Britpop

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(Vocal/instrumental group, 1992–present) Hailing from Northern Ireland, Ash comprise Tim Wheeler, (vocals, guitar), Mark Hamilton (bass) and Rick McMurray (drums). Initially trading as teenagers, their infectious blend of indie rock was captured on their debut album 1977 (1996). They had expanded to a wider palette on Nu-Clear Sound (1998) by which time they had added Charlotte Hatherley on additional guitar. Fourth album Meltdown (2005) was a mature rock album. In 2006, ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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Indie guitarist and producer Bernard Butler (b. 1970) was born in Tottenham, London. After learning violin as a child, he took up guitar at the age of 14, inspired by Johnny Marr, learning Smiths’ guitar parts by watching the band play live. He was also influenced by Bernard Sumner and Aztec Camera’s Roddy Frame. After replying to an advertisement in the ‘Musicians Wanted’ column of Melody Maker, he successfully auditioned ...

Source: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Guitar Heroes, consultant editor Rusty Cutchin
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(Vocal/instrumental group, 1989–2003, 2009–present) Formed at London’s Goldsmiths College, Damon Albarn (vocals), Graham Coxon (guitar), Alex James (bass) and Dave Rowntree (drums) tuned into the vibe generated by The Stone Roses with baggy anthems ‘She’s So High’ and ‘There’s No Other Way’. Although Leisure (1991) showed a band adept at updating 1960s pop, Modern Life Is Rubbish (1993) revealed depth beneath the iceberg of Albarn’s pretty face. With the release of infectious ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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(Vocal/instrumental group, 1997–present) Embrace – Danny McNamara (vocals), Richard McNamara (guitar), Steven Firth (bass), Mike Heaton (drums) and Mickey Dale (keyboards) – have had numerous career resuscitations in their decade-long existence. But the band started life as press-darlings after a number of singles on the fiercely independent Fierce Panda label. It was these early, near-demo quality recordings that caught the Hut label’s attention. After three albums of diminishing returns the group ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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Indie guitarist Graham Coxon (b. 1969) was born in West Berlin, the son of an army bandsman. His early years were characterized by the itinerant army life until the family settled in Colchester in the late 1970s. The young Coxon was a Beatles fan and possessed a talent for art. He began to learn saxophone and then at 12, obtained his first guitar, which he taught himself to play, inspired by ...

Source: Rock Guitar Heroes, consultant editor Rusty Cutchin
405 Words Read More

(Vocal/instrumental group, 1995–99, 2005–present) Crispian Mills (vocals), Jay Darlington (keyboards), Alonza Bevan (bass) and Paul Winter-Hart (drums) formed with the sole intention of making music that sounded as if it had been recorded in the 1960s. Their debut album K (1996) delivered this vision in spades and hits included a cover version of Deep Purple’s ‘Hush’. By second album – Peasants Pigs & Astronauts (1999) – the air had been let ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
100 Words Read More

(Vocal group, 1988–96) Formed in 1988, Miki Berenyi (guitar, vocals) Emma Anderson (guitar, vocals) Chris Acland (drums) and Steve Rippon (bass) were a classic 4AD label band whose early EPs won cult success. With their ‘shoegazers’ reputation confirmed on two well-received albums – ‘loud guitars with much weaker vocals,’ said Anderson – the band scored hits with ‘Single Girl’ and ‘Lady Killer’ from the more pop-oriented Lovelife (1995). Acland committed suicide ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
97 Words Read More

(Vocal/instrumental group, 1991–2009) Mancunian brothers Liam (vocals) and Noel (guitar) Gallagher, Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs (guitar), Paul ‘Guigsy’ McGuigan (bass) and Tony McCarroll (drums) signed to Creation Records in 1993. Debut single ‘Supersonic’ (1994) was a melodic, guitar-driven tune over which Liam snarled out lyrics. By the end of the year another four singles – all instant classics – had graced the charts. Definitely Maybe (1994) began a run of 174 weeks ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
173 Words Read More

(Vocal/instrumental group, 1978–2002, 2011–present) This Sheffield band secured their first John Peel session when still at school (1981). Pulp then enjoyed/endured over a decade of cult success. Albums and singles pulsed out occasional sounds of potency, with Jarvis Cocker’s droll observational lyrics fitting snugly over indie guitars that brushed occasional electronica on tracks like ‘My Legendary Girlfriend’. By the time of His ‘N’ Hers (1994) Russell Senior (guitar), Candida Doyle (keyboards), ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
174 Words Read More

(Vocal/instrumental group, 1989–2003, 2010–present) With lead singer Brett Anderson stating ‘I’m a bisexual who has never had a homosexual experience’, Suede were one of the most exciting bands to emerge in the UK for years. After a startling eponymous debut (1993) and overblown – but masterful – follow-up Dead Man Star (1994) guitarist Bernard Butler departed. After recruiting another guitarist and keyboard player Coming Up (1996) and Head Music (1999) kept ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
106 Words Read More

(Vocal/instrumental group, 1993–present) Proud enough of their heritage to record a Welsh language LP – Mwng (2000) – at the height of their powers this is a band who enjoyed success of their own terms. Gruff Rhys (vocals, guitar), Cian Ciaran (electronics), Huw Bunford (guitar, vocals) Guto Pryce (bass) and Dafydd Ieuan (drums) signed to Alan McGee’s Creation label crafting fine albums Fuzzy Logic (1996) and Guerilla (1999). As well as ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
96 Words Read More

(Vocal/instrumental group, 1993–present) This Oxford group – Gary ‘Gaz’ Coombes (vocals, guitar), Mickey Quinn (bass) and Danny Goffey (drums) – delivered some of the finest and most chirpy pop to come out of the UK in the 1990s. Although ‘Caught By The Fuzz’ dealt with being busted for carrying cannabis, ‘Alright’, ‘Going Out’, ‘Richard III’, ‘Pumping On Your Stereo’ and ‘Moving’ were less controversial feel-good anthems. I Should Coco (1995) and ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
95 Words Read More

(Vocal/instrumental group, 1986–present) Although this Scottish act never did become big in Texas they did enjoy massive chart success in the UK and Europe. Original line-up Sharleen Spiteri (vocals), Ally McErlaine (guitar), Johnny McElhone (bass) and Stuart Kerr (drums) hit chart paydirt early in 1989 with the country-tinged ‘I Don’t Want A Lover’. Spiteri’s good looks and their later soulful melodic pop songs took care of the rent with White On ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
91 Words Read More

(Vocal/instrumental group, 1989–present) Emerging out of the ‘Madchester’ scene, The Charlatans’ initial organ-led groove music was soon embraced by the charts. Outgrowing this sound, Tim Burgess (vocals), Jon Baker (guitar), Martin Blunt (bass), John Brookes (drums) and Rob Collins (keyboards) matured into a rock band with a devoted fanbase. Collins’ death in 1996 was a massive blow but subsequent albums like Tellin’ Stories (1997) and Up At The Lake (2004) confirmed ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
93 Words Read More

(Vocal/instrumental group, 2004–present) Brighton’s Kooks – Luke Pritchard (vocals), Hugh Harris (guitar), Max Rafferty (bass) and Paul Garred (drums) – are the next in a long line of British acts that can be traced as far back as The Kinks, taking in the likes of Supergrass, Blur and even The Coral on their list of influences. Formed and signed by Virgin on the same night at a gig at a pub ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
98 Words Read More
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