Zoot Woman
Encyclopedia
Zoot Woman are a British
electronic
music
band consisting of Adam Blake
, Johnny Blake
and Stuart Price
.
Known for their live shows, the group has gained a worldwide following. With the album Living In A Magazine Zoot Woman established themselves on the music scene.
Credited by many within the industry as one of the most important forerunners of electroclash
. The band in full generally disassociates itself from the largely instrumental material released by Adam Blake
and Stuart Price
before adding Johnny Blake
to the lineup and taking a new direction stylistically. This is evidenced by the lack of its coverage on the official website.
Stuart Price
and Adam Blake
also do remixes under the alias Paper Faces
and have reworked tracks for Zoot Woman as well as other established recording artists such as Madonna
, Scissor Sisters
, Armand Van Helden
, Chromeo
and Frankmusik
. DJs Felix Da Housecat
and Pete Tong
have shown Paper Faces
much support.
The song Hope in the Mirror was featured in the soundtrack to Mack Dawg Productions 2004 snowboard video Chulksmack, in the Jussi Oksanen section of the film. Their track Grey Day appeared in David Benedek
's film 91 Words for Snow (2006, Blank Paper Studio). This helped spread the word to the snowboard community.
In December 2007, a new single titled We Won't Break was released as a free download on RCRD LBL
. The single was accompanied by a music video
directed by Mirjam Baker and Michael Kren. In March 2008, the band made a second single (Live In My Head) available for download on their MySpace
page. Both songs are featured on their third album, Things Are What They Used To Be
, which was released on 21 August 2009.
Their track "It's Automatic" has also been the subject of recent covers with many rappers deciding to use this as a backing for various tracks. One such artist is JD Era, while possibly the most well-known cover of "It's Automatic" due to its use in an online car commercial is Mickey Factz
's "Automatic" featuring Curtis Santiago.
In 2008 Zoot Woman established the record label ZWR on which the 2009 album Things Are What They Used To Be
was released.
In October 2010 it was announced on their official website that Zoot Woman were in the studio and had begun recording new material for a follow-up album.
of The Independent
writes, "This is the sound of minor-key heartbreak in departure lounges and penthouse suites, an album which should come with "New York, London, Paris, Munich" embossed on the sleeve."
Zoot Woman
features the singles "Grey Day" and "Taken It All".
"Gem" from this album was used in the Kate Moss
/Rimmel
Cosmetics TV
advertising campaign and "Calmer" in the CBS
TV drama CSI.
does not stray from the melodic road that Zoot Woman fans are familiar with. The songs display an upfront, passionate approach to the essence of what the group is known for.
Well-received by critics; NME
rated the album 8/10 with Camilla Pia writing, “The electro-clash survivors are at their most impressive yet: combining rip-your-heart-out lyrics with instantly singable melodies and frosty synths, all tinged with the occasional flurry of string and disco riffs. This is a masterclass in modern electronic music, finessed by innovation and emotional depth.”
The Guardian
’s Dave Simpson writing, “More Than Ever wraps undying love up in big keyboard stabs, Witness is an effective moody stomp, and Lonely By Your Side – a personal/existential crisis in a three-minute pop song – can hold its head up among their heroes.”
Videos including "We Won't Break", and "Memory" have achieved great success for Zoot Woman on YouTube. This album helped expose the band to a worldwide market. It features the singles "Just A Friend Of Mine", "More Than Ever", "Memory", "We Won't Break" & "Live In My Head".
, alternative rock
and synthpop
. Heavy use of both digital
and analogue synthesizers
is evident on each album. They are known to blend the use of acoustic
and electronic
instruments to create their sound. This is apparent in the way the group perform the songs live.
Many Zoot Woman songs are characterised by lead vocalist Johnny Blake
’s voice. Blake supports his vocal with a very rhythmic guitar playing style. For live performances he favours the Fender Telecaster
and Gibson SG
guitars.
Zoot Woman cite the bands Kraftwerk
, Depeche Mode
, Steely Dan
& The Police
among their influences.
