Alistair Griffin
Encyclopedia
Alistair Richard Griffin (born 1 November 1977 in Middlesbrough
, England
) is an English
singer/songwriter and musician. Already an established songwriter
, he first became famous as a solo artist through his appearances on the BBC
television show Fame Academy 2
in 2003, where he was "spotted" and championed by Robin Gibb
of the Bee Gees
. He subsequently had two top twenty hit singles and a top twenty album in the UK. In 2007 he received worldwide press coverage for his adaptation of Leonard Cohen
's "Hallelujah" as a tribute to football
player, Mark Viduka
.
), playing guitar and busking
on the streets of York
with a small band. His wide musical influences range from classic rock
and 'Britpop
', to English
and American
folk music
. After graduating with a BA(Hons)
in English Literature (and following a brief stint working as a milkman
around his home town, during which he crashed his milk float
), he moved to London
to pursue a career as a singer/songwriter.
In 2001, as vocalist with the pop/rock band 'Sugartown', he performed in front of 70,000 people at the Leeds
Party in the Park
. The following year, he and his sometime songwriting partner, Stuart Hanna (now part of folk
duo Megson) formed the band, Pulse, and co-wrote the song 'Fade Away' (having recorded the song on an 8-track in Hanna's bedroom) and entered it for the 2002 Song for Europe competition
on BBC Radio 2
. The song was shortlisted, and a performance by Pulse was broadcast, but it failed to reach the finals.
Griffin was briefly a member of Ultra
and spent some time working in Germany with DJ Sammy
. It was widely reported that he auditioned for the boyband, Blue
, only narrowly failing to make it to the final line-up, but Griffin later dismissed this as a fabrication by the press. Although signed by music publisher Trevor Horn
's company, "Perfect Songs
", he was unable to get a solo recording contract and in 2002, he applied to become a contestant on the first series of Fame Academy
.
on his first attempt in 2002, but was not chosen to appear on the show. He re-applied for a place on Fame Academy 2
the following year and was voted through by the public with the highest vote of the preliminary round. Despite harsh criticism every week from ‘Headmaster’ Richard Park who called him "bland" and his voice "nasal", his dogged determination, comic impersonations and cheerful disposition behind the scenes, as well as his camaraderie and duetting with fellow student James Fox
, attracted the attention and the votes of many viewers of the live TV streaming programmes. The vocal coaches criticised both his voice and image, calling them "unoriginal", "unidentifiable" and "boybandish"; however, guest judge, Robin Gibb
of the Bee Gees
said Griffin had a "unique talent" as a vocalist and songwriter, an "ideal recording voice" with "an engaging vocal tone". His technically-accomplished live performances and proven songwriting ability gradually gained him the support of the public. As the final approached, he was dubbed the "dark horse
" of the show by BBC Three
presenter, Claudia Winkleman
http://www.whitbytoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=983&ArticleID=670806, and eventually finished in second place.
The final showdown was screened live and generated so many angry messages from viewers claiming bias that the BBC were forced to close down their Points of View
message boards. Daniel Bedingfield
, who duetted with both finalists, later made a public apology to Griffin for his behaviour, particularly for his outburst that people should "just vote for Alex
".(This incident received considerable press coverage and was the subject of one of the questions in the 2003 Observer
Music Monthly Magazine Christmas Quiz) http://observer.guardian.co.uk/omm/story/0,,1106088,00.html The actual voting figures have never been publicly released.
and Liquid News
. In March of that year he also competed in the European 'WorldBest' competition in Cannes, singing live with Phil Collins
.
The live performances of his own material that he gave throughout that year, singing acoustically
and with the backing of a regular 5-piece band, Riccardi, showed a marked difference from the generic 'pop' approach of his record company. After parting from UMTV he abandoned his record company's 'pop
style' backing tracks and his former 'boyband' image.
In the autumn, he supported Robin Gibb
on his 'Magnet' tour of Germany, opening each concert with an acoustic set of his own songs, playing guitar and accompanied on keyboards by long-time friend and fellow musician, Simon Waggott (Waggo), as well as joining Gibb on stage to duet on 'My Lover's Prayer'. On his return he released an independent recording of his live performances in Germany, which he showcased at a series of sell-out concerts in the North of England.
A former junior tennis
champion, he played tennis and also performed with Riccardi in Sir Cliff Richard
's pro/celebrity Tennis Tournament in December 2004.
During 2005 Griffin continued to perform live, both solo and with Riccardi, but split with them later that year. He moved back to York and although there were rumours of a new recording deal, nothing materialised. In November he assembled a new backing band and performed his first London gig for over a year at The Bedford, where he showcased several new compositions.
Early in 2006 he announced that he would no longer be pursuing a solo career, and would be concentrating on working and writing with his new band, Albion. For some time he performed solo only at charity events and small local venues. At the beginning of 2007 he also set up his own recording studio called oakwood near York. When interviewed shortly after disbanding Albion in August 2007, he confirmed his intention to resume recording and performing as a solo artist, although he has since performed several times at society weddings and other functions as well as at charity concerts, fronting his covers band, Blue Nun.
In September 2007 Griffin joined other celebrities, fans and professional players to play for the Middlesbrough team in the week long, seven a side, charity football contest, Sky One
Premier League All Stars
. He scored the winning goal in the last 30 seconds of the final against West Ham
, ensuring that Middlesbrough gained the trophy and two local Teesside charities benefited from the first prize of £100,000. http://www.mfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/creatingchancesdetail/0,,1~1124154,00.html
As well as pursuing various other projects he is currently writing and recording material for his next solo album. He performed several of these brand new songs live with his own (unnamed) backing band in May 2008, during a short tour of smaller venues in the UK supporting recently signed indie band Ivyrise
.
In August 2008 he headlined the Truck Stage at H2008:Beached festival in Scarborough and is also booked to return there for Acoustic Gathering 111 in September. New UK tour dates with Ivyrise have also been announced for September as well as an additional appearance at the Grand Opera House, York.
In December 2008 he made an impromptu appearance with David Smith and The Mojos.
leaving a few months later to form another indie
band, The Station Club. At the end of 2006, Alistair Griffin (guitar and vocals) and Walter Laybourne (drums), were joined by Paul Banks
(ex Shed Seven
) (guitars and keyboard) and Paul 'Foda' Fothergill (bass). Despite writing and recording numerous songs together and releasing several free download tracks, Albion split up abruptly in August 2007 for reasons which were not made public. When interviewed, Griffin commented “Things weren’t working out the way we anticipated and it seemed the right time to call it a day". http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/2007/08/23/end-of-road-84229-19673651/
In 2002 he recorded the football anthem "Stand Up" which was included in the compilation album Boro Songs - The Sound Of The Riverside.
