British Sea Power
Encyclopedia
British Sea Power are an indie rock
band based in Brighton
, England
, although three of the band members originally come from Kendal
in Cumbria
. Critics have likened their sound to a variety of groups, from The Cure
and Joy Division
to the Pixies and Arcade Fire. The band are famed for their live performances and their choice of unusual locations for some of their shows. British Sea Power's members are Yan (Scott Wilkinson; vocals, guitar), Noble
(Martin Noble; guitar), Hamilton
(Neil Hamilton Wilkinson; bass guitar, vocals, guitar), Wood
(Matthew Wood; drums), Phil Sumner
(cornet, keyboards) and Abi Fry
(viola).
, where he met guitarist Noble, who was originally from Bury
, Greater Manchester
. A few years later, Hamilton and Wood joined them and formed a band.
They played some gigs and produced a 4 track demo in Reading as British Air Powers, before relocating to Brighton
in search of a more active music scene. "British Sea Power" was actually the name of one of these demo tracks, and was eventually reworked into "Carrion". In Brighton, BSP amassed a strong local following, due mainly to their own club night called "Club Sea Power". The club nights featured many different support bands, and other forms of entertainment such as a 1930s fashion show, and were most frequently hosted at the Freebutt and the Lift. (The latter has now closed down.)
Their first single, "Fear of Drowning
", was issued in limited numbers on their own Golden Chariot label. The artwork for the B side, "A Wooden Horse", borrows heavily from the dust cover of the 1950 book The Wooden Horse
that details the escape of Allied POWs during World War II
. Geoff Travis
of Rough Trade Records
saw the band live and in September 2001 signed them to his label. A number of singles were issued on the label, and Eamon Hamilton
was recruited to play live keyboards in autumn 2002.
The Decline of British Sea Power
, the band's first album, was released in June 2003 to critical acclaim. A single from the album, "Carrion
", became the band's first Top 40 single. The album only charted in the lower reaches of the UK Album Chart but turned out to be a word-of-mouth success, selling well over 60,000 copies in the following two years and allowing them to play sell-out UK tours to audiences of over 1,000 people.
The follow-up, Open Season
, was released in early April 2005, and also enjoyed wide critical praise. It showcased a more accessible, produced sound and charted at #13 in the UK Albums Chart. The lead single, "It Ended on an Oily Stage
", charted at #18 in the UK Singles Chart a week earlier.
British Sea Power has a reputation for elaborate and well-thought out live shows and won the 2004 Time Out Live Band of the Year award. Their stage is often decorated with foliage and plastic birds and shows generally finish with a semi-improvised song called "Rock in A", which sometimes lasts for over 20 minutes. Various members often climb riggings and tear down the foliage, Eamon walks around the audience beating his marching drum, and a ten-foot bear, Ursine Ultra, occasionally makes an appearance - often taking a beating from various band members. This has become one of the signatures of the band. Their tours often include unusual venues such as the Scillonian Club on the Isles of Scilly
, Grasmere
Village Hall, the St. John Boste Social Club in Kendal and Carnglaze Caverns
in Cornwall
.
The band has built up an eccentric image in interviews and press releases; some of which is based on fact, other times merely whimsical building of outward personas. This has included giving journalists grid reference
s at which to meet them, and expressing obsessions with Field Marshal Montgomery and bird watching
. Similarly, they appeared on the day time TV show Countryfile
in which they discussed their love of the countryside and played an outdoor performance of the track "Canvey Island".
At the beginning of 2006, it was announced that Eamon had left British Sea Power to concentrate on his own band Brakes
. The group spent part of late 2006 working on new material in Montreal
, and is preparing a DVD
.
In 2007, American Laundromat Records announced that British Sea Power would record a version of the Pixies' "Caribou" for an album called Dig For Fire - A Tribute To Pixies.
to showcase their new 5-track EP Krankenhaus?
. In November 2007, they toured a variety of unusual locations in the UK including a seaside cafe in Saltdean
, East Sussex
; a ferry across the River Mersey
, Liverpool
; the Tan Hill Inn
, the UK's highest inn; All Saints' Church in Newcastle-upon-Tyne; and White Mischief, an indoor festival mixing live bands with unusual vaudeville acts.
Their Krankenhaus? EP was released digitally for purchasable download in October 2007 and was released on CD and vinyl on 20 November. Their third album, Do You Like Rock Music?
was released on 14 January 2008 in the U.K.
and scheduled for release on 12 February 2008 in the U.S.
Prior to their tour in support of Do You Like Rock Music? (visiting Ireland, UK, Belgium, Holland, Germany and US), Wood injured his back and had to be temporarily replaced by Tom White of Electric Soft Parade and Brakes
fame.