In an interview with Universal Audio
, Adam Blake
discusses some of the group's recording techniques.
is quoted saying, "We've always said we want to look how we sound, so hopefully the look of the band could translate the music. But I think Zoot Woman is built foremost around the songs. There are bands out there where the show describes the band more than the actual music, but with Zoot Woman it's vice versa."
Zoot Woman have worked with acclaimed video directors Dawn Shadforth
, Uwe
Flade, Michael Kren, Mirjam Baker & Mike Mills
. With photography by Rankin
, Sølve Sundsbø, Ben Rigby, Matthias Krause, Normen Perke and styling by
fashion designer Fee Doran aka "Mrs Jones".
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
band consisting of Adam Blake
Adam Blake (musician)
Adam Blake is an English musician and songwriter, best known as founder member, producer and drummer of the electronic music band Zoot Woman. He produces remixes under the alias Paper Faces with Stuart Price...
, Johnny Blake
Johnny Blake
Johnny Blake is an English musician and songwriter, best known as lead vocalist and guitarist of the electronic music band Zoot Woman...
and Stuart Price
Stuart Price
Stuart Price is a three time Grammy-winning British electronic musician, songwriter, and record producer whose remixing and production skills are in demand by artists including New Order, Madonna, Kylie Minogue, Take That, Missy Elliott, Scissor Sisters, The Killers, Pet Shop Boys, Brandon...
.
Known for their live shows, the group has gained a worldwide following. With the album Living In A Magazine Zoot Woman established themselves on the music scene.
Credited by many within the industry as one of the most important forerunners of electroclash
Electroclash
Electroclash is a style of music that fuses New Wave and electronic dance music. It emerged in New York and Detroit in the later 1990s, pioneered by acts including I-F and those associated with Gerald Donald, and is associated with acts including Peaches, Adult, and Fischerspooner...
. The band in full generally disassociates itself from the largely instrumental material released by Adam Blake
Adam Blake (musician)
Adam Blake is an English musician and songwriter, best known as founder member, producer and drummer of the electronic music band Zoot Woman. He produces remixes under the alias Paper Faces with Stuart Price...
and Stuart Price
Stuart Price
Stuart Price is a three time Grammy-winning British electronic musician, songwriter, and record producer whose remixing and production skills are in demand by artists including New Order, Madonna, Kylie Minogue, Take That, Missy Elliott, Scissor Sisters, The Killers, Pet Shop Boys, Brandon...
before adding Johnny Blake
Johnny Blake
Johnny Blake is an English musician and songwriter, best known as lead vocalist and guitarist of the electronic music band Zoot Woman...
to the lineup and taking a new direction stylistically. This is evidenced by the lack of its coverage on the official website.
Stuart Price
Stuart Price
Stuart Price is a three time Grammy-winning British electronic musician, songwriter, and record producer whose remixing and production skills are in demand by artists including New Order, Madonna, Kylie Minogue, Take That, Missy Elliott, Scissor Sisters, The Killers, Pet Shop Boys, Brandon...
and Adam Blake
Adam Blake (musician)
Adam Blake is an English musician and songwriter, best known as founder member, producer and drummer of the electronic music band Zoot Woman. He produces remixes under the alias Paper Faces with Stuart Price...
also do remixes under the alias Paper Faces
Paper Faces
Paper Faces are British electronic music producers Adam Blake and Stuart Price. They have remixed tracks for Zoot Woman as well as other established recording artists such as Madonna, Scissor Sisters, Armand Van Helden, Chromeo and Frankmusik.-Remixography:...
and have reworked tracks for Zoot Woman as well as other established recording artists such as Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
, Scissor Sisters
Scissor Sisters
Scissor Sisters are an American band "spawned by the scuzzy, gay nightlife scene of New York" who took their name from a sexual position between two women also known as tribadism...
, Armand Van Helden
Armand Van Helden
Armand Van Helden is a record producer, DJ and remixer whose biggest commercial successes came from his remixes of the 1996 Tori Amos song "Professional Widow" , which reached number 1 in the UK Singles Chart in January 1997, and his own track "U Don't Know Me ", which went to number 1...