Several covers he recorded for the Fame Academy programme were released as download only tracks by the BBC during the course of the show in 2003. These were also included in the compilation albums Fame Academy "Bee Gees Special" and Fame Academy - The Finalists also released in 2003.
In October 2003 Griffin signed a record deal with UMTV
and at the end of December released his first single, "Bring It On
"; a double A-side also featuring 'My Lover's Prayer', a duet with Robin Gibb. Although it received very little airplay, it was voted #1 for 6 consecutive weeks on the music TV channel 'The Box' and reached the top 5 in the UK singles chart
. On 9 January 2004, he was therefore able to fulfil one of his lifetime ambitions to appear live on Top of the Pops
.
In January 2004, he released his debut album, also titled Bring It On
, featuring mainly self-penned songs. This charted at number 12 in the UK album charts. His second single, You and Me (Tonight)
reached the top 20 but Griffin parted with both his record company and management soon afterwards.
In late 2004 he released an independent solo CD, "Live in Germany", featuring live recordings of the acoustic set he performed in Germany while supporting Robin Gibb. This included "Bring it On", "You and Me (Tonight)", "In Your Smile" and "I Have Lived" with a cover of "I Can't Make You Love Me". The limited edition CD was only made available for a short time at his concerts.
At his Christmas concert in December 2006 he released another independently recorded, three track solo CD; finding Boethius, consisting of one co-written song, "Let Love Speak Its Name", a cover of "Hallelujah" which he regularly sings live, and an acoustic cover of "Love Will Tear Us Apart".
In March 2007, "Mark Viduka" was released by popular demand, as a download single only, with all the proceeds going to charity.
Brand new versions of four of the songs which were originally recorded with his former band Albion, but never released, are included on his most recent solo CD Alistair Griffin (May 2008), again produced independently and only available to buy at live concerts during the Ivyrise
tour. These are "Blown Away", "I Have Lived", "Silent Suicide" and "Is It Me".
Unreleased demos of his own compositions are regularly previewed on his official Myspace.http://www.myspace.com/alistairgriffinonline
Alistair's new song, "Just Drive", was played in full over the BBC's F1 montage at the end of the 2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
and subsequently appeared again in the BBC's 2010 F1 season review programme.
"Just Drive" has received very positive reviews and entered the UK singles charts at a respectable 38, the track was produced with David Watts at the Oakwood Studios, York.
, Robin Gibb
, singer/songwriter Richard Chance, Liverpudlian songwriting duo, Chris and Tony Griffiths (ex Britpop
band The Real People
) and Paul Banks, (ex Shed Seven).
In 2002, "Fade Away", one of several songs co-written with Stuart Hanna, was shortlisted for the Song for Europe competition. That year Griffin also co-wrote the football anthem "England Crazy" which was recorded by Rider
and Terry Venables
. He also recorded his own version of the Boro anthem "Stand Up", which was included in the compilation album Boro Songs - The Sound Of The Riverside.
Although largely ignored as a singer/songwriter by the British music establishment since his appearance on Fame Academy
(that he now describes as a 'double-edged sword'), several covers of his earlier songs have achieved notable chart success in the Netherlands
. "You and Me" appears on the #1 album Impressed released in 2003 by Jim Bakkum
, runner-up in the Dutch series of Pop Idol; Do
’s ballad “Angel By My Side
” (co-written with James and Tom Martin
) reached the Dutch top 10 in 2004 and "Hungry For Love" (co-written with Greg Fitzgerald and Tom Nichols) was covered by rock band Di-rect
, getting to number 3 early in 2005.
Griffin's debut album, "Bring It On" consisted mainly of songs that he wrote or co-wrote before being signed. During his time in Fame Academy he also co-wrote several new songs with the students and the songwriters on the show. "Painkiller", (co-written with Greg Fitzgerald and Tom Nichols) along with " A Heart Can't Lie", co-written with fellow student, Louise Griffiths
both appeared on his debut album.
He has also written and co-written songs for albums by Phixx
(2004), Ultra
(2006), Bel's Boys
(2007), and Cascada
(2009).
In 2005 he resumed his writing partnership with James and Tom Martin. He has since recorded new versions of several of these songs with Albion, which were made available as free downloads on MySpace in 2007.
Despite despatching "Nasty" Nigel Lythgoe in the opening round and making good progress in the early stages of round two, Alistair suffered an early exit at the hands of Michelle McManus after she distracted him with a finger of Cadburys Fudge. Alistair had been due to face Fame Academy rival Alex Parks in the following round, Parks went on to win the event by beating Danny from Hearsay in a thrilling final.
Footage of Alistair's first and second round bouts have appeared on U-Tube along with a promotional safety video demonstrating the benefits of wearing goggles while playing conkers.
Following Children In Need, rumours began to circulate of a possible duet with Terry Wogan and a cover of The Floral Dance. To date no details have been made available.
, Ronan Keating
and Robin Gibb.
In February 2007 Griffin sang at a charity event at the Riverside Stadium
, home of Middlesbrough Football Club. After his performance of Leonard Cohen
’s "Hallelujah", he asked the audience if they would like to hear an alternative version, based on Cohen’s song, but with new words dedicated to the Boro hero at that time, Australian striker Mark Viduka
. Keeping faithfully to Cohen's melody, Griffin's almost plaintive vocals are sung to a simple acoustic backing, forming a contrast to the altered lyrics which reference the particular skills of Viduka and several other popular players in the team, as well as some of their opponents, in a sharply observed and witty commentary. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBpYV1ZpyUI
After hearing the tongue-in-cheek
tribute, Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate
was so taken with it he asked Griffin to make a special recording to play at the following day’s match. It was played to the crowd at half-time and to the players in the dressing room after the game.
In an interview with the Daily Mail
, Boro’s Aussie international keeper Mark Schwarzer
said:
The incident received global press coverage, most of it positive. (although The Times
was uncomplimentary and dubbed Leonard Cohen "the cheesiest of crooners http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premiership/reading/article1438123.ece) It was immediately picked up by hundreds of online sports pages and blogs. The Mark Viduka song was added to Griffin’s MySpace
page the following day and clocked up over 75,000 plays by football fans worldwide. http://www.myspace.com/alistairgriffinonline.