In January 2008, the keyboard and cornet player Phil Sumner was admitted to hospital after being knocked unconscious when he attempted a stage dive. The crowd at Leeds
Irish Centre failed to catch Phil Sumner
, who jumped from a 12-foot PA system landing head first. The press department at Rough Trade Records
reported "The impact knocked him out. Thankfully an ambulance was quickly summoned and he was whisked away, bloody and unconscious and despite a concussion, a broken molar and a maze of stitches in his chin, a very groggy Phil is expected to make a full recovery." In spite of this, he returned to the stage with the rest of the band a day later in Kendal.
The band's reputation for derring-do during live appearances was enhanced at the Two Thousand Trees Festival
, near Cheltenham
, UK, on 18 July 2009, when, following their headline appearance guitarist, Noble, staged-dived into the crowd and the fans failed to catch him, leaving him to somersault onto his back. However, he returned to the stage and successfully stage-dived into a different section of the crowd.
In February 2008, the band appeared on Later with Jools Holland
, playing "Waving Flags
", "Canvey Island" and "No Lucifer
". They were ably accompanied by a small number of the London Bulgarian Choir
and a display of Cumbrian wrestling
. The band also played at Glastonbury
, Reading and Leeds, T in the Park
and Bestival
in 2008, amongst other festivals.
The band also played an intimate concert at The Monico Hotel in Canvey Island
as a nod to the 5th track on their new album. Prior to the gig, the band took part in a training session at Canvey Island Football Club
, and later took to the stage in the club's yellow shirts. They were joined on stage for their encore by Wilko Johnson
of Canvey Pub Rock icons Dr. Feelgood
, playing "A Rock" and Feelgood's "She Does It Right
. The performance was featured on BBC2's
The Culture Show
.
The band played "No Lucifer
" on The Late Show with David Letterman on 12 March 2008, performed and were interviewed on Countryfile, and had a concert filmed for the Canadian music series Beautiful Noise
.
Violist Abi Fry
toured with the band in 2008 and has since become a permanent member of British Sea Power.
The band played a free show in Oklahoma at the First Annual Norman Music Festival on April 26, 2008, and on June 21, 2008, played a concert at the Natural History Museum
in London, some of which was filmed.
On 22 July 2008, the band was announced as one of the nominees for the 2008 Mercury Prize
. To coincide with the nomination they re-released their song Waving Flags
on 8 September 2008, which they also performed at the award ceremony the following day.
On 23 January 2009, the band announced that they were recording a soundtrack to the documentary Man of Aran
. They performed it in concert at the British Film Institute
in April, and a CD/DVD was released in May. On 7 February 2009, they released a new 10-minute track, "The possibility of an island", on myspace.
, on 29 and 28 August respectively. They supported the Manic Street Preachers
on their autumn 2010 tour of Britain.
The band's next album was initially expected during 2010. In January, the band announced on their blog that recording for it had been taking place in East Sussex
and on Skye
and was 95% finished. The album was eventually scheduled for release in January 2011.
The band first released a 'Maxi EP' (one featuring 8 songs), entitled Zeus
, in October 2010, featuring songs recorded during the sessions for the forthcoming album.
The album Valhalla Dancehall
was released in January 2011. Initial copies of the album sold by some independent music stores in the UK were accompanied with a bonus EP, Valhalla V.I.P.. The band toured the UK in the first three months of 2011, and a tour of the United States was planned for March, including an appearance on Late Show with David Letterman
on March 21.
British Sea Power announced a number of forthcoming festival appearances for summer 2011, including Latitude Festival
, Leefest
, Get Loaded In The Park
and the Port Eliot Festival. In addition, the band performed at Jodrell Bank Live at Jodrell Bank Observatory, with the The Flaming Lips
, in July 2011. They also performed at festivals in Australia, China and Japan.
September 2011 saw the publication on Rough Trade Books of 'Do It For Your Mum' by Roy Wilkinson (brother of Yan and Hamilton), an account of the author's experiences of managing the band and how the family's octogenarian father became the group's most ardent fan.
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band based in Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, 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...
, although three of the band members originally come from Kendal
Kendal
Kendal, anciently known as Kirkby in Kendal or Kirkby Kendal, is a market town and civil parish within the South Lakeland District of Cumbria, England...
in Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
. Critics have likened their sound to a variety of groups, from The Cure
The Cure
The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member...
and Joy Division
Joy Division
Joy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. Originally named Warsaw, the band primarily consisted of Ian Curtis , Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris .Joy Division rapidly evolved from their initial punk rock influences...
to the Pixies and Arcade Fire. The band are famed for their live performances and their choice of unusual locations for some of their shows. British Sea Power's members are Yan (Scott Wilkinson; vocals, guitar), Noble
Noble (musician)
Martin Noble is the lead guitarist with UK indie rock band British Sea Power.Born 28 January 1986 in Bury, Greater Manchester, and raised in Leeds, West Yorkshire, his first musical experience was as keyboard player in Blind, a band he formed with school friends.He joined British Sea Power after...