, Chromeo
Chromeo
Chromeo is an electrofunk duo formed in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in 2004.-History:Chromeo is composed of P-Thugg on keyboards, synthesizers, and talk box, and Dave 1 on guitar and lead vocals...
and Frankmusik
Frankmusik
Vincent Frank born Vincent James Turner is known professionally as Frankmusik is an English electropop musician. The name "Frank" is derived from the surname of his grandfather, whose name he took in tribute.-Early life:...
. DJs Felix Da Housecat
Felix da Housecat
Felix da Housecat is an American DJ and record producer, mostly known for house music and electroclash. His name was inspired by Felix the Cat....
and Pete Tong
Pete Tong
Peter "Pete" Tong is an English DJ who works for BBC Radio 1. He is known worldwide by fans of electronic music for hosting programmes such as Essential Mix and Essential Selection on the radio service, which can be heard through Internet radio streams, for his record label FFRR Records, and for...
have shown Paper Faces
Paper Faces
Paper Faces are British electronic music producers Adam Blake and Stuart Price. They have remixed tracks for Zoot Woman as well as other established recording artists such as Madonna, Scissor Sisters, Armand Van Helden, Chromeo and Frankmusik.-Remixography:...
much support.
The song Hope in the Mirror was featured in the soundtrack to Mack Dawg Productions 2004 snowboard video Chulksmack, in the Jussi Oksanen section of the film. Their track Grey Day appeared in David Benedek
David Benedek
David Benedek is a professional snowboarder, graphic designer and film maker. He is the co-founder of former US-based production company Robot Food as well as founder of Germany based Blank Paper Studio. David is most notable for his creative approach to Snowboarding as well as for pushing...
's film 91 Words for Snow (2006, Blank Paper Studio). This helped spread the word to the snowboard community.
In December 2007, a new single titled We Won't Break was released as a free download on RCRD LBL
RCRD LBL
RCRD LBL is the premier online destination for free, curated, legal MP3 downloads from the hottest marquee and emergent artists. RCRD LBL delivers free music downloads and more directly to readers with multiple personalized email properties, including the RCRD of the Day email newsletter, RCRD...
. The single was accompanied by a music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
directed by Mirjam Baker and Michael Kren. In March 2008, the band made a second single (Live In My Head) available for download on their MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
page. Both songs are featured on their third album, Things Are What They Used To Be
Things Are What They Used To Be (album)
Things Are What They Used to Be is the third full-length studio album by British alternative rock / electronica band Zoot Woman. The album spawned five singles, videos were created for "We Won't Break," "Memory" and "Saturation."-Track listing:...
, which was released on 21 August 2009.
Their track "It's Automatic" has also been the subject of recent covers with many rappers deciding to use this as a backing for various tracks. One such artist is JD Era, while possibly the most well-known cover of "It's Automatic" due to its use in an online car commercial is Mickey Factz
Mickey Factz
Mickey Williams , also known by his stage name Mickey Factz, is an American hip hop artist from The Bronx, NY.-Early life:Mickey Factz attended Adlai E...
's "Automatic" featuring Curtis Santiago.
In 2008 Zoot Woman established the record label ZWR on which the 2009 album Things Are What They Used To Be
Things Are What They Used To Be (album)
Things Are What They Used to Be is the third full-length studio album by British alternative rock / electronica band Zoot Woman. The album spawned five singles, videos were created for "We Won't Break," "Memory" and "Saturation."-Track listing:...
was released.
In October 2010 it was announced on their official website that Zoot Woman were in the studio and had begun recording new material for a follow-up album.
Living In A Magazine (2001)
With the release of the conceptual debut album Living In A Magazine in 2001, Zoot Woman established themselves on the music scene, releasing the singles “It's Automatic” and “Living in a Magazine”. The album's pop sensibility is evident on tracks such as "Jessie", "Holiday Home" and "Information First". Simon PriceSimon Price
Simon Price is a British music journalist and club promoter, born on 25 September 1967 in the Welsh town of Barry. He is now best known for his weekly review section in The Independent on Sunday and his book on Manic Street Preachers.-Career:...
of The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
writes, "This is the sound of minor-key heartbreak in departure lounges and penthouse suites, an album which should come with "New York, London, Paris, Munich" embossed on the sleeve."