The BBC
Sports Review described the song as the "football anthem of the week, year, decade and possibly all time" http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A20377668, and the Irish Times called it "a bit on the excellent side". http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/soccer/2007/0305/1172789766789.html TV and Radio coverage followed. A film of Griffin performing the song with other young Middlesbrough supporters appeared on Sky Sports News
, and he also appeared on the BBC's and ITV
's regional news programmes. In addition to interviews on local radio stations, Griffin was also interviewed on BBC Radio Five Live
The song was also broadcast on several channels in Australia and on the BBC World Service
.
Southgate embraced the tune as a way of raising money for his chosen charity, Macmillan Cancer Support
. Leonard Cohen was approached and gave permission for the song to be released as a charity download http://www.indiestore.com/alistairgriffin
, a small moorland
village near Whitby
, North Yorkshire
. He has two older sisters. He has retained strong links with his family and his local community and often performs at local events to raise money for good causes. In 2003, without his knowledge, his mother, Barbara Griffin, offered a date with him as a prize in a charity raffle
for the Whitby Christmas Lights Appeal. Enough money was raised to light the town for the next three years.http://archive.yorkpress.co.uk/2004/1/9/254039.html
He is an expert at making lemon curd
, which he regularly enters in the annual Danby
Show
. Despite donating a trophy for this category,http://www.danbyshow.co.uk/HandicraftsAriel.htm although he has been awarded second and third prize he has never won.http://icteesside.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0001head/tm_headline=show-sets-a-record&method=full&objectid=17578418&siteid=109975-name_page.html
He is passionate about football
and is a qualified referee. He has also written songs for his home team, Middlesbrough Football Club, and former England manager, Terry Venables
. He played Junior Tennis
at regional level, and is a member of the Bunbury Cricket Club. His other hobbies include Crazy golf and Pub quiz
zing.
He has appeared in Heat Magazine's "Spotted" column after a member of the public reported he was seen talking to a homeless person outside the Royal York Hotel.
Alistair was opening batsman for the Middlesbrough Evening Gazette
in the inaugural cricket match against the Northern Echo played on August 14, 2011. He donated a jar of lemon curd
which has led to the now annual fixture being dubbed the Alistair Griffin Lemon Curd Challenge. Despite Alistair's efforts, the Gazette team were all out for 34, losing by 65 runs.
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
) is an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
singer/songwriter and musician. Already an established songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, he first became famous as a solo artist through his appearances on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
television show Fame Academy 2
Fame Academy 2
This article is about the second series of the BBC's Fame Academy TV programme, first broadcast in the UK over thirteen weeks in July - October 2003. It was won by Alex Parks.- Changes to format :...
in 2003, where he was "spotted" and championed by Robin Gibb
Robin Gibb
Robin Hugh Gibb, CBE is a British singer and songwriter. He is best known as a member of the Bee Gees, co-founded with his twin brother Maurice , and elder brother Barry....
of the Bee Gees
Bee Gees
The Bee Gees are a musical group that originally comprised three brothers: Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was successful for most of their 40-plus years of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and as a...
. He subsequently had two top twenty hit singles and a top twenty album in the UK. In 2007 he received worldwide press coverage for his adaptation of Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Norman Cohen, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet and novelist. Cohen published his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963. His work often explores religion, isolation, sexuality and interpersonal relationships...
's "Hallelujah" as a tribute to football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player, Mark Viduka
Mark Viduka
Mark Anthony Viduka is a former Australian soccer player who played as a centre forward. He captained the Australian national team at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany to the last 16.-Melbourne Croatia:...
.
Early career
Alistair Griffin started singing and writing songs whilst still a student at York St John College (now York St John UniversityYork St John University
York St John University York St John University York St John University (formerly known variously as York St John University College (2004), York St John College (2001), Ripon and York St John: a College of the University of Leeds (c. 1996), University College of Ripon and York St John...
), playing guitar and busking
Busking
Street performance or busking is the practice of performing in public places, for gratuities, which are generally in the form of money and edibles...
on the streets of York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
with a small band. His wide musical influences range from classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
and 'Britpop
Britpop
Britpop is a subgenre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom. Britpop emerged from the British independent music scene of the early 1990s and was characterised by bands influenced by British guitar pop music of the 1960s and 1970s...
', to English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
. After graduating with a BA(Hons)
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in English Literature (and following a brief stint working as a milkman
Milkman
A milkman is a person, traditionally male, who delivers milk in milk bottles or cartons. Milk deliveries frequently occur in the morning and it is not uncommon for milkmen to deliver products other than milk such as eggs, cream, cheese, butter, yogurt or soft drinks...
around his home town, during which he crashed his milk float
Milk float
A milk float is a battery electric vehicle , specifically designed for the delivery of fresh milk. They were once common in many European countries, particularly the United Kingdom, and were operated by local dairies...
), he moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to pursue a career as a singer/songwriter.
In 2001, as vocalist with the pop/rock band 'Sugartown', he performed in front of 70,000 people at the Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
Party in the Park
Party in the Park
Party in the Park is the generic name given to music concerts organised by various radio stations and local authorities in England and Wales, typically in large parks during the summer.-Leeds' Party in the Park:...
. The following year, he and his sometime songwriting partner, Stuart Hanna (now part of folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
duo Megson) formed the band, Pulse, and co-wrote the song 'Fade Away' (having recorded the song on an 8-track in Hanna's bedroom) and entered it for the 2002 Song for Europe competition
A Song for Europe
A Song for Europe may refer to:*A Song for Europe, former name of British pre-selection competition for the Eurovision Song Contest, now known as Eurovision: Your Country Needs You...
on BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
. The song was shortlisted, and a performance by Pulse was broadcast, but it failed to reach the finals.
Griffin was briefly a member of Ultra
Ultra (boy band)
Ultra is an English male pop band, which was most successful in the late 1990s. The original line-up consisted of James Hearn , Michael Harwood , Jon O'Mahony and Nick Keynes .-Musical history:Although sometimes mistakenly described as a...
and spent some time working in Germany with DJ Sammy
DJ Sammy
Samuel Bouriah , professionally known as DJ Sammy Is a DJ and producer. He has released five albums and has had five Top 10 hits with "Heaven" reaching number one in the UK in 2002. His career started with former spouse Marie José in the making of his first singles, under the stage name of DJ Sammy...
. It was widely reported that he auditioned for the boyband, Blue
Blue (boy band)
Blue are an English pop vocal group, whose members are Simon Webbe, Lee Ryan, Duncan James and Antony Costa. Blue originally formed in 2001 before splitting in 2005. In 2009, it was confirmed that the band would reform. In April 2009, the group reunited and a Best of Blue Tour was announced...
