Charlotte Hatherley
Encyclopedia
Charlotte Franklin Hatherley (born in London
; 20 June 1979) is an English
guitarist
and singer-songwriter
. She initially came to prominence as guitarist
and backing vocalist
for alternative rock
band Ash
. Since departing Ash in 2006, she has found success as a solo artist. She is currently taking a break from KT Tunstall's band to engage in a reunion tour with ASH.
and attended Chiswick Community School
. Her music career began at the age of sixteen, when she played in obscure British punk
band Nightnurse
. Around this time, Ash
were looking for a fourth member, a guitarist, to add to their live sound. Ash frontman Tim Wheeler
was present at a Nightnurse gig and thought Hatherley fitted the bill. Hatherley's Ash debut was at Belfast's Limelight
on 10 August 1997, and the following week the new lineup played the 1997 V Festival
in front of 50,000 people. Her recording debut with the band happened later that year on the single "A Life Less Ordinary" and then on the album Nu-Clear Sounds
in 1998.
Hatherley was credited with writing for a handful of Ash's songs, the most notable being "Grey Will Fade", a B-side
on the single "There's a Star
". The song was a cult favourite among fans, and eventually became the title track for Hatherley's debut solo
album.
It was during the period of recording the album Meltdown with Ash that Hatherley began to record her own album Grey Will Fade
simultaneously, fully encouraged by the rest of the band. From the album she released the singles "Bastardo", "Kim Wilde" and "Summer", which all, as well as the album itself, received high praise from critics.
Hatherley's second album, The Deep Blue was released on 5 March 2007. It was preceded by two singles; "Behave", in December, and "I Want You To Know", in February, along with an accompanying UK and Ireland tour. Two more singles were released to promote the album, "Siberia" and "Again". In 2007, Hatherley also opened for Blondie
on their UK tour and played guitar for Bryan Ferry
. In November 2007 she joined Client
to fill the vacant role of bassist
on their European and Scandinavian tours. With Client she is known as Client C.
In October 2008, Cinnabar City was announced as the title of Hatherley's third solo album. The album title was later changed to New Worlds
. The track Full Circle debuted on BBC 6 Music's: The Nemone Show
on 23 December. The album was released on 19 October 2009.
In March 2009, Hatherley announced on her official website that she would be joining Bat for Lashes
as a live member of the band throughout 2009.
Daily Music Guide critic Jamie Smith described the second single from New Worlds, "Alexander", as "a rather super single that deserves to win her many more new fans." and the same writer described the album, for The Music Magazine, as "a record that has a very definite sheen of quality all over it. Gone all the rough edges of her debut Grey Will Fade, and the sound is a huge leap forward from the lo-fi and somewhat dreary and unformed follow-up The Deep Blue. New Worlds is the album of a woman sure of herself and ready to move forward in her career."
It was announced via kttunstall.com on 8 June 2010 that Hatherley would be joining KT Tunstall
's band playing lead guitar to replace Sam Lewis. The 2010/11 tour, coinciding with the release of Tunstall's 'Tiger Suit' album, began 19 October in Cambridge, UK. 'The Times' review of the 20 October gig at the Shepherds Bush Empire, London, noted "Hatherley played with a decisive touch and was a powerful stage presence, her bright copper hair and glacial poise providing an engaging foil to Tunstall’s more natural look and breezy, upbeat stage persona".
In an interview with the Galway Advertiser, 13 Jan 2011, Tunstall said that Hatherley had helped her "to find the voice that she had always been searching for. Charlotte has just blown us all away. She’s an exceptionally talented musician and very visceral. It’s just pure emotion when she plays. It was interesting seeing her take on the role because it’d been a while since she’d had a full on lead guitar gig. This is probably the most heavy-riffed stuff I’ve ever written. I had all these tribal backing vocal bits planned and suddenly I discovered Charlotte could do them all. Our voices are spookily similar and it’s nice for me to have another girl in the band. Neither of us are super girly girl and we’re both really into our music.”
“There’s no way bands can survive. But cutting off internet connections isn’t the answer. Attitudes need to change. Kids don’t realise they’re stealing from artists. The frustrating thing is the record companies should have dealt with it a long time ago so there would be an easier transition.
“Labels don’t know what the fuck they’re dealing with. Fuck the labels – it’s the artists that need to make money. I’m all for fucking record labels. I don’t expect to make any money from record sales. The only way is to tour."
