Dot Allison
Encyclopedia
Dot Allison is a Scottish
singer and songwriter
, who has made significant inroads in electronic music
circles, most notably as a result of her tenure fronting the band One Dove
in the early 1990s. She is married to the film composer Christian Henson and they live in London.
, Paul Weller
, Hal David
, Arab Strap
, Mick Harvey
, Kevin Shields
, Pete Doherty
, Gary Mounfield
, Xenomania
and Massive Attack
.
Allison released her debut album
, Afterglow, in 1999 to generally positive reviews. A song-oriented pop
outing, it was followed by the electro
and house music
inspired We Are Science in 2002. In 2007, she released Exaltation of Larks. Allison's touring group includes members of The Fall, Tindersticks
, The Bad Seeds, Massive Attack, and Tokyo Windbag. Stylistically, her music has been described as "trip-pop," and owes a great deal to British electronic music of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Allison released Room Seven And A Half, in September 2009. It featured a guest appearance by Pete Doherty on the songs "I Wanna Break Your Heart" and "Portrait Of The Sun", which he co-wrote. Paul Weller also appeared on "Love's Got Me Crazy".
She contributed vocals to the track "Without Discord" on the soundtrack to the Channel 4
series Henry 8th: The Mind of a Tyrant, written by Philip Sheppard
. Allison was the vocal soloist on the film
, Triangle
, directed by Chris Smith. It opened Frightfest
at The London Film Festival in 2009. Allison was also the vocal soloist in the film, Black Death
, starring Sean Bean
, released in May 2010. Allison is the vocal soloist in the film The Devil's Double
starring Dominic Cooper, which is due for release in 2011.
Part of Allison's recording of "Message Personnel", a single taken from the Afterglow album, was used in the fourth episode of the sixth series of the sitcom Ideal
. Allison also contributed vocals to the film "Trap For Cinderella" due for commercial release in 2012.
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
singer and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, who has made significant inroads in electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
circles, most notably as a result of her tenure fronting the band One Dove
One Dove
One Dove was a Scottish alternative dance music group active in the early 1990s, consisting of Dot Allison, Ian Carmichael and Jim McKinven, a former member of Altered Images.-History:...
in the early 1990s. She is married to the film composer Christian Henson and they live in London.
Career
In addition to solo ventures, Allison's career has concentrated on collaborative efforts, and has seen her work beside Scott WalkerScott Walker
Scott Walker may refer to:*Scott Walker , Governor of Wisconsin, and former county executive of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin*Scott Walker , boxer...
, Paul Weller
Paul Weller
Paul Weller is an English singer-songwriter. Starting with the band The Jam , Weller then went on to branch out musically to a more soulful style with The Style Council...
, Hal David
Hal David
Harold Lane "Hal" David is an American lyricist. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York. David is best known for his collaborations with composer Burt Bacharach.-Career:...
, Arab Strap
Arab Strap (band)
Arab Strap were an indie rock band from Scotland that consisted of core members Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton. The band were signed to independent record label Chemikal Underground, and split in 2006...
, Mick Harvey
Mick Harvey
Michael John Harvey , is an Australian rock musician, composer, arranger and record producer. He is best known for his long-time collaboration with the singer and songwriter Nick Cave...
, Kevin Shields
Kevin Shields
Kevin Patrick Shields is an American-born, Irish vocalist, guitarist, and producer of alternative rock band My Bloody Valentine....
, Pete Doherty
Pete Doherty
Peter Doherty is an English musician, writer, actor, poet and artist. He is best known musically for being co-frontman of The Libertines, which he reformed with Carl Barât in 2010. His other musical project is indie band Babyshambles...
, Gary Mounfield
Gary Mounfield
Gary Manny "Mani" Mounfield , is an English rock bassist of The Stone Roses and Primal Scream. He has a distinctive playing style that combines a fast moving rock style with a dance rhythm or dub groove...
