Aberfeldy (band)
Encyclopedia
Aberfeldy are a band formed by the singer-songwriter
Riley Briggs in Edinburgh
, Scotland
in 2002. The band is named after the Scottish town.
and released in 2004 as the album Young Forever. The single "Heliopolis by Night" was NME
s single of the week on release, and the follow-up "Love is an Arrow" was featured by Lorraine Kelly
on GMTV
's Kelly Plays Pop section. The animated video, by Chris Waitt, was nominated for an MTV award for best animated video, but lost out to the Gorillaz
. The record sold out in less than a week, due to not enough copies being pressed. It reached no. 60 in the UK charts.
"Summer's Gone", from the Young Forever album, saw use in a range of commercials. It was used in Argentina to advertise Quilmes
beer. It was used again for a Diet Coke
commercial in the USA and Canada, appearing initially during the 2007 Oscars and also during American Idol
. In 2010, the song was featured in a commercial for Travelers Insurance.
Drummer Ian Stoddart (one time member of Win
) departed in late 2005, and was replaced by Murray Briggs, formerly of the Anarcho
/street punk
band Oi Polloi
.
A well received second album Do Whatever Turns You On
, produced by Calum Malcolm
, was released by Rough Trade on 3 July 2006. However, in October 2006, Rough Trade announced that they no longer wished to work with the band, twelve weeks after the album's limited (UK & Australia only) release.
Ruth Barrie (keyboards, vocals) and Sarah McFadyen (violin, vocals) left Aberfeldy following the 2007 Tune Up Tour. Shortly afterwards Vicky Gray (violin, keyboards, vocals) and Chris Bradley (guitar, keyboards, vocals) joined the line-up. Barrie had been in a romantic relationship with Briggs. His infidelity and the resulting breakup are frequently referenced in the lyrics of Aberfeldy's most recent album, Somewhere To Jump From.
The band completed 2007 with two sell-out gigs at the Voodoo Rooms in Edinburgh which earned them the following great reviews.
Aberfeldy released a single in October 2008, "Come On, Claire" with 17 Seconds Records . This was followed with their third album, Somewhere To Jump From, which was released on 6 September 2010 through Tenement Records, preceded by single "Malcolm" on 16 August 2010.
at their Loch Lomond
gig, and Blondie
and the Scissor Sisters
at Edinburgh's Hogmanay
celebrations (2004), and played at T in the Park
(2005). They performed at the 2005 and 2006 South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas.
Aberfeldy toured the UK in May and June 2006. For part of that tour they supported The Beautiful South
. During June and July 2006 the band supported James Blunt
for four of his UK and European tour dates. The band also had festival dates and an extensive headline tour in autumn 2006, as well as supporting Paolo Nutini
on his UK tour.
In October 2006, the band were invited to play at the Cervantino
festival in Guanajuato, Mexico
; the concert was seen live by over 10,000 people and broadcast on radio and TV.
Aberfeldy toured Scotland in April and May 2007 as part of the Scottish Arts Council
's Tune-Up Tour. They also played several successful open-air gigs during the summer.
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Riley Briggs in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in 2002. The band is named after the Scottish town.
History
In 2003, Aberfeldy recorded fourteen songs with producer Jim Sutherland at his studio above Edinburgh's Bongo Club, using only one microphone and no overdubbing. The resulting tracks were licensed to Rough Trade RecordsRough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...
and released in 2004 as the album Young Forever. The single "Heliopolis by Night" was NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
s single of the week on release, and the follow-up "Love is an Arrow" was featured by Lorraine Kelly
Lorraine Kelly
Lorraine Kelly is a Scottish television presenter, journalist and actress, best known as a presenter for TV-am, and later GMTV and ITV Breakfast, on Lorraine.-Early life:...
on GMTV
GMTV
GMTV was the national Channel 3 breakfast television contractor, broadcasting in the United Kingdom from 1 January 1993 to 3 September 2010. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of ITV plc. in November 2009. Shortly after, ITV plc announced the programme would end...