(Martin Noble; guitar), Hamilton
Hamilton (musician)
Neil Hamilton Wilkinson is the bassist and second vocalist in British Sea Power.Earlier in the band's career, he was the secondary songwriter, his brother Yan writing the majority of the tracks for their first two albums...
(Neil Hamilton Wilkinson; bass guitar, vocals, guitar), Wood
Wood (musician)
Matthew Wood born and under the is British Sea Power's drummer. He also helps design most of the artwork for the sleeves....
(Matthew Wood; drums), Phil Sumner
Phil Sumner
Philip James Sumner is a cornet, keyboard and guitar player for the Kendal/Brighton based rock band British Sea Power and Brighton/Stroud based rock band Actress Hands. He first emerged with British Sea Power on their September 2006 tour in which they first performed songs which would appear on...
(cornet, keyboards) and Abi Fry
Abi Fry
Abi Fry born is a Highlands-based violist, playing with various acts including British Sea Power, Bat For Lashes, The Flowers of Hell, Sad Season and Euchrid Eucrow....
(viola).
Early years and The Decline of British Sea Power
British Sea Power's Yan and Hamilton are brothers and were school friends with Wood in Kendal. They were in a number of bands together while at school, but after finishing his exams Yan moved to study at the University of ReadingUniversity of Reading
The University of Reading is a university in the English town of Reading, Berkshire. The University was established in 1892 as University College, Reading and received its Royal Charter in 1926. It is based on several campuses in, and around, the town of Reading.The University has a long tradition...
, where he met guitarist Noble, who was originally from Bury
Bury
Bury is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Irwell, east of Bolton, west-southwest of Rochdale, and north-northwest of the city of Manchester...
, Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
. A few years later, Hamilton and Wood joined them and formed a band.
They played some gigs and produced a 4 track demo in Reading as British Air Powers, before relocating to Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
in search of a more active music scene. "British Sea Power" was actually the name of one of these demo tracks, and was eventually reworked into "Carrion". In Brighton, BSP amassed a strong local following, due mainly to their own club night called "Club Sea Power". The club nights featured many different support bands, and other forms of entertainment such as a 1930s fashion show, and were most frequently hosted at the Freebutt and the Lift. (The latter has now closed down.)
Their first single, "Fear of Drowning
Fear of Drowning
"Fear of Drowning" is a song by British Sea Power, which was the group's very first single release. It was a self-financed single issued on their own Golden Chariot label, and mainly sold at concerts. Only 1,000 CD copies were pressed and these became the most collectable, and thus valuable,...
", was issued in limited numbers on their own Golden Chariot label. The artwork for the B side, "A Wooden Horse", borrows heavily from the dust cover of the 1950 book The Wooden Horse
The Wooden Horse
The Wooden Horse is a 1950 British Second World War war film starring Leo Genn, Anthony Steel and David Tomlinson and directed by Jack Lee. It is based on the book of the same name by Eric Williams, who also wrote the screenplay....
that details the escape of Allied POWs during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Geoff Travis
Geoff Travis
Geoff Travis is the founder of both Rough Trade Records and the Rough Trade chain of record shops. A former drama teacher and owner of a punk record shop, Travis founded the Rough Trade label in 1978.-Biography:...
of Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...
saw the band live and in September 2001 signed them to his label. A number of singles were issued on the label, and Eamon Hamilton
Eamon Hamilton
Eamon Hamilton is frontman of Brakes and formerly played keyboards for British Sea Power.-Biography:Eamon Peter Hamilton is the singer and songwriter for the band Brakes, born on 19 April 1974 in Stewart, BC, Canada and raised in Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK.Hamilton moved to Brighton in 2000 and in...
was recruited to play live keyboards in autumn 2002.
The Decline of British Sea Power
The Decline of British Sea Power
The Decline of British Sea Power is the debut album from British Sea Power. "The Lonely", "Carrion" and "Remember Me" were all released as singles from the album, as well as older recordings of "Fear of Drowning" and "Remember Me", which differ from the versions on this album...
, the band's first album, was released in June 2003 to critical acclaim. A single from the album, "Carrion
Carrion/Apologies to Insect Life
"Carrion"/"Apologies to Insect Life" was a double a-side release by British Sea Power. Both songs feature on their debut album, The Decline of British Sea Power, and this was the first single to be issued after its release. The single received rave reviews and was the band's first Top 40 hit...
