Inter (band)
Encyclopedia
Inter was a British
band active in the late 1990s and closely associated with the post-britpop
pop punk
scene.
1996 saw the appearance of the demo/release Product (brilliantly named after randomly picking a word from the ingredients list of a packet of peanuts) which received praise for its engagingly catchy songwriting. The band spent the next couple of years gaining a reputation as one of the hardest working unsigned bands (largely due to the efforts of manager and promoter, Pete Cole) and developing an infectiously fun and chaotic on-stage style. Several rave reviews in the national music press followed. During this time, Inter was featured on Fierce Panda's Screecher Comforts EP and headlined NME
's 1997 Brats Unsigned. Also in 1997, the band released their debut single Happy Ending on the Pet Sounds label which received regular airplay on national radio and also recorded their first Peel session
for BBC Radio 1
. Additionally, the band appeared at the Radio 1
roadshow held in Manchester
.
In 1998, Inter signed a contract with Yoshiko Records, a recently formed UK
based independent label. The band continued to build a growing fan base with some outstanding live shows throughout the year, and began to introduce a more expansive, melodic and mature sound to the set. The end of the year had the band recording tracks for its debut album at Loco studios in South Wales
. Early in 1999, Inter's first single from these sessions, National Paranoia, was released, reaching number 10 in the independent singles charts. The band also recorded their second Peel session
.
Logistical problems within the record company meant that the singles Radio Finland and Speed Racer, and the debut album Got My Nine, were not released until 2000, albeit to more favourable reviews. Got My Nine sold over 5000 copies in its first week of release. However, the record label was suffering from behind-the-scenes management problems and the band was dropped in the middle of 2000. Songs for the band's second studio album had been written but remained unrecorded.
Inter scaled down its activity and eventually ended in early 2001 after supporting Stiff Little Fingers
at the Forum
in London.
The band briefly reformed in 2005 to play a benefit show for the British Heart Foundation
in honour of their friend and roadie, Richard Hazell, who had recently died.
In 2009, the band members were once again asked to play, this time for the August wedding of their one-time manager, 'Twisted' Pete. Because of the occasion, the four duly agreed and performed a brief set (with only a couple of hours' rehearsal) at the West End Centre, Aldershot
, which had always been considered the band's home town venue.
'The kings of the catchy, cheesy chorus' - Melody Maker
'The best pop song in the last 30 years' (Happy Ending) - John Peel
'A rather irresistible romp through small-town Britain' - Everett True
'...highlights included a spiky, joking, flat-out pop set from Farnborough's Inter' - Steve Lamacq
'Unusually loveable' (Got My Nine) - Q magazine
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...
band active in the late 1990s and closely associated with the post-britpop
Britpop
Britpop is a subgenre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom. Britpop emerged from the British independent music scene of the early 1990s and was characterised by bands influenced by British guitar pop music of the 1960s and 1970s...
pop punk
Pop punk
Pop punk is a fusion music genre that combines elements of punk rock with pop music, to varying degrees. Allmusic describes the genre as a strand of alternative rock, which typically merges pop melodies with speedy punk tempos, chord changes and loud guitars...
scene.
History
The band was formed in late 1995, with the lineup of Michael Boylan, Steven Bray and Johnny Gill. Martin 'Sid' Stovold, who had been helping the band out at rehearsals, joined soon after. From the start, the ethic of the band was to appear spontaneous on-stage, whilst still being musically tight. Live shows were characterized by energetic performances and on-stage joking around between songs. Preferring to concentrate on substance over style, the band members were renowned for dressing down and wearing their glasses on stage, whilst the vocals were delivered with pointedly English phrasing.1996 saw the appearance of the demo/release Product (brilliantly named after randomly picking a word from the ingredients list of a packet of peanuts) which received praise for its engagingly catchy songwriting. The band spent the next couple of years gaining a reputation as one of the hardest working unsigned bands (largely due to the efforts of manager and promoter, Pete Cole) and developing an infectiously fun and chaotic on-stage style. Several rave reviews in the national music press followed. During this time, Inter was featured on Fierce Panda's Screecher Comforts EP and headlined 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...
