Failsafe (UK band)
Encyclopedia
Failsafe are a melodic rock
band whose current line up has been together since 2005, although the foundations of the band were laid in 2000. They are based in and around Preston, UK. So far they have released two albums independently and have just recorded their third with producer Dave Eringa
(Idlewild
, Manic Street Preachers
), with a release date rumoured to be early 2012.
, the school friends were originally known as Duck Hunt
after the NES
game.
After a number of line up changes the band began to tour, sharing the stage with the likes of Paramore
, Cute Is What We Aim For, A Wilhelm Scream
, Idlewild
, Bouncing Souls, Flogging Molly
, Boy Sets Fire, Allister
, Rx Bandits
, Belvedere
, Capdown
, The Aquabats
, Spunge
, A Day To Remember
, Armor for Sleep
and Anti-Flag
.
The debut album, What We Are Today
, was released late in 2005
and received positive reviews from magazines like Metal Hammer, Kerrang! and Big Cheese.
In 2007 Failsafe recorded a live session at Maida Vale for the BBC which was aired on the Mike Davies Rock Show on 17/10/07. The three tracks were Fire At Will, Cut To The Chase and Unity In Progress.
Tipped for success in 2008 by the NME
who classed them as a "genuinely killer live band with huge choruses and breakneck riffs.". The band received a full page feature in Kerrang magazine in August 2008 and stated that they were keen to capture the energetic feel familiar to their lives shows. The photoshoot was done by legendary rock photographer Scarlet Page
, daughter of Led Zeppelin
guitarist Jimmy Page.
Failsafe played as backing band for MC Lars
for 2008's Give It A Name
festival and on his April 2009 UK Tour in support of his album This Gigantic Robot Kills
. In August 2010 they will play at the Hevy Music Festival
near Folkestone
, UK.
to record their second album entitled The Truth Is.... The album was produced by Pete Miles (who also produced What We Are Today). Remixing and mastering was done in the Summer of 2008 before the band agreed independent record deals with Small Town Records in the UK and Fond Of Life Records in Europe.
On August 20, 2008 a blog on the band's Myspace
page detailed the release of the album. The official release date was mentioned to be November 10, 2008 but the band stated that: "We will have the record to sell at all gigs starting with our european dates in September."
The Truth Is... was released on 10 November 2008.
On June 7, 2009 Failsafe released "A Common Goal" as download only single through Small Town Records & Bomber Music. B-Sides include "Only If We Learn" and two live session tracks recorded for Xfm
.
The bands second single proper was accompanied by a video which received regular rotation on Kerrang TV. Tim Fox directed the video which was recorded in Camberwell
South London and featured imagery similar in style to the album artwork for The Truth Is...
2010 - After stamping their mark on SXSW in Texas last year the band also filmed for the third series of the smash hit Channel 4/E4 tv show Inbetweeners and are set to tour the UK in May before the summer festivals.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band whose current line up has been together since 2005, although the foundations of the band were laid in 2000. They are based in and around Preston, UK. So far they have released two albums independently and have just recorded their third with producer Dave Eringa
Dave Eringa
Dave Eringa is an English record producer from Essex who has engineered, mixed, produced, and played on albums by such bands as Manic Street Preachers, Ocean Colour Scene, Idlewild, 3 Colours Red, South and Johnny Boy...
(Idlewild
Idlewild (band)
Idlewild are a Scottish rock band, formed in Edinburgh, in 1995, comprising Roddy Woomble , Rod Jones , Colin Newton , Allan Stewart and Gareth Russell...
, 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...
), with a release date rumoured to be early 2012.
Beginnings and What We Are Today
Based in the North West England city of Preston, the various members brought their own individual influences and styles to the band. Forming in spring 20002000 in music
See also:* 2000 in music Record labels established in 2000-Events:*January – Gary Glitter is released from jail, two months before his sentence for sexual offences ends.*January 1**John Tavener is knighted in the New Year's Honours List....
, the school friends were originally known as Duck Hunt
Duck Hunt
is a video game for the Nintendo Famicom/Nintendo Entertainment System game console system in which players use the NES Zapper to shoot ducks on screen for points. The game was developed and published by Nintendo, and was released in 1984 in Japan...
after the NES
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
game.
