Officer Kicks
Encyclopedia
Officer Kicks are a British rock
group who formed in early 2005 in Southeast London.
The band have released two albums to date. They have toured with The Script, Ocean Color Scene, Jack Penate
, The View
, The Hoosiers
, Juliette Lewis
, The Rifles
amongst many others. They also headlined the Late and Live stage at Glastonbury
, the BBC Introducing
stage at Bestival
and were amongst the headline acts on the main stage of the Secret Garden Party
. In 2010 they completed a twelve date tour of Ireland with The Script and a fourteen date UK tour with Juliette Lewis as well as playing festivals all over europe including Peace and Love and Sonisphere
. The band also played a host of Harley Davidson Ralleys (H.O.G.) all over europe (Spain, Austria, Portugal, Switzerland, Germany) which included playing with Metallica
, Alvin Lee
former Ten Years After
frontman/lead guitarist, Manfred Mann
, Sam Brown and Mötley Crüe
.
At the end of October 2007, Officer Kicks were signed to independent label We Make Things and on the 23rd June 2008 released their debut album The Six Grand Plot.
An early supporter of the band, Noel Gallagher
first heard the group after receiving a demo that had been sent to his record label, Big Brother
. Two years on he agreed to allow the band to record their debut album at his private studio Wheeler End. Others that have been permitted to record there include Kasabian, The Coral
and Paul Weller
.
The Six Grand Plot garnered many hard copy reviews most notably from the NME
, Clash Magazine and Rock Sound
. The first single taken from the album was "Pictures of Me" and gained an XFM Radio playlist, Q Magazine's song of the day and the promo video was played on MTV1 and MTV2
. In 2008 they played the UK festivals Glastonbury, Secret Garden Party
and Bestival
as well as touring the UK a total of five times.
. Citywide Curfew was completed in the summer of the same year. "The Kraken" was the first single taken from the record and was also play listed on XFM
, Total Rock and Absolute Radio. It also received BBC radio play from Iron Maiden
’s Bruce Dickinson
and featured on the Sky 1
’s Soccer AM
. Many of the songs from Citywide Curfew are regularly used on Sky Sports
. The BBC
also used Officer Kicks music on the popular TV series Waterloo Road
, Ski Sunday
and the Winter Olympics.
At the end of 2009, the band completed a twelve date national tour supporting The Script in Ireland and a fourteen date UK tour supporting Juliette Lewis
. They were also asked to headline the main stage of Secret Garden Party behind Jarvis Cocker
. Harley Davidson flew the band out to Austria to play three shows at their bike rally in Faarkesee. Dave Berry
from XFM Radio listed the band in his all time top ten bands.
Citywide Curfew was released on 12th April 2010. It has a 5/5 rating on iTunes
and gained glowing reviews across the board.
The second single taken from the album "Automatic" was also playlisted on XFM Radio and Ireland's Phantom 105.2; it was also the feature video on the popular website Artrocker
.com and used on MTV Cribs
. Gordon Smart
from The Sun newspaper said the band was one to watch out on Vernon Kaye's BBC Radio 1
radio show.
The group was interviewed and performed a session on national radio for the Gethin Jones
show on Radio Five live in August 2010. The double A-side single "Hold the Magic"/"2024" was released on the 6th of September. Officer Kicks are said to be taking 2011 off touring to write the third album and concentrate on home life. A new Officer Kicks record is expected in summer 2012.
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...
group who formed in early 2005 in Southeast London.
The band have released two albums to date. They have toured with The Script, Ocean Color Scene, Jack Penate
Jack Peñate
Jack Fabian Peñate is an English musician and singer-songwriter signed to XL Recordings.-Early life:Jack Peñate attended St. Olave's Preparatory School, New Eltham until he left to attend Alleyn's School when he was 18 years of age...
, The View
The View (band)
The View are a Scottish indie rock band. They incorporate various styles such as punk, pop, alternative rock, pop punk, powerpop, folk, and acoustic in their music....
, The Hoosiers
The Hoosiers
The Hoosiers are an English pop/rock band, consisting of members Irwin Sparkes , Martin Skarendahl and Alan Sharland ....
, Juliette Lewis
Juliette Lewis
Juliette Lewis is an American actress and musician. She gained international fame for her role in the 1991 thriller Cape Fear for which she was nominated for both an Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress...
, The Rifles
The Rifles (band)
The Rifles are an English indie rock band from Chingford, London.Their debut album No Love Lost was released on 17 July 2006 and reached #26 in the UK charts...
amongst many others. They also headlined the Late and Live stage at 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...
