The Gresham Flyers
Encyclopedia
The Gresham Flyers were a power-pop band, formed in 2005 and based in London
, England
, although none of their members or former members are originally from London.
, The Libertines
, Snow Patrol
and Yeah Yeah Yeahs
. Although none of the potential members were fans of those bands, common ground was found in the likes of Belle & Sebastian
, The Wedding Present
, Pulp
, New Order
, Dexys Midnight Runners
and XTC
. These influences were absorbed into the band's sound, and exemplified by the use of two lead vocalists in John Waring and Sharon Leach, as well as the unusual inclusion of two keyboards along with two guitars and a rhythm section and (initially) saxophone.
After a brief period of rehearsal as a septet
, Jessica Shaw left the band (later to resurface in as drummer/ bass player in Give It Ups), and the remaining six members played their debut set at The Pleasure Unit in July 2005. With all members of the band able to play more than one instrument, early gigs were marked by onstage instrument-swapping between songs, and Andrew Newman's home-made synthesiser sound, best heard on early recordings Cat Hits Car and Blackpool.
Their debut 7" single Shiftwork b/w Cat Hits Car was released on their own Barryland Records in 2006, attracting critical acclaim. The single was ignored by mainstream radio due to the opening word of the song being profanity
, but gained many plays on internet and student radio, most notably on Rachael Neiman's show on Dandelion Radio.
Around this time, they also released the song Blackpool on The Kids At The Club, a popular compilation of up-and-coming bands put together for How Does It Feel To Be Loved Records.
Dan Morton left the band in early 2006 (although he continues to make occasional appearances as an additional percussionist at live gigs), and was replaced by Kerry Edmonds, a gifted drummer also proficient in keyboards and guitar. With this lineup, the band recorded the bulk of their debut album at Soup Studios in London, under the auspices of Simon Trought (ex-Tompaulin
). The band also undertook tours, supporting the likes of Cannonball Jane, The Loves
, Saturday Looks Good To Me
, Great Lakes
and Ladybug Transistor. Kerry Edmonds eventually left the group at the end of 2006, followed shortly after by Andrew Newman in May 2007.
The band recruited former drummer for The Scaramanga Six
James Agnew as a replacement from Kerry Edmonds, but decided not to replace Andrew Newman and to continue as a quintet in an effort to streamline their live sound (but restricting their between-song instrument-swapping forays in the process). This lineup of the band endures to the present, the longest stable lineup yet with James also adding more multi-instrumental capabilities, further songwriting contributions and a third lead vocal.
Following on from performing at the inaugural Indietracks Festival in 2007, Cherryade Records agreed release the band's debut album Sex With Strangers in 2008 as well as offering an appearance on the label's annual A Very Cherry Christmas compilation, which featured "Diamond White Christmas". By the time the album was released in July 2008, most of the recordings were nearly two years old, from a previous lineup, and the band had begun recording new tracks in their current guise.
There was little activity during 2008 due to outside commitments, but still saw the release of split 10" single with Wintergreen
and a further appearance on the Very Cherry Christmas release, this time Perfect Christmas Snow (Perfect Christmas Kiss) (featuring lead vocals from John, Sharon and James), for which the band received their highest critical notices yet.
A further split single followed in February 2009, this time on Cloudberry Records, with The Pale Corners. The track Berry Buck Mills Stipe was premiered in a live video on YouTube in early 2008, which led to the band's signing to Universal Records
in The Philippines. 2009 also saw James and Sharon (along with Spearmint
guitarist James Parsons and Scritti Politti
's Rhodri Marsden
) release the album 'Now I'm The Big Sister' as tELLEY. For live appearances, the band also featured Thom on bass.
Following on from an acclaimed appearance on a recent Bruce Springsteen
tribute album, the band confirmed a further appearance on an upcoming Jonathan Richman
tribute album released by Fortuna Pop! Records, covering "Pablo Picasso
".
During February 2010, the band created an entirely new album as part of the 2010 RPM Challenge
, with plans to release it as a download-only effort, whilst continuing work on the follow-up to Sex With Strangers.
The first full release on Cherryade Records since Sex With Strangers, an EP entitled "There's Been A Murder" was announced for release on 6 April 2010. Lead track Taggart was premiered on Tom Robinson
's BBC 6 Music
Introducing show in January 2010.