Hatherley has since started her own record label Little Sister Records.
, who is best known for Shaun of the Dead
and Hot Fuzz
. He directed videos for two of her singles, "Summer" and "Bastardo". Her mother, Patricia Franklin
, is an actress who appeared in several Carry On films of the 1960s and 70s. She is thanked in the credits for both Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. She is also credited on the UK DVD of Shaun of the Dead for taking photographs of the crew.
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...
; 20 June 1979) 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...
guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
and singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
. She initially came to prominence as guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
and backing vocalist
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
for alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band Ash
Ash (band)
Ash are an alternative rock band that formed in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland in 1992. The band has sold 8 million albums worldwide.-Band beginning, Trailer and 1977 :...
. Since departing Ash in 2006, she has found success as a solo artist. She is currently taking a break from KT Tunstall's band to engage in a reunion tour with ASH.
Ash (1997–2006)
Hatherley was brought up in West LondonLondon
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...
and attended Chiswick Community School
Chiswick Community School
Chiswick Community School is located in Chiswick in the West London borough of Hounslow, in 2004 it had 1239 students including 208 Sixth Formers.-Admissions:...
. Her music career began at the age of sixteen, when she played in obscure British punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Nightnurse
Nightnurse
Nightnurse was an indie rock band from London, UK, who had some success in the late 1990s. They released three singles, with their second "Skirt" reaching no. 11 in the UK independent singles chart in February 1998...
. Around this time, Ash
Ash (band)
Ash are an alternative rock band that formed in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland in 1992. The band has sold 8 million albums worldwide.-Band beginning, Trailer and 1977 :...
were looking for a fourth member, a guitarist, to add to their live sound. Ash frontman Tim Wheeler
Tim Wheeler
Tim Wheeler is the Northern Irish guitarist, songwriter and vocalist for the rock band, Ash. He formed the band with Mark Hamilton and they were originally called Vietnam. Wheeler can be seen playing a Korina Gibson Flying V in almost all of Ash's music videos...
was present at a Nightnurse gig and thought Hatherley fitted the bill. Hatherley's Ash debut was at Belfast's Limelight
The Limelight (Belfast)
The Limelight in Belfast, Northern Ireland is a bar, nightclub and music venue. The complex on the city's Ormeau Avenue includes The Limelight, a bar called Katy Daly's, and Spring and Airbrake. The nearby Auntie Annie's Porterhouse on the Dublin Road is also owned by The Limelight.The Limelight...
on 10 August 1997, and the following week the new lineup played the 1997 V Festival
V Festival
The V Festival is an annual music festival held in England during the penultimate weekend in August. The event is held at two parks simultaneously which share the same bill; artists perform at one location on Saturday and then swap on Sunday. The sites are located at Hylands Park in Chelmsford and...
in front of 50,000 people. Her recording debut with the band happened later that year on the single "A Life Less Ordinary" and then on the album Nu-Clear Sounds
Nu-Clear Sounds
Nu-Clear Sounds is the second official studio album by Ash, released on 5 October 1998. Despite not being as publicly acclaimed as the other albums, it was certified Gold by the BPI.On May 11, 1999 Nu-Clear Sounds was released in the United States....
in 1998.
Hatherley was credited with writing for a handful of Ash's songs, the most notable being "Grey Will Fade", a B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
on the single "There's a Star
There's a Star
"There's a Star" is a song by Ash, released as the fifth and final single from their album Free All Angels, on 31 December 2001. It was released as a single CD as a 7" vinyl, as well as on DVD format...
". The song was a cult favourite among fans, and eventually became the title track for Hatherley's debut solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
album.
It was during the period of recording the album Meltdown with Ash that Hatherley began to record her own album Grey Will Fade
Grey Will Fade
Grey Will Fade is the debut album from British singer/songwriter Charlotte Hatherley, released in 2004 whilst still playing guitar in British rock band Ash...
simultaneously, fully encouraged by the rest of the band. From the album she released the singles "Bastardo", "Kim Wilde" and "Summer", which all, as well as the album itself, received high praise from critics.