", became the band's first Top 40 single. The album only charted in the lower reaches of the UK Album Chart but turned out to be a word-of-mouth success, selling well over 60,000 copies in the following two years and allowing them to play sell-out UK tours to audiences of over 1,000 people.
Open Season
Open Season (British Sea Power album)
Open Season is the second album from the Brighton-based English band, British Sea Power. It was released on 4 April 2005 to positive reviews. It showcased a more accessible, mainstream sound and reached #13 in the UK album charts...
, was released in early April 2005, and also enjoyed wide critical praise. It showcased a more accessible, produced sound and charted at #13 in the UK Albums Chart. The lead single, "It Ended on an Oily Stage
It Ended on an Oily Stage
"It Ended on an Oily Stage" was the first single from British Sea Power's second album Open Season. It reached number 18 in the UK Singles Chart and was critically praised, with the NME giving it their Track of the Week award. It received heavy airplay from the alternative radio sector...
", charted at #18 in the UK Singles Chart a week earlier.
British Sea Power has a reputation for elaborate and well-thought out live shows and won the 2004 Time Out Live Band of the Year award. Their stage is often decorated with foliage and plastic birds and shows generally finish with a semi-improvised song called "Rock in A", which sometimes lasts for over 20 minutes. Various members often climb riggings and tear down the foliage, Eamon walks around the audience beating his marching drum, and a ten-foot bear, Ursine Ultra, occasionally makes an appearance - often taking a beating from various band members. This has become one of the signatures of the band. Their tours often include unusual venues such as the Scillonian Club on the Isles of Scilly
Isles of Scilly
The Isles of Scilly form an archipelago off the southwestern tip of the Cornish peninsula of Great Britain. The islands have had a unitary authority council since 1890, and are separate from the Cornwall unitary authority, but some services are combined with Cornwall and the islands are still part...
, Grasmere
Grasmere
Grasmere is a village, and popular tourist destination, in the centre of the English Lake District. It takes its name from the adjacent lake, and is associated with the Lake Poets...
Village Hall, the St. John Boste Social Club in Kendal and Carnglaze Caverns
Carnglaze Caverns
Carnglaze Caverns consists of three man-made caverns formed as part of a slate quarry in the Loveny Valley, near the village of St Neot, Liskeard, Cornwall, England...
in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
.
The band has built up an eccentric image in interviews and press releases; some of which is based on fact, other times merely whimsical building of outward personas. This has included giving journalists grid reference
Grid reference
Grid references define locations on maps using Cartesian coordinates. Grid lines on maps define the coordinate system, and are numbered to provide a unique reference to features....
s at which to meet them, and expressing obsessions with Field Marshal Montgomery and bird watching
Birdwatching
Birdwatching or birding is the observation of birds as a recreational activity. It can be done with the naked eye, through a visual enhancement device like binoculars and telescopes, or by listening for bird sounds. Birding often involves a significant auditory component, as many bird species are...
. Similarly, they appeared on the day time TV show Countryfile
Countryfile
Countryfile is a British magazine-style television programme produced by BBC Birmingham, first aired on 24th July 1988, which reports on rural and environmental issues within the United Kingdom. For its first 20 years it was fronted by broadcaster John Craven, until he stepped back from the role of...
in which they discussed their love of the countryside and played an outdoor performance of the track "Canvey Island".
At the beginning of 2006, it was announced that Eamon had left British Sea Power to concentrate on his own band Brakes
Brakes (band)
Brakes is a four member band from Brighton, England. The group formed in 2003. It consists of Eamon Hamilton , Thomas White , Marc Beatty , and Alex White .-Biography:Brakes formed in 2003, when Thomas White and Alex White of The Electric Soft Parade saw Eamon Hamilton perform...
. The group spent part of late 2006 working on new material in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, and is preparing a DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
.
In 2007, American Laundromat Records announced that British Sea Power would record a version of the Pixies' "Caribou" for an album called Dig For Fire - A Tribute To Pixies.
Do You Like Rock Music? and Man of Aran
In October 2007, the band toured the east coast of AmericaUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to showcase their new 5-track EP Krankenhaus?
Krankenhaus?
Krankenhaus? is an EP by the band British Sea Power. It was released digitally on 8 October 2007 in the UK and on 9 October 2007 in the US. It was released in CD format on 20 November 2007. The EP contains two videos, one a live video of the previously released track "The Spirit of St...
. In November 2007, they toured a variety of unusual locations in the UK including a seaside cafe in Saltdean
Saltdean
Saltdean is a residential district located on the chalk cliffs of the south coast of England in East Sussex, United Kingdom. It is situated on the eastern edge of the city of Brighton and Hove, with part outside the city boundary in Lewes district...
