BiografieAfter graduating high school in San Diego, Robin Proper-Sheppard, Jimmy Fernandez, Ron Austin, and Albert Amman formed Society Line. After a couple months, they recorded a six song demo and began playing locally, developing their rough sound into a bracing mix of metallics and atmospherics. Despite the musical progress, Proper-Sheppard became increasingly restless in San Diego and opted to move to New York. The remaining members continued to play together and thought of replacing the singer/guitarist, but Proper-Sheppard returned months later to see if his ex-band mates would be willing to join him back in New York. Amman was the only member to stay behind.

Through numerous turns of events, the trio ended up in London. Somewhere along the line, they changed their name to The God Machine and played their first official gig in early ´91. After a debut EP for Eve, the band signed to Fiction and released two more EP´s in 1992. The full length ´Scenes from the Second Storey´ appeared in 1993, featuring remakes of four tracks off the earlier EP´s. A monstrous double record, it´s (un)holy racket and scope serves the band´s name perfectly. A year later, the GM had completed recording and mixing a follow up LP when Fernandez fell victim to a brain tumour. Saddened and devastated, Proper-Sheppard and Austin opted to call it a day. The sessions for the fine second album, ´One Last Laugh in a Place of Dying´, saw release in 1995.

Proper-Sheppard set up the Flower Shop label, putting out records from the likes of Elevate, Ligament, and Swervedriver. He also began recording a year later as Sophia. Sophia sounded nothing like his prior band. Instead of ear-busting and grating, they were low key and introspective. With the help from other Flower Shop artists - Graham Miles (Elevate), Dan Mulligan (Oil Seed Rape) and James Elkington (Elevate) - he recorded 1996´s ´Fixed Water´. Featuring the single ´Are You Happy Now´, the album received favourable comparisons to Neil Young and Sparklehorse. Two years later, ´The Infinite Circle´ followed, receiving just as much critical praise as the debut. In 2001 Sophia released a live album ´De Nachten´. The album was recorded during 2 festival appearances in Belgium and Holland and features 4 new songs and a John Lennon cover. In January 2004 Sophia will release their third studio album ´People are like seasons´.

Early 2000 marked the first release of another Proper-Sheppard fronted band: The May Queens. The band has the same line up as Sophia, but opts for a more rock based sound. Echoing the earlier God Machine work but also getting the musical background of the other band members into the sound.

Quelle: http://www.sophiamusic.netDiscografie1996 Fixed Water

1998 The Infinite Circle

2001 De Nachten

2004 People are like seasons www