Solo (2006–present)
On 20 January 2006 it was announced that Hatherley would be leaving Ash in an amicable breakup. This decision was initially thought to be based on Hatherley's intention to pursue a solo career further, although it later emerged she was asked to leave by the remaining three members.Blondie (band)
Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...
on their UK tour and played guitar for Bryan Ferry
Bryan Ferry
Bryan Ferry, CBE is an English singer, musician, and songwriter. Ferry came to public prominence in the early 1970s as lead vocalist and principal songwriter with the band Roxy Music, who enjoyed a highly successful career with three number one albums and ten singles entering the top ten charts in...
. In November 2007 she joined Client
Client (band)
Client are an English electronic musical group from London. They are most popular in Germany where they have had limited commercial success...
to fill the vacant role of bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
on their European and Scandinavian tours. With Client she is known as Client C.
In October 2008, Cinnabar City was announced as the title of Hatherley's third solo album. The album title was later changed to New Worlds
New Worlds (album)
New Worlds is the third solo album by British singer/songwriter Charlotte Hatherley, released on the 16th October 2009. Like previous album The Deep Blue, it was released on Hatherley's own Little Sister label in the UK and Minty Fresh in the US...
. The track Full Circle debuted on BBC 6 Music's: The Nemone Show
BBC 6 Music
BBC 6 Music is one of the BBC's digital radio stations, was launched on 11 March 2002 and originally codenamed Network Y. It was the first national music radio station to be launched by the BBC in 32 years....
on 23 December. The album was released on 19 October 2009.
In March 2009, Hatherley announced on her official website that she would be joining Bat for Lashes
Bat for Lashes
Natasha Khan , also known by her stage name Bat for Lashes, is an English musician. She sings and plays the piano, bass, guitar, harpsichord and the autoharp....
as a live member of the band throughout 2009.
Daily Music Guide critic Jamie Smith described the second single from New Worlds, "Alexander", as "a rather super single that deserves to win her many more new fans." and the same writer described the album, for The Music Magazine, as "a record that has a very definite sheen of quality all over it. Gone all the rough edges of her debut Grey Will Fade, and the sound is a huge leap forward from the lo-fi and somewhat dreary and unformed follow-up The Deep Blue. New Worlds is the album of a woman sure of herself and ready to move forward in her career."
It was announced via kttunstall.com on 8 June 2010 that Hatherley would be joining KT Tunstall
KT Tunstall
Kate Victoria "KT" Tunstall is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist from St Andrews, Scotland. She broke into the public eye with a 2004 live solo performance of her song "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" on Later... with Jools Holland...
's band playing lead guitar to replace Sam Lewis. The 2010/11 tour, coinciding with the release of Tunstall's 'Tiger Suit' album, began 19 October in Cambridge, UK. 'The Times' review of the 20 October gig at the Shepherds Bush Empire, London, noted "Hatherley played with a decisive touch and was a powerful stage presence, her bright copper hair and glacial poise providing an engaging foil to Tunstall’s more natural look and breezy, upbeat stage persona".
In an interview with the Galway Advertiser, 13 Jan 2011, Tunstall said that Hatherley had helped her "to find the voice that she had always been searching for. Charlotte has just blown us all away. She’s an exceptionally talented musician and very visceral. It’s just pure emotion when she plays. It was interesting seeing her take on the role because it’d been a while since she’d had a full on lead guitar gig. This is probably the most heavy-riffed stuff I’ve ever written. I had all these tribal backing vocal bits planned and suddenly I discovered Charlotte could do them all. Our voices are spookily similar and it’s nice for me to have another girl in the band. Neither of us are super girly girl and we’re both really into our music.”
Views on file sharing
In an interview with independent webzine The Music Magazine in October 2009 Charlotte said: “It’s quite bleak in so many ways. Amazing music will suffer. Only rich kids will be able to afford to make music, as a hobby. There’s so many BRIT school middle class artists already.“There’s no way bands can survive. But cutting off internet connections isn’t the answer. Attitudes need to change. Kids don’t realise they’re stealing from artists. The frustrating thing is the record companies should have dealt with it a long time ago so there would be an easier transition.
“Labels don’t know what the fuck they’re dealing with. Fuck the labels – it’s the artists that need to make money. I’m all for fucking record labels. I don’t expect to make any money from record sales. The only way is to tour."
Hatherley has since started her own record label Little Sister Records.
Personal life
Hatherley's ex-boyfriend is film director Edgar WrightEdgar Wright
Edgar Howard Wright is an English film and television director and writer. He is most famous for his work with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost on the films Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, the TV series Spaced, and for directing the film Scott Pilgrim vs...