's 1997 Brats Unsigned. Also in 1997, the band released their debut single Happy Ending on the Pet Sounds label which received regular airplay on national radio and also recorded their first Peel session
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
for BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
. Additionally, the band appeared at the Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
roadshow held in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
.
In 1998, Inter signed a contract with Yoshiko Records, a recently formed 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...
based independent label. The band continued to build a growing fan base with some outstanding live shows throughout the year, and began to introduce a more expansive, melodic and mature sound to the set. The end of the year had the band recording tracks for its debut album at Loco studios in South Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. Early in 1999, Inter's first single from these sessions, National Paranoia, was released, reaching number 10 in the independent singles charts. The band also recorded their second Peel session
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
.
Logistical problems within the record company meant that the singles Radio Finland and Speed Racer, and the debut album Got My Nine, were not released until 2000, albeit to more favourable reviews. Got My Nine sold over 5000 copies in its first week of release. However, the record label was suffering from behind-the-scenes management problems and the band was dropped in the middle of 2000. Songs for the band's second studio album had been written but remained unrecorded.
Inter scaled down its activity and eventually ended in early 2001 after supporting Stiff Little Fingers
Stiff Little Fingers
Stiff Little Fingers are a punk rock band from Belfast, Northern Ireland. They formed in 1977, at the height of the Troubles. They started out as a schoolboy band called Highway Star , doing rock covers, until they discovered punk. They split up after six years and four albums, although they...
at the Forum
London Forum
The London Forum, or sometimes Kentish Town Forum is a well-known venue for concerts in Kentish Town, London, United Kingdom owned by the MAMA Group. The venue was built in 1934 and was originally used as an art deco cinema. After the closure of the cinema, The Town & Country Club was established...
in London.
The band briefly reformed in 2005 to play a benefit show for the British Heart Foundation
British Heart Foundation
The British Heart Foundation is a charity organisation in Britain that funds research, education, care and awareness campaigns aimed to prevent heart diseases in humans.-Foundation:...
in honour of their friend and roadie, Richard Hazell, who had recently died.
In 2009, the band members were once again asked to play, this time for the August wedding of their one-time manager, 'Twisted' Pete. Because of the occasion, the four duly agreed and performed a brief set (with only a couple of hours' rehearsal) at the West End Centre, Aldershot
Aldershot
Aldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, located on heathland about southwest of London. The town is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council...
, which had always been considered the band's home town venue.
Discography
- Product (demo) - 1996, self-released
- Happy Ending (single) - 1997, Pet Sounds (PET03CDS)
- National Paranoia (single) - 1999, Yoshiko (YR-002-CDS001)
- Radio Finland (single) - 2000, Yoshiko (YR-002-CDS002)
- Speed Racer (single) - 2000, Yoshiko (YR-002-CDS003)
- Got My Nine (album) - 2000, Yoshiko (YR-002-CDA001)
Press Quotes
'Effusive enthusiasm and ricocheting tunefulness ... ahead of the nouveau teen-punk pack' - NMENME
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...
'The kings of the catchy, cheesy chorus' - Melody Maker
Melody Maker
Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
'The best pop song in the last 30 years' (Happy Ending) - John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
'A rather irresistible romp through small-town Britain' - Everett True
Everett True
For the cartoon character, see The Outbursts of Everett True.Everett True is a British music journalist, who grew up in Chelmsford, Essex...
'...highlights included a spiky, joking, flat-out pop set from Farnborough's Inter' - Steve Lamacq
Steve Lamacq
Steve Lamacq , sometimes known by his nicknames Lammo or "The Cat" is an English disc jockey, currently working with the BBC radio stations BBC 6 Music and BBC Radio 2.-Early career:He was born in Basingstoke, Hampshire...
'Unusually loveable' (Got My Nine) - Q magazine
Q (magazine)
Q is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology...