The Loungs
Encyclopedia
The Loungs are an indie rock
band from St Helens
, Merseyside
, in the North-West of England
. Their debut album We Are The Champ
was released in 2007 on Manchester
's Akoustik Anarkhy label and the follow-up Big Wow in 2010 on Fresh Hair Records. Both albums were highly acclaimed in the music press and the band have gigged extensively across the UK since their inception. Since October 2009 the band have been giving away free 'B-Sides' to members of their online mailing list and the songs will eventually form a download only album entitled B-Sides to Non-Existent A-Sides. The band are currently writing their third official album.
.
The Loungs established a reputation via a series of gigs throughout the UK, playing with Arctic Monkeys
, Sondre Lerche
, Noisettes
, Good Shoes
, Yeti
, The Basement, The Rakes
, 10,000 Things, Moco, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
, The Redwalls
, Zabrinski
, The Harrisons, Gintis, Vinny Peculiar and Jim Noir
, amongst others. During this time, they self-released an EP called Learning is Fun with The Loungs.
-based Akoustik Anarkhy record label, which led to the releasing of their debut single 'I'm Gonna Take Your Girl' in February 2006 to rave reviews throughout the music press. During this time the band were picked amongst 14 finalists as a part of Channel 4's The Road To V competition and a live performance and interview were featured on the Channel 4 programme of the same name. The Loungs also donated a demo version of their track 'All Your Love' to Lupine Recordings
' debut compilation Tales From The Lux in October 2006.
Their next single 'Armageddon Outta Here/Cats' followed in April 2007.
was released in May 2007 to widespread critical acclaim and was described as "Joyous" (Uncut Magazine), "Gloriously rowdy" (Q Magazine)
"One of the most exhausting but enjoyable 34 minutes you'll spend listening to music this year" (NME
) and "The best thing to come out of St.Helens since the East Lancs road
' (The Word) amongst many others.
Summer 2007 saw The Loungs appear at many festivals
throughout the UK including Glastonbury
, Knowsley Hall
Music Festival, Bestival
and Beat Herder.
Their next single 'Googly Moogly/Jimmy Two Shoes' followed in October 2007.
They spent 2008 working on their second album at Catalyst Studios in St.Helens and gigging regularly throughout the UK appearing at many festivals throughout the summer. A new song 'Jack Sarfatti' appeared in June 2008 on USB stick attached to the cover of Amelia's Magazine which featured bands performing specially written songs on the subject of 'the future'.
The band's second album Big Wow was released in March 2010 and featured 12 new songs. Alongside the album the band created 12 promotional videos to accompany each track which can be seen on the Fresh Hair Records Youtube page.
In May 2011 the recordings where sequenced together as a free download only album.
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band from St Helens
St Helens, Merseyside
St Helens is a large town in Merseyside, England. It is the largest settlement and administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens with a population of just over 100,000, part of an urban area with a total population of 176,843 at the time of the 2001 Census...
, Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
, in the North-West of 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...
. Their debut album We Are The Champ
We Are the Champ
We Are The Champ is the debut album by The Loungs, released on 21 May 2007 on the Akoustik Anarkhy label. It was recorded and produced by The Loungs and Andy Bowes at Catalyst Studios, St. Helens...
was released in 2007 on Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
's Akoustik Anarkhy label and the follow-up Big Wow in 2010 on Fresh Hair Records. Both albums were highly acclaimed in the music press and the band have gigged extensively across the UK since their inception. Since October 2009 the band have been giving away free 'B-Sides' to members of their online mailing list and the songs will eventually form a download only album entitled B-Sides to Non-Existent A-Sides. The band are currently writing their third official album.
Early years
The band was formed in 2003 by Jamie, Dan and Neil, who had been friends at school. They found drummer Gaz outside a takeaway, asked him to join the band, and set out gigging. They recruited keyboard player Martin and guitarist Paul in 2004. The band's first gig as a six-piece was on April 24, 2004 at the "Groovy Festival" at Liverpool St Helens Football ClubLiverpool St Helens F.C.
Liverpool St Helens Football Club are a rugby union team formed from the merger of Liverpool Football Club and St. Helens RUFC. The club currently plays in North 1 West....
