Sex & Misery
Encyclopedia
Sex & Misery is the third studio album from UK-based alternative rock
band Voice of the Beehive
, which consisted at that point of founding members Melissa Brooke Belland and Tracey Bryn. Its production and release delayed due to personal and professional difficulties, the album was first distributed by East West Records
in early 1996, almost five years after their previous studio effort, Honey Lingers
. With just two of four released singles barely breaking onto the charts, the album was considered a critical and commercial disappointment and proved to be Voice of the Beehive's final recording. None of the tracks from Sex & Misery appear on the group's Best Of
compilation, issued the following year by their original label, London Records
.
' inability to promote
and market
their music. The label's intrusive management practices and interference with various elements of production also contributed to mounting tension and conflict in its dealings with the group. Additionally, Bryn and Belland were both going through painful breakups of their respective long-term relationships and coping with the death of several close friends around this time. Even though the process of crafting a new album had tentatively been initiated, the group resolved to negotiate a release from their contract
and seek out a record deal elsewhere.
While trying to find a new label, Brett and Jones went their separate ways, leaving Belland and Bryn as Voice of the Beehive's only remaining members. The pair eventually signed a contract with East West Records
and, assisted by producer Peter-John Vettese
, resumed work on the album. Having recently endured so much loss and hardship, Bryn and Belland wanted to reinvent their image; consequently, Sex & Misery marked a departure in certain respects from their established musical style. With the album already long since completed, the first single, "Angel Come Down", was released in the UK on August 1, 1995 in order to gauge response to Voice of the Beehive's new sound. However, East West did not secure adequate publicity
or circulation to reach beyond the group's fanbase, so when the song inevitably failed to gain traction, the label determined that the album was not viable and pulled it from the release slate.
Once again confounded by a record label's lack of support and loss of interest, Belland and Bryn relocated from London
to their native Los Angeles
in pursuit of other opportunities. East West finally did decide to release Sex & Misery in the UK a couple of months later on February 12, 1996, where it received scant notice. Another Warner Music
subsidiary, Discovery Records
, picked up the album and released it in the US on April 16 of that same year. The single "Scary Kisses," which was closer to the group's original sound, caught on at a few prominent Top 40 radio stations and became a modest hit, but Discovery neglected to capitalise on its success, neither releasing a correspondent music video
nor booking Voice of the Beehive on high-profile gigs
or a concert
tour. As a direct result, Sex & Misery quickly lost its momentum, and soon thereafter the label opted to end its contract with the group.
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band Voice of the Beehive
Voice of the Beehive
Voice of the Beehive is an Anglo-American alternative pop rock band formed in London in 1986 by Californian sisters Tracey Bryn and Melissa Brooke Belland, daughters of The Four Preps singer, Bruce Belland.- Career :...
, which consisted at that point of founding members Melissa Brooke Belland and Tracey Bryn. Its production and release delayed due to personal and professional difficulties, the album was first distributed by East West Records
East West Records
East West Records is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group, and operates under WMG's Independent Label Group.-History:...
in early 1996, almost five years after their previous studio effort, Honey Lingers
Honey Lingers
Honey Lingers is the second album from alternative rock band Voice of the Beehive. Released in 1991 on London Records, the album earned positive reviews from music critics and was a success on U.S. college radio stations....
. With just two of four released singles barely breaking onto the charts, the album was considered a critical and commercial disappointment and proved to be Voice of the Beehive's final recording. None of the tracks from Sex & Misery appear on the group's Best Of
Best Of (Voice of the Beehive album)
Best Of is a compilation album from alternative rock band Voice of the Beehive. Released in the UK only, it was the second Voice of the Beehive hits collection...
compilation, issued the following year by their original label, London Records
London Records
London Records, referred to as London Recordings in logo, is a record label headquartered in the United Kingdom, originally marketing records in the United States, Canada and Latin America from 1947 to 1979, then becoming a semi-independent label....
.
Album history
The working title Disastrous Relationships, Disillusionment, Depression & Death serves for a concise description of the turbulent circumstances under which Voice of the Beehive composed Sex & Misery. In the months following the release of their second album, Melissa Brooke Belland and Tracey Bryn, along with bandmates Martin Brett and Mike Jones, grew increasingly frustrated with London RecordsLondon Records
London Records, referred to as London Recordings in logo, is a record label headquartered in the United Kingdom, originally marketing records in the United States, Canada and Latin America from 1947 to 1979, then becoming a semi-independent label....