, only narrowly failing to make it to the final line-up, but Griffin later dismissed this as a fabrication by the press. Although signed by music publisher Trevor Horn
Trevor Horn
Trevor Charles Horn CBE is an English pop music record producer, songwriter, musician and singer. He was born in Houghton-le-Spring in north-east England....
's company, "Perfect Songs
Perfect Songs
Perfect Songs is an independent music publishing company with a catalogue containing many memorable songs of the past 25 years.It is part of the SPZ Group of companies which also includes Sarm Studios , ZTT Records, Stiff Records and Music Bank hire .Songs featured in their catalogue include Relax...
", he was unable to get a solo recording contract and in 2002, he applied to become a contestant on the first series of Fame Academy
Fame Academy
Fame Academy is a televised competition to search for and educate new musical talents. The winner received a chance to become a successful music artist. The prize consisted of a £1m recording contract with a major record company, plus the use of a luxury apartment in London and a sports car for one...
.
Fame Academy
Griffin reached the final audition stage of Fame Academy 1Fame Academy 1
The first series of Fame Academy, a BBC reality talent search, was first broadcast in the UK over ten weeks in October - December 2002. It was won by David Sneddon...
on his first attempt in 2002, but was not chosen to appear on the show. He re-applied for a place on Fame Academy 2
Fame Academy 2
This article is about the second series of the BBC's Fame Academy TV programme, first broadcast in the UK over thirteen weeks in July - October 2003. It was won by Alex Parks.- Changes to format :...
the following year and was voted through by the public with the highest vote of the preliminary round. Despite harsh criticism every week from ‘Headmaster’ Richard Park who called him "bland" and his voice "nasal", his dogged determination, comic impersonations and cheerful disposition behind the scenes, as well as his camaraderie and duetting with fellow student James Fox
James Fox (singer)
James Fox, real name . is a pop music singer, songwriter, pianist and guitarist. He represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2004 in Istanbul...
, attracted the attention and the votes of many viewers of the live TV streaming programmes. The vocal coaches criticised both his voice and image, calling them "unoriginal", "unidentifiable" and "boybandish"; however, guest judge, Robin Gibb
Robin Gibb
Robin Hugh Gibb, CBE is a British singer and songwriter. He is best known as a member of the Bee Gees, co-founded with his twin brother Maurice , and elder brother Barry....
of the Bee Gees
Bee Gees
The Bee Gees are a musical group that originally comprised three brothers: Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was successful for most of their 40-plus years of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and as a...
said Griffin had a "unique talent" as a vocalist and songwriter, an "ideal recording voice" with "an engaging vocal tone". His technically-accomplished live performances and proven songwriting ability gradually gained him the support of the public. As the final approached, he was dubbed the "dark horse
Dark horse
Dark horse is a term used to describe a little-known person or thing that emerges to prominence, especially in a competition of some sort.-Origin:The term began as horse racing parlance...
" of the show by BBC Three
BBC Three
BBC Three is a television network from the BBC broadcasting via digital cable, terrestrial, IPTV and satellite platforms. The channel's target audience includes those in the 16-34 year old age group, and has the purpose of providing "innovative" content to younger audiences, focusing on new talent...
presenter, Claudia Winkleman
Claudia Winkleman
Claudia Anne I. Winkleman is an English television presenter, film critic, radio personality and journalist.- Early life and family :...
http://www.whitbytoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=983&ArticleID=670806, and eventually finished in second place.
The final showdown was screened live and generated so many angry messages from viewers claiming bias that the BBC were forced to close down their Points of View
Points of View
Points of View is a long-running television show shown in the United Kingdom on BBC One, featuring the letters of viewers offering praise, criticism and purportedly witty observations on the television of recent weeks...
message boards. Daniel Bedingfield
Daniel Bedingfield
Daniel John Bedingfield is a British singer-songwriter. He is the brother of pop singers Natasha Bedingfield and Nikola Rachelle.-Music career:...
, who duetted with both finalists, later made a public apology to Griffin for his behaviour, particularly for his outburst that people should "just vote for Alex
Alex Parks
Alex Parks is an English singer-songwriter. She is best known for winning Fame Academy in 2003, for her singles, and for the albums, Introduction and Honesty.-Biography:...
".(This incident received considerable press coverage and was the subject of one of the questions in the 2003 Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
Music Monthly Magazine Christmas Quiz) http://observer.guardian.co.uk/omm/story/0,,1106088,00.html The actual voting figures have never been publicly released.
A new direction
During 2004, Griffin performed live at over 50 gigs up and down the UK and appeared on numerous television programmes, including Top of the PopsTop of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
and Liquid News
Liquid News
Liquid News was the daily round up of entertainment news for BBC Three running from 30th May 2000 to 1st April 2004. It was originally a vehicle for presenter Christopher Price...
. In March of that year he also competed in the European 'WorldBest' competition in Cannes, singing live with Phil Collins
Phil Collins
Philip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
.
The live performances of his own material that he gave throughout that year, singing acoustically
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
and with the backing of a regular 5-piece band, Riccardi, showed a marked difference from the generic 'pop' approach of his record company. After parting from UMTV he abandoned his record company's 'pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
style' backing tracks and his former 'boyband' image.
In the autumn, he supported Robin Gibb
Robin Gibb
Robin Hugh Gibb, CBE is a British singer and songwriter. He is best known as a member of the Bee Gees, co-founded with his twin brother Maurice , and elder brother Barry....
on his 'Magnet' tour of Germany, opening each concert with an acoustic set of his own songs, playing guitar and accompanied on keyboards by long-time friend and fellow musician, Simon Waggott (Waggo), as well as joining Gibb on stage to duet on 'My Lover's Prayer'. On his return he released an independent recording of his live performances in Germany, which he showcased at a series of sell-out concerts in the North of England.
A former junior tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
champion, he played tennis and also performed with Riccardi in Sir Cliff Richard
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
's pro/celebrity Tennis Tournament in December 2004.
During 2005 Griffin continued to perform live, both solo and with Riccardi, but split with them later that year. He moved back to York and although there were rumours of a new recording deal, nothing materialised. In November he assembled a new backing band and performed his first London gig for over a year at The Bedford, where he showcased several new compositions.