, who is best known for Shaun of the Dead
Shaun of the Dead
Shaun of the Dead is a 2004 British zombie comedy directed by Edgar Wright, starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, and written by Pegg and Wright. Pegg plays Shaun, a man attempting to get some kind of focus in his life as he deals with his girlfriend, his mother and stepfather...
and Hot Fuzz
Hot Fuzz
Hot Fuzz is a 2007 British action dark comedy film written by Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright, and starring Pegg and Nick Frost. The three had previously worked together on the 2004 film Shaun of the Dead as well as the television series Spaced...
. He directed videos for two of her singles, "Summer" and "Bastardo". Her mother, Patricia Franklin
Patricia Franklin
Patricia Franklin is an English actress. Her television credits include Black Books, The Bill, Silent Witness, The Sweeney and Play for Today....
, is an actress who appeared in several Carry On films of the 1960s and 70s. She is thanked in the credits for both Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. She is also credited on the UK DVD of Shaun of the Dead for taking photographs of the crew.
Albums
| Year | Album | 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 | Grey Will Fade Grey Will Fade Grey Will Fade is the debut album from British singer/songwriter Charlotte Hatherley, released in 2004 whilst still playing guitar in British rock band Ash... |
51 |
| 2007 | The Deep Blue The Deep Blue The Deep Blue is the second album from British singer/songwriter Charlotte Hatherley, released on the 5th March 2007. The album was mainly recorded in Italy, and was the first record Charlotte created since leaving Ash in January 2006. It was also the first record to be released under Hatherley's... |
109 |
| 2009 | New Worlds New Worlds (album) New Worlds is the third solo album by British singer/songwriter Charlotte Hatherley, released on the 16th October 2009. Like previous album The Deep Blue, it was released on Hatherley's own Little Sister label in the UK and Minty Fresh in the US... |
- |
Singles
| Year | Title | 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 ... |
B-sides |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | "Kim Wilde" (Download-only) | Grey Will Fade Grey Will Fade Grey Will Fade is the debut album from British singer/songwriter Charlotte Hatherley, released in 2004 whilst still playing guitar in British rock band Ash... |
— | |
| 2004 | "Summer" | 31 | Commodore; SMUT | |
| 2005 | "Bastardo" | 31 | 3 Minutes; I Am a Kamera | |
| 2006 | "Behave" | The Deep Blue The Deep Blue The Deep Blue is the second album from British singer/songwriter Charlotte Hatherley, released on the 5th March 2007. The album was mainly recorded in Italy, and was the first record Charlotte created since leaving Ash in January 2006. It was also the first record to be released under Hatherley's... |
168 | Mr. Ed; Cousteau (Extended Version); Behave (Luke Smith Clor Clor Clor were a short-lived five-piece band from Brixton, England, formed in 2003. In the UK they were signed to Parlophone. Their music is angular in melody and jerky in rhythm, and is often compared to Devo and Gary Numan. Their breakthrough came with the release of their self-titled first album,... Remix) |
| 2007 | "I Want You to Know" | 108 | Sister Universe; Suspiria | |
| 2007 | "Siberia" | — | Last Night; This Is Pop; I Don't Need Anyone | |
| 2007 | "Again" | — | Again (acoustic) | |
| 2007 | "CH V FD (Deep Blue remixes)" | Non-album single | — | Dawn Treader (Fredmix); It Isn't Over (Fredmix) |
| 2009 | "White" | New Worlds New Worlds (album) New Worlds is the third solo album by British singer/songwriter Charlotte Hatherley, released on the 16th October 2009. Like previous album The Deep Blue, it was released on Hatherley's own Little Sister label in the UK and Minty Fresh in the US... |
- | White (Squarepusher Squarepusher Squarepusher is the performing pseudonym of Tom Jenkinson, an English electronic music artist signed to Warp Records. He specialises in the electronic music genres of drum and bass and acid, with a significant jazz and musique concrète influence.... Remix); White (Adem Remix); White (Heartbeat Remix) |
| 2009 | "Alexander" | New Worlds New Worlds (album) New Worlds is the third solo album by British singer/songwriter Charlotte Hatherley, released on the 16th October 2009. Like previous album The Deep Blue, it was released on Hatherley's own Little Sister label in the UK and Minty Fresh in the US... |
- | Alexander (Radio Edit); Alexander (Blacknred Remix) |