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Athlete (band)
Encyclopedia
Athlete are a British
rock
band formed in Deptford
, London
, comprising Joel Pott
(lead vocals and guitar
), Carey Willetts (bass
and backing vocals
), Stephen Roberts (drums
and backing vocals) and Tim Wanstall (keyboards
and backing vocals). Recently, the quartet have recruited Jonny Pilcher of Weevil
as a live guitarist.
The band had a brief period of high-profile domestic success in which their debut album Vehicles & Animals (2003) was a platinum seller in 2005 and Mercury Music Prize
nomination. It was followed up by Tourist (2005) which reached #1 and sold over 500,000 copies allowing this album to also go platinum. Since then the band has continued to release records on regular basis. Their last two albums Beyond the Neighbourhood
(2007) and Black Swan
(2009) sees the band exploring different styles, influenced by the works of The Beach Boys
and Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds.
and The Flaming Lips
and started jamming and practicing in the basement of The Bear, a pub which was converted into a church and sandwich bar, on Deptford High Street in 1999. They began recording there, before sending demos
out.
Signing with Regal Recordings, the band released their first single "Westside" in February 2002 released, which was a hit, garnering airplay on BBC Radio 1 and paving the way for another single, "You Got the Style" which cracked the Top 40 in June. Parlophone took notice and promptly signed the musicians, who entered the studio with producer Victor Van Vugt (Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Beth Orton) in late 2002 to record their first studio LP.
, producing popular singles such as "You Got the Style
" and "El Salvador
". The album earned a Mercury Music Prize nomination and went on to sell over 250,000 copies. They played their first live session on UK radio on the Dermot O'Leary Show on BBC Radio 2. Following the release of the album in April 2003, the summer of that year was a particularly fruitful time. Shortly after Glastonbury and T in The Park festivals, the band were nominated for the Mercury Award. After nomination, the album went from silver (60,000 sales) to gold (100,000) in the space of two weeks. "I think there's an underdog waiting to be discovered by the Mercury every year," said Steve. "And that year it was us." "By the time we played V at the end of the summer it seemed like everybody there knew the record,' said Joel Pott. 'There was 20,000 people, all singing along.'
Their second album, Tourist, reached Number One in the UK Album Charts in its first week, following the huge success of single "Wires
". The song was brought around when the lead singer's newborn baby was rushed to intensive care after a premature birth, and in 2006 it won them the Ivor Novello Award for "Best Contemporary Song". In the UK charts, the band has frequently been frustrated by singles just missing out on top 40 placings, due to inconsistent support by music television channels and radio stations. For instance, certain songs, such as "Wires" and "Half Light
", were played up to 10 times a day on larger UK radio stations, yet other singles such as "Westside
" and "Tourist
" received little to no radio play whatsoever.
Tourist had a mixed critical reception, with some suggesting that Athlete had failed to sustain the unique style of their previous album, while others saw the new album as a logical progression from their old sound. Allmusic wrote that "Its art direction is a winning tribute to the striking cover art of Britpop past, but musically, Tourist settles for complacent." The supporting tour took place between 2005 and mid-2006.
. The album was mixed by Ben Allen and Michael Brauer, who also worked on Tourist. Released on 3 September 2007, Beyond the Neighbourhood was a self-produced collection of low-key songs, viewed as a disappointment by some, and an interesting sidestep by others. The album has a more low-key sound than the band's two previous efforts, having been recorded by the band themselves in their own studio. Jonny Pilcher contributes additional guitar on 7 tracks. Pilcher then played live with the band on the subsequent tour. It entered at #5 on the UK album chart. Singles included Beach Boys-influenced "Hurricane
", charting disappointingly at number 30, also "Tokyo
" which missed the Top 100 (number 198) and "The Outsiders EP", which didn't chart at all.
They embarked on tours of the UK in late 2007 and early 2008 in support of the album. They also played during the 2008 TT
motorcycle racing
festival on the Isle of Man
.
Black Swan
is the fourth studio album produced by the band. Athlete recorded this album while temporarily unsigned. American producer Tom Rothrock collaborated with the group long distance after hearing only a few acoustic demos.
