The Departure
Encyclopedia
The Departure was an English
rock band
from Northampton
, formed in October 2003. Their debut album, Dirty Words
, was released 13 June 2005 by Parlophone
. A second album, Inventions, was expected to be released in early 2008, but was not (due to issues with the band's record label, Parlophone
). The band split up on 30 January 2008.
: "We all got quite excited about the whole ethos of what we’re trying to do, which is to take 1980s reference points and transcend them into modern day, edgy, instant kind of sounds."
They were signed to Parlophone Records after playing only three gigs and being together for just four months, a fact that attracted a considerable level of derision and scepticism.
Touring slots with The Killers, Feeder, Duran Duran, Placebo
, supporting them at Wembley Arena, The Tears
and a reformed Gang Of Four
soon followed as the band sought to build a support base ahead of their first wing of releases. Debut single All Mapped Out
was released on 2 August 2004 and debuted at number 30 on the UK singles chart. This track later will be include on the Driver: Parallel Lines video game. Follow up single Be My Enemy
emerged on 18 October 2004 and was included on the soundtrack to the FIFA 06
video game.
They released a debut album ‘Dirty Words
’, produced by Steve Osborne (who also worked with New Order
, Suede
and Happy Mondays
), a year after signing to Parlophone at Realworld Studios in Bath. The album was trailed the week before its release by the reissue of the All Mapped Out
single. Disappointingly it was lower in the charts than the original. The album drew a middling response from critics, who varied between praising the album for its bleak, futuristic atmosphere and slating it for its perceived superficiality and over-reliance on the music of the 80s for inspiration.
A UK tour and festival appearances followed soon after. In early 2006, Lee Irons had left the band citing artistic differences.
Drummer Andy Hobson left later that year and was replaced. The four-piece began work on the follow-up to Dirty Words
in Grouse Lodge
Studios, Ireland which was expected to release in 2007.
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...
rock band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
from Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
, formed in October 2003. Their debut album, Dirty Words
Dirty Words
Dirty Words is the debut album by British indie rock band The Departure, released in the UK on 13 June 2005 .-Track listing:All tracks written by David Jones, Sam Harvey, Ben Winton, Lee Irons, and Andy Hobson....
, was released 13 June 2005 by Parlophone
Parlophone
Parlophone is a record label that was founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch was formed in 1923 as "Parlophone" which developed a reputation in the 1920s as a leading jazz label. It was acquired in 1927 by the Columbia Graphophone Company which...
. A second album, Inventions, was expected to be released in early 2008, but was not (due to issues with the band's record label, Parlophone
Parlophone
Parlophone is a record label that was founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch was formed in 1923 as "Parlophone" which developed a reputation in the 1920s as a leading jazz label. It was acquired in 1927 by the Columbia Graphophone Company which...
). The band split up on 30 January 2008.
History
The group formed in January 2004 after starting in Northampton as a collaboration between a former Christian commune member David Jones (vocals/guitar) and his friend Sam Harvey. After recruiting old school associate Ben Winton (bass) and Lee Irons (guitar), the lineup was completed with the addition of Andy Hobson (drums) via a musician's ad website. Jones described the concept of the band to music webzine Drowned in SoundDrowned in Sound
DrownedinSound.com or DiS is a UK based music webzine financed by artist management company Silentway . The site is an editorially independent music website.-History:...
: "We all got quite excited about the whole ethos of what we’re trying to do, which is to take 1980s reference points and transcend them into modern day, edgy, instant kind of sounds."
They were signed to Parlophone Records after playing only three gigs and being together for just four months, a fact that attracted a considerable level of derision and scepticism.
Touring slots with The Killers, Feeder, Duran Duran, Placebo
Placebo (band)
Placebo are a British rock band from London, England, formed in 1994 by singer and guitarist Brian Molko and bass guitarist Stefan Olsdal. The band was joined by drummer Robert Schultzberg, who was later replaced by Steve Hewitt after conflicts with Molko. Hewitt left the band in October 2007 and...
, supporting them at Wembley Arena, The Tears
The Tears
The Tears were an English rock band, formed in 2004 by ex-Suede bandmates Brett Anderson and Bernard Butler. The band was a much anticipated reunion of an acclaimed songwriting couple, and music critics praised their first concerts and their debut album, Here Come The Tears...
and a reformed Gang Of Four
Gang of Four (band)
Gang of Four are an English post-punk group from Leeds. Original personnel were singer Jon King, guitarist Andy Gill, bass guitarist Dave Allen and drummer Hugo Burnham. They were fully active from 1977 to 1984, and then re-emerged twice in the 1990s with King and Gill...
soon followed as the band sought to build a support base ahead of their first wing of releases. Debut single All Mapped Out
All Mapped Out
"All Mapped Out" is the first single released by The Departure. Originally released on 2 August 2004, it was also featured on their debut album, Dirty Words...
