Lee Mavers
Encyclopedia
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Lee Anthony Mavers (born 2 August 1962) is an English musician from Liverpool
, England
. Mavers was the songwriter
, singer and rhythm guitarist in The La's
and is perhaps best-known for the hit "There She Goes
" in the late 1980s.
Mavers, who was originally the bassist for the Liverpool
group Neuklon circa 1980 to 1984, resides in the Huyton
area of Liverpool
with his partner and four children, Ellis, Ella, Asha and Leo. He is an enthusiastic supporter of Everton FC.
for perfectionism
and eccentricity in the music press for his famed scrapping of multiple versions of the band's debut album, and often came across as dry, acerbic and stubborn in interviews, although with a clearly defined notion of music as he thought it should be - genuine, rootsy, and authentic. In earlier press interviews, however, Mavers was often enthusiastic, witty, driven, and informed, but eventually became more withdrawn and caustic before choosing to drop out of the limelight altogether. This wilful blackout of probing interviews from the likes of Q
magazine and NME
led to his establishment as a seldom-seen "recluse".
Obsessing over the group's troubled recording efforts between 1987 to 1992, Mavers eventually retreated back to his Liverpool home after the release of The La's' eponymous debut, his perception of the music industry highly soured by the fact the release was not a version of the album he wished to be made public.
More silence in the music press followed barring one highly disturbing NME interview, full of babble and bizarre imagery. Mavers was at this point occasionally playing with other Liverpool musicians.
In late 2003 a book about Mavers and his band was released, In Search of The La's: A Secret Liverpool which did contain a 2000 dated interview with Mavers discussing his band and what he intends to do with his music. While providing insight into Mavers' personality, the book ends on an ambiguous note concerning his return to music.
In March 2005 The La's announced dates in England and Ireland
, their first in a decade, along with festivals sets such as Glastonbury
and the Summer Sonic festival in Japan
, with the line-up of Lee Mavers (vocals, guitar), John Power (bass), Jay Lewis of the band Cracatilla (guitar) and Nick Miniski (drums). The set generally consisted of old songs, including the perennial favourite "There She Goes
", with new songs performed as encores. The drummer
was quickly replaced by Mavers' old schoolfriend Jasper, and live reviews have generally been favourable. The La's' return may have been surprising, but Mavers' attitude being completely unchanged perhaps less so - the band are yet to conduct any interviews or features with the music press. New songs that would have featured, or will feature, on the 2nd album include "I Am the Key", "Fishing Net" A.K.A. "Something I Said", "Raindance" and "The Human Race".
In March 2009, Mavers made a surprise appearance in Birmingham, joining Pete Doherty on stage to play "Son of a Gun" and "There She Goes".
On 19 June 2011, Mavers made a rare outing, doing a secret acoustic set at The Deaf Institute, Manchester under the name of Lee Rude & The Velcro Underpants, this featured Mavers playing with Gary Murphy of defunct Liverpool band The Bandits. Mavers and Gary continued impromptu gigs in Sunderland, Glasgow, London, before heading abroad to Amsterdam and later to the Rock En Seine Festival in Paris and at UK festivals Kendall Calling & Bestival, before bringing the 'stripped back' sets to a close at a homecoming show at Liverpool's 02 Academy after announcing they were set to return soon after recruiting a full band.
Lee Anthony Mavers (born 2 August 1962) is an English musician from Liverpool
Liverpool
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...
, England
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...
. Mavers was the 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...
, singer and rhythm guitarist in The La's
The La's
The La's were an English rock band from Liverpool, originally active from the mid-1980s to early 1990s. Fronted by singer, songwriter and guitarist Lee Mavers, the group is most famous for their hit single "There She Goes". The band was formed by Mike Badger in 1984 and Mavers joined soon after...
and is perhaps best-known for the hit "There She Goes
There She Goes
"There She Goes" is a song written by British singer/guitarist Lee Mavers and recorded first by Mavers' band, The La's.In May 2007, the NME magazine placed the song at number 45 in its list of the 50 Greatest Indie Anthems Ever.-Lyrics and meaning:...