In April they announced a 29 date tour of the UK to promote their new album. The tour took place throughout June and July. On 2 June 2009 it was announced that the band had parted ways with Parlophone Records and signed up with Fiction Records, who released Black Swan on 24 August 2009. The first single from the album "Superhuman Touch" was released on 17 August 2009, entering the UK charts at #74, climbing to #71 a week later. On the 12th of June 2009, Athlete released the song "Summer Sun" as a free download for email-subscribers. The song is not included in the track listing confirmed by band member Carey Willetts, and is likely to be considered as a b-side from the upcoming album. The first single to be released in America
is "The Getaway". On the 9th of November 2009, Athlete released "Black Swan Song" as a single.
, and also took the stage at Bingley Music Live
and Brownstock Festival in 3 and 4 September, 2011.
In an interview in September 2011 with With Guitar, keyboardist Tim Wanstall said "it’s been every two years on the odd numbers since 2003 so this is the first year to break that cycle. Actually we’re all exploring individual paths at the moment so the if/how/when of another album is a pretty open book."
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band formed in Deptford
Deptford
Deptford is a district of south London, England, located on the south bank of the River Thames. It is named after a ford of the River Ravensbourne, and from the mid 16th century to the late 19th was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Navy Dockyards.Deptford and the docks are...
, 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...
, comprising Joel Pott
Joel Pott
Joel Laslett Pott is a British musician. He is currently the lead vocalist and guitarist of the indie band Athlete.-Biography:...
(lead vocals and guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
), Carey Willetts (bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
and backing vocals
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
), Stephen Roberts (drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
and backing vocals) and Tim Wanstall (keyboards
Electronic keyboard
An electronic keyboard is an electronic or digital keyboard instrument.The major components of a typical modern electronic keyboard are:...
and backing vocals). Recently, the quartet have recruited Jonny Pilcher of Weevil
Weevil (band)
Weevil were an indietronic duo, consisting of Jonny Pilcher and Tom Betts. They are from Yorkshire, England and were signed by Wichita Recordings....
as a live guitarist.
The band had a brief period of high-profile domestic success in which their debut album Vehicles & Animals (2003) was a platinum seller in 2005 and Mercury Music Prize
Mercury Prize
The Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize and currently known as the Barclaycard Mercury Prize for sponsorship reasons, is an annual music prize awarded for the best album from the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was established by the British Phonographic Industry and British...
nomination. It was followed up by Tourist (2005) which reached #1 and sold over 500,000 copies allowing this album to also go platinum. Since then the band has continued to release records on regular basis. Their last two albums Beyond the Neighbourhood
Beyond the Neighbourhood
Beyond the Neighbourhood is the third studio album by English rock band Athlete and was released in the United Kingdom on September 3, 2007 by Parlophone and was released in the United States on September 25 by Astralwerks...
(2007) and Black Swan
Black Swan (album)
Black Swan is the fourth album by English rock band Athlete. released on August 24, 2009 it is their first release with Fiction Records. The album charted in the UK at number 18 on the 30th of August. The first single lifted from the album, "Superhuman Touch", was released on August 17, 2009 while...
(2009) sees the band exploring different styles, influenced by the works of The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
and Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds.
Formation and debut single (2000-2002)
Friends since the age of fourteen, Athlete took their wide ranging influences such as GrandaddyGrandaddy
Grandaddy was an American indie rock band, formed in 1992 in Modesto, California by singer, guitarist, and keyboardist Jason Lytle, bassist Kevin Garcia, and drummer Aaron Burtch. Guitarist Jim Fairchild and keyboardist Tim Dryden later joined the band in 1995...
and The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips are an American alternative rock band, formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1983.Melodically, their sound contains lush, multi-layered, psychedelic rock arrangements, but lyrically their compositions show elements of space rock, including unusual song and album titles—such as "What...
and started jamming and practicing in the basement of The Bear, a pub which was converted into a church and sandwich bar, on Deptford High Street in 1999. They began recording there, before sending demos
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
out.
Signing with Regal Recordings, the band released their first single "Westside" in February 2002 released, which was a hit, garnering airplay on BBC Radio 1 and paving the way for another single, "You Got the Style" which cracked the Top 40 in June. Parlophone took notice and promptly signed the musicians, who entered the studio with producer Victor Van Vugt (Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Beth Orton) in late 2002 to record their first studio LP.
