Tasmin Archer
Encyclopedia
Tasmin Archer is an English
pop
singer. Her first album
, Great Expectations, spawned the hit "Sleeping Satellite
" which reached number one in the United Kingdom
and Ireland
.
. Later, after studying secretarial skills she became a clerk at Leeds Magistrates' Court.
She helped out at a recording studio
in Bradford called Flexible Response, and subsequently began working with musicians John Hughes and John Beck
. Archer signed to EMI
in 1990, and released her first single
, "Sleeping Satellite" in August 1992, which went to #1 in the UK Singles Chart
. The album Great Expectations followed in October, reaching #8 in the UK Albums Chart
, and achieved gold disc
status by December for sales of more than 100,000 copies. Further singles from the album followed, and although they were Top 40 hits in the UK, they did not achieve the same level of success as her début. In 1993, Archer won a BRIT Award
for the Best British Breakthrough Act. However, later she joked that she kept her award in the back of her kitchen cupboard, and claimed that she used it for cracking nuts and tenderising steak.
After disappearing from the limelight, Archer reappeared in 1996 with her second album Bloom. However, the album (and subsequent single "One More Good Night With The Boys"), failed to make any lasting impact on the charts
. In late 1997, disagreements with EMI left Archer somewhat disillusioned and feeling like she had been treated as a commodity. She decided to take a short break from the industry. After two years she felt the time was right to start writing again but was hindered by writer's block. Although this did not prevent her from being initially creative she found it difficult to finish anything musically. However, she did not let this stop her from expressing her creativity in other ways, and she began painting and moulding clay during this time away from the spotlight. It was also during this time that her love of Sunderland A.F.C.
blossomed, buying a season-ticket with her Sunderland born musician partner John Hughes in 1999, after falling in love with the team when taken to her first match in the late 1980s. She retains her ticket to this day.
After working through the block and starting in 2002, she and Hughes worked on a new album. Initially this was going to be titled 'Non Linear', but later became ON. Several demo
versions of the songs from this album were available for free from the messagetothemagnet website, which was created for the purpose. People were encouraged to send feedback on the material.
ON was released on 25 September 2006 on Archer's own label, Quiverdisc. It was preceded on 20 September by a download only single, "Every Time I Want It (Effect is Monotony)", a radio edit of the album track "Effect is Monotony".
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
singer. Her first album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Great Expectations, spawned the hit "Sleeping Satellite
Sleeping Satellite
"Sleeping Satellite" was the debut single by the British singer-songwriter Tasmin Archer, released in 1992. The song peaked at no.1 in the UK, and was also an international hit.-Lyrics and music:...
" which reached number one in the United Kingdom
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...
and Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
.
Biography
Archer first worked as a sewing machine operator and joined a group called 'Dignity' as a backing vocalistBacking vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
. Later, after studying secretarial skills she became a clerk at Leeds Magistrates' Court.
She helped out at a recording studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
in Bradford called Flexible Response, and subsequently began working with musicians John Hughes and John Beck
John Beck (musician)
John Beck is an English musician in progressive rock band, It Bites.-Work:John Beck is a writer, producer, keyboard player and guitarist known for his work with Tasmin Archer and Corinne Bailey Rae....
. Archer signed to EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
in 1990, and released her first single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, "Sleeping Satellite" in August 1992, which went to #1 in the 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 ...
. The album Great Expectations followed in October, reaching #8 in the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
, and achieved gold disc
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
status by December for sales of more than 100,000 copies. Further singles from the album followed, and although they were Top 40 hits in the UK, they did not achieve the same level of success as her début. In 1993, Archer won a BRIT Award
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
for the Best British Breakthrough Act. However, later she joked that she kept her award in the back of her kitchen cupboard, and claimed that she used it for cracking nuts and tenderising steak.
After disappearing from the limelight, Archer reappeared in 1996 with her second album Bloom. However, the album (and subsequent single "One More Good Night With The Boys"), failed to make any lasting impact on the charts
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
. In late 1997, disagreements with EMI left Archer somewhat disillusioned and feeling like she had been treated as a commodity. She decided to take a short break from the industry. After two years she felt the time was right to start writing again but was hindered by writer's block. Although this did not prevent her from being initially creative she found it difficult to finish anything musically. However, she did not let this stop her from expressing her creativity in other ways, and she began painting and moulding clay during this time away from the spotlight. It was also during this time that her love of Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
blossomed, buying a season-ticket with her Sunderland born musician partner John Hughes in 1999, after falling in love with the team when taken to her first match in the late 1980s. She retains her ticket to this day.
After working through the block and starting in 2002, she and Hughes worked on a new album. Initially this was going to be titled 'Non Linear', but later became ON. Several demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
versions of the songs from this album were available for free from the messagetothemagnet website, which was created for the purpose. People were encouraged to send feedback on the material.
ON was released on 25 September 2006 on Archer's own label, Quiverdisc. It was preceded on 20 September by a download only single, "Every Time I Want It (Effect is Monotony)", a radio edit of the album track "Effect is Monotony".
Singles
- "Sleeping SatelliteSleeping Satellite"Sleeping Satellite" was the debut single by the British singer-songwriter Tasmin Archer, released in 1992. The song peaked at no.1 in the UK, and was also an international hit.-Lyrics and music:...
" (1992) #1 UKUK Singles ChartThe 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 ...
, #1 IRL, #32 US, #12 GER, #14 AUS - "In Your CareIn your care"In Your Care" is the second single released by singer-songwriter Tasmin Archer. It was released in early 1993 but failed to pick up as much airplay and media support as "Sleeping Satellite". "In Your Care" stalled at number 16 on the UK Singles Chart...
" (1993) #16 UK - "Lords of the New Church" (1993) #26 UK
- "ArienneArienne"Arienne" is the fourth single to be released by the British singer-songwriter Tasmin Archer. Released in August 1993, it became Archer's fourth UK Top 30 hit in a year .-Song:...
" (1993) #30 UK - "ShipbuildingShipbuilding (song)"Shipbuilding" is a song written by Elvis Costello and Clive Langer . Written during the Falklands War of 1982, Costello's lyrics discuss the contradiction of the war bringing back prosperity to traditional shipbuilding areas of Merseyside , North East England and Belfast to build new ships to...
" (EP) (1994) #40 UK - "Somebody's Daughter" (Germany Only Release) #57 GER
- "One More Good Night With The Boys" (1996) #45 UK
- "Sweet Little Truth"
- "Every Time I Want It (Effect is Monotony)" (Digital download) (2006)
- "Sedan" (Promotional video for YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
) (2006)
Studio albums
- Great Expectations (1992) #8 UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
, #115 US, #56 AUS - Bloom (1996)
- ON (2006)
Compilation albums
- Premium Gold Collection (2000)
- Singer/Songwriter (2004)
- The Best Of (2009)