The Nova Saints
Encyclopedia
The Nova Saints are a Bristol
-based band whose musical style is most commonly referred to as 'shoegazing
' and 'psychedelic
'.
The band are currently recording their debut album, scheduled for a 2011 release.
in 2003 as Spencer, a modish garage band
, albeit with a heavy shoegaze influence. The band was initially formed purely to provide a support act to a friend's band. The primary members were John Banks, Steve Waterhouse, Dom Gallagher and Tom Chillcott and the name was a throwback to a band the four members played in as teenagers. In 2004 Spencer expanded their line-up by adding keyboardist Matt Goddard to augment their increasingly shoegaze influenced sound.
After more gigs in and around Hereford the band relocated en masse to Bristol where they moved in together, living, sleeping and rehearsing under the same roof whilst immersing themselves in the Bristol music scene. It was here that they came to the attention of former Verve
guitarist Nick McCabe
who helped produce their early demos and guested on stage with them at 2006's Ashton Court Festival
, his first live appearance since the break-up of The Verve in 1998. By this time the band had changed their name to The Nova Saints.
along with increasing dissatisfaction with their throw-away moniker led to a name change in mid 2006 to The Nova Saints. The origins of this name are unknown, though it has been variously suggested that it was inspired by William S. Burroughs
' novel Nova Express
, indie band Pale Saints
and the 1986 film Short Circuit
.
Late 2006 saw The Nova Saints enter Moles Studio in Bath to record tracks for what would become their debut release The Draft EP
. They returned in early 2007 to re-record early demo track "Sugar Coated" for inclusion on Northern Star Records
' Psychedelica Volume 2 compilation. The Draft EP itself emerged a couple of months later to positive reviews. This was followed by a national tour, the first of two in 2007, and a return to the studio in the autumn to record more tracks - one of which, "Lights", appears on the Northern Star compilation Revolution In Sound.
2008 began with another headlining tour, their largest to date, and saw the band feature in the O2 Wireless
documentary Bristol: Our Music.
In April 2009 the band entered the studio to begin work on their debut album. On 26 April 2010 it was announced that The Nova Saints had signed to Northern Star Records.
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
-based band whose musical style is most commonly referred to as 'shoegazing
Shoegazing
Shoegazing is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged from the United Kingdom in the late 1980s. It lasted there until the mid 1990s, with a critical zenith reached in 1990 and 1991...
' and 'psychedelic
Psychedelic
The term psychedelic is derived from the Greek words ψυχή and δηλοῦν , translating to "soul-manifesting". A psychedelic experience is characterized by the striking perception of aspects of one's mind previously unknown, or by the creative exuberance of the mind liberated from its ostensibly...
'.
The band are currently recording their debut album, scheduled for a 2011 release.
Spencer (2003 - 2006)
The first incarnation of the band that would become The Nova Saints formed in HerefordHereford
Hereford is a cathedral city, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester...
in 2003 as Spencer, a modish garage band
Garage band
The term garage band can refer to:* A band that performs garage rock* GarageBand, audio production software published by Apple Inc.* GarageBand.com, a website that helps publicize emerging bands...
, albeit with a heavy shoegaze influence. The band was initially formed purely to provide a support act to a friend's band. The primary members were John Banks, Steve Waterhouse, Dom Gallagher and Tom Chillcott and the name was a throwback to a band the four members played in as teenagers. In 2004 Spencer expanded their line-up by adding keyboardist Matt Goddard to augment their increasingly shoegaze influenced sound.
After more gigs in and around Hereford the band relocated en masse to Bristol where they moved in together, living, sleeping and rehearsing under the same roof whilst immersing themselves in the Bristol music scene. It was here that they came to the attention of former Verve
The Verve
The Verve were an English rock band formed in 1989 in Wigan by lead vocalist Richard Ashcroft, guitarist Nick McCabe, bassist Simon Jones, and drummer Peter Salisbury. Guitarist and keyboardist Simon Tong later became a member. Beginning with a psychedelic sound indebted to shoegazing and space...
guitarist Nick McCabe
Nick McCabe
Nick McCabe is a musician best known as the lead guitarist of The Verve.-Early life:Nick McCabe was the son of a bus driver and has two older brothers, Alan and Paul...
who helped produce their early demos and guested on stage with them at 2006's Ashton Court Festival
Ashton Court Festival
The Ashton Court Festival was an outdoor music festival held annually in mid-July on the grounds of Ashton Court, just outside Bristol, England. The festival was a weekend event which featured a variety of local bands and national headliners...