Critical and commercial success (2003–2006)
The band came to prominence in 2003 with their debut album, Vehicles and AnimalsVehicles and Animals
Vehicles & Animals was the first full-length album by British rock band Athlete, first released in spring 2003. It was a nominee for the 2003 Mercury Music Prize.This album has been released with the Copy Control protection system in some regions....
, producing popular singles such as "You Got the Style
You Got the Style
"You Got the Style" is a song by British rock band Athlete and is featured on their debut album, Vehicles and Animals. It was released 10 June 2002 as the second single from the album, charting at #37 in the UK Singles Chart . It was later re-issued on 22 September 2003, charting then at #42 in the...
" and "El Salvador
El Salvador (song)
"El Salvador" is a song by the British rock band Athlete and was the lead track on their 2003 debut album, Vehicles and Animals. It was released 24 March 2003 as the fourth single from the album, charting at #31 in the UK Singles Chart .-Track listings:* CD1 CDATH003# "El Salvador# "Dungeness" -...
". The album earned a Mercury Music Prize nomination and went on to sell over 250,000 copies. They played their first live session on UK radio on the Dermot O'Leary Show on BBC Radio 2. Following the release of the album in April 2003, the summer of that year was a particularly fruitful time. Shortly after Glastonbury and T in The Park festivals, the band were nominated for the Mercury Award. After nomination, the album went from silver (60,000 sales) to gold (100,000) in the space of two weeks. "I think there's an underdog waiting to be discovered by the Mercury every year," said Steve. "And that year it was us." "By the time we played V at the end of the summer it seemed like everybody there knew the record,' said Joel Pott. 'There was 20,000 people, all singing along.'
Their second album, Tourist, reached Number One in the UK Album Charts in its first week, following the huge success of single "Wires
Wires (song)
"Wires" is a song by the British rock band Athlete from their second album, Tourist. It was released 17 January 2005 as the lead single from that album, peaking at #4 in the UK Singles Chart...
". The song was brought around when the lead singer's newborn baby was rushed to intensive care after a premature birth, and in 2006 it won them the Ivor Novello Award for "Best Contemporary Song". In the UK charts, the band has frequently been frustrated by singles just missing out on top 40 placings, due to inconsistent support by music television channels and radio stations. For instance, certain songs, such as "Wires" and "Half Light
Half Light (song)
"Half Light" is a song by the British rock band Athlete from their second album, Tourist. It was released 25 April 2005 as the second single from that album, peaking at #16 in the UK Singles Chart...
", were played up to 10 times a day on larger UK radio stations, yet other singles such as "Westside
Westside (song)
"Westside" is a song by the British rock band Athlete from their debut album, Vehicles and Animals. It was also released 23 June 2003 as the fifth single from that album, peaking at #42 in the UK Singles Chart...
" and "Tourist
Tourist (song)
"Tourist" is the title song for British rock band Athlete's second album, Tourist. It was released 15 August 2005 as the third single from that album...
" received little to no radio play whatsoever.
Tourist had a mixed critical reception, with some suggesting that Athlete had failed to sustain the unique style of their previous album, while others saw the new album as a logical progression from their old sound. Allmusic wrote that "Its art direction is a winning tribute to the striking cover art of Britpop past, but musically, Tourist settles for complacent." The supporting tour took place between 2005 and mid-2006.
Later releases and artistic development (2007–2009)
On 10 June 2007, it was announced that the title of their third album would be Beyond the NeighbourhoodBeyond the Neighbourhood
Beyond the Neighbourhood is the third studio album by English rock band Athlete and was released in the United Kingdom on September 3, 2007 by Parlophone and was released in the United States on September 25 by Astralwerks...
. The album was mixed by Ben Allen and Michael Brauer, who also worked on Tourist. Released on 3 September 2007, Beyond the Neighbourhood was a self-produced collection of low-key songs, viewed as a disappointment by some, and an interesting sidestep by others. The album has a more low-key sound than the band's two previous efforts, having been recorded by the band themselves in their own studio. Jonny Pilcher contributes additional guitar on 7 tracks. Pilcher then played live with the band on the subsequent tour. It entered at #5 on the UK album chart. Singles included Beach Boys-influenced "Hurricane
Hurricane (Athlete song)
"Hurricane" is a song by English indie rock band Athlete and is the second track on their 2007 album Beyond the Neighbourhood. The song was released as the first single from that album on 27 August 2007. "Hurricane" did not receive as much success as their previous singles "Wires" and "Half Light"...