, East Sussex
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
; a ferry across the River Mersey
River Mersey
The River Mersey is a river in North West England. It is around long, stretching from Stockport, Greater Manchester, and ending at Liverpool Bay, Merseyside. For centuries, it formed part of the ancient county divide between Lancashire and Cheshire....
, Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
; the Tan Hill Inn
Tan Hill, Yorkshire
Tan Hill is a high point on the Pennine Way in North Yorkshire, England north of the village of Keld, near the borders with County Durham and Cumbria and close to the northern boundary of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.-Tan Hill Inn:...
, the UK's highest inn; All Saints' Church in Newcastle-upon-Tyne; and White Mischief, an indoor festival mixing live bands with unusual vaudeville acts.
Their Krankenhaus? EP was released digitally for purchasable download in October 2007 and was released on CD and vinyl on 20 November. Their third album, Do You Like Rock Music?
Do You Like Rock Music?
Do You Like Rock Music? is the third album from the Brighton-based English band, British Sea Power. It was released on 14 January 2008 in the UK and 12 February 2008 in the US...
was released on 14 January 2008 in the U.K.
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...
and scheduled for release on 12 February 2008 in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Prior to their tour in support of Do You Like Rock Music? (visiting Ireland, UK, Belgium, Holland, Germany and US), Wood injured his back and had to be temporarily replaced by Tom White of Electric Soft Parade and Brakes
Brakes (band)
Brakes is a four member band from Brighton, England. The group formed in 2003. It consists of Eamon Hamilton , Thomas White , Marc Beatty , and Alex White .-Biography:Brakes formed in 2003, when Thomas White and Alex White of The Electric Soft Parade saw Eamon Hamilton perform...
fame.
In January 2008, the keyboard and cornet player Phil Sumner was admitted to hospital after being knocked unconscious when he attempted a stage dive. The crowd at 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...
Irish Centre failed to catch Phil Sumner
Phil Sumner
Philip James Sumner is a cornet, keyboard and guitar player for the Kendal/Brighton based rock band British Sea Power and Brighton/Stroud based rock band Actress Hands. He first emerged with British Sea Power on their September 2006 tour in which they first performed songs which would appear on...
, who jumped from a 12-foot PA system landing head first. The press department at Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...
reported "The impact knocked him out. Thankfully an ambulance was quickly summoned and he was whisked away, bloody and unconscious and despite a concussion, a broken molar and a maze of stitches in his chin, a very groggy Phil is expected to make a full recovery." In spite of this, he returned to the stage with the rest of the band a day later in Kendal.
The band's reputation for derring-do during live appearances was enhanced at the Two Thousand Trees Festival
Two Thousand Trees Festival
The 2000trees festival is an award-winning independent music festival dedicated to bringing together the best new and underground British music for one weekend every July, held at Upcote Farm, Withington, near Cheltenham in Gloucestershire. It offers a diverse selection of more than 80 acts on four...
, near Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
, UK, on 18 July 2009, when, following their headline appearance guitarist, Noble, staged-dived into the crowd and the fans failed to catch him, leaving him to somersault onto his back. However, he returned to the stage and successfully stage-dived into a different section of the crowd.
Later with Jools Holland
Later... with Jools Holland is a contemporary British music television show hosted by Jools Holland. A spin-off of The Late Show, it has been running in short series since 1992 and is a part of BBC Two's late-night line-up, usually at around 11pm to 12 midnight...
, playing "Waving Flags
Waving Flags
"Waving Flags" is the first single to be released from British Sea Power's third studio album Do You Like Rock Music?. It was released on 7 January 2008 in CD and Vinyl format, as well being available as a digital download. It entered the UK Singles Chart at number 31, and the BBC Radio 1...
", "Canvey Island" and "No Lucifer
No Lucifer
"No Lucifer" is a 10" single released by rock band British Sea Power on March 10, 2008. It was the second single released from their critically acclaimed third album, Do You Like Rock Music?. The song was written by Hamilton, who also sings on the track...
". They were ably accompanied by a small number of the London Bulgarian Choir
London Bulgarian Choir
The London Bulgarian Choir is a London-based amateur choir, specialising in Bulgarian folk music. Dessislava Stefanova has led the choir since its formation in 2000...
and a display of Cumbrian wrestling
Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling
Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling, also known as Cumbrian Wrestling, is an ancient and well-practised tradition in Cumbria. It bears enough of a resemblance to Scottish Backhold, which is practised just north of the border, for them to be classed under the joint heading North Country...