After a number of line up changes the band began to tour, sharing the stage with the likes of Paramore
Paramore
Paramore is an American rock band from Franklin, Tennessee, formed in 2004. The band consists of lead vocalist Hayley Williams, bassist Jeremy Davis, and guitarist Taylor York...
, Cute Is What We Aim For, A Wilhelm Scream
A Wilhelm Scream
A Wilhelm Scream is a melodic hardcore band from New Bedford, Massachusetts. Many people have referenced Strung Out, Hot Water Music, Propagandhi, and Strike Anywhere as the band's similar artists. Their name is a reference to the Wilhelm Scream, a famous stock sound effect which mainly is used in...
, Idlewild
Idlewild (band)
Idlewild are a Scottish rock band, formed in Edinburgh, in 1995, comprising Roddy Woomble , Rod Jones , Colin Newton , Allan Stewart and Gareth Russell...
, Bouncing Souls, Flogging Molly
Flogging Molly
Flogging Molly is a seven-piece Irish-descendant band from Los Angeles, California, that is currently signed to their own record label, Borstal Beat Records.-Early years:...
, Boy Sets Fire, Allister
Allister
Allister is an American pop punk band from Chicago, Illinois. The four-piece formed in 1996 and were one of the first bands to sign to Drive-Thru Records...
, Rx Bandits
Rx Bandits
RX Bandits is a four-piece band based in Seal Beach, California. The band formed in 1995 in Orange County, California. They have appeared on the Vans Warped Tour, at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and at The Bamboozle.-Early years :Originally known as...
, Belvedere
Belvedere (band)
Belvedere was a Canadian Punk Rock band formed in 1995. Originally not meant to play a show, they gained a cult following in Canada's punk scene...
, Capdown
Capdown
Capdown are a band from Milton Keynes, England. Originally known as Soap, their songs have political themes as alluded to by their name, which is short for Capitalist Downfall...
, The Aquabats
The Aquabats
The Aquabats are an American rock band formed in 1994 in Orange County, California. They have released five full-length studio albums and have toured internationally. They are best known for their mythology, in which they claim to be superheroes on a quest to save the world from evil through music...
, Spunge
Spunge
Spunge are a ska punk band from Tewkesbury, England...
, A Day To Remember
A Day to Remember
A Day to Remember is an American rock band from Ocala, Florida. Founded in 2003 by guitarist Tom Denny and drummer Bobby Scruggs, the band has released four studio albums, nine singles and eight music videos...
, Armor for Sleep
Armor for Sleep
Armor for Sleep was an American rock band from New Jersey, formed in 2001 and disbanded in 2009. The final lineup consisted of lead vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Ben Jorgensen, lead guitarist PJ DeCicco, bassist Anthony DiIonno and drummer Nash Breen....
and Anti-Flag
Anti-Flag
Anti-Flag is a punk rock band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the United States, formed in 1988. The band is well known for its outspoken political views. Much of the band's lyrics have focused on fervent anti-war activism, criticism of United States foreign policy, corporatism, U.S. wealth...
.
The debut album, What We Are Today
What We Are Today
What We Are Today is an album by melodic/alternative rock band Failsafe; based in Preston. What We Are Today is Failsafe's debut album and was released under deckcheese records. The album was produced by Pete Miles.-Track list:...
, was released late in 2005
2005 in music
-Events:*During the year 2005, 12 rock music albums scored number 1 in the USA. This was the first time even ten albums have scored number 1 since 1996.-January:...
and received positive reviews from magazines like Metal Hammer, Kerrang! and Big Cheese.
In 2007 Failsafe recorded a live session at Maida Vale for the BBC which was aired on the Mike Davies Rock Show on 17/10/07. The three tracks were Fire At Will, Cut To The Chase and Unity In Progress.
Tipped for success in 2008 by the NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
who classed them as a "genuinely killer live band with huge choruses and breakneck riffs.". The band received a full page feature in Kerrang magazine in August 2008 and stated that they were keen to capture the energetic feel familiar to their lives shows. The photoshoot was done by legendary rock photographer Scarlet Page
Scarlet Page
Scarlet Lilith Eleida Page is an English photographer. She is the daughter of Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page and Charlotte Martin, a French model.-Career:...
, daughter of Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
guitarist Jimmy Page.
Failsafe played as backing band for MC Lars
MC Lars
Andrew Robert MacFarlane Nielsen is an American rapper, known by his stage name MC Lars. He is the self-proclaimed originator of "post-punk laptop rap". He was one of the first underground rappers to sample and reference post-punk and emo bands...
for 2008's Give It A Name
Give it a Name
Give it a Name, also known as GIAN, , named after an At the Drive-In song, was an annual British rock music festival, normally held on the weekend nearest to the end of April. The first festival took place on May 2, 2005 at Alexandra Palace, North London...
festival and on his April 2009 UK Tour in support of his album This Gigantic Robot Kills
This Gigantic Robot Kills
This Gigantic Robot Kills is the sixth album by nerdcore musician MC Lars.Lars has stated that he worked with "Weird Al" Yankovic, the Rondo Brothers, Nick Rowe and Mike Kennedy of Bloodsimple, James Bourne of Busted, Daniel Dart of Time Again, Donal Finn of Flash Bastard, Pierre Bouvier of Simple...
. In August 2010 they will play at the Hevy Music Festival
Hevy Music Festival
Hevy Music Festival is a rock festival that takes place annually near Folkestone in the UK. It was originally held on 1 August 2009 on Folkestone seafront as a one-day festival with Feeder, Gary Numan and Ash as headliners. In 2010 it moved to Port Lympne Wild Animal Park and grew to a weekend...
near Folkestone
Folkestone
Folkestone is the principal town in the Shepway District of Kent, England. Its original site was in a valley in the sea cliffs and it developed through fishing and its closeness to the Continent as a landing place and trading port. The coming of the railways, the building of a ferry port, and its...
, UK.
The Truth Is...
On January 2008 the band went to Sandhill Studios in LiverpoolLiverpool
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...
to record their second album entitled The Truth Is.... The album was produced by Pete Miles (who also produced What We Are Today). Remixing and mastering was done in the Summer of 2008 before the band agreed independent record deals with Small Town Records in the UK and Fond Of Life Records in Europe.
On August 20, 2008 a blog on the band's Myspace
Myspace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
page detailed the release of the album. The official release date was mentioned to be November 10, 2008 but the band stated that: "We will have the record to sell at all gigs starting with our european dates in September."
The Truth Is... was released on 10 November 2008.
On June 7, 2009 Failsafe released "A Common Goal" as download only single through Small Town Records & Bomber Music. B-Sides include "Only If We Learn" and two live session tracks recorded for Xfm
Xfm
Xfm is a brand of two commercial radio stations focused on alternative music, primarily indie pop, and owned by Global Radio.-History:Xfm was created in London in 1992 by Sammy Jacob, who later co-founded NME Radio in 2008. Xfm subsequently expanded to a network of four stations; there are...
.
The bands second single proper was accompanied by a video which received regular rotation on Kerrang TV. Tim Fox directed the video which was recorded in Camberwell
Camberwell
Camberwell is a district of south London, England, and forms part of the London Borough of Southwark. It is a built-up inner city district located southeast of Charing Cross. To the west it has a boundary with the London Borough of Lambeth.-Toponymy:...
South London and featured imagery similar in style to the album artwork for The Truth Is...
2010 - After stamping their mark on SXSW in Texas last year the band also filmed for the third series of the smash hit Channel 4/E4 tv show Inbetweeners and are set to tour the UK in May before the summer festivals.
Members
- James Norris - Lead Vocals & Synth
- Simon Humphries - Guitars
- Matthew Cogley - Guitars & Lead Vocals
- Andy Sprake - Bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, Vocals, KeysKey (instrument)A key is a specific part of a musical instrument. The purpose and function of the part in question depends on the instrument.On instruments equipped with tuning machines, violins and guitars, for example, a key is part of a tuning machine. It is a worm gear with a key shaped end used to turn a cog,... - Rob Catlow - Drums
Discography
| Year | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | What We Are Today What We Are Today What We Are Today is an album by melodic/alternative rock band Failsafe; based in Preston. What We Are Today is Failsafe's debut album and was released under deckcheese records. The album was produced by Pete Miles.-Track list:... |
Deck Cheese |
| 2008 | The Truth Is... | Small Town (UK) / Fond Of Life (Europe) |