, Xenomania
Xenomania
Xenomania is a British songwriting and production team founded by Brian Higgins and based in Kent, England. Formed after Higgins met Miranda Cooper, Xenomania has written and produced for renowned artists such as Cher, Kylie Minogue, Dannii Minogue, Pet Shop Boys, and Sugababes...
and Massive Attack
Massive Attack
Massive Attack are an English DJ and trip hop duo from Bristol, England consisting of Robert "3D" Del Naja and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall. Working with co-producers, as well as various session musicians and guest vocalists, they make records and tour live. The duo are considered to be of the trip...
.
Allison released her 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...
, Afterglow, in 1999 to generally positive reviews. A song-oriented pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
outing, it was followed by the electro
Electro (music)
Electro is a genre of electronic dance music directly influenced by the use of TR-808 drum machines, Moog keytar synthesizers and funk sampling...
and house music
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
inspired We Are Science in 2002. In 2007, she released Exaltation of Larks. Allison's touring group includes members of The Fall, Tindersticks
Tindersticks
Tindersticks are an Indie rock band from Nottingham, England formed in 1991. They released six albums before singer Stuart A. Staples took on a solo career. The band reunited briefly in 2006, but more permanently the following year...
, The Bad Seeds, Massive Attack, and Tokyo Windbag. Stylistically, her music has been described as "trip-pop," and owes a great deal to British electronic music of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Allison released Room Seven And A Half, in September 2009. It featured a guest appearance by Pete Doherty on the songs "I Wanna Break Your Heart" and "Portrait Of The Sun", which he co-wrote. Paul Weller also appeared on "Love's Got Me Crazy".
She contributed vocals to the track "Without Discord" on the soundtrack to the Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
series Henry 8th: The Mind of a Tyrant, written by Philip Sheppard
Philip Sheppard (musician)
-Biography:Philip Sheppard trained in Cello and Composition at the Royal Academy of Music, during which time he specialised in contemporary music. He worked closely with Hans Werner Henze, Sir Michael Tippett and Luciano Berio during this time as a founder member of The Kreutzer String Quartet...
. Allison was the vocal soloist on the film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, Triangle
Triangle (2009 film)
Triangle is a 2009 British-Australian psychological horror film, directed by Christopher Smith, and starring Melissa George, Rachael Carpani and Liam Hemsworth. It is set in the Bermuda Triangle. The film was released in the UK on 16 October 2009....
, directed by Chris Smith. It opened Frightfest
London FrightFest Film Festival
FrightFest is an annual film festival held in central London over the August Bank Holiday weekend. The first event was held in the year 2000....
at The London Film Festival in 2009. Allison was also the vocal soloist in the film, Black Death
Black Death (film)
Black Death is a 2010 historical horror action film directed by Christopher Smith from an original screenplay by Dario Poloni. It stars Sean Bean, Eddie Redmayne and Carice van Houten.-Plot:The film takes place in 1348 in plague-ridden medieval England...
, starring Sean Bean
Sean Bean
Shaun Mark "Sean" Bean is an English film and stage actor. Bean is best known for playing Boromir in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and, previously, British Colonel Richard Sharpe in the ITV television series Sharpe...
, released in May 2010. Allison is the vocal soloist in the film The Devil's Double
The Devil's Double
The Devil's Double is a 2011 drama film directed by Lee Tamahori and starring Dominic Cooper, Philip Quast, Ludivine Sagnier and Raad Rawi. It was released on January 22, 2011 at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and was released in limited theaters on July 29, 2011 by Lionsgate and Herrick...
starring Dominic Cooper, which is due for release in 2011.
Part of Allison's recording of "Message Personnel", a single taken from the Afterglow album, was used in the fourth episode of the sixth series of the sitcom Ideal
Ideal (TV series)
Ideal is a British comedy-drama, or dark comedy originally broadcast on digital channel BBC Three, created by Graham Duff and produced by BBC Comedy North and Baby Cow Productions. It stars Johnny Vegas as small-time cannabis dealer Moz....
. Allison also contributed vocals to the film "Trap For Cinderella" due for commercial release in 2012.
Albums
- Afterglow (1999)
- We Are Science (2002) produced by Dot Allison, Keith TenniswoodKeith TenniswoodKeith Tenniswood is a British DJ, producer, and remixer.Tenniswood is better known as one half of the electronic act Two Lone Swordsmen alongside Andrew Weatherall....
and Dave Fridman - Acoustic (2003). Limited release of 200 copies, distributed at Massive Attack gigs in 2003.