" in the late 1980s.
Mavers, who was originally the bassist for the Liverpool
Liverpool
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...
group Neuklon circa 1980 to 1984, resides in the Huyton
Huyton
Huyton is a suburb of Liverpool within the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley, with some parts belonging to the borough of Liverpool in Merseyside, England. It is part of the Liverpool Urban Area and has close associations with its neighbour, Roby, having both formerly been part of the Huyton with...
area of Liverpool
Liverpool
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...
with his partner and four children, Ellis, Ella, Asha and Leo. He is an enthusiastic supporter of Everton FC.
The La's
Mavers gained a reputationReputation
Reputation of a social entity is an opinion about that entity, typically a result of social evaluation on a set of criteria...
for perfectionism
Perfectionism (psychology)
Perfectionism, in psychology, is a belief that a state of completeness and flawlessness can and should be attained. In its pathological form, perfectionism is a belief that work or output that is anything less than perfect is unacceptable...
and eccentricity in the music press for his famed scrapping of multiple versions of the band's debut album, and often came across as dry, acerbic and stubborn in interviews, although with a clearly defined notion of music as he thought it should be - genuine, rootsy, and authentic. In earlier press interviews, however, Mavers was often enthusiastic, witty, driven, and informed, but eventually became more withdrawn and caustic before choosing to drop out of the limelight altogether. This wilful blackout of probing interviews from the likes of Q
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...
magazine and 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...
led to his establishment as a seldom-seen "recluse".
Obsessing over the group's troubled recording efforts between 1987 to 1992, Mavers eventually retreated back to his Liverpool home after the release of The La's' eponymous debut, his perception of the music industry highly soured by the fact the release was not a version of the album he wished to be made public.
More silence in the music press followed barring one highly disturbing NME interview, full of babble and bizarre imagery. Mavers was at this point occasionally playing with other Liverpool musicians.
In late 2003 a book about Mavers and his band was released, In Search of The La's: A Secret Liverpool which did contain a 2000 dated interview with Mavers discussing his band and what he intends to do with his music. While providing insight into Mavers' personality, the book ends on an ambiguous note concerning his return to music.
In March 2005 The La's announced dates in England and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, their first in a decade, along with festivals sets such as Glastonbury
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...
and the Summer Sonic festival in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, with the line-up of Lee Mavers (vocals, guitar), John Power (bass), Jay Lewis of the band Cracatilla (guitar) and Nick Miniski (drums). The set generally consisted of old songs, including the perennial favourite "There She Goes
There She Goes
"There She Goes" is a song written by British singer/guitarist Lee Mavers and recorded first by Mavers' band, The La's.In May 2007, the NME magazine placed the song at number 45 in its list of the 50 Greatest Indie Anthems Ever.-Lyrics and meaning:...
", with new songs performed as encores. The drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
was quickly replaced by Mavers' old schoolfriend Jasper, and live reviews have generally been favourable. The La's' return may have been surprising, but Mavers' attitude being completely unchanged perhaps less so - the band are yet to conduct any interviews or features with the music press. New songs that would have featured, or will feature, on the 2nd album include "I Am the Key", "Fishing Net" A.K.A. "Something I Said", "Raindance" and "The Human Race".
In March 2009, Mavers made a surprise appearance in Birmingham, joining Pete Doherty on stage to play "Son of a Gun" and "There She Goes".
On 19 June 2011, Mavers made a rare outing, doing a secret acoustic set at The Deaf Institute, Manchester under the name of Lee Rude & The Velcro Underpants, this featured Mavers playing with Gary Murphy of defunct Liverpool band The Bandits. Mavers and Gary continued impromptu gigs in Sunderland, Glasgow, London, before heading abroad to Amsterdam and later to the Rock En Seine Festival in Paris and at UK festivals Kendall Calling & Bestival, before bringing the 'stripped back' sets to a close at a homecoming show at Liverpool's 02 Academy after announcing they were set to return soon after recruiting a full band.