Fans of Kate
Encyclopedia
Fans of Kate describe themselves "haircut band from London
" who toured the UK
between May 2004 and December 2005. They played guitar and piano driven pop-rock and cited influences such as Blur
, Radiohead
, Grandaddy
and Broken Social Scene
.
circa 2003. Jamie and Steve (the guitarists) started to jam together and formed the band Reagan with some friends. Reagan produced an EP and shared the stage with an up-and-coming Bloc Party
in December 2003. Reagan's vocalist, Jez Dixon got married not long after and the band decided to take some time off. After getting back together the band discovered their new songs were taking them in a different direction. This new direction would become Fans of Kate.
. The band were on their way to a gig and on the lookout for a new name. They had decided they wanted to be Fans of something, but didn't know what. Steve Hurdle (guitarist) decided "the next fit girl we saw, we'd be fans of her". The next young lady to walk past the van was called Kate.
on 15 November 2004. This was followed up by the single "I Don't Know What To Do With My Hands" which the band worked on alongside producer Dan Swift (Snow Patrol
, The Cooper Temple Clause
). "I Don't Know What To Do With My Hands" was released initially as a one track promo on Headwrecker in March 2005, and then officially as a three track single on Moshi Moshi Records
on 11 April 2005. Both the EP and the single were available from HMV
's online store for a short time.
and Club NME. They supported Electric Six
in February 2005 and Dogs Die in Hot Cars
in May 2005. An unofficial fourth tour with less frequent gigs interspersed the rest of the year.
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Pingpong Tour
Tour 2: The Revenge
Tourminator 3: Rise of the Machine
Tour 4
June–July 2004
October–November 2004
January–April 2005
May–December 2005
This was confirmed on the band's website on 7 November. Fans of Kate continued to gig until December 2005 after which they appeared to go on hiatus. In January 2006, a new band was revealed called New Adventures
. This band features the original Fans of Kate lineup minus Jamie, plus a new member, Helen Fisher, who sings and plays keys.
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...
" who toured the UK
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...
between May 2004 and December 2005. They played guitar and piano driven pop-rock and cited influences such as Blur
Blur (band)
Blur is an English alternative rock band. Formed in London in 1989 as Seymour, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing...
, Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
, Grandaddy
Grandaddy
Grandaddy was an American indie rock band, formed in 1992 in Modesto, California by singer, guitarist, and keyboardist Jason Lytle, bassist Kevin Garcia, and drummer Aaron Burtch. Guitarist Jim Fairchild and keyboardist Tim Dryden later joined the band in 1995...
and Broken Social Scene
Broken Social Scene
Broken Social Scene is a Canadian indie rock band, a musical collective including as few as six and as many as nineteen members, formed in 1999 by Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning. Most of its members currently play in various other groups and solo projects, mainly based around the city of Toronto...
.
Formation
The band first started to play music together at Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College in High WycombeHigh Wycombe
High Wycombe , commonly known as Wycombe and formally called Chepping Wycombe or Chipping Wycombe until 1946,is a large town in Buckinghamshire, England. It is west-north-west of Charing Cross in London; this figure is engraved on the Corn Market building in the centre of the town...
circa 2003. Jamie and Steve (the guitarists) started to jam together and formed the band Reagan with some friends. Reagan produced an EP and shared the stage with an up-and-coming Bloc Party
Bloc Party
Bloc Party are a British Indie rock band, composed of Kele Okereke , Russell Lissack , Gordon Moakes , and Matt Tong...
in December 2003. Reagan's vocalist, Jez Dixon got married not long after and the band decided to take some time off. After getting back together the band discovered their new songs were taking them in a different direction. This new direction would become Fans of Kate.
Band name
The name Fans of Kate came about during a drive through Queen's Park in London in summer 2004 after a game of pitch and puttPitch and putt
Pitch and putt is an amateur sport, similar to golf. The maximum hole length for international competitions is with a maximum total course length of . Players may only use three clubs; one of which must be a putter...
. The band were on their way to a gig and on the lookout for a new name. They had decided they wanted to be Fans of something, but didn't know what. Steve Hurdle (guitarist) decided "the next fit girl we saw, we'd be fans of her". The next young lady to walk past the van was called Kate.
Releases
The band released 1,500 numbered copies of their debut EP Fans Of Kate EP on Headwrecker RecordsHeadwrecker Records
Headwrecker Records is an independent record label based in London. Artists on the label include Fans of Kate and Chris Tye. It also runs a club night in Kilburn, London called "Take the High Road"....
on 15 November 2004. This was followed up by the single "I Don't Know What To Do With My Hands" which the band worked on alongside producer Dan Swift (Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol are an alternative rock band from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. Formed at the University of Dundee in 1994 as an indie rock band, the band is now based in Glasgow...
, The Cooper Temple Clause
The Cooper Temple Clause
The Cooper Temple Clause were an English six-piece alternative rock band originating from Wokingham, Berkshire. Formed in 1998, the band quickly gained a following through their live concerts, and have produced three albums, the latest being Make This Your Own...
). "I Don't Know What To Do With My Hands" was released initially as a one track promo on Headwrecker in March 2005, and then officially as a three track single on Moshi Moshi Records
Moshi moshi records
Moshi Moshi Records is a small London-based record label that has released music by bands such as The Rakes, Bloc Party, Hot Chip, Late of the Pier, Hot Club De Paris, Kate Nash, Junkboy, Architecture in Helsinki, Tilly and the Wall, Slow Club, Yeti, and Au Revoir Simone...
on 11 April 2005. Both the EP and the single were available from HMV
HMV
His Master's Voice is a trademark in the music business, and for many years was the name of a large record label. The name was coined in 1899 as the title of a painting of the dog Nipper listening to a wind-up gramophone...
's online store for a short time.
Touring
Fans of Kate had three official tours and played around 150 gigs in venues such as BarflyBarfly (club)
Barfly is a chain of live music venues nightclubs in the UK operating as part of the MAMA Group. It has venues in Brighton, London & York. They regularly feature live music. Their club nights tend to feature rock, alternative and independent music...
and Club NME. They supported Electric Six
Electric Six
Electric Six is a six-piece metro Detroit-based band that plays what has been described as a brand of rock music infused with elements of "garage, disco, punk, new wave, and metal." The band met recognition in 2003 with the singles "Danger! High Voltage" and "Gay Bar", and subsequently recorded...
in February 2005 and Dogs Die in Hot Cars
Dogs Die in Hot Cars
Dogs Die in Hot Cars is a Scottish band from St. Andrews consisting of members Craig Macintosh , Gary Smith Ruth Quigley , Lee Worrall and Laurence Davey .-History:Macintosh, Smith, Worrall and Davey all met at Madras College and began playing together in 1993 at the age of...
in May 2005. An unofficial fourth tour with less frequent gigs interspersed the rest of the year.
Tour dates
{Split
On Thursday, October 13, 2005 Jamie revealed on his blog that he had left the band:
So here I am, this is it, this is me, I am alone now. Jamie and FOK had a meeting and it was decided by both parties about three months previous that I didn't belong there, I just cant do the new direction that is happening, I used to love playing those songs but I just cant do it in the way its going, I cant. We are all still friends an all, it's incredibly amicable but the band I loved being in is gone.
This was confirmed on the band's website on 7 November. Fans of Kate continued to gig until December 2005 after which they appeared to go on hiatus. In January 2006, a new band was revealed called New Adventures
New Adventures (band)
New Adventures are an indie rock band originating from London. Their sound is compared often to the likes of Arcade Fire, Radiohead and Keane. The band consists of Jez Dixon , Steve Hurdle , Raph Knapp , Helen Fisher and Nick Eburah .Most of the band's members were...
. This band features the original Fans of Kate lineup minus Jamie, plus a new member, Helen Fisher, who sings and plays keys.
Singles and EPs
- Fans of Kate EP (Headwrecker RecordsHeadwrecker RecordsHeadwrecker Records is an independent record label based in London. Artists on the label include Fans of Kate and Chris Tye. It also runs a club night in Kilburn, London called "Take the High Road"....
2004)
- "Tape 23"
- "A Pattern"
- "Keep Warm (The Doo Doo Song)"
- "I Don't Know What To Do With My Hands" (Moshi Moshi RecordsMoshi moshi recordsMoshi Moshi Records is a small London-based record label that has released music by bands such as The Rakes, Bloc Party, Hot Chip, Late of the Pier, Hot Club De Paris, Kate Nash, Junkboy, Architecture in Helsinki, Tilly and the Wall, Slow Club, Yeti, and Au Revoir Simone...
2004)
- "I Don't Know What To Do With My Hands"
- "Tape 23" (Simian Mobile Disco
Simian Mobile DiscoSimian Mobile Disco are a United Kingdom-based production and remix team formed in 2005 by James Ford and Jas Shaw of the band Simian. Musically, they are known for their analogue production...
Remix)- "A Brief Guide to Coward Rock" (demo)