, the BBC Introducing
BBC Introducing
BBC Introducing is the brand for new music programmes across the BBC radio stations, showcasing unsigned, self signed and other emerging musical talent primarily from the UK. Launched in 2007 the Introducing brand brings programming from across the BBC under a unified brand with each show retaining...
stage at Bestival
Bestival
Bestival is a four-day music festival held at the Robin Hill country park on the Isle of Wight, England. It has been held annually in late summer since 2004. The event is organized by DJ and record producer Rob da Bank and is an off-shoot of his Sunday Best record label and club nights. The initial...
and were amongst the headline acts on the main stage of the Secret Garden Party
Secret Garden Party
The Secret Garden Party is an annual independent arts and music festival which takes place in Abbots Ripton near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. Part of the grounds of a Georgian farm house, the location has its own lake, river and landscaped gardens...
. In 2010 they completed a twelve date tour of Ireland with The Script and a fourteen date UK tour with Juliette Lewis as well as playing festivals all over europe including Peace and Love and Sonisphere
Sonisphere Festival
The Sonisphere Festival is a touring music festival which takes place across Europe between June and August. The festival is owned by John Jackson and Kilimanjaro Live. It is jointly-promoted by K2 and Kilimanjaro Live...
. The band also played a host of Harley Davidson Ralleys (H.O.G.) all over europe (Spain, Austria, Portugal, Switzerland, Germany) which included playing with Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, Alvin Lee
Alvin Lee
Alvin Lee is an English rock guitarist and singer. He began playing guitar at the age of 13, and with Leo Lyons formed the core of the band Ten Years After in 1960...
former Ten Years After
Ten Years After
Ten Years After is an English blues-rock band, most popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Between 1968 and 1973, Ten Years After scored eight Top 40 albums on the UK Albums Chart...
frontman/lead guitarist, Manfred Mann
Manfred Mann
Manfred Mann was a British beat, rhythm and blues and pop band of the 1960s, named after their South African keyboardist, Manfred Mann, who later led the successful 1970s group Manfred Mann's Earth Band...
, Sam Brown and Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981. The group was founded by bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, who were later joined by lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil...
.
History
The group consist of school friends Jamie Scallion on vocals, Jamie Fisher on guitar, Michael Skorjanec on bass and Keith Wickham on drums. The name "Officer Kicks" came from a song the band wrote about a police officer in the local area. The band played their first gig in October 2005 at the Dalston Russian Club; the popular website Whisperin' n' Hollerin' gave the gig 10/10.At the end of October 2007, Officer Kicks were signed to independent label We Make Things and on the 23rd June 2008 released their debut album The Six Grand Plot.
An early supporter of the band, Noel Gallagher
Noel Gallagher
Noel Thomas David Gallagher is an English musician and singer-songwriter, formerly the lead guitarist, backing vocalist and principal songwriter of the English rock band Oasis. He is currently fronting his solo project, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.Raised in Burnage, Manchester with his...
first heard the group after receiving a demo that had been sent to his record label, Big Brother
Big Brother Recordings
Big Brother Recordings Ltd. is a record label set up in 2000 to release material by rock band Oasis in the UK and Ireland through independent distributor [PIAS] UK . On June 19, 2008 a deal was signed with Sony BMG which entitled them to an arranged portion of the profits from the next three Oasis...
. Two years on he agreed to allow the band to record their debut album at his private studio Wheeler End. Others that have been permitted to record there include Kasabian, The Coral
The Coral
The Coral are an English band formed in 1996 in Hoylake on the Wirral Peninsula in England. The band first emerged during the early 2000s and found success with their debut album The Coral and follow up Magic and Medicine...
and 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...
.
The Six Grand Plot garnered many hard copy reviews most notably from 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...
, Clash Magazine and Rock Sound
Rock Sound
Rock Sound is a British magazine which champions rock music. The magazine aims at being more "underground" and less commercial, whilst also giving coverage to more well known acts.-History:...
. The first single taken from the album was "Pictures of Me" and gained an XFM Radio playlist, Q Magazine's song of the day and the promo video was played on MTV1 and MTV2
MTV2
MTV2 is a cable network that is widely available in the United States on digital cable and satellite television, and is progressively being added to analogue cable lineups across the nation...
. In 2008 they played the UK festivals Glastonbury, Secret Garden Party
Secret Garden Party
The Secret Garden Party is an annual independent arts and music festival which takes place in Abbots Ripton near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. Part of the grounds of a Georgian farm house, the location has its own lake, river and landscaped gardens...
and Bestival
Bestival
Bestival is a four-day music festival held at the Robin Hill country park on the Isle of Wight, England. It has been held annually in late summer since 2004. The event is organized by DJ and record producer Rob da Bank and is an off-shoot of his Sunday Best record label and club nights. The initial...
as well as touring the UK a total of five times.
