Clocks (band)
Encyclopedia
Clocks were an English
indie pop
band, formed in Epsom & Ewell (just outside London
) in 2000. After deciding in 2005 to take music seriously, they spent their university vacations gigging and recording. They have recorded with Liam Watson
(The White Stripes
, Supergrass
, Madness
) and on 14 August 2006 released their debut single
, "That Much Better" on Hungry Kid Records. This was enough to convince Island Records
to sign them up to a recording contract
that week.
The band spent time in 2007 recording tracks with record producer
, John Cornfield
(Razorlight
, Supergrass
, Muse
), and have recorded their début album for Island Records
with producer Eliot James
(Bloc Party
), which had been scheduled for release in Summer 2008. The album was leaked through several P2P
sites on 13 July, without even having a title.
After eighteen months on Island Records, in which time they had completed five UK tours and recorded an album's worth of material, they parted company with the label. The band have cited global financial factors as the primary reason for this. Clocks had been forced to pull their UK headline tour in May 2008 after only one show, due to lack of financial support from the record label. Although promotional copies of the debut album
, tentatively titled 'Miniskirts & Cigarettes', were issued, it remains commercially unreleased.
and year one classes. This means that Hewitt was four years old and Hilliam was five when they first met. Ricketts and Hilliam became friends while in the same class at Danetree Middle School. Hewitt and Rich Farris also attended this school, but since they were in different year groups (Hewitt was one year below Ricketts and Hilliam; Farris was one below Hewitt) they did not become friends until they met at Scouts. Ed Hilliam, John Ricketts and Rich Farris went on to Epsom & Ewell High School, while Tom Hewitt attended Sutton Grammar School
.
). The band have also played one-off shows with The Fray
and The Feeling
. In 2008 they went on tour to support Scouting For Girls
.
Clocks played at the Glastonbury Festival
in 2007 in the Orange Tent.
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...
indie pop
Indie pop
Indie pop is a genre of alternative rock music that originated in the United Kingdom in the mid 1980s, with its roots in the Scottish post-punk bands on the Postcard Records label in the early '80s, such as Orange Juice, Josef K and Aztec Camera, and the dominant UK independent band of the mid...
band, formed in Epsom & Ewell (just outside 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...
) in 2000. After deciding in 2005 to take music seriously, they spent their university vacations gigging and recording. They have recorded with Liam Watson
Liam Watson
Liam Watson is a Grammy Award-winning British record producer and owner of Toe Rag Studios. Watson is perhaps best known for his work engineering and mixing the White Stripes' Elephant, receiving the 2004 Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album...
(The White Stripes
The White Stripes
The White Stripes was an American rock band, formed in 1997 in Detroit, Michigan. The group consisted of the songwriter Jack White and drummer Meg White . Jack and Meg White were previously married to each other, but are now divorced...
, Supergrass
Supergrass
Supergrass was an English alternative rock band from Oxford. The band consisted of brothers Gaz and Rob Coombes , Mick Quinn and Danny Goffey ....
, Madness
Madness (band)
In 1979, the band recorded the Lee Thompson composition "The Prince". The song, like the band's name, paid homage to their idol, Prince Buster. The song was released through 2 Tone Records, the label of The Specials founder Jerry Dammers. The song was a surprise hit, peaking in the UK music charts...
) and on 14 August 2006 released their debut single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, "That Much Better" on Hungry Kid Records. This was enough to convince Island Records
Island Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
to sign them up to a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
that week.
The band spent time in 2007 recording tracks with record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, John Cornfield
John Cornfield
John Cornfield is a British record producer and sound engineer. He has been working from Sawmills Studios in Cornwall since 1982. As the chief engineer he has assisted some highly respected and regarded producers, including John Leckie and Tom Dowd, and has worked with a vast selection of artists...
(Razorlight
Razorlight
Razorlight are a UK based indie rock band formed in 2002. They are primarily known in the UK, having topped the charts with the 2006 single "America" and its parent self-titled album, their second...
, Supergrass
Supergrass
Supergrass was an English alternative rock band from Oxford. The band consisted of brothers Gaz and Rob Coombes , Mick Quinn and Danny Goffey ....
, Muse
Muse (band)
Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...
), and have recorded their début album for Island Records
Island Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
with producer Eliot James
Eliot James
Eliot James is a British music Producer, Songwriter, Musician, Sound Engineer and Mixer, represented by Audio Authority Management.After a studio apprenticeship in Manchester, Eliot relocated to London...
