 250 gigs.[7]
In 2003 the band signed toFierce Panda Records, releasing two EPs:Act Your Rage andNew Revolutionaries. The former reached the 80th spot on theUK Singles Chart on 10 May 2003.[14][15] As of November 2004,Civil Disobedients andPound for the Sound have sold more than 30 thousand copies together.[16]The band received critical acclaim for their live performances.[17] In 2006, Capdown played at the firstSlam Dunk Festival.[18]
The final line-up consisted of Jake Sims-Fielding (vocals and saxophone), Robin "Boob" Goold (bass guitar), Keith Minter (guitar and vocals), Tim Macdonald (drums) and a new addition, Andrew "Eddie" Hunt (keyboards/samples).[19]
The band split up after their final UK tour, which was due to be 9 November 2007, in their home town of Milton Keynes.[21][22] However their 'final show' took place on 7 June 2008, at the Pitz club in Milton Keynes,[23][better source needed][24] following a 'warm up' at the Peel inKingston upon Thames on 5 June 2008.[25]
Following the original demise of Capdown, both Goold and Macdonald worked on a new band, The Maccalites, alongside Simon Wells fromSnuff/Southport.[40] Goold, Minter and Macdonald are also members of rock band This Contrast Kills.[41][42]
Since 2012 Robin Goold and Tim Macdonald have been working on The GetGone with Ben Hyman, David Lloyd (1000 Hz) and Rob Blay. The band have released the 5 trackStories and Ruses EP in 2013,[43] and their debut albumOne Thousand Ways To Live in April 2016. Both recorded and produced by Capdown's Keith Minter.[44][45]
As of 2013 Tim Macdonald has been playing drums in the UK Hardcore band Menshevik along with Steve Pitcher of Vanilla Pod, Dan Hawcroft previously of Whizzwood and Robert Dempsey of Mustard City Rockers.[46]
In 2021,Louder included the band in a 'best of' list, saying "Capdown kick-started something of a movement here in the UK ...", and that if things had gone differently it could have been massive.[58]
^Harley, Kevin (7 June 2008). "Gig of the week".The Independent. London, England.Milton Keynes. Capdown Ska-punk band. 7.30pm, £11, The Pitz, Woughton Centre, Rainbow Drive (01908-660392)