.
The Loungs established a reputation via a series of gigs throughout the UK, playing with Arctic Monkeys
Arctic Monkeys
Arctic Monkeys are an English indie rock band. Formed in 2002 in High Green, a suburb of Sheffield, the band currently consists of Alex Turner , Jamie Cook , Nick O'Malley and Matt Helders...
, Sondre Lerche
Sondre Lerche
-Career:Sondre Lerche was born in Bergen, Norway. Growing up, Lerche was heavily influenced by the '80s pop that emanated from his older siblings' rooms. Compelled by a defining fascination for bands such as The Beatles, A-ha, the Beach Boys, and Prefab Sprout, Lerche began formal guitar...
, Noisettes
Noisettes
Noisettes are an English indie rock band from London, comprising singer and bassist Shingai Shoniwa, guitarist Dan Smith, and drummer Jamie Morrison...
, Good Shoes
Good Shoes
Good Shoes are a four-piece English indie pop band, hailing from Morden, London.-Biography:Good Shoes was formed by lead singer Rhys Jones and guitarist Steve Leach who often wrote and played music together as a hobby. Rhys and Steve appeared as a two piece under the Good Shoes name for a friend's...
, Yeti
Yeti (band)
Yeti are an English rock band, founded in 2004 by John Hassall, of The Libertines. Hassall met Brendan Kersey, Andrew Deian and Mark Underwood through mutual friends, and the line-up was completed when drummer Graham Blacow responded to a classified advertisement...
, The Basement, The Rakes
The Rakes
The Rakes were an English indie rock band from London. They split up in October 2009.-History:The Rakes formed in 2004. Since coming to fame in 2005, they were associated with the British post-punk/art rock scene, a genre shared by bands such as Bloc Party, Maxïmo Park, and The Futureheads...
, 10,000 Things, Moco, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is an American indie rock group based in Brooklyn, New York and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Their debut album, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, was self-released in 2005.-History:...
, The Redwalls
The Redwalls
The Redwalls are a two-member rock band from Deerfield, Illinois, in suburban Chicago.-History:Nearly two years after Universal Blues the band would release their second studio album , titled De Nova, on June 21, 2005...
, Zabrinski
Zabrinski
Zabrinski were an alternative rock band from Carmarthen, Wales. They formed in the late 1990s and released four albums before splitting up in 2007.-History:...
, The Harrisons, Gintis, Vinny Peculiar and Jim Noir
Jim Noir
Jim Noir is the stage name of Alan Roberts, an English singer-songwriter from Davyhulme, Manchester. Noir's stage moniker is in homage to Vic Reeves, whose real name is Jim Moir. He has released two albums to date, 2005's Tower of Love and 2008's self titled LP...
, amongst others. During this time, they self-released an EP called Learning is Fun with The Loungs.
Akoustik Anarkhy
In late 2005, they became involved with the ManchesterManchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
-based Akoustik Anarkhy record label, which led to the releasing of their debut single 'I'm Gonna Take Your Girl' in February 2006 to rave reviews throughout the music press. During this time the band were picked amongst 14 finalists as a part of Channel 4's The Road To V competition and a live performance and interview were featured on the Channel 4 programme of the same name. The Loungs also donated a demo version of their track 'All Your Love' to Lupine Recordings
Lupine Record label
Lupine Records is an independent record label based in Wigan, England. Their debut EP Tales From The Lux was released in October 2006.The label has featured releases from Gerard Starkie of Witness fame, Moco, The Loungs, Mat Turner; formerly of Gomez, The V.C's and Dirty Circus; previously signed...
' debut compilation Tales From The Lux in October 2006.
Their next single 'Armageddon Outta Here/Cats' followed in April 2007.
We Are The Champ
The Loungs' debut album We Are The ChampWe Are the Champ
We Are The Champ is the debut album by The Loungs, released on 21 May 2007 on the Akoustik Anarkhy label. It was recorded and produced by The Loungs and Andy Bowes at Catalyst Studios, St. Helens...
was released in May 2007 to widespread critical acclaim and was described as "Joyous" (Uncut Magazine), "Gloriously rowdy" (Q Magazine)
"One of the most exhausting but enjoyable 34 minutes you'll spend listening to music this year" (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...