's Kelly Plays Pop section. The animated video, by Chris Waitt, was nominated for an MTV award for best animated video, but lost out to the Gorillaz
Gorillaz
Gorillaz is an English musical project created in 1998 by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. This project consists of Gorillaz music itself and an extensive fictional universe depicting a "virtual band" of cartoon characters...
. The record sold out in less than a week, due to not enough copies being pressed. It reached no. 60 in the UK charts.
"Summer's Gone", from the Young Forever album, saw use in a range of commercials. It was used in Argentina to advertise Quilmes
Cerveza Quilmes
Cervecería y Maltería Quilmes is an Argentine Brewery founded in 1888 in Quilmes, Buenos Aires Province, by Otto Bemberg, a German immigrant.The company quickly started growing and in the 1920s it was already the most popular beer in Buenos Aires. Since then, it has become something of a national...
beer. It was used again for a Diet Coke
Diet Coke
Diet Coke is a sugar-free soft drink produced and distributed by The Coca-Cola Company. It was first introduced in the United States on August 9, 1982, as the first new brand since 1886 to use the Coca-Cola trademark...
commercial in the USA and Canada, appearing initially during the 2007 Oscars and also during American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
. In 2010, the song was featured in a commercial for Travelers Insurance.
Drummer Ian Stoddart (one time member of Win
Win (band)
Win were a Scottish pop band from the 1980s.After the dissolution of The Fire Engines, David Henderson formed Win with Ian Stoddart , ex-Fire Engine Russell Burn , Emmanuel "Mani" Shoniwa , Simon Smeeton and Willie Perry in 1983. A more determinedly pop act than The Fire Engines, Win were soon...
) departed in late 2005, and was replaced by Murray Briggs, formerly of the Anarcho
Anarcho-punk
Anarcho-punk is punk rock that promotes anarchism. The term anarcho-punk is sometimes applied exclusively to bands that were part of the original anarcho-punk movement in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
/street punk
Street punk
Street punk is a working class-based genre of punk rock which took shape in the early 1980s, partly as a rebellion against the perceived artistic pretensions of the first wave of British punk. Street punk emerged from the Oi! style, performed by bands such as Sham 69, Angelic Upstarts, Cockney...
band Oi Polloi
Oi Polloi
Oi Polloi are an anarcho-punk band from Scotland that formed around 1981. Starting as an Oi! band, they are generally associated more with the anarcho-punk genre. More recently the band have become notable for their contributions to the Scottish Gaelic punk subgenre...
.
A well received second album Do Whatever Turns You On
Do Whatever Turns You On
Do Whatever Turns You On is the second album from Scottish indie band Aberfeldy.-Track listing:# "Someone Like You"# "Hypnotised"# "There You Go"# "Up Tight"# "All True Trendies"# "Poetry"# "1970s"# "Never Give Up"# "Need to Know"...
, produced by Calum Malcolm
Calum Malcolm
Calum Malcolm is a Scottish record producer, sound engineer and keyboardist based in Edinburgh.He started his rock music career with the band The Headboys in 1977....
, was released by Rough Trade on 3 July 2006. However, in October 2006, Rough Trade announced that they no longer wished to work with the band, twelve weeks after the album's limited (UK & Australia only) release.
Ruth Barrie (keyboards, vocals) and Sarah McFadyen (violin, vocals) left Aberfeldy following the 2007 Tune Up Tour. Shortly afterwards Vicky Gray (violin, keyboards, vocals) and Chris Bradley (guitar, keyboards, vocals) joined the line-up. Barrie had been in a romantic relationship with Briggs. His infidelity and the resulting breakup are frequently referenced in the lyrics of Aberfeldy's most recent album, Somewhere To Jump From.
The band completed 2007 with two sell-out gigs at the Voodoo Rooms in Edinburgh which earned them the following great reviews.
Aberfeldy released a single in October 2008, "Come On, Claire" with 17 Seconds Records . This was followed with their third album, Somewhere To Jump From, which was released on 6 September 2010 through Tenement Records, preceded by single "Malcolm" on 16 August 2010.