", charting disappointingly at number 30, also "Tokyo
Tokyo (Athlete song)
"Tokyo" is a song by English indie rock band Athlete and is the third track on their 2007 album Beyond the Neighbourhood. The song was released as the second single from that album on November 19, 2007...
" which missed the Top 100 (number 198) and "The Outsiders EP", which didn't chart at all.
They embarked on tours of the UK in late 2007 and early 2008 in support of the album. They also played during the 2008 TT
Isle of Man TT
The International Isle of Man TT Race is a motorcycle racing event held on the Isle of Man and was for many years the most prestigious motorcycle race in the world...
motorcycle racing
Motorcycle racing
Motorcycle sport is a broad field that encompasses all sporting aspects of motorcycling. The disciplines are not all "races" or timed-speed events, as several disciplines test a competitor's various riding skills.-Motorcycle racing:...
festival on the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
.
Black Swan
Black Swan (album)
Black Swan is the fourth album by English rock band Athlete. released on August 24, 2009 it is their first release with Fiction Records. The album charted in the UK at number 18 on the 30th of August. The first single lifted from the album, "Superhuman Touch", was released on August 17, 2009 while...
is the fourth studio album produced by the band. Athlete recorded this album while temporarily unsigned. American producer Tom Rothrock collaborated with the group long distance after hearing only a few acoustic demos.
In April they announced a 29 date tour of the UK to promote their new album. The tour took place throughout June and July. On 2 June 2009 it was announced that the band had parted ways with Parlophone Records and signed up with Fiction Records, who released Black Swan on 24 August 2009. The first single from the album "Superhuman Touch" was released on 17 August 2009, entering the UK charts at #74, climbing to #71 a week later. On the 12th of June 2009, Athlete released the song "Summer Sun" as a free download for email-subscribers. The song is not included in the track listing confirmed by band member Carey Willetts, and is likely to be considered as a b-side from the upcoming album. The first single to be released in America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
is "The Getaway". On the 9th of November 2009, Athlete released "Black Swan Song" as a single.
End of decade and future plans (2010-present)
Singles 1-10 was the first compilation album released by the band. Many of the bands big hits, including "El Salvador" and "Wires" appear on this album. The selection of tracks spans the past 10 years. There is one previously unreleased song on the album entitled "Back Track." After the release Athlete completed a tour of Britain, Europe and North America from March till December 2010, performing the hits from the non bonus edition.The band toured in July across Britain, and in August headlined Union ChapelUnion Chapel
-United States:National Register of Historical Places*Pine Orchard Union Chapel, Branford, CT, listed on the NRHP in Connecticut*East Raymond Union Chapel, East Raymond, ME, listed on the NRHP in Maine...
, and also took the stage at Bingley Music Live
Bingley Music Live
Bingley Music Live is an annual music festival held in Myrtle Park, Bingley, West Yorkshire, England. The festival features a range of musical genres including rock, alternative rock, indie rock and pop music...
and Brownstock Festival in 3 and 4 September, 2011.
In an interview in September 2011 with With Guitar, keyboardist Tim Wanstall said "it’s been every two years on the odd numbers since 2003 so this is the first year to break that cycle. Actually we’re all exploring individual paths at the moment so the if/how/when of another album is a pretty open book."
Discography
- Vehicles & Animals (2003)
- Tourist (2005)
- Beyond the NeighbourhoodBeyond the NeighbourhoodBeyond the Neighbourhood is the third studio album by English rock band Athlete and was released in the United Kingdom on September 3, 2007 by Parlophone and was released in the United States on September 25 by Astralwerks...
(2007) - Black SwanBlack Swan (album)Black Swan is the fourth album by English rock band Athlete. released on August 24, 2009 it is their first release with Fiction Records. The album charted in the UK at number 18 on the 30th of August. The first single lifted from the album, "Superhuman Touch", was released on August 17, 2009 while...
(2009)