Early in 2006 he announced that he would no longer be pursuing a solo career, and would be concentrating on working and writing with his new band, Albion. For some time he performed solo only at charity events and small local venues. At the beginning of 2007 he also set up his own recording studio called oakwood near York. When interviewed shortly after disbanding Albion in August 2007, he confirmed his intention to resume recording and performing as a solo artist, although he has since performed several times at society weddings and other functions as well as at charity concerts, fronting his covers band, Blue Nun.
In September 2007 Griffin joined other celebrities, fans and professional players to play for the Middlesbrough team in the week long, seven a side, charity football contest, Sky One
Sky One
Sky1 is the flagship BSkyB entertainment channel available in the United Kingdom and Ireland.The channel first launched on 26 April 1982 as Satellite Television, and is the fourth-oldest TV channel in the United Kingdom, behind BBC One , ITV and BBC Two...
Premier League All Stars
Premier League All Stars
Premier League All Stars was a televised charity football tournament, which was broadcast live on Sky1 on consecutive nights between 23 September and 30 September 2007. The innovative format features football teams representing all 20 Premier League clubs, each playing to win a share of the...
. He scored the winning goal in the last 30 seconds of the final against West Ham
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
, ensuring that Middlesbrough gained the trophy and two local Teesside charities benefited from the first prize of £100,000. http://www.mfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/creatingchancesdetail/0,,1~1124154,00.html
As well as pursuing various other projects he is currently writing and recording material for his next solo album. He performed several of these brand new songs live with his own (unnamed) backing band in May 2008, during a short tour of smaller venues in the UK supporting recently signed indie band Ivyrise
Ivyrise
Ivyrise is a British rock band from London, England, consisting of lead vocalist and pianist Ben Falinski, lead guitarist Dan Tanner, drummer Josh Thaxton-Key and bass guitarist Mark Nagle.- Background :...
.
In August 2008 he headlined the Truck Stage at H2008:Beached festival in Scarborough and is also booked to return there for Acoustic Gathering 111 in September. New UK tour dates with Ivyrise have also been announced for September as well as an additional appearance at the Grand Opera House, York.
In December 2008 he made an impromptu appearance with David Smith and The Mojos.
Albion
In April 2006, Griffin announced that he would shortly be forming a new band, Albion, which was launched in July.http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/news/tm_objectid=17470875%26method=full%26siteid=109975%26headline=bring%2dit%2don%2dalistair%2d%2d%2d%2dwith%2dnew%2dband-name_page.html The initial lineup proved unsuccessful, with James and Tom MartinJames and Tom Martin
James David Martin and Thomas Richard Martin , are English musicians and songwriters. Thomas plays guitar and James plays keyboards...
leaving a few months later to form another indie
Indie (music)
In music, independent music, often shortened to indie music or "indie" is a term used to describe independence from major commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, and an autonomous, Do-It-Yourself approach to recording and publishing....
band, The Station Club. At the end of 2006, Alistair Griffin (guitar and vocals) and Walter Laybourne (drums), were joined by Paul Banks
Paul Banks (Shed Seven)
Paul Banks is a musician, songwriter and lead guitarist with the rock band, Shed Seven.-Professional career:...
(ex Shed Seven
Shed Seven
Shed Seven are an English indie rock band from York and were one of the groups which contributed to the Britpop music scene that evolved during the 1990s, yet never received the degree of mainstream success achieved by bands such as Oasis and Blur...
) (guitars and keyboard) and Paul 'Foda' Fothergill (bass). Despite writing and recording numerous songs together and releasing several free download tracks, Albion split up abruptly in August 2007 for reasons which were not made public. When interviewed, Griffin commented “Things weren’t working out the way we anticipated and it seemed the right time to call it a day". http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/2007/08/23/end-of-road-84229-19673651/
Recordings
In 1999-2000, Griffin recorded several demos of his own compositions which were made available online at Songmanagement.com http://www.songmanagement.com/cgi-bin/song_details.cgi?song=KissandTell. These have never been officially released.In 2002 he recorded the football anthem "Stand Up" which was included in the compilation album Boro Songs - The Sound Of The Riverside.
Several covers he recorded for the Fame Academy programme were released as download only tracks by the BBC during the course of the show in 2003. These were also included in the compilation albums Fame Academy "Bee Gees Special" and Fame Academy - The Finalists also released in 2003.
In October 2003 Griffin signed a record deal with UMTV
UMTV
Universal Music TV is a London-based record label that was formed in 1998.Owned by Universal Music Group, UMTV specialises in producing compilation albums and occasional single releases...
and at the end of December released his first single, "Bring It On
Bring It On/My Lover's Prayer
"Bring It On" is the self-penned debut single from British singer/songwriter Alistair Griffin, and is also the title track and first release from his debut album, Bring It On...
"; a double A-side also featuring 'My Lover's Prayer', a duet with Robin Gibb. Although it received very little airplay, it was voted #1 for 6 consecutive weeks on the music TV channel 'The Box' and reached the top 5 in the UK singles chart
UK Singles Chart
The 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 ...
. On 9 January 2004, he was therefore able to fulfil one of his lifetime ambitions to appear live on Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
.
In January 2004, he released his debut album, also titled Bring It On
Bring It On (Alistair Griffin album)
Bring It On is the debut album by British singer/songwriter Alistair Griffin. Released in January 2004 on the UMTV label, it reached # 12 in the UK album charts....
, featuring mainly self-penned songs. This charted at number 12 in the UK album charts. His second single, You and Me (Tonight)
You and Me (Tonight)
You and Me is the second single release from English singer Alistair Griffin from his debut album Bring It On ."You and Me" was a romantic ballad, originally written several years earlier by Griffin and Ultra bandmate Jon O'Mahony. Griffin had never intended to record the song himself, and it was...
reached the top 20 but Griffin parted with both his record company and management soon afterwards.
In late 2004 he released an independent solo CD, "Live in Germany", featuring live recordings of the acoustic set he performed in Germany while supporting Robin Gibb. This included "Bring it On", "You and Me (Tonight)", "In Your Smile" and "I Have Lived" with a cover of "I Can't Make You Love Me". The limited edition CD was only made available for a short time at his concerts.
At his Christmas concert in December 2006 he released another independently recorded, three track solo CD; finding Boethius, consisting of one co-written song, "Let Love Speak Its Name", a cover of "Hallelujah" which he regularly sings live, and an acoustic cover of "Love Will Tear Us Apart".
In March 2007, "Mark Viduka" was released by popular demand, as a download single only, with all the proceeds going to charity.