. The band also played at Glastonbury
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
, Reading and Leeds, T in the Park
T in the Park
T in the Park is a major British music festival that has been held annually since 1994. It is named after its main sponsor, the brewing company Tennents. It was originally held at Strathclyde Park, Lanarkshire but since 1997 has been held at a disused airfield in Balado, Kinross-shire...
and Bestival
Bestival
Bestival is a four-day music festival held at the Robin Hill country park on the Isle of Wight, England. It has been held annually in late summer since 2004. The event is organized by DJ and record producer Rob da Bank and is an off-shoot of his Sunday Best record label and club nights. The initial...
in 2008, amongst other festivals.
The band also played an intimate concert at The Monico Hotel in Canvey Island
Canvey Island
Canvey Island is a civil parish and reclaimed island in the Thames estuary in England. It is separated from the mainland of south Essex by a network of creeks...
as a nod to the 5th track on their new album. Prior to the gig, the band took part in a training session at Canvey Island Football Club
Canvey Island F.C.
Canvey Island F.C, known as the Gulls or Yellow Army, are an English football club founded in 1926 that play in the Isthmian League Premier Division....
, and later took to the stage in the club's yellow shirts. They were joined on stage for their encore by Wilko Johnson
Wilko Johnson
Wilko Johnson is an English guitarist and songwriter, particularly associated with the UK rhythm and blues band Dr. Feelgood in the 1970s.-Career:...
of Canvey Pub Rock icons Dr. Feelgood
Dr. Feelgood
Dr. Feelgood may refer to:In music:*Dr. Feelgood , an album by American band Mötley Crüe**"Dr. Feelgood" , a single and the title track from that album*"Dr. Feel Good", a song by Travie McCoy on the album Lazarus...
, playing "A Rock" and Feelgood's "She Does It Right
She Does It Right
"She Does It Right" is a song by the band Dr. Feelgood. Recorded in 1974 it appeared on their debut album, Down by the Jetty."She Does It Right" was also issued as a single in the UK in March 1975. It failed to reach the UK Singles Chart. Written by Wilko Johnson, and produced by Vic Maile, the...
. The performance was featured on BBC2's
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
The Culture Show
The Culture Show
The Culture Show is a weekly BBC Two Arts magazine programme. It is broadcast in the UK on Thursday nights at 7pm, focusing on the best of the week's arts and culture news, covering books, art, film, architecture, music, visual fashion and the performing arts...
.
The band played "No Lucifer
No Lucifer
"No Lucifer" is a 10" single released by rock band British Sea Power on March 10, 2008. It was the second single released from their critically acclaimed third album, Do You Like Rock Music?. The song was written by Hamilton, who also sings on the track...
" on The Late Show with David Letterman on 12 March 2008, performed and were interviewed on Countryfile, and had a concert filmed for the Canadian music series Beautiful Noise
Beautiful Noise (TV series)
Beautiful Noise is an HD television music profile and performance series produced in Canada by Original Spin Media. The series premiered on Rave HD in the United States in the summer of 2006. The programs debuted in Canada on Sun TV in January 2008 and CBC Bold in March of 2009. The series is...
.
Violist Abi Fry
Abi Fry
Abi Fry born is a Highlands-based violist, playing with various acts including British Sea Power, Bat For Lashes, The Flowers of Hell, Sad Season and Euchrid Eucrow....
toured with the band in 2008 and has since become a permanent member of British Sea Power.
The band played a free show in Oklahoma at the First Annual Norman Music Festival on April 26, 2008, and on June 21, 2008, played a concert at the Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is one of three large museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, England . Its main frontage is on Cromwell Road...
in London, some of which was filmed.
On 22 July 2008, the band was announced as one of the nominees for the 2008 Mercury 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...
. To coincide with the nomination they re-released their song Waving Flags
Waving Flags
"Waving Flags" is the first single to be released from British Sea Power's third studio album Do You Like Rock Music?. It was released on 7 January 2008 in CD and Vinyl format, as well being available as a digital download. It entered the UK Singles Chart at number 31, and the BBC Radio 1...
on 8 September 2008, which they also performed at the award ceremony the following day.
On 23 January 2009, the band announced that they were recording a soundtrack to the documentary Man of Aran
Man of Aran
Man of Aran is a fictional documentary by Robert J. Flaherty about life on the Aran Islands off the western coast of Ireland. It portrays characters living in premodern conditions, documenting their daily routines such as fishing off high cliffs, farming potatoes where there is little soil, and...
. They performed it in concert at the British Film Institute
British Film Institute
The British Film Institute is a charitable organisation established by Royal Charter to:-Cinemas:The BFI runs the BFI Southbank and IMAX theatre, both located on the south bank of the River Thames in London...
in April, and a CD/DVD was released in May. On 7 February 2009, they released a new 10-minute track, "The possibility of an island", on myspace.