Citywide Curfew
In 2009, the band began work on their second album at Dean Street Studios in London’s SohoSoho
Soho is an area of the City of Westminster and part of the West End of London. Long established as an entertainment district, for much of the 20th century Soho had a reputation for sex shops as well as night life and film industry. Since the early 1980s, the area has undergone considerable...
. Citywide Curfew was completed in the summer of the same year. "The Kraken" was the first single taken from the record and was also play listed on 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...
, Total Rock and Absolute Radio. It also received BBC radio play from Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
’s Bruce Dickinson
Bruce Dickinson
Paul Bruce Dickinson is an English singer, songwriter, airline pilot, fencer, broadcaster, author, screenwriter, actor and marketing director, best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden....
and featured on the Sky 1
SKY 1
The Box is an entertainment channel in New Zealand available on SKY Network Television.The channel shows are a variety of the most recent shows such as from the United States, for example CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, The Simpsons, Family Guy, World Wrestling Entertainments hit shows, and...
’s Soccer AM
Soccer AM
Soccer AM is a British Saturday-morning football-based comedy/talk show, predominantly based around the Premier League...
. Many of the songs from Citywide Curfew are regularly used on Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
. The BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
also used Officer Kicks music on the popular TV series Waterloo Road
Waterloo Road (TV series)
Waterloo Road is an award-winning British television drama series, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 9 March 2006. Set in a troubled comprehensive school in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, the series focuses on the lives of the school's teacher and students, and confronts social...
, Ski Sunday
Ski Sunday
Ski Sunday is the BBC Sports weekly magazine-style television show covering winter sports, broadcast in the United Kingdom on Sundays in a late afternoon or an early evening time-slot...
and the Winter Olympics.
At the end of 2009, the band completed a twelve date national tour supporting The Script in Ireland and a fourteen date UK tour supporting Juliette Lewis
Juliette Lewis
Juliette Lewis is an American actress and musician. She gained international fame for her role in the 1991 thriller Cape Fear for which she was nominated for both an Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress...
. They were also asked to headline the main stage of Secret Garden Party behind Jarvis Cocker
Jarvis Cocker
Jarvis Branson Cocker is an English musician and frontman for the band Pulp. Through his work with the band, Cocker became a figurehead of the Britpop movement of the mid-1990s. Following Pulp's hiatus Cocker has led a successful solo career...
. Harley Davidson flew the band out to Austria to play three shows at their bike rally in Faarkesee. Dave Berry
Dave Berry (presenter)
David "Dave" Berry is a British TV and Radio presenter from Charlton, London, England. Currently working with ITV and Capital London.-Career:...
from XFM Radio listed the band in his all time top ten bands.
Citywide Curfew was released on 12th April 2010. It has a 5/5 rating on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
and gained glowing reviews across the board.
The second single taken from the album "Automatic" was also playlisted on XFM Radio and Ireland's Phantom 105.2; it was also the feature video on the popular website Artrocker
ArtRocker
Artrocker is a UK-based collective involved in music promotion and publishing. It was started by Paul Cox and Tom Fawcett who had been co-promoters of a London night called The Sausage Factory...
.com and used on MTV Cribs
MTV Cribs
MTV Cribs and CMT Cribs, depending on which channel it airs, is a franchise reality television program that originated on the MTV Networks' MTV. It later aired on its CMT channel that features tours of the houses and mansions of celebrities. The first show aired September 2000...
. Gordon Smart
Gordon Smart
Gordon Smart is a Scottish journalist and editor of The Suns celebrity column Bizarre.-Journalism career:...
from The Sun newspaper said the band was one to watch out on Vernon Kaye's 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...
radio show.
The group was interviewed and performed a session on national radio for the Gethin Jones
Gethin Jones
Gethin Clifford Jones is a Welsh television presenter who has co-presented the BBC children's programme Blue Peter....
show on Radio Five live in August 2010. The double A-side single "Hold the Magic"/"2024" was released on the 6th of September. Officer Kicks are said to be taking 2011 off touring to write the third album and concentrate on home life. A new Officer Kicks record is expected in summer 2012.
Albums
| Title | Release Date | Label |
|---|---|---|
| Six Grand Plot | June 23, 2008 | We Make Things |
| Citywide Curfew | April 12, 2010 | We Make Things |
Singles
| Title | Release Date | Label |
|---|---|---|
| "Pictures of Me" | June 15, 2008 | We Make Things |
| "Dirty Sally" | September 21, 2008 | We Make Things |
| "The Kraken" | October 5, 2009 | We Make Things |
| "Automatic" | March 10, 2010 | We Make Things |
Band members
- Jamie Scallion - Vocals
- Jamie Fisher - GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Michael Skorjanec - BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Keith Wickham Drums