Touring
As well as touring throughout the UK, Aberfeldy have supported R.E.M.R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
at their Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond is a freshwater Scottish loch, lying on the Highland Boundary Fault. It is the largest lake in Great Britain by surface area. The lake contains many islands, including Inchmurrin, the largest fresh-water island in the British Isles, although the lake itself is smaller than many Irish...
gig, and Blondie
Blondie (band)
Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...
and the Scissor Sisters
Scissor Sisters
Scissor Sisters are an American band "spawned by the scuzzy, gay nightlife scene of New York" who took their name from a sexual position between two women also known as tribadism...
at Edinburgh's Hogmanay
Hogmanay
Hogmanay is the Scots word for the last day of the year and is synonymous with the celebration of the New Year in the Scottish manner...
celebrations (2004), and played at T in the Park
T in the Park
T in the Park is a major British music festival that has been held annually since 1994. It is named after its main sponsor, the brewing company Tennents. It was originally held at Strathclyde Park, Lanarkshire but since 1997 has been held at a disused airfield in Balado, Kinross-shire...
(2005). They performed at the 2005 and 2006 South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas.
Aberfeldy toured the UK in May and June 2006. For part of that tour they supported The Beautiful South
The Beautiful South
The Beautiful South were an English alternative rock group formed at the end of the 1980s by two former members of Hull group The Housemartins, Paul Heaton and Dave Hemingway. The duo were initially joined by Sean Welch , Dave Stead and Dave Rotheray , all of whom stayed with the group throughout...
. During June and July 2006 the band supported James Blunt
James Blunt
James Hillier Blount , better known by his stage name James Blunt, is an English singer-songwriter and musician, and former army officer, whose debut album, Back to Bedlam and single releases, including "You're Beautiful" and "Goodbye My Lover", brought him to fame in 2005...
for four of his UK and European tour dates. The band also had festival dates and an extensive headline tour in autumn 2006, as well as supporting Paolo Nutini
Paolo Nutini
Paolo Giovanni Nutini is a Scottish singer, songwriter and musician from Paisley. His father is of Italian descent, from Barga, Tuscany, although both his parents are Scottish, his family having been in Scotland for three generations....
on his UK tour.
In October 2006, the band were invited to play at the Cervantino
Festival Internacional Cervantino
The Festival Internacional Cervantino takes place each fall in the city of Guanajuato, located in central Mexico. This is a small colonial-era city with history of having a large cultural scene. The origins of the festival are from the mid 20th century, when short plays by Miguel de Cervantes...
festival in Guanajuato, Mexico
Guanajuato, Guanajuato
Guanajuato is a city and municipality in central Mexico and the capital of the state of the same name. It is located in a narrow valley, which makes the streets of the city narrow and winding. Most are alleys that cars cannot pass through, and some are long sets of stairs up the mountainsides....
; the concert was seen live by over 10,000 people and broadcast on radio and TV.
Aberfeldy toured Scotland in April and May 2007 as part of the Scottish Arts Council
Scottish Arts Council
The Scottish Arts Council is a Scottish public body that distributes funding from the Scottish Government, and is the leading national organisation for the funding, development and promotion of the arts in Scotland...
's Tune-Up Tour. They also played several successful open-air gigs during the summer.
Members
- Riley Briggs - lead vocals, guitar, keyboards
- Murray Briggs - drums
- Ken McIntosh - bass
- Poppy Ackroyd - violin, keyboards, vocals
- Kirsten Adamson - Keyboards, Vocals
- Chris Bradley - guitar, keyboards, vocals
Discography
- "Vegetarian Restaurant" (7" single), June 2004
- Young Forever, August 2004
- "Heliopolis By Night" (single), September 2004, UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
#66 - "Love is an Arrow" (single), February 2005, UK #60
- "Summer's Gone" (7" single), October 2005
- "Hypnotised" (single), June 2006
- Do Whatever Turns You OnDo Whatever Turns You OnDo Whatever Turns You On is the second album from Scottish indie band Aberfeldy.-Track listing:# "Someone Like You"# "Hypnotised"# "There You Go"# "Up Tight"# "All True Trendies"# "Poetry"# "1970s"# "Never Give Up"# "Need to Know"...
(album), July 2006 - "Come On, Claire" (7" single), December 2008
- "Somewhere To Jump From" (album), 23 August 2010