The band split in 2011.
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...
, 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...
, although none of their members or former members are originally from London.
Biography
The initial members of the band were seven friends who first met via the indie-centric Bowlie internet message board, and came together as a band after a request by Martin Hall for bandmates into MogwaiMogwai
The word mogwai is the transliteration of the Cantonese word 魔怪 meaning "monster", "evil spirit", "devil" or "demon".-Mogwai/Mogui in Chinese culture:...
, The Libertines
The Libertines
The Libertines were an English rock band, formed in London in 1997 by frontmen Carl Barât and Pete Doherty . The band, centred on the song-writing partnership of Barat and Doherty, also included John Hassall and Gary Powell for most of its recording career...
, Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol are an alternative rock band from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. Formed at the University of Dundee in 1994 as an indie rock band, the band is now based in Glasgow...
and Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Yeah Yeah Yeahs are an American indie rock band formed in New York City in 2000. The group is composed of vocalist and pianist Karen O, guitarist and keyboardist Nick Zinner, and drummer Brian Chase. They are complemented in live performances by second guitarist David Pajo, who joined as a touring...
. Although none of the potential members were fans of those bands, common ground was found in the likes of Belle & Sebastian
Belle & Sebastian
Belle and Sebastian are an indie pop band formed in Glasgow in January 1996. Belle and Sebastian are often compared with influential indie bands such as The Smiths, as well as classic acts such as Love, Bob Dylan and Nick Drake. The name Belle & Sebastian comes from Belle et Sébastien, a 1965...
, The Wedding Present
The Wedding Present
The Wedding Present are a British indie rock group based in Leeds, England, formed in 1985 from the ashes of the Lost Pandas. The band's music has evolved from fast-paced indie rock in the vein of their most obvious influences The Fall, Buzzcocks and Gang of Four to more varied forms...
, Pulp
Pulp (band)
Pulp are an English alternative rock band formed in Sheffield in 1978. Their lineup consists of Jarvis Cocker , Russell Senior , Candida Doyle , Mark Webber , Steve Mackey and Nick Banks ....
, New Order
New Order
New Order are an English rock band formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris...
, Dexys Midnight Runners
Dexys Midnight Runners
Dexys Midnight Runners are a British pop group with soul influences, who achieved their major success in the early to mid 1980s. They are best known for their songs "Come On Eileen" and "Geno", both of which went No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart....
and XTC
XTC
XTC were a New Wave band from Swindon, England, active between 1976 and 2005. The band enjoyed some chart success, including the UK and Canadian hits "Making Plans for Nigel" and "Senses Working Overtime" , but are perhaps even better known for their long-standing critical success.- Early years:...
. These influences were absorbed into the band's sound, and exemplified by the use of two lead vocalists in John Waring and Sharon Leach, as well as the unusual inclusion of two keyboards along with two guitars and a rhythm section and (initially) saxophone.
After a brief period of rehearsal as a septet
Septet
A septet is a formation containing exactly seven members. It is commonly associated with musical groups, but can be applied to any situation where seven similar or related objects are considered a single unit, such as a seven-line stanza of poetry....
, Jessica Shaw left the band (later to resurface in as drummer/ bass player in Give It Ups), and the remaining six members played their debut set at The Pleasure Unit in July 2005. With all members of the band able to play more than one instrument, early gigs were marked by onstage instrument-swapping between songs, and Andrew Newman's home-made synthesiser sound, best heard on early recordings Cat Hits Car and Blackpool.
Their debut 7" single Shiftwork b/w Cat Hits Car was released on their own Barryland Records in 2006, attracting critical acclaim. The single was ignored by mainstream radio due to the opening word of the song being profanity
Profanity
Profanity is a show of disrespect, or a desecration or debasement of someone or something. Profanity can take the form of words, expressions, gestures, or other social behaviors that are socially constructed or interpreted as insulting, rude, vulgar, obscene, desecrating, or other forms.The...
, but gained many plays on internet and student radio, most notably on Rachael Neiman's show on Dandelion Radio.
Around this time, they also released the song Blackpool on The Kids At The Club, a popular compilation of up-and-coming bands put together for How Does It Feel To Be Loved Records.