- Beneath the Ivy (2006) 3-song EP produced by Tim SimenonTim SimenonTim Simenon is a musician, composer, record producer, and label boss, most famous for his work as Bomb the Bass.-Debut:Tim Simenon's music career began aproper in the mid 1980s, DJing at London's Wag Club...
- Exaltation of Larks (2007) produced by Kramer
- Room 7½ (2009) - Produced By Rob Ellis and Dot Allison
- Dots & Bleeps" (Due 2012)
Singles
- "Tomorrow Never Comes" / "I Wanna Feel The Chill" (1999)
- "Mo' Pop" (1999)
- "Colour Me" (1999)
- "Message Personnel" (1999)
- "Close Your Eyes" (1999)
- "Substance" (2002)
- "Strung Out" (2002) 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 ...
#67 - "Thief of Me" (2007)
Featured artist and songwriting
- "Aftersun" Co-written with Massive AttackMassive AttackMassive Attack are an English DJ and trip hop duo from Bristol, England consisting of Robert "3D" Del Naja and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall. Working with co-producers, as well as various session musicians and guest vocalists, they make records and tour live. The duo are considered to be of the trip...
on their Score for the film UnleashedUnleashed (film)Unleashed , is a 2005 American-British-French martial arts action thriller film directed by Louis Leterrier and written by Luc Besson. Film stars Jet Li, Bob Hoskins, Morgan Freeman and Kerry Condon...
aka Danny The Dog feat. Dot Allison - "Dirge" Co-written by and featuring Dot Allison - Death in Vegas' album The Contino SessionsThe Contino SessionsThe Contino Sessions is the second album by British band Death in Vegas. It was released in 1999.In 2000 the album was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize.- Track listing :# "Dirge" – 5:44# "Soul Auctioneer" – 5:59# "Death Threat" – 4:50...
(1999) - "Diving Horses" Co-written by and featuring Dot Allison from Death in VegasDeath in VegasDeath in Vegas are a psychedelic rock and electronic rock band from the United Kingdom, comprising two permanent members: Richard Fearless and Tim Holmes...
' album Scorpio RisingScorpio Rising (Death in Vegas album)-Singles:* "Leather"/"Girls" and "XXX" * "Hands Around My Throat" * "Scorpio Rising"...
(2002) - "Visions" Co-written with SlamSlam (band)Slam are a producer/DJ duo from Glasgow, consisting of Stuart MacMillan and Orde Meikle . They are co-founders of Soma Quality Recordings. Their music style consists of house and techno.-History:...
on album Alien Radio 2002 - "Kill The Pain" Co-written with Slam on Album Year Zero 2005
- "We Medicate" Co-written with Slam on Album Human Response 2007
- "Sell Me Back My Soul" Co-written with King of Woolworths Album Illustration Musicale
- "I Wanna Break Your Heart" a duet written with Pete DohertyPete DohertyPeter Doherty is an English musician, writer, actor, poet and artist. He is best known musically for being co-frontman of The Libertines, which he reformed with Carl Barât in 2010. His other musical project is indie band Babyshambles...
- "Sheepskin Tearaway" a duet written with Pete Doherty
- "Portrait Of The Sun" written by Dot Allison and Pete Doherty
- "Heaven Under Siege" written by Dot Allison and Pete Doherty
- "Love's Got Me Crazy" written by Dot Allison and Paul Weller
- "Call Of The Wild" For Florrie. Written by Dot Allison, Brian Higgins & Xenomania
- "Heart-Shaped Tears" Written by Dot Allison & Paul Statham for the album "Dark Flowers" due 2012.
External links
- Official website
- Exaltation Of Larks
- Official Fansite
- Discussion Forum
- Interview by Alexander LaurenceAlexander LaurenceAlexander Laurence is a writer who was born in Los Angeles, California in May 1964. He attended CSULB and studied English Literature, where he graduated in 1988. He moved to San Francisco, California in 1989 and New York City in 1996. In that time, he attended classes at SF Art Institute and the...