Dome (band)
English experimental duo from Wire's hiatus.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Dome was an English duo active from 1980, made up of Bruce Gilbert and Graham Lewis, both members of Wire. Gilbert played guitar, sang, and used synthesizers, while Lewis handled bass, vocals, and synthesizers. The pair formed Dome during Wire’s break between 1980 and 1984. Their music pushed forward the experimental direction Wire had taken in its later post-punk phase, often dropping conventional song formats in favor of sampled sounds, short melodic pieces, and what critics called “lurching mechanical noises infrequently keeping a vague beat.”
Between 1980 and 1981, Dome put out three studio records—*Dome* (1980), *Dome 2* (1980), and *Dome 3* (1981)—on their own label, Dome Records. Promotional photos showed them dressed in business suits, wearing tall cylindrical masks that hid their faces. Beyond their own releases, Gilbert and Lewis also produced and issued records by Desmond Simmons (who played on Wire bandmate Colin Newman’s solo albums *A-Z* and *Not To*) and A.C. Marias, who first appeared on Dome’s debut album.
In 1980, they released an album called *3R4* under the name B.C. Gilbert & G. Lewis, followed in 1981 by the single “Ends With the Sea.” An EP, *Like This for Ages*, came out under the name Cupol, all on the 4AD label. In 1982, they issued *MZUI (Waterloo Gallery)*, an LP of recordings made at the Waterloo Gallery with Russell Mills. The following year, Gilbert and Lewis worked with Dome collaborator Angela Conway (also known as A.C. Marias) to release *Whilst Climbing Thieves Vie for Attention* as P’O. That same year, they put out *Or So It Seems* as Duet Emmo—an anagram of “Dome” and “Mute”—with Daniel Miller, head of Mute Records, and released *Will You Speak This Word* (also called *Dome 4*) on the Uniton label.
Wire got back together in 1984, but Dome continued to perform and record from time to time. A collection of their later work, *Yclept*, came out on WMO in 1998.
- formed
- 1980
- origin
- England
- members
- Bruce Gilbert, Graham Lewis
- genre
- Experimental post-punk
- years_active
- 1980–1984 (occasional later activity)
- label
- Dome Records, 4AD, Uniton
Lore & Background
Gilbert and Lewis formed Dome during Wire's 1980–1984 hiatus. Between 1980 and 1981 Dome released three studio albums: Dome (1980), Dome 2 (1980) and Dome 3 (1981), on its own Dome Records label. In press photos, they presented themselves in business attire with tall cylindrical masks surrounding their heads and covering their faces. As well as releasing albums as Dome, Gilbert and Lewis produced and released records by Desmond Simmons and A.C. Marias on the Dome label.
Reader's Guide
Dome's significance lies in its role as a creative outlet for two members of Wire during that band's hiatus, pushing further into experimental territory. Their work, characterized by found sounds and mechanical noises, influenced later post-punk and industrial music. The duo also released material under various aliases—B.C. Gilbert & G. Lewis, Cupol, Duet Emmo, and P'O—collaborating with figures like Daniel Miller and Russell Mills. Though Wire reformed in 1984, Dome continued to perform and record occasionally, with a collection of later work, Yclept, released in 1998. Their discography, including compilations like 1 + 2 and 3 + 4, remains a touchstone for avant-garde pop.
Did You Know?
- Dome released three studio albums in 1980 and 1981 on its own Dome Records label.
- In press photos, Dome members wore business attire with tall cylindrical masks covering their faces.
- The duo released material under the names B.C. Gilbert & G. Lewis, Cupol, Duet Emmo, and P'O.
- Duet Emmo was an anagram of 'Dome' and 'Mute', formed with Mute Records head Daniel Miller.
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