After receiving a generous invitation from Maurice Woestenberg of VPRO Radio, Amsterdam, to play in Holland, Johnson sets about putting together a solid live band and quickly enlists a friend, John Cheves, to play guitar.  Paul Torbohm returns, this time on bass and through an advertisement placed in a music shop, Miguel Marin, formerly of the Spanish indie group, Snr Chinarro, joins on drums.

The band’s VPRO radio session is released on Staalplaat for their “Mort Aux Vaches” series.

London show.

Shows in London and Brighton.

Piano Magic play 2 shows in London - one at the Terrastock Festival, organised by the Ptolemic Terrascope fanzine.

London show at the Kosmiche club after which fellow Canadian, Josh Baumann, replaces Gabe McDonough on bass.

“There’s No Need For Us To Be Alone,” a collaboration between the band and Darren Hayman of Hefner, is released on Rocket Girl. 

 Play Crossing Border Festival in The Hague, Holland and Rockomotives Festival in Vendome, France.

Piano Magic’s remix of Ma Cherie For Painting’s “Fordt,” released on Dutch label, Bottrop-Boy.

Piano Magic, now consisting of Johnson, Marin, Cheves and Tornbohm, record their 3rd album, “Artists’ Rifles,” in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire with John A Rivers (producer of Dead Can Dance and Felt).  The album is recorded and mixed in 5 days.  Some of the songs are written during the sessions. 

 “Panic Amigo,” a 12” featuring remixes of “There’s No Need For Us To Be Alone” and “The Canadian Brought Us Snow,” released on Morr Music (Germany).

“Artists’ Rifles” released on Rocket Girl and showcases not only a new guitar-centred Piano Magic but a strong interest in the First World War poets and baroque composition.

Alasdair Steer debuts on bass Piano Magic for shows in Brighton and London.

John Peel session aired.  Tracks : “The Index,” “Password,” “Milkteeth” and “The Return Of....”  The latter two are never re-recorded.

Jerome Tcherneyan, a French friend of Marin’s, joins on percussion and electronics.

Shows in London and Brighton before Piano Magic’s biggest European date, at the BAM Festival in Barcelona.

Play London (with Disco Inferno’s Ian Crause), Manchester and the Hausmusik Festival in Munich, Germany before embarking on their first tour of Spain.

 Cheves leaves the band at the tour’s culmination.

Johnson, Marin and Tcherneyan home-record tracks towards a new EP to be released on the Spanish label, Acuarela.  Angele David-Guillou makes her Piano Magic debut on vocals.

“I Came To your Party Dressed As A Shadow” released on Acuarela.

Piano Magic sign up with legendary British label, 4AD.  They also sign a publishing deal with Rykomusic.

Spanish film director, Bigas Luna, contacts the band with a view to them recording the soundtrack to his forthcoming movie, Son De Mar.

Johnson, Marin and Tcherneyan record soundtrack to ‘Son De Mar’ at John River’s Leamington Spa studio, drafting in James Topham (formerly of Whistler) on viola.

One-off London show before 2 private shows to promote Bigas Luna’s “Son De Mar” movie launch in Spain.

Piano Magic play their biggest ever concert, at the Benicassim Festival in Spain.

“Son De Mar,” the official film soundtrack, is released on 4AD.

“Seasonally Affective - A Piano Magic Retrospective 1996 - 2000” is released on Rocket Girl.  Over a double CD set, it collects all Piano Magic singles alongside all compilation tracks to date.

Piano Magic resume recording of “Writers Without Homes” - this time at The Fortress Studios in Old St, London, aided by sound engineers, Gareth Parton and Robinson Hughes. 

Play Tanned Tin Festival in Santander, Spain before supporting Low in London.

Shows in Madrid and Barcelona, Spain.