' inability to promote
Radio promotion
Radio promotion is the division of a record company which is charged with placing songs on the radio. They maintain relationships with program directors at radio stations and attempt to persuade them to play singles to promote the sale of recordings, such as CDs, sold by the record company...
and market
Marketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
their music. The label's intrusive management practices and interference with various elements of production also contributed to mounting tension and conflict in its dealings with the group. Additionally, Bryn and Belland were both going through painful breakups of their respective long-term relationships and coping with the death of several close friends around this time. Even though the process of crafting a new album had tentatively been initiated, the group resolved to negotiate a release from their contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
and seek out a record deal elsewhere.
While trying to find a new label, Brett and Jones went their separate ways, leaving Belland and Bryn as Voice of the Beehive's only remaining members. The pair eventually signed a contract with East West Records
East West Records
East West Records is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group, and operates under WMG's Independent Label Group.-History:...
and, assisted by producer Peter-John Vettese
Peter-John Vettese
Peter-John Vettese , also known as Peter Vettese, is a British keyboardist, songwriter, arranger and record producer....
, resumed work on the album. Having recently endured so much loss and hardship, Bryn and Belland wanted to reinvent their image; consequently, Sex & Misery marked a departure in certain respects from their established musical style. With the album already long since completed, the first single, "Angel Come Down", was released in the UK on August 1, 1995 in order to gauge response to Voice of the Beehive's new sound. However, East West did not secure adequate publicity
Publicity
Publicity is the deliberate attempt to manage the public's perception of a subject. The subjects of publicity include people , goods and services, organizations of all kinds, and works of art or entertainment.From a marketing perspective, publicity is one component of promotion which is one...
or circulation to reach beyond the group's fanbase, so when the song inevitably failed to gain traction, the label determined that the album was not viable and pulled it from the release slate.
Once again confounded by a record label's lack of support and loss of interest, Belland and Bryn relocated from London
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...
to their native Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in pursuit of other opportunities. East West finally did decide to release Sex & Misery in the UK a couple of months later on February 12, 1996, where it received scant notice. Another Warner Music
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
subsidiary, Discovery Records
Discovery Records
Discovery Records was a United States-based record label known for its recordings of jazz music.Discovery was founded in 1948 by jazz fan and promoter Albert Marx...
, picked up the album and released it in the US on April 16 of that same year. The single "Scary Kisses," which was closer to the group's original sound, caught on at a few prominent Top 40 radio stations and became a modest hit, but Discovery neglected to capitalise on its success, neither releasing a correspondent music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
nor booking Voice of the Beehive on high-profile gigs
Gig (musical performance)
Gig is slang for a musical engagement in which musicians are hired. Originally coined in the 1920s by jazz musicians, the term, short for the word "engagement", now refers to any aspect of performing such as assisting with performance and attending musical performance...
or a concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
tour. As a direct result, Sex & Misery quickly lost its momentum, and soon thereafter the label opted to end its contract with the group.
Track listing
Personnel
- Melissa Brooke Belland - leadLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
and backupBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
vocals - Tracey Bryn - lead and backup vocals
- Jolyon DixonJolyon DixonJolyon Keith Dixon is an English guitarist and is currently a member of Rachel Fuller's band and played some guitar on The Who's 2006 album Endless Wire.-Biography:...
- 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... - Mark "Tufty" Evans - recording engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
and mixer, guitar - Jon KellyJon KellyJon Kelly is a British music producer who has produced albums and singles for Chris Rea, The Damned, Kate Bush, Pele , The Beautiful South, Prefab Sprout, Deacon Blue, Heather Nova, The Levellers, Fish, Lynsey De Paul and Nolwenn Leroy.-References:...
- recording engineer and mixer ("Angel Come Down") - Caroline LavelleCaroline LavelleCaroline Lavelle is a British singer-songwriter and cellist who has created three solo albums and contributed vocals, music, and production help to many other artists and bands.-Career:Lavelle studied at the Royal College of Music in London...
- celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
("Angel Come Down") - Tom Lord-AlgeTom Lord-AlgeTom Lord-Alge is a four-time Grammy Award–winning record producer and mixer. He is the youngest of Vivian Lord's five children, Mark Lord-Alge, Lisa Lord-Alge, Chris Lord-Alge, Jeff Lord-Alge and Tom Lord-Alge...
- recording engineer and mixer ("Scary Kisses" and "New Day") - Keith More - guitar
- Stuart Ross - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Steve Sidelnyk - percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
("Angel Come Down") - Peter-John Vettese - producer, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
- John Wakefield - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
Chart performance
| Single | Chart | Peak Position | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Angel Come Down" | UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
103 | September 23, 1995 |
| "Scary Kisses" | Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
77 | June 8, 1996 |
Sources
- The Beehive—Voice of the Beehive Online: Biography
External links
- Sex & Misery at DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...