Dan Morton left the band in early 2006 (although he continues to make occasional appearances as an additional percussionist at live gigs), and was replaced by Kerry Edmonds, a gifted drummer also proficient in keyboards and guitar. With this lineup, the band recorded the bulk of their debut album at Soup Studios in London, under the auspices of Simon Trought (ex-Tompaulin
Tompaulin
Tompaulin were an indie pop band formed in Blackburn, Lancashire, England in 1999, and named after the Irish poet, critic, and lecturer Tom Paulin....
). The band also undertook tours, supporting the likes of Cannonball Jane, The Loves
The Loves
The Loves were a heavily 1960s influenced pop band, formed in 2000 in Cardiff, Wales-Career:Their debut album Love was released on Track and Field Records in 2004, but attracted generally hostile press coverage, and was commercially unsuccessful...
, Saturday Looks Good To Me
Saturday Looks Good to Me
Saturday Looks Good to Me was an experimental indie pop band. The group was led by singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Fred Thomas...
, Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
and Ladybug Transistor. Kerry Edmonds eventually left the group at the end of 2006, followed shortly after by Andrew Newman in May 2007.
The band recruited former drummer for The Scaramanga Six
The Scaramanga Six
The Scaramanga Six are an English rock band noted for their aggressive live act, their flamboyant and theatrical songs and their independent business practices...
James Agnew as a replacement from Kerry Edmonds, but decided not to replace Andrew Newman and to continue as a quintet in an effort to streamline their live sound (but restricting their between-song instrument-swapping forays in the process). This lineup of the band endures to the present, the longest stable lineup yet with James also adding more multi-instrumental capabilities, further songwriting contributions and a third lead vocal.
Following on from performing at the inaugural Indietracks Festival in 2007, Cherryade Records agreed release the band's debut album Sex With Strangers in 2008 as well as offering an appearance on the label's annual A Very Cherry Christmas compilation, which featured "Diamond White Christmas". By the time the album was released in July 2008, most of the recordings were nearly two years old, from a previous lineup, and the band had begun recording new tracks in their current guise.
There was little activity during 2008 due to outside commitments, but still saw the release of split 10" single with Wintergreen
Wintergreen
Wintergreen is a group of plants. Wintergreen once commonly referred to plants that continue photosynthesis throughout the winter...
and a further appearance on the Very Cherry Christmas release, this time Perfect Christmas Snow (Perfect Christmas Kiss) (featuring lead vocals from John, Sharon and James), for which the band received their highest critical notices yet.
A further split single followed in February 2009, this time on Cloudberry Records, with The Pale Corners. The track Berry Buck Mills Stipe was premiered in a live video on YouTube in early 2008, which led to the band's signing to Universal Records
Universal Records
Universal Records was a record label owned by Universal Music Group, and it is now owned by Manny Patino and Michael Jackson, and operated as part of the Universal Motown Republic Group.-History:...
in The Philippines. 2009 also saw James and Sharon (along with Spearmint
Spearmint
Mentha spicata syn. M. cordifolia is a species of mint native to much of Europe and southwest Asia, though its exact natural range is uncertain due to extensive early cultivation. It grows in wet soils...
guitarist James Parsons and Scritti Politti
Scritti Politti
Scritti Politti are a British band, originally formed in 1977 in Leeds, Yorkshire, England. Although there have been various changes to the line-up, Cardiff-born singer-songwriter Green Gartside was the founding member of the band and the only member to have remained throughout the group's...
's Rhodri Marsden
Rhodri Marsden
-Journalism:Rhodri Marsden currently writes a weekly column for The Independent called "Life On Marsden", and a monthly "Cyberculture" spread for the same newspaper about technology and the internet. He previously wrote The Observer Music Monthly's "Guitarist Wanted" column, which required him to...
) release the album 'Now I'm The Big Sister' as tELLEY. For live appearances, the band also featured Thom on bass.
Following on from an acclaimed appearance on a recent Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
tribute album, the band confirmed a further appearance on an upcoming Jonathan Richman
Jonathan Richman
Jonathan Michael Richman is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. In 1970 he founded The Modern Lovers, an influential proto-punk band. Since the mid-1970s, Richman has worked either solo or with low-key, generally acoustic backing...
tribute album released by Fortuna Pop! Records, covering "Pablo Picasso
Pablo Picasso
Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso known as Pablo Ruiz Picasso was a Spanish expatriate painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist, and stage designer, one of the greatest and most influential artists of the...