Valhalla Dancehall
The band headlined the Festival Republic Stage at the 2010 Reading and Leeds FestivalsReading and Leeds Festivals
The Reading and Leeds Festivals are a pair of annual music festivals that take place in Reading and Leeds in England. The events take place simultaneously on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend, sharing the same bill. The Reading Festival is held at Little John's Farm...
, on 29 and 28 August respectively. They supported the Manic Street Preachers
Manic Street Preachers
Manic Street Preachers are a Welsh alternative rock band, formed in 1986. They are James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire, Richey Edwards and Sean Moore. The band are part of the Cardiff music scene, and were at their most prominent during the 1990s...
on their autumn 2010 tour of Britain.
The band's next album was initially expected during 2010. In January, the band announced on their blog that recording for it had been taking place in East Sussex
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
and on Skye
Skye
Skye or the Isle of Skye is the largest and most northerly island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island's peninsulas radiate out from a mountainous centre dominated by the Cuillin hills...
and was 95% finished. The album was eventually scheduled for release in January 2011.
The band first released a 'Maxi EP' (one featuring 8 songs), entitled Zeus
Zeus (EP)
Zeus is an EP by the band British Sea Power. It was released on 4 October 2010 in the UK.The EP, and its title track, are named after the transit van used by the band, according to singer and guitarist Yan....
, in October 2010, featuring songs recorded during the sessions for the forthcoming album.
The album Valhalla Dancehall
Valhalla Dancehall
Valhalla Dancehall is the fifth studio album from the Brighton-based indie rock band British Sea Power. It was released in January 2011.The album's title was revealed on 13 October 2010....
was released in January 2011. Initial copies of the album sold by some independent music stores in the UK were accompanied with a bonus EP, Valhalla V.I.P.. The band toured the UK in the first three months of 2011, and a tour of the United States was planned for March, including an appearance on Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
on March 21.
British Sea Power announced a number of forthcoming festival appearances for summer 2011, including Latitude Festival
Latitude Festival
The Latitude Festival is an annual music festival that takes place in Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk, England. It was first held in July 2006....
, Leefest
LeeFest
LeeFest is a non-profit music festival that takes place every August in Bromley South London. The festival began in founder Lee Denny's garden when his parents went away on holiday in 2006. Despite the festival's small scale in its first two years, LeeFest has now become a 2000 capacity two-day...
, Get Loaded In The Park
Get Loaded In The Park
Get Loaded in the Park is an inner-city music festival held on Clapham Common in London annually since 2004. It was held on the August Bank Holiday Sunday until 2010 when the festival took a years sabbatical, before returning in 2011 with a new date of Sunday 12th June.In its original format it was...
and the Port Eliot Festival. In addition, the band performed at Jodrell Bank Live at Jodrell Bank Observatory, with the 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...
, in July 2011. They also performed at festivals in Australia, China and Japan.
September 2011 saw the publication on Rough Trade Books of 'Do It For Your Mum' by Roy Wilkinson (brother of Yan and Hamilton), an account of the author's experiences of managing the band and how the family's octogenarian father became the group's most ardent fan.
Albums
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | Certification Certification Certification refers to the confirmation of certain characteristics of an object, person, or organization. This confirmation is often, but not always, provided by some form of external review, education, assessment, or audit... |
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| UK |
US Heats. Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
NL MegaCharts MegaCharts is responsible for the composition and exploitation of a broad collection of official charts in the Netherlands, of which the Mega Top 50 and the Mega Album Top 100 are the most known ones. Mega Charts also provides information to the Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, of which the Dutch Top... |
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| 2003 | The Decline of British Sea Power The Decline of British Sea Power The Decline of British Sea Power is the debut album from British Sea Power. "The Lonely", "Carrion" and "Remember Me" were all released as singles from the album, as well as older recordings of "Fear of Drowning" and "Remember Me", which differ from the versions on this album... |
54 | – | – |
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| 2005 | Open Season Open Season (British Sea Power album) Open Season is the second album from the Brighton-based English band, British Sea Power. It was released on 4 April 2005 to positive reviews. It showcased a more accessible, mainstream sound and reached #13 in the UK album charts... |
13 | 38 | – |
British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... : Silver |
| 2008 | Do You Like Rock Music? Do You Like Rock Music? Do You Like Rock Music? is the third album from the Brighton-based English band, British Sea Power. It was released on 14 January 2008 in the UK and 12 February 2008 in the US... |
10 | 5 | 97 | |
| 2009 | Man Of Aran Man of Aran (album) Man Of Aran is a soundtrack album from the Brighton-based English band, British Sea Power. It was released on 18 May 2009 in the UK.The CD album was released with an accompanying DVD of the film Man Of Aran, with the album as its score.... |
68 | 48 | – | |
| 2011 | Valhalla Dancehall Valhalla Dancehall Valhalla Dancehall is the fifth studio album from the Brighton-based indie rock band British Sea Power. It was released in January 2011.The album's title was revealed on 13 October 2010.... |
22 | 14 | – |
Singles
- "Fear of DrowningFear of Drowning"Fear of Drowning" is a song by British Sea Power, which was the group's very first single release. It was a self-financed single issued on their own Golden Chariot label, and mainly sold at concerts. Only 1,000 CD copies were pressed and these became the most collectable, and thus valuable,...