Brand new versions of four of the songs which were originally recorded with his former band Albion, but never released, are included on his most recent solo CD Alistair Griffin (May 2008), again produced independently and only available to buy at live concerts during the Ivyrise
Ivyrise
Ivyrise is a British rock band from London, England, consisting of lead vocalist and pianist Ben Falinski, lead guitarist Dan Tanner, drummer Josh Thaxton-Key and bass guitarist Mark Nagle.- Background :...
tour. These are "Blown Away", "I Have Lived", "Silent Suicide" and "Is It Me".
Unreleased demos of his own compositions are regularly previewed on his official Myspace.http://www.myspace.com/alistairgriffinonline
Alistair's new song, "Just Drive", was played in full over the BBC's F1 montage at the end of the 2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
The 2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 14 November 2010 at the Yas Marina Circuit on Yas Island, an island on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. It was the 19th and last round of the 2010 Formula One season...
and subsequently appeared again in the BBC's 2010 F1 season review programme.
"Just Drive" has received very positive reviews and entered the UK singles charts at a respectable 38, the track was produced with David Watts at the Oakwood Studios, York.
Songwriting
Alistair Griffin's songs cover a wide range of genres, from light pop and romantic ballads to anthemic rock. After recording several demos, he obtained a publishing deal with Trevor Horn's Perfect Songs. He has also co-written songs with a number of other artists, including James Hearn, Michael Harwood, Nick Keynes and Jon O'Mahony of UltraUltra (boy band)
Ultra is an English male pop band, which was most successful in the late 1990s. The original line-up consisted of James Hearn , Michael Harwood , Jon O'Mahony and Nick Keynes .-Musical history:Although sometimes mistakenly described as a...
, Robin Gibb
Robin Gibb
Robin Hugh Gibb, CBE is a British singer and songwriter. He is best known as a member of the Bee Gees, co-founded with his twin brother Maurice , and elder brother Barry....
, singer/songwriter Richard Chance, Liverpudlian songwriting duo, Chris and Tony Griffiths (ex Britpop
Britpop
Britpop is a subgenre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom. Britpop emerged from the British independent music scene of the early 1990s and was characterised by bands influenced by British guitar pop music of the 1960s and 1970s...
band The Real People
The Real People
The Real People, from Liverpool, England, were one of the very first bands to play what is today known as “Britpop”, and have been quoted by Oasis as being one of their major influences...
) and Paul Banks, (ex Shed Seven).
In 2002, "Fade Away", one of several songs co-written with Stuart Hanna, was shortlisted for the Song for Europe competition. That year Griffin also co-wrote the football anthem "England Crazy" which was recorded by Rider
Ultra (boy band)
Ultra is an English male pop band, which was most successful in the late 1990s. The original line-up consisted of James Hearn , Michael Harwood , Jon O'Mahony and Nick Keynes .-Musical history:Although sometimes mistakenly described as a...
and Terry Venables
Terry Venables
Terence Frederick "Terry" Venables , often referred to as "El Tel", is a former football player and manager, as well as being a media pundit. During the 1960s and 70s, he played for various clubs including Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Queens Park Rangers, and gained two caps for England...
. He also recorded his own version of the Boro anthem "Stand Up", which was included in the compilation album Boro Songs - The Sound Of The Riverside.
Although largely ignored as a singer/songwriter by the British music establishment since his appearance on Fame Academy
Fame Academy
Fame Academy is a televised competition to search for and educate new musical talents. The winner received a chance to become a successful music artist. The prize consisted of a £1m recording contract with a major record company, plus the use of a luxury apartment in London and a sports car for one...
(that he now describes as a 'double-edged sword'), several covers of his earlier songs have achieved notable chart success in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. "You and Me" appears on the #1 album Impressed released in 2003 by Jim Bakkum
Jim Bakkum
Jimmy "Jim" Johannes Bakkum is a Dutch singer, actor, stage actor and television personality. Rising to nationwide fame after becoming runner-up in the first season of Dutch singing competition series Idols, he has released five albums and made a career in musicals and film...
, runner-up in the Dutch series of Pop Idol; Do
Dominique van Hulst
Dominique Rijpma van Hulst is a Dutch singer known by her stage name Do . She is best known for singing the vocals of DJ Sammy's worldwide top 10 hit in 2002-2003, "Heaven", a cover of the 1980s hit by Bryan Adams....
’s ballad “Angel By My Side
Angel By My Side
"Angel By My Side" is the third single of Dutch singer Do off her debut album, Do. The song was co-written by English songwriters Alistair Griffin and James and Tom Martin...
” (co-written with James and Tom Martin
James and Tom Martin
James David Martin and Thomas Richard Martin , are English musicians and songwriters. Thomas plays guitar and James plays keyboards...
) reached the Dutch top 10 in 2004 and "Hungry For Love" (co-written with Greg Fitzgerald and Tom Nichols) was covered by rock band Di-rect
Di-rect
Di-rect is a rock band from The Hague, The Netherlands, which was formed in 1999. The current line-up consists of Jamie Westland , Frans "Spike" van Zoest , Bas van Wageningen , Vince van Reeken and Marcel Veenendaal .-1999-2000: Formation:Di-rect began in October 1999 when 15 year old Jamie...
, getting to number 3 early in 2005.
Griffin's debut album, "Bring It On" consisted mainly of songs that he wrote or co-wrote before being signed. During his time in Fame Academy he also co-wrote several new songs with the students and the songwriters on the show. "Painkiller", (co-written with Greg Fitzgerald and Tom Nichols) along with " A Heart Can't Lie", co-written with fellow student, Louise Griffiths
Louise Griffiths
Louise Griffiths is an English pop singer-songwriter, fashion model and actress.-Early life:Griffiths is the daughter of a London taxicab driver...
both appeared on his debut album.
He has also written and co-written songs for albums by Phixx
Phixx
Phixx were an English boy band formed in 2003 from the five runners up on British TV show Popstars: The Rivals. The original members were Andrew Kinlochan, Chris Park, Mikey Green, Peter Smith, and Nikk Mager. Between 2003 and 2005 they had four top 20 singles in the UK...
(2004), Ultra
Ultra (boy band)
Ultra is an English male pop band, which was most successful in the late 1990s. The original line-up consisted of James Hearn , Michael Harwood , Jon O'Mahony and Nick Keynes .-Musical history:Although sometimes mistakenly described as a...
(2006), Bel's Boys
Bel's Boys
Bel's Boys refers to a pop/rock band based in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and also to a children's television program which the band feature in.-The band:...