) and "The best thing to come out of St.Helens since the East Lancs road
A580 road
The A580 is a primary A road in England that connects Walton, near Liverpool and Salford, near Manchester and known officially as Liverpool-East Lancashire Road. Locally, the road is shortened to the "East Lancs". The road was designed and built to provide better access to the Port of Liverpool for...
' (The Word) amongst many others.
Summer 2007 saw The Loungs appear at many festivals
Music festival
A music festival is a festival oriented towards music that is sometimes presented with a theme such as musical genre, nationality or locality of musicians, or holiday. They are commonly held outdoors, and are often inclusive of other attractions such as food and merchandise vending machines,...
throughout the UK including 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...
, Knowsley Hall
Knowsley Hall
Knowsley Hall is a stately home near Liverpool within the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley, in Merseyside, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building, and is the ancestral home of the Stanley family, the Earls of Derby. The hall is surrounded by of...
Music Festival, 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 Beat Herder.
Their next single 'Googly Moogly/Jimmy Two Shoes' followed in October 2007.
Big Wow
The Loungs split from Akoustik Anarkhy at the end of 2007.They spent 2008 working on their second album at Catalyst Studios in St.Helens and gigging regularly throughout the UK appearing at many festivals throughout the summer. A new song 'Jack Sarfatti' appeared in June 2008 on USB stick attached to the cover of Amelia's Magazine which featured bands performing specially written songs on the subject of 'the future'.
The band's second album Big Wow was released in March 2010 and featured 12 new songs. Alongside the album the band created 12 promotional videos to accompany each track which can be seen on the Fresh Hair Records Youtube page.
B-Sides To Non-Existent A-Sides
Throughout 2009/2010 the band released a series of monthly recordings to the members of their mailing list.In May 2011 the recordings where sequenced together as a free download only album.
Albums
- We Are The ChampWe Are the ChampWe Are The Champ is the debut album by The Loungs, released on 21 May 2007 on the Akoustik Anarkhy label. It was recorded and produced by The Loungs and Andy Bowes at Catalyst Studios, St. Helens...
- released 21 May 2007 on Akoustik Anarkhy 12" vinyl, CD Digipack and Download. Download available from 23 April 2007. - Big Wow - released 8 March 2010 on Fresh Hair Records CD and download.
- B-Sides To Non-Existent A-Sides - released 17 May 2011 on Fresh Hair Records. Download only collection of B-Sides & Demos.
Singles
- I'm Gonna Take Your Girl/Seen My Baby Dancin' - released 28 February 2006 on Akoustik Anarkhy 7" and Download
- Armageddon Outta Here/Cats - released 2 April 2007 on Akoustik Anarkhy 7" and Download
- Googly Moogly/Jimmy Two Shoes - released 15 October 2007 on Akoustik Anarkhy 7" and Download
Download
- B-Sides to Non-Existent A-Sides - Collection of free downloads originally available through The Loungs' mailing list and now available as a download only album.
Compilations
- Tales From The Lux - released 30 October 2006 on Lupine RecordsLupine Record labelLupine Records is an independent record label based in Wigan, England. Their debut EP Tales From The Lux was released in October 2006.The label has featured releases from Gerard Starkie of Witness fame, Moco, The Loungs, Mat Turner; formerly of Gomez, The V.C's and Dirty Circus; previously signed...
10" - features "All Your Love" - Amelia's Magazine - released May 2008 - USB stick attached to magazine - features "Jack Sarfatti"
- Registered - released September 2008 - Free CD created by the electoral services unit in order to promote young people to use their vote in Manchester - features "Dig That Do"
- Cloud Sounds Compilation - released December 2008 - CD - features "Cloud Sounds Jingle" + "Jimmy Two Shoes"
TV and Film
- Waterloo RoadWaterloo 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...
- the third series of the BBC1 drama featured the songs "All Your Love" and "Clancy's Stomp" in episode 3. - The Road To V - the Channel 4Channel 4Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
series featured the songs "Clancy's Stomp" and "I'm Gonna Take Your Girl" and an interview with the band.