" (2001) - "Remember Me" (2001)
- "The LonelyThe Lonely (song)"The Lonely" is a song by British Sea Power. The song was the group's third single and their second on Rough Trade. It was their first single to garner much press coverage and resulted in a pleasing chart position. Unusually, the nominal a-side actually features as the flipside on both versions....
" (2002) - "Childhood MemoriesChildhood Memories"Childhood Memories" was the fourth single to be released by British Sea Power. It is a much more downtempo track than previous releases and feature keyboards heavily. Acoustic guitar is prominent throughout the track...
" (2002) - "Carrion"/"Apologies to Insect Life"Carrion/Apologies to Insect Life"Carrion"/"Apologies to Insect Life" was a double a-side release by British Sea Power. Both songs feature on their debut album, The Decline of British Sea Power, and this was the first single to be issued after its release. The single received rave reviews and was the band's first Top 40 hit...
(2003) (UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
#36) - "Remember Me" (2003) (UK #30)
- "A Lovely Day TomorrowA Lovely Day Tomorrow"A Lovely Day Tomorrow" was a one-off single from British Sea Power, only released to shops in the Czech Republic but available at certain shows and via mail order in the United Kingdom. It is a re-recording of an early B-side by the band .The B-side "Zítra Bude Krásný Den" is a version of the song...
" (with Ecstasy of Saint Theresa) (2004) - "It Ended on an Oily StageIt Ended on an Oily Stage"It Ended on an Oily Stage" was the first single from British Sea Power's second album Open Season. It reached number 18 in the UK Singles Chart and was critically praised, with the NME giving it their Track of the Week award. It received heavy airplay from the alternative radio sector...
" (2005) (UK #18) - "Please Stand UpPlease Stand Up"Please Stand Up" was the second single from British Sea Power's second album Open Season. It heralded a far more mainstream, pop-oriented and produced sound for the band. Despite predictions of it being a crossover hit, it failed to grab the attention of the public and was not popular with many of...
" (2005) (UK #34) - "Remember Me"/"I Am a Cider Drinker"Remember Me/I Am a Cider Drinker"Remember Me"/"I Am a Cider Drinker" was a split single released by British Sea Power and The Wurzels. The 7" single features The Wurzels covering BSP's "Remember Me" and BSP covering The Wurzels' 1976 hit "I Am a Cider Drinker"...
(with The WurzelsThe WurzelsThe Wurzels are a British Scrumpy and Western band...
) (2005) - "Waving FlagsWaving Flags"Waving Flags" is the first single to be released from British Sea Power's third studio album Do You Like Rock Music?. It was released on 7 January 2008 in CD and Vinyl format, as well being available as a digital download. It entered the UK Singles Chart at number 31, and the BBC Radio 1...
" (2008) (UK #31) - "No LuciferNo Lucifer"No Lucifer" is a 10" single released by rock band British Sea Power on March 10, 2008. It was the second single released from their critically acclaimed third album, Do You Like Rock Music?. The song was written by Hamilton, who also sings on the track...
" (2008) - "Living Is So Easy" (2010)
- "Who's In Control" (2011)
EPs
- Remember Me (2003)
- The Spirit of St. Louis (2004)
- Krankenhaus?Krankenhaus?Krankenhaus? is an EP by the band British Sea Power. It was released digitally on 8 October 2007 in the UK and on 9 October 2007 in the US. It was released in CD format on 20 November 2007. The EP contains two videos, one a live video of the previously released track "The Spirit of St...
(2007) - ZeusZeus (EP)Zeus is an EP by the band British Sea Power. It was released on 4 October 2010 in the UK.The EP, and its title track, are named after the transit van used by the band, according to singer and guitarist Yan....
(2010) - Valhalla V.I.P. (2011)
Compilation Appearances
- "Waving Flags" – 2000 Trees – Cider Smiles Vol.2, (Hide and Seek Records, 2009)
- "Waving Flags" - FM4 Soundselection 18, (Col, 2008)