, his first live appearance since the break-up of The Verve in 1998. By this time the band had changed their name to The Nova Saints.
Name change and The Draft EP (2006 - 2008)
The continuing influence of psychedelia and neo-psychedeliaNeo-psychedelia
Neo-psychedelia is music that emulates or is heavily influenced by the psychedelic music of the 1960s. It began to be revived among British post-punk bands of the later 1970s and early 1980s and was taken up by groups including bands of the Paisley Underground and Madchester scenes, as well as...
along with increasing dissatisfaction with their throw-away moniker led to a name change in mid 2006 to The Nova Saints. The origins of this name are unknown, though it has been variously suggested that it was inspired by William S. Burroughs
William S. Burroughs
William Seward Burroughs II was an American novelist, poet, essayist and spoken word performer. A primary figure of the Beat Generation and a major postmodernist author, he is considered to be "one of the most politically trenchant, culturally influential, and innovative artists of the 20th...
' novel Nova Express
Nova Express
Nova Express is a 1964 novel by William S. Burroughs. It was written using the cut-up method, developed by Burroughs with Brion Gysin, of enfolding snippets of different texts into the novel. It is the third book in The Nova Trilogy, preceded by The Soft Machine and The Ticket That Exploded...
, indie band Pale Saints
Pale Saints
Pale Saints was formed in 1987 by Ian Masters , Graeme Naysmith , and Chris Cooper in Leeds, England. The group began as a jangly indie pop band, influenced by Primal Scream's early sound.-History:...
and the 1986 film Short Circuit
Short Circuit
Short Circuit is a 1986 comedy science fiction film starring Ally Sheedy and Steve Guttenberg and directed by John Badham. Fisher Stevens, Austin Pendleton, and G. W...
.
Late 2006 saw The Nova Saints enter Moles Studio in Bath to record tracks for what would become their debut release The Draft EP
The Draft EP
The Draft EP is the debut release by Bristol-based band The Nova Saints, released on 28th May 2007. The EP was limited to 500 copies on its initial release but has been re-released twice since, most recently by Northern Star Records in a limited run of 200, to mark The Nova Saints’ signing to the...
. They returned in early 2007 to re-record early demo track "Sugar Coated" for inclusion on Northern Star Records
Northern Star Records
Northern Star Records is a UK based record label founded by Scott Causer and Andy Oliver in 2005. The label launched in March 2006 with their first release, the double CD compilation Psychedelica Vol. 1...
' Psychedelica Volume 2 compilation. The Draft EP itself emerged a couple of months later to positive reviews. This was followed by a national tour, the first of two in 2007, and a return to the studio in the autumn to record more tracks - one of which, "Lights", appears on the Northern Star compilation Revolution In Sound.
2008 began with another headlining tour, their largest to date, and saw the band feature in the O2 Wireless
Wireless Festival
The Wireless Festival is a music festival in England that takes place every year in Hyde Park, London, and took place at Harewood House, Leeds in 2006 and 2007. It is owned and managed by Live Nation....
documentary Bristol: Our Music.
Hiatus and debut album (2008 - 2010)
In the summer of 2008 The Nova Saints went on something of a hiatus from live performance, honouring their bookings but thereafter playing just the occasional gig for long time supporters Northern Star Records or opening up for friends' bands.In April 2009 the band entered the studio to begin work on their debut album. On 26 April 2010 it was announced that The Nova Saints had signed to Northern Star Records.
Newfoundland (2011)
On Thursday 11 August 2011 it was announced that The Nova Saints' debut album, Newfoundland, would be released on 31 October 2011 through Northern Star Records. Featuring 12 songs written over the course of the band’s first 3 years together, the album is a mixture of brand new recordings of previously unheard songs and re-recordings of Nova Saints ‘classics’, all recorded between 2009 and 2011 by Mat Sampson at Bink Bonk, Bristol.Band members
- Steve Waterhouse - vocals, electric guitars, acoustic guitars
- Dom Gallagher - electric guitars, 'glide' guitar, backwards guitar, electric sitar, E-Bow, Space Echo, Deluxe Memory Man, samples, additional guitar sounds
- John Banks - bass guitar, vocals, electric guitars, acoustic guitars, synth guitar, 'glide' guitar, electric sitar, Fender Rhodes, white noise
- Matt Goddard - Juno-6, Pro-One, K-Station, Mellotron, Hammond organ, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer, piano, E-Bow, samples, white noise
- Tom Chillcott - drums, vocals, percussion
Compilation appearances
- Psychedelica Volume 2 (2007)
- Psychedelica Three (2008)
- Revolution In Sound (2009)