Symposium are an English rock band. They were initially active from 1994 to 2000 and were known for their energetic live shows. The name 'Symposium' originally referred to a drinking party (the Greek verb sympotein means "to drink together"), and was taken from the philosophical dialogue by Plato. The band reformed in 2022.

History

The band formed whilst still at school in Shepherd's Bush, London, in 1994. The lineup consisted of Ross Cummins on vocals, Hagop Tchaparian as a guitarist and backing vocalist, Joe Birch on drums, William McGonagle as a guitarist, and Wojtek Godzisz as a vocalist and songwriter. The band's first show was at Hammersmith's Emerald Hut in July 1994, and they played various clubs and pubs in Camden Town throughout 1995; by November, they had obtained a manager. The band had a selection of uptempo punk pop songs which, together with their young average age of eighteen, brought them to the attention of Korda Marshall, who signed them to Infectious Records in 1996.

Their debut album On the Outside was released in May 1998.

2022 onwards

On 22 April 2022, an update was posted on Symposium's Facebook page. The band announced that their albums (One Day at a Time and On the Outside) were now available on all streaming websites, with a compilation album Do You Remember How It Was? due out on 11 November 2022. Ross, Wojtek, Will and Joe were to participate in a Q&A at Signature Brew in Haggerston on 19 May 2022, hosted by Kerrangs!'s Phil Alexander. There was also the promise of a live show announcement coming soon. It was later announced that Symposium would play for one night only at Islington Assembly Hall in November 2022.

In 2023 the band played two sold-out shows, at Manchester Academy on 16 November and London's Electric Ballroom on 18 November.

Members

  • Ross Cummins – vocals
  • Wojtek Godzisz – vocals, bass
  • Hagop Tchaparian – guitar, occasional backing vocals
  • William McGonagle – guitar
  • Joe Birch – drums

Discography

Albums and EPs

{| class="wikitable"

! Info

! Track listing

|-

| valign="top" | One Day at a Time<br/>8-track mini-album<br/>Year:1997<br/>Format: CD / 12"<br/>Label: Infectious Records<br/>UK Albums Chart Position: No. 29

  • Tracks 1 - 5 & 7 produced by Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley.
  • Track 6 produced by Symposium and Matt Gregory.
  • Track 8 produced by Clive Martin.

|

  • "Drink The Sunshine"
  • "One Day at a Time"
  • "Farewell To Twilight"
  • "Puddles"
  • "Fairweather Friend"
  • "Fear of Flying"
  • "Fizzy"
  • "Smiling"

|-

|valign="top"|On the Outside<br/>Year: 1998<br/>Format: CD / 12" / Cassette<br/>Label: Infectious<br/>UK Albums Chart Position: No. 32

  • Produced by Martin "Youth" Glover.

|

  • UK Track listing
  • "Impossible" – 3:25
  • "The Answer to Why I Hate You" – 3:31
  • "Bury You" – 3:36
  • "Blue" – 5:15
  • "The End" – 4:48
  • "Nothing Special" – 5:07
  • "Circles, Squares and Lines" – 3:40
  • "Stay on the Outside" – 3:35
  • "Paint the Stars" – 4:28
  • "Obsessive Compulsive Disorder" – 3:04
  • "Natural" – 5:03
  • "Way" – 11:05
  • "Disappear" – 3:44 (hidden track)

|-

|valign="top"|On the BBC<br/>Live Compilation<br/>Year: 1999<br/>Format: CD<br/>Label: Strange Fruit

  • Track 1 recorded at Newcastle Uni (28/10/98)
  • Track 2 recorded at Reading Festival (28/8/98)
  • Tracks 3 & 4 recorded at the BBC (11/9/96)
  • Tracks 5 & 7 recorded at T in the Park (12/7/98)
  • Track 6 recorded at Music Live Manchester (22/5/97)
  • Track 8 recorded at Top of the Pops (28/8/97)
  • Tracks 9 – 11 recorded at T in the Park (12/7/97)

|

  • "What's What"
  • "The Answer To Why I Hate You"
  • "Bury You"
  • "Farewell To Twilight"
  • "Puddle"
  • "Smiling"
  • "Fizzy"
  • "Fairweather Friend"
  • "Disappear"
  • "Untitled"
  • "Hard Day's Night"

|-

|}

Singles

{| class="wikitable"

! Year

!width="250"| Title

! Album

!width="30"|<small>UK Singles Chart</small><br />

|-

| rowspan="4"| 1997

| "Farewell to Twilight"

|align="center"| 25

|-

| "The Answer to Why I Hate You"

| On the Outside

|align="center"| 32

|-

| "Fairweather Friend"

|rowspan="2"| One Day at a Time

|align="center"| 25

|-

| "Drink the Sunshine" / "Fizzy" <small>(Limited)</small>

|align="center"| 89