".
During February 2010, the band created an entirely new album as part of the 2010 RPM Challenge
RPM Challenge
The RPM Challenge is a creative challenge offered yearly to musicians, similar to other time-based challenges such as NaNoWriMo ....
, with plans to release it as a download-only effort, whilst continuing work on the follow-up to Sex With Strangers.
The first full release on Cherryade Records since Sex With Strangers, an EP entitled "There's Been A Murder" was announced for release on 6 April 2010. Lead track Taggart was premiered on Tom Robinson
Tom Robinson
Tom Robinson is an English singer-songwriter, bassist and radio presenter, better known for the hits "Glad to Be Gay", "2-4-6-8 Motorway", and "Don't Take No for an Answer", with his Tom Robinson Band...
's BBC 6 Music
BBC 6 Music
BBC 6 Music is one of the BBC's digital radio stations, was launched on 11 March 2002 and originally codenamed Network Y. It was the first national music radio station to be launched by the BBC in 32 years....
Introducing show in January 2010.
The band split in 2011.
Members
- John Waring - Vocals / Guitars (+ Bass Guitar / Keyboards / Drums)
- Sharon Leach - Vocals / Keyboards (+ Bass Guitar)
- Thom Allott - Bass Guitar / Backing Vocals (+ Guitar / Keyboards / Drums / Percussion)
- Martin Hall - Guitar (+ Bass Guitar)
- James Agnew - Drums (+ Vocals / Keyboards / Bass Guitar / Guitar / Percussion)
Former members
- Jessica Shaw - Saxophone / Keyboards (+ Bass Guitar / Backing Vocals) Original member, left early 2005, not replaced
- Andrew Newman - Synthesiser / Drums / Bass Guitar (+ Guitar) Original member, left mid 2007, not replaced
- Dan Morton - Drums / Synthesiser / Bass Guitar (+ Guitar) Original member, left early 2006, replaced by Kerry Edmonds
- Kerry Edmonds - Drums / Synthesiser (+ Bass Guitar) Replaced Dan Morton, left early 2007, replace by James Agnew
Singles
- "Shiftwork b/w Cat Hits Car" (Barryland Records, Blue 7" Vinyl, 2006)
- "Factory RecordsFactory RecordsFactory Records was a Manchester based British independent record label, started in 1978 by Tony Wilson and Alan Erasmus, which featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Joy Division, New Order, A Certain Ratio, The Durutti Column, Happy Mondays, Northside and James and...
Museum b/w Are 'Friends' Electric?Are 'Friends' Electric?"Are 'Friends' Electric?" is a 1979 song written by Gary Numan, released under the name of his then-band Tubeway Army as a single and on the album Replicas...
" (Also features two tracks from Wintergreen, Barryland Records, 10" Vinyl, 2008) - "Berry Buck Mills Stipe b/w Blackwall Tunnel" (Also features two tracks from The Pale Corners Cloudberry Records, 3" CD, 2009)
Extended plays
- "Tour EP" (Barryland Records, CD, 2005)
- "There's Been A Murder EP" (Cherryade Records, CD, 2010)
Albums
- Sex With Strangers (Cherryade Records, CD, 2008)
- River Pollution Music (Barryland Records, CD, Download, 2010) (TBC)
Compilation albums
- The Kids At The Club (How Does It Feel To Be Loved Records, July 2006, contains Blackpool)
- A Very Cherry Christmas, Vol. 3 (Cherryade Records, November 2007, contains Diamond White Christmas)
- A Very Cherry Christmas (Cherryade Records, November 2008, contains Perfect Christmas Snow (Perfect Christmas Kiss)
- Play Some Pool, Skip Some School, Act Real Cool: A Global Tribute To Bruce Springsteen (Where It's At Is Where You Are Records, July 2009, contains Magic)
- A Very Cherry Christmas, Vol. 5 (Cherryade Records, November 2009, contains Mistletoe Misadventure)
- A Very Cherry Christmas, Vol. 6 (Cherryade Records, November 2010, contains A Christmas Star For Xanthe-Rose)