was released on 2 August 2004 and debuted at number 30 on the UK singles chart. This track later will be include on the Driver: Parallel Lines video game. Follow up single Be My Enemy
Be My Enemy
"Be My Enemy" is the second single released by The Departure. Originally released on 18 October 2004, it was also featured on their debut album, Dirty Words. The song was used in the video game FIFA 06....
emerged on 18 October 2004 and was included on the soundtrack to the FIFA 06
FIFA 06
FIFA 06, also known as FIFA Soccer 06, is a video game developed by EA Canada and published by Electronic Arts based around the game of football. It was released in the United States on 4 October 2005 for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, Windows, PlayStation Portable, Game Boy Advance, and...
video game.
They released a debut album ‘Dirty Words
Dirty Words
Dirty Words is the debut album by British indie rock band The Departure, released in the UK on 13 June 2005 .-Track listing:All tracks written by David Jones, Sam Harvey, Ben Winton, Lee Irons, and Andy Hobson....
’, produced by Steve Osborne (who also worked with New Order
New Order
New Order are an English rock band formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris...
, Suede
Suede (band)
Suede are an English alternative rock band from London, formed in 1989. The group's most prominent early line-up featured singer Brett Anderson, guitarist Bernard Butler, bass player Mat Osman and drummer Simon Gilbert. By 1992, Suede were hailed as "The Best New Band in Britain", and attracted...
and Happy Mondays
Happy Mondays
Happy Mondays are an English alternative rock band from Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1980, the band's original line-up was Shaun Ryder on lead vocals, his brother Paul Ryder on bass, lead guitarist Mark Day, keyboardist Paul Davis, and drummer Gary Whelan...
), a year after signing to Parlophone at Realworld Studios in Bath. The album was trailed the week before its release by the reissue of the All Mapped Out
All Mapped Out
"All Mapped Out" is the first single released by The Departure. Originally released on 2 August 2004, it was also featured on their debut album, Dirty Words...
single. Disappointingly it was lower in the charts than the original. The album drew a middling response from critics, who varied between praising the album for its bleak, futuristic atmosphere and slating it for its perceived superficiality and over-reliance on the music of the 80s for inspiration.
A UK tour and festival appearances followed soon after. In early 2006, Lee Irons had left the band citing artistic differences.
Drummer Andy Hobson left later that year and was replaced. The four-piece began work on the follow-up to Dirty Words
Dirty Words
Dirty Words is the debut album by British indie rock band The Departure, released in the UK on 13 June 2005 .-Track listing:All tracks written by David Jones, Sam Harvey, Ben Winton, Lee Irons, and Andy Hobson....
in Grouse Lodge
Grouse Lodge
Grouse Lodge is a recording studio in County Westmeath, Ireland. Designed by Andy Munro it has two studios and living quarters in nine stone outhouses, integrating the existing 275 year old stone structure...
Studios, Ireland which was expected to release in 2007.
Departed
On 30 January 2007 the band announced that they had split up after being dropped by Parlophone.Singles
| Release date | Title | Album | UK 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 ... |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 August 2004 | "All Mapped Out All Mapped Out "All Mapped Out" is the first single released by The Departure. Originally released on 2 August 2004, it was also featured on their debut album, Dirty Words... " |
Dirty Words Dirty Words Dirty Words is the debut album by British indie rock band The Departure, released in the UK on 13 June 2005 .-Track listing:All tracks written by David Jones, Sam Harvey, Ben Winton, Lee Irons, and Andy Hobson.... |
30 |
| 18 October 2004 | "Be My Enemy Be My Enemy "Be My Enemy" is the second single released by The Departure. Originally released on 18 October 2004, it was also featured on their debut album, Dirty Words. The song was used in the video game FIFA 06.... " |
Dirty Words | 41 |
| 4 April 2005 | "Lump In My Throat Lump in My Throat "Lump in My Throat" is a song from The Departure's debut album, Dirty Words. It was released as the lead single from that album on 4 April 2005, and reached #30 in the UK Singles Chart.-Track listing:*7" R6659#"Lump in My Throat" - 3:20... " |
Dirty Words | 30 |
| 6 June 2005 | "All Mapped Out All Mapped Out "All Mapped Out" is the first single released by The Departure. Originally released on 2 August 2004, it was also featured on their debut album, Dirty Words... " (re-release) |
Dirty Words | 33 |
| 17 October 2005 | "Arms Around Me" | Dirty Words | - |
| 3 September 2007 | "7 Years" | Inventions | - |
External links
- Myspace: newislands David Jones New Band on Myspace
- Myspace: Bruises - Lee Irons New Project On Myspace
- Myspace: The Departure - The Official Departure Myspace Page
- Myspace: Starshapes Andy Hobson's New Band on Myspace