(Bloc Party
Bloc Party
Bloc Party are a British Indie rock band, composed of Kele Okereke , Russell Lissack , Gordon Moakes , and Matt Tong...
), which had been scheduled for release in Summer 2008. The album was leaked through several P2P
Peer-to-peer
Peer-to-peer computing or networking is a distributed application architecture that partitions tasks or workloads among peers. Peers are equally privileged, equipotent participants in the application...
sites on 13 July, without even having a title.
After eighteen months on Island Records, in which time they had completed five UK tours and recorded an album's worth of material, they parted company with the label. The band have cited global financial factors as the primary reason for this. Clocks had been forced to pull their UK headline tour in May 2008 after only one show, due to lack of financial support from the record label. Although promotional copies of the debut album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, tentatively titled 'Miniskirts & Cigarettes', were issued, it remains commercially unreleased.
Members
- Tom Hewitt (born 15 June 1986) - lead vocals, guitars, keyboards
- Ed Hilliam (born 11 May 1985) - vocals, lead guitar
- Rich Farris (born 14 March 1987) - drums, vocals
- John Ricketts (born 24 April 1985) - bass
History
Frontman Tom Hewitt and guitarist Ed Hilliam were in the same class at West Ewell County First School in 1990-1991, despite being of different ages, due to the school's then policy of mixing receptionReception (school)
Reception or Primary 1 or FS2 is the first year of primary school in the United Kingdom and South Australia. It is preceded by nursery and is followed by Year One in England and Wales or Primary 2 in Northern Ireland and Scotland.Pupils in Reception are usually aged between four and five...
and year one classes. This means that Hewitt was four years old and Hilliam was five when they first met. Ricketts and Hilliam became friends while in the same class at Danetree Middle School. Hewitt and Rich Farris also attended this school, but since they were in different year groups (Hewitt was one year below Ricketts and Hilliam; Farris was one below Hewitt) they did not become friends until they met at Scouts. Ed Hilliam, John Ricketts and Rich Farris went on to Epsom & Ewell High School, while Tom Hewitt attended Sutton Grammar School
Sutton Grammar School
Sutton Grammar School for Boys is a selective, single-sex grammar school for pupils aged 11–18 inclusive. Located in the south of Greater London, the School comprises grounds in both Sutton and neighbouring Cheam Village.-Early life:...
.
Discography
- "That Much Better" (14 August 2006) - Hungry Kid Records
- "All I Can" (7 January 2008) - Island RecordsIsland RecordsIsland Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
- "Old Valve Radio" (14 April 2008) - Island Records
Touring
Clocks undertook three UK tours; November 2006, February 2007 (with Grace) and September/October 2007 (with The DepartureThe Departure
The Departure was an English rock band from Northampton, formed in October 2003. Their debut album, Dirty Words, was released 13 June 2005 by Parlophone. A second album, Inventions, was expected to be released in early 2008, but was not...
). The band have also played one-off shows with The Fray
The Fray (band)
The Fray is an American rock band from Denver, Colorado. Formed in 2002 by schoolmates Isaac Slade and Joe King, they achieved success with the release of their debut album, How to Save a Life in 2005, which was certified double platinum by the RIAA and platinum in Australia, Canada, New Zealand...
and The Feeling
The Feeling
The Feeling are a BRIT award-nominated English pop band from West Sussex and London. The band categorise their music as "pop".Following a limited release of their first single "Fill My Little World" in late 2005, the band entered the UK Singles Chart at #7 with their first full release "Sewn" in...
. In 2008 they went on tour to support Scouting For Girls
Scouting for Girls
Scouting for Girls are a Brit and Ivor Novello nominated band from London, formed in 2005 by Roy Stride, Greg Churchouse and Peter Ellard. Stride and Ellard met in the Cub Scouts and Churchouse met Stride on their first day at school. They have sold over 1.2 million albums and over 1.5 million...
.
Clocks played at the Glastonbury Festival
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...
in 2007 in the Orange Tent.
External links
- Audio Clocks on Dermot O'LearyDermot O'LearyDermot O'Leary is an English television and radio presenter. He established himself as a presenter of Big Brother's Little Brother on Channel 4 before moving on to The X Factor on ITV. O'Leary has also presented on the BBC and has his own radio show on BBC Radio 2...
's BBC Radio 2BBC Radio 2BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
Show, 19 August 2006 - video page