(2007), and Cascada
Cascada
Cascada is a German Eurodance act most famous for their hit singles "Everytime We Touch", "What Hurts the Most", and "Evacuate the Dancefloor"...
(2009).
In 2005 he resumed his writing partnership with James and Tom Martin. He has since recorded new versions of several of these songs with Albion, which were made available as free downloads on MySpace in 2007.
Children In Need
In Autumn 2009, Alistair was invited to take part in the BBC's Children In Need, being matched against other former musical reality TV contestants in a bout of "Reality Conkers".Despite despatching "Nasty" Nigel Lythgoe in the opening round and making good progress in the early stages of round two, Alistair suffered an early exit at the hands of Michelle McManus after she distracted him with a finger of Cadburys Fudge. Alistair had been due to face Fame Academy rival Alex Parks in the following round, Parks went on to win the event by beating Danny from Hearsay in a thrilling final.
Footage of Alistair's first and second round bouts have appeared on U-Tube along with a promotional safety video demonstrating the benefits of wearing goggles while playing conkers.
Following Children In Need, rumours began to circulate of a possible duet with Terry Wogan and a cover of The Floral Dance. To date no details have been made available.
Hallelujah Mark Viduka
Alistair Griffin is notorious for performing his own comedy versions of well known songs in his live concerts. These have included songs by George Formby, Wham, Johnny MathisJohnny Mathis
John Royce "Johnny" Mathis is an American singer of popular music. Starting his career with singles of standards, he became highly popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums achieving gold or platinum status, and 73 making the Billboard charts...
, Ronan Keating
Ronan Keating
Ronan Patrick John Keating is an Irish recording artist, singer-songwriter, musician, and philanthropist. Keating debuted on the professional music scene alongside Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham, Shane Lynch and Stephen Gately, in 1994 as the lead singer of Boyzone. His solo career started in 1999, and...
and Robin Gibb.
In February 2007 Griffin sang at a charity event at the Riverside Stadium
Riverside Stadium
The Riverside Stadium is a football stadium in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England, which has been the home of Middlesbrough F.C. since it opened in 1995...
, home of Middlesbrough Football Club. After his performance of Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Norman Cohen, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet and novelist. Cohen published his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963. His work often explores religion, isolation, sexuality and interpersonal relationships...
’s "Hallelujah", he asked the audience if they would like to hear an alternative version, based on Cohen’s song, but with new words dedicated to the Boro hero at that time, Australian striker Mark Viduka
Mark Viduka
Mark Anthony Viduka is a former Australian soccer player who played as a centre forward. He captained the Australian national team at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany to the last 16.-Melbourne Croatia:...
. Keeping faithfully to Cohen's melody, Griffin's almost plaintive vocals are sung to a simple acoustic backing, forming a contrast to the altered lyrics which reference the particular skills of Viduka and several other popular players in the team, as well as some of their opponents, in a sharply observed and witty commentary. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBpYV1ZpyUI
After hearing the tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek is a phrase used as a figure of speech to imply that a statement or other production is humorously intended and it should not be taken at face value. The facial expression typically indicates that one is joking or making a mental effort. In the past, it may also have indicated...
tribute, Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate
Gareth Southgate
Gareth Southgate in Crawley, West Sussex is a retired English footballer and ex-manager. He is known as the "Penalty Misser of '96." He served as manager of Middlesbrough from June 2006, until he was dismissed in October 2009...
was so taken with it he asked Griffin to make a special recording to play at the following day’s match. It was played to the crowd at half-time and to the players in the dressing room after the game.
In an interview with the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
, Boro’s Aussie international keeper Mark Schwarzer
Mark Schwarzer
Mark Schwarzer OAM is an Australian association football player who plays as a goalkeeper. He currently plays for Premier League club Fulham. He rose to prominence during his time at North-East England football club Middlesbrough...
said:
“It’s a great song. He (Mark Viduka) is already copping some stick about it and I’m going to make sure he gets some more from the Australia camp — I’m going to make sure they get to hear it as well. We played it in the dressing room afterwards and were a bit unsure about it to begin with but the chorus is pretty good. We all sang and I think Mark was a little bit embarrassed by it but I think he enjoyed it” http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_article_id=438481&in_page_id=1779&in_a_source=
The incident received global press coverage, most of it positive. (although The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
was uncomplimentary and dubbed Leonard Cohen "the cheesiest of crooners http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premiership/reading/article1438123.ece) It was immediately picked up by hundreds of online sports pages and blogs. The Mark Viduka song was added to Griffin’s MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
page the following day and clocked up over 75,000 plays by football fans worldwide. http://www.myspace.com/alistairgriffinonline.
The BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Sports Review described the song as the "football anthem of the week, year, decade and possibly all time" http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A20377668, and the Irish Times called it "a bit on the excellent side". http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/soccer/2007/0305/1172789766789.html TV and Radio coverage followed. A film of Griffin performing the song with other young Middlesbrough supporters appeared on Sky Sports News
Sky Sports News
Sky Sports News is a 24-hour sports news channel in the United Kingdom. It is run by BSkyB whose sports channels include Sky Sports 1, 2, 3 and 4, as well as Sky Sports HD1, HD2, HD3 and HD4....
, and he also appeared on the BBC's and ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
's regional news programmes. In addition to interviews on local radio stations, Griffin was also interviewed on BBC Radio Five Live
BBC Radio Five Live
BBC Radio 5 Live is the BBC's national radio service that specialises in live BBC News, phone-ins, and sports commentaries...
The song was also broadcast on several channels in Australia and on the BBC World Service
BBC World Service
The BBC World Service is the world's largest international broadcaster, broadcasting in 27 languages to many parts of the world via analogue and digital shortwave, internet streaming and podcasting, satellite, FM and MW relays...
.
Southgate embraced the tune as a way of raising money for his chosen charity, Macmillan Cancer Support
Macmillan Cancer Support
Macmillan Cancer Support is one of the largest British charities and provides specialist health care, information and financial support to people affected by cancer....
. Leonard Cohen was approached and gave permission for the song to be released as a charity download http://www.indiestore.com/alistairgriffin
Personal life
Griffin was brought up in CastletonCastleton, North Yorkshire
Castleton is a village on the River Esk, part of the civil parish of Danby in the county of North Yorkshire in England. It can be found about 15 miles south-east of Middlesbrough, in the North York Moors. There was once a medieval castle sited on Castle Hill....