Zoot Woman (2003)
A significant departure from the bright, pop feel of Living In A Magazine, Zoot Woman's eponymous second album remains faithful to the musical qualities that made their debut record.Zoot Woman
Zoot Woman (album)
Zoot Woman is the second proper release as studio album by British alternative electronic band Zoot Woman. Featuring singles "Grey Day", "Taken it All" and "Gem"...
features the singles "Grey Day" and "Taken It All".
"Gem" from this album was used in the Kate Moss
Kate Moss
Kate Moss is an English model. Moss is known for her waifish figure and popularising the heroin chic look in the 1990s. She is also known for her controversial private life, high profile relationships, party lifestyle, and drug use. Moss changed the look of modelling and started a global debate on...
/Rimmel
Rimmel
Rimmel is a cosmetics brand, now owned by Coty, Inc.. The House of Rimmel was originally founded by Eugene Rimmel in 1834 in Regent Street, London, UK....
Cosmetics TV
advertising campaign and "Calmer" in the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
TV drama CSI.
Things Are What They Used To Be (2009)
The album Things Are What They Used To BeThings Are What They Used To Be (album)
Things Are What They Used to Be is the third full-length studio album by British alternative rock / electronica band Zoot Woman. The album spawned five singles, videos were created for "We Won't Break," "Memory" and "Saturation."-Track listing:...
does not stray from the melodic road that Zoot Woman fans are familiar with. The songs display an upfront, passionate approach to the essence of what the group is known for.
Well-received by critics; 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...
rated the album 8/10 with Camilla Pia writing, “The electro-clash survivors are at their most impressive yet: combining rip-your-heart-out lyrics with instantly singable melodies and frosty synths, all tinged with the occasional flurry of string and disco riffs. This is a masterclass in modern electronic music, finessed by innovation and emotional depth.”
The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
’s Dave Simpson writing, “More Than Ever wraps undying love up in big keyboard stabs, Witness is an effective moody stomp, and Lonely By Your Side – a personal/existential crisis in a three-minute pop song – can hold its head up among their heroes.”
Videos including "We Won't Break", and "Memory" have achieved great success for Zoot Woman on YouTube. This album helped expose the band to a worldwide market. It features the singles "Just A Friend Of Mine", "More Than Ever", "Memory", "We Won't Break" & "Live In My Head".
Musical style
Zoot Woman's main genres are electronicaElectronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
, alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
and synthpop
Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
. Heavy use of both digital
Digital synthesizer
A digital synthesizer is a synthesizer that uses digital signal processing techniques to make musical sounds.Electronic keyboards make music through sound waves.-History:...
and analogue synthesizers
Analog synthesizer
An analog or analogue synthesizer is a synthesizer that uses analog circuits and analog computer techniques to generate sound electronically. The earliest analog synthesizers in the 1920s and 1930s such as the Trautonium were built with a variety of vacuum-tube and electro-mechanical technologies...
is evident on each album. They are known to blend the use of acoustic
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
and electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
instruments to create their sound. This is apparent in the way the group perform the songs live.
Many Zoot Woman songs are characterised by lead vocalist Johnny Blake
Johnny Blake
Johnny Blake is an English musician and songwriter, best known as lead vocalist and guitarist of the electronic music band Zoot Woman...
’s voice. Blake supports his vocal with a very rhythmic guitar playing style. For live performances he favours the Fender Telecaster
Fender Telecaster
The Fender Telecaster, colloquially known as the Tele , is typically a dual-pickup, solid-body electric guitar made by Fender.Its simple yet effective design and revolutionary sound broke ground and set trends in electric guitar manufacturing and popular music...
and Gibson SG
Gibson SG
At the launch of the SG in 1961, Gibson offered four variants of the SG; the SG Junior , the SG Special, the SG Standard, and the top-of-the-line SG Custom. However, Gibson's current core variants as of 2010 are the SG Standard and the SG Special...
guitars.
