X-wife
Encyclopedia
X-Wife is a rock
band from Portugal
. Current members are: João Vieira (vocals/guitar), Fernando Sousa (bass), Rui Maia (Synthesizers/ drums/drum machine).
but none of the bands ever got a record deal. In the mid 90's Vieira went to London
to study graphic design. There he got involved with several bands and even formed another band under the name Centerfold. Unlike the original Centerfold, this band was mainly a 70's glam rock
thing. As with the first incarnation of Centerfold, little success was achieved. Still while in London, together with a friend (Stuart), he founded what was known as the Club Kitten where he DJ'ed under the nickname DJ Kitten. The club soon got the attention of the British press.
In January 2001 Vieira returned to Portugal
, and set up a new Club Kitten in the Triplex disco in the city of Porto
where he continues to perform under the name DJ Kitten. As in London, Club Kitten was a great success and DJ Kitten now performs all around the country at clubs, festivals and events. Around the same time as he set up Club Kitten, and after many long conversations about music, Vieira and Fernando Sousa (at the time in a band called Stealing Orchestra
), decided to start jamming together. After meeting Rui Maia in a bar, X-Wife was complete (the official date of birth of X-Wife is March 2002). Starting from a set of demos that Vieira recorded on a minidisc
while in London, the band began their rehearsals. In one of those rehearsals a record label
(Nortesul) manager showed up (on the recommendation of a mutual friend) and two months later a record deal was presented to the trio. In 2003 they released the Rockin' Rio EP
, which includes the tracks "Rockin' Rio", “Eno” and “We Are” . The track "Rockin' Rio" received considerable radio airplay and "Action Plan" received massive radio airplay despite the fact it wasn't released as a single. The album got good reviews from the press, and a tour of clubs and summer festivals followed. On the 10th April 2006 they released Side Effects
, with "Ping-Pong" selected as the first single. "Ping-Pong"'s excellent video clip was directed by Kalle Kotila & Malakias (las palmas films). "Realize" was the second single taken from Side Effects, with André Cepêda, directing the video clip. Side Effects was released in Spain by PuPilo Records in 2007. X-Wife's third album, Are you ready for the blackout? was released in late September 2008, and debuted in the top 25 in its domestic market.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band from Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. Current members are: João Vieira (vocals/guitar), Fernando Sousa (bass), Rui Maia (Synthesizers/ drums/drum machine).
Biography
In the early 90's João Vieira was involved in a few bands, namely Centerfold where he handled vocal duties. The genre could be loosely defined as BritpopBritpop
Britpop is a subgenre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom. Britpop emerged from the British independent music scene of the early 1990s and was characterised by bands influenced by British guitar pop music of the 1960s and 1970s...
but none of the bands ever got a record deal. In the mid 90's Vieira went to London
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...
to study graphic design. There he got involved with several bands and even formed another band under the name Centerfold. Unlike the original Centerfold, this band was mainly a 70's glam rock
Glam rock
Glam rock is a style of rock and pop music that developed in the UK in the early 1970s, which was performed by singers and musicians who wore outrageous clothes, makeup and hairstyles, particularly platform-soled boots and glitter...
thing. As with the first incarnation of Centerfold, little success was achieved. Still while in London, together with a friend (Stuart), he founded what was known as the Club Kitten where he DJ'ed under the nickname DJ Kitten. The club soon got the attention of the British press.
In January 2001 Vieira returned to Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, and set up a new Club Kitten in the Triplex disco in the city of Porto
Porto
Porto , also known as Oporto in English, is the second largest city in Portugal and one of the major urban areas in the Iberian Peninsula. Its administrative limits include a population of 237,559 inhabitants distributed within 15 civil parishes...
where he continues to perform under the name DJ Kitten. As in London, Club Kitten was a great success and DJ Kitten now performs all around the country at clubs, festivals and events. Around the same time as he set up Club Kitten, and after many long conversations about music, Vieira and Fernando Sousa (at the time in a band called Stealing Orchestra
Stealing Orchestra
Stealing Orchestra is a band from Porto, Portugal that explores music through sampling and real instruments since 1997.A review by Cool & Strange Music Magazine back in 2000 gives a general idea of the music by Stealing Orchestra even if there were many changes in the line-up or musical...
), decided to start jamming together. After meeting Rui Maia in a bar, X-Wife was complete (the official date of birth of X-Wife is March 2002). Starting from a set of demos that Vieira recorded on a minidisc
MiniDisc
The disc is permanently housed in a cartridge with a sliding door, similar to the casing of a 3.5" floppy disk. This shutter is opened automatically by a mechanism upon insertion. The audio discs can either be recordable or premastered. Recordable MiniDiscs use a magneto-optical system to record...
while in London, the band began their rehearsals. In one of those rehearsals a record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
(Nortesul) manager showed up (on the recommendation of a mutual friend) and two months later a record deal was presented to the trio. In 2003 they released the Rockin' Rio EP
Rockin' Rio EP
Rockin' Rio EP is the first proper studio recording by the Portuguese band X-Wife....
, which includes the tracks "Rockin' Rio", “Eno” and “We Are” . The track "Rockin' Rio" received considerable radio airplay and "Action Plan" received massive radio airplay despite the fact it wasn't released as a single. The album got good reviews from the press, and a tour of clubs and summer festivals followed. On the 10th April 2006 they released Side Effects
Side Effects (X-Wife album)
Side Effects is the second studio album by the Portuguese band X-Wife.-Track listing:#"Ping-Pong"#"Realize"#"When The Lights Turn Off"#"Panic"#"Bright Lights, Big City"#"Take The Honey And Run"#"Over"#"Turn It Up"#"Lost Lines"#"Hot Shot"...
, with "Ping-Pong" selected as the first single. "Ping-Pong"'s excellent video clip was directed by Kalle Kotila & Malakias (las palmas films). "Realize" was the second single taken from Side Effects, with André Cepêda, directing the video clip. Side Effects was released in Spain by PuPilo Records in 2007. X-Wife's third album, Are you ready for the blackout? was released in late September 2008, and debuted in the top 25 in its domestic market.
Discography
- Rockin' Rio EPRockin' Rio EPRockin' Rio EP is the first proper studio recording by the Portuguese band X-Wife....
- 2003 - Feeding The MachineFeeding the MachineFeeding The Machine is the first full studio album by the Portuguese band X-Wife.-Track listing:#"New Old City"#"Eno"#"Fall"#"Second Best"#"Action Plan"#"Clinic"#"The Sound Of You"#"Rockin' Rio"#"Outside"#"We Are"#"Taking Control"...
- 2004 - Side EffectsSide Effects (X-Wife album)Side Effects is the second studio album by the Portuguese band X-Wife.-Track listing:#"Ping-Pong"#"Realize"#"When The Lights Turn Off"#"Panic"#"Bright Lights, Big City"#"Take The Honey And Run"#"Over"#"Turn It Up"#"Lost Lines"#"Hot Shot"...
- 2006 - Are you ready for the blackout? - 2008
- Infectious Affectional - 2011