, a small moorland
Moorland
Moorland or moor is a type of habitat, in the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome, found in upland areas, characterised by low-growing vegetation on acidic soils and heavy fog...
village near Whitby
Whitby
Whitby is a seaside town, port and civil parish in the Scarborough borough of North Yorkshire, England. Situated on the east coast of Yorkshire at the mouth of the River Esk, Whitby has a combined maritime, mineral and tourist heritage, and is home to the ruins of Whitby Abbey where Caedmon, the...
, North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
. He has two older sisters. He has retained strong links with his family and his local community and often performs at local events to raise money for good causes. In 2003, without his knowledge, his mother, Barbara Griffin, offered a date with him as a prize in a charity raffle
Raffle
A raffle is a competition in which people obtain numbered tickets, each ticket having the chance of winning a prize. At a set time, the winners are drawn from a container holding a copy of every number...
for the Whitby Christmas Lights Appeal. Enough money was raised to light the town for the next three years.http://archive.yorkpress.co.uk/2004/1/9/254039.html
He is an expert at making lemon curd
Lemon curd
Fruit curd is a dessert spread and topping usually made with lemon, lime, orange or raspberry. The basic ingredients are beaten egg yolks, sugar, fruit juice and zest which are gently cooked together until thick and then allowed to cool, forming a soft, smooth, intensely-flavored spread...
, which he regularly enters in the annual Danby
Danby, North Yorkshire
Danby is a village and civil parish in the Scarborough district of North Yorkshire, England. According to the 2001 UK census, Danby parish had a population of 1,515. Karl Pearson spent a lot of time there....
Show
Agricultural show
An agricultural show is a public event showcasing the equipment, animals, sports and recreation associated with agriculture and animal husbandry. The largest comprise a livestock show , a trade fair, competitions, and entertainment...
. Despite donating a trophy for this category,http://www.danbyshow.co.uk/HandicraftsAriel.htm although he has been awarded second and third prize he has never won.http://icteesside.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0001head/tm_headline=show-sets-a-record&method=full&objectid=17578418&siteid=109975-name_page.html
He is passionate about football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
and is a qualified referee. He has also written songs for his home team, Middlesbrough Football Club, and former England manager, Terry Venables
Terry Venables
Terence Frederick "Terry" Venables , often referred to as "El Tel", is a former football player and manager, as well as being a media pundit. During the 1960s and 70s, he played for various clubs including Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Queens Park Rangers, and gained two caps for England...
. He played Junior Tennis
Junior tennis
Junior Tennis refers to tennis games where the participants are aged 18 and under. Eligibility to compete is not based on age, but year of birth: as a result, some players must move out of juniors soon after their 18th birthday, while others can play juniors until they are nearly 19...
at regional level, and is a member of the Bunbury Cricket Club. His other hobbies include Crazy golf and Pub quiz
Pub quiz
A pub quiz is a quiz held in a public house. These events are also called Quiz Nights or Trivia Nights and may be held in other settings. Pub quizzes are still extremely popular and may attract people to a pub who are not found there on other days. The pub quiz is a modern example of a pub game...
zing.
He has appeared in Heat Magazine's "Spotted" column after a member of the public reported he was seen talking to a homeless person outside the Royal York Hotel.
Alistair was opening batsman for the Middlesbrough Evening Gazette
Evening Gazette
Evening Gazette is the name of several local newspapers:United Kingdom* Colchester Evening Gazette* Evening Gazette * Evening Gazette United States...
in the inaugural cricket match against the Northern Echo played on August 14, 2011. He donated a jar of lemon curd
Lemon curd
Fruit curd is a dessert spread and topping usually made with lemon, lime, orange or raspberry. The basic ingredients are beaten egg yolks, sugar, fruit juice and zest which are gently cooked together until thick and then allowed to cool, forming a soft, smooth, intensely-flavored spread...
which has led to the now annual fixture being dubbed the Alistair Griffin Lemon Curd Challenge. Despite Alistair's efforts, the Gazette team were all out for 34, losing by 65 runs.
Albums
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| UK UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
||
| 2004 | Bring It On Bring It On (Alistair Griffin album) Bring It On is the debut album by British singer/songwriter Alistair Griffin. Released in January 2004 on the UMTV label, it reached # 12 in the UK album charts....
|
12 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK UK Singles Chart The 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 ... |
|||
| 2003 | "Bring It On/My Lover's Prayer Bring It On/My Lover's Prayer "Bring It On" is the self-penned debut single from British singer/songwriter Alistair Griffin, and is also the title track and first release from his debut album, Bring It On... " |
5 | Bring It On |
| 2004 | "You and Me (Tonight) You and Me (Tonight) You and Me is the second single release from English singer Alistair Griffin from his debut album Bring It On ."You and Me" was a romantic ballad, originally written several years earlier by Griffin and Ultra bandmate Jon O'Mahony. Griffin had never intended to record the song himself, and it was... " |
18 | |
| 2007 | "Mark Viduka" | — | Non-album release |
| 2010 | "Just Drive Just Drive "Just Drive" is a song recorded by British singer/songwriter Alistair Griffin. It is his first official single since "You and Me " in 2004. It was released as a single in November 2010.... " |
38 |
Reviews
- Middlesbrough Evening Gazette 19.10.04 Gig Review
Other links and information sources
- http://newswww.bbc.net.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3164896.stm Fame Academy Final, BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
report.] - Cultural Foundation Interview In depth interview with Pete Bell of the Cultural Foundation, 19.6.2004
- Perfect Songs Music Publisher
- IMDB TV Appearances
- Fame Academy Supporters Club
- Press interview, 5 October 2006
- Press report of Charity Event, 23 February 2007
- Southgate serenade stirs Viduka's home thoughts, The Guardian, 26 February 2007
- Hallelujah Mark Viduka, Sydney Morning Herald 27 February 2007
- Fans Flock to Hear Viduka Tribute - Middlesbrough Football Club, 26 February 2007
- Press report, August 2007
- Sky One Premier League Allstars
Media
- Last Dance, unreleased demo,c2000 (Quicktime)
- Kiss and Tell, unreleased demo, c2000 (Quicktime)
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/tyne/music/2004/01/alistair_griffin.shtml Radio Interview BBC RadioBBC RadioBBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
January 2004 (Realplayer)] - Aligriffin.com – comprehensive multimedia archive of live performances, 2004–2007, recorded by fans.
- Video clips of live performances Middlesbrough Gazette.
- Alistair Griffin produces tribute song for Middlesbrough star Broadband TV channel (video podcast), March 1, 2007