Zoot Woman cite the bands Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk is an influential electronic music band from Düsseldorf, Germany. The group was formed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1970, and was fronted by them until Schneider's departure in 2008...
, Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
, Steely Dan
Steely Dan
Steely Dan is an American rock band; its core members are Donald Fagen and Walter Becker. The band's popularity peaked in the late 1970s, with the release of seven albums blending elements of jazz, rock, funk, R&B, and pop...
& The Police
The Police
The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the vast majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...
among their influences.
In an interview with Universal Audio
Universal Audio (company)
Universal Audio is a designer and manufacturer of audio signal processing hardware and software founded in 1958. The current incarnation of the company was re-established in 1999 by brothers Jim Putnam and Bill Putnam, Jr., sons of the original founder Bill Putnam...
, Adam Blake
Adam Blake (musician)
Adam Blake is an English musician and songwriter, best known as founder member, producer and drummer of the electronic music band Zoot Woman. He produces remixes under the alias Paper Faces with Stuart Price...
discusses some of the group's recording techniques.
The Band's Image
Image is a key conceptual element to the band's output. Johnny BlakeJohnny Blake
Johnny Blake is an English musician and songwriter, best known as lead vocalist and guitarist of the electronic music band Zoot Woman...
is quoted saying, "We've always said we want to look how we sound, so hopefully the look of the band could translate the music. But I think Zoot Woman is built foremost around the songs. There are bands out there where the show describes the band more than the actual music, but with Zoot Woman it's vice versa."
Zoot Woman have worked with acclaimed video directors Dawn Shadforth
Dawn Shadforth
Dawn Shadforth is a British music video and documentary director, as well as an editor and artist. Shadforth began her career as an award winning sculptor before turning her interest to music and directing...
, Uwe
Flade, Michael Kren, Mirjam Baker & Mike Mills
Mike Mills
Michael Edward "Mike" Mills is an American multi-instrumentalist and composer who was a founding member of the alternative rock group R.E.M.. Though known primarily as a bass guitarist, backing vocalist, and pianist, his musical repertoire includes also keyboards, guitar, and percussion instruments...
. With photography by Rankin
Rankin (photographer)
John Rankin Waddell, working name Rankin, born 1966, is a British portrait and fashion photographer.-Life and career:Waddell was brought up in St Albans, Hertfordshire. At the age of 21, whilst studying accounting at Brighton Polytechnic, he realized that his interests lay elsewhere and dropped...
, Sølve Sundsbø, Ben Rigby, Matthias Krause, Normen Perke and styling by
fashion designer Fee Doran aka "Mrs Jones".
Albums
- 2009 - Things Are What They Used To BeThings Are What They Used To Be (album)Things Are What They Used to Be is the third full-length studio album by British alternative rock / electronica band Zoot Woman. The album spawned five singles, videos were created for "We Won't Break," "Memory" and "Saturation."-Track listing:...
(ZWR) - 2003 - Zoot WomanZoot Woman (album)Zoot Woman is the second proper release as studio album by British alternative electronic band Zoot Woman. Featuring singles "Grey Day", "Taken it All" and "Gem"...
(Wall of SoundWall of Sound (record label)Wall of Sound is an independent record label based in London, England. It is part of the [PIAS] Entertainment Group, a European independent music company....
) - 2001 - Living In A Magazine (Wall of SoundWall of Sound (record label)Wall of Sound is an independent record label based in London, England. It is part of the [PIAS] Entertainment Group, a European independent music company....
)
Singles/EPs
- 2010 - More Than Ever
- 2009 - Memory
- 2009 - Just A Friend Of Mine
- 2009 - We Won't Break (Redone)/Saturation
- 2008 - Live In My Head
- 2007 - We Won't Break
- 2004 - Taken It All
- 2003 - Gem
- 2003 - Grey Day
- 2001 - Living In A Magazine
- 2001 - You & I
- 2000 - It's Automatic
- 1997 - Chasing Cities
- 1996 - Sweet To The Wind