Japan were an English new wave band formed in 1974 in Catford, South London by David Sylvian, Steve Jansen (drums) and Mick Karn, joined by Richard Barbieri (keyboards) and Rob Dean the following year. Initially an alternative glam rock-inspired band, Japan developed their sound and androgynous look to incorporate electronic music and foreign influences.The band achieved success in the late 1970s and early 1980s, releasing nine UK Top 40 hits, including the 1982 Top 5 hit single "Ghosts", and scoring a UK Top 5 with the live album Oil on Canvas (1983). The band split in December 1982, just as they were beginning to experience commercial success in the UK and abroad. Its members went on to pursue other musical projects, though they reformed briefly in the early 1990s under the name Rain Tree Crow, releasing an album in 1991.
Hundred Reasons were an English alternative rock band from Aldershot, Hampshire, and Teddington, South West London formed in 1999. The band consists of Colin Doran (vocals), Larry Hibbitt, Andy Gilmour (bass) and Andy Bews (drums).
Blackground Records was an American record label founded and owned by Jomo and Barry Hankerson. Initially named Blackground Enterprises, the label switched its name to Blackground Entertainment and later Blackground Records in 2000. It co-operated with a publishing company founded by Hankerson, named Black Fountain Music.
Seafood were a UK band formed in London around 1996.
From First to Last is an American post-hardcore band based in the Los Angeles Area and Tampa, Florida. Formed by Matt Good, Scott Oord, and Parker Nelms in November 1999, the current line-up consists of Matt Good, Sonny Moore, Travis Richter, and Derek Bloom (drums).
Art Brut are a Berlin-based English and German indie rock band. Their debut album, Bang Bang Rock & Roll, was released on 30 May 2005, with its follow up, It's a Bit Complicated, released on 25 June 2007. Named after French painter Jean Dubuffet's definition of outsider art – art by prisoners, loners, the mentally ill, and other marginalized people, and made without thought to imitation or presentation – South London's Art Brut were tagged by NME as part of the "Art Wave" scene that also included bands such as The Rakes, Franz Ferdinand and Bloc Party. The band released further albums, Art Brut vs Satan in 2009 and Brilliant! Tragic! in 2011. A fifth album, Wham! Bang! Pow! Let's Rock Out!", was released in 2018.
The Zomba Group of Companies was a music group and division owned by and operated under Sony Music Entertainment. The division was renamed to Jive Label Group in 2009 and was placed under the RCA/Jive Label Group umbrella. In 2011, the RCA/Jive Label Group was split in half. Multiple Jive Label Group artists were moved to Epic Records while others stayed with Jive as it moved under the RCA Music Group. In October 2011 Jive Records was shut down and their artists were moved to RCA Records.
David James Ford is an English singer-songwriter, guitarist and songwriter. He first achieved prominence with the indie rock group Easyworld, who released an independent mini-album, ...Better Ways to Self Destruct and two full-length albums on Jive Records before disbanding in 2004.
Kill the Last Romantic was an album released by Eastbourne-based English indie-rock 3-piece Easyworld in 2004. It yielded two singles - "2nd Amendment" and "'Til the Day", though the label specified that the third single would have to be a newly written song, as there were no others on the album which the label deemed suitable for release, thereby leading to the release of the band's final single, "How Did It Ever Come to This?".
Michael Sebastian Kurth, better known as Curse, is a German rapper.
This Is Where I Stand is a 2002 album by Eastbourne-based indie rock trio easyworld. The album contained 4 singles - Try Not To Think, Bleach, You & Me and Junkies, with a considerable growth in commercial success between each, the latter single even managing to reach #40 in the UK charts. Notably, the album included five re-recorded versions of songs that had previously appeared on their first e.p. - Better Ways to Self Destruct.
Better Ways to Self Destruct is the 2001 EP by easyworld, an Eastbourne-based indie rock band. This was the band's second release, after their "Hundredweight" single, and this EP contained that earlier single, a new version of b-side "You Make Me Want To Drink Bleach" and 5 new songs, all recorded in lead singer David Ford's bedroom in his parents' house.
Boy Kill Boy were an English rock band based in Leytonstone, East London. The band produced two studio albums and six singles before splitting in 2008. Their highest charting single was "Suzie", which reached #17 in the UK singles chart in 2006.
"How Did it Ever Come to This?" was the last single released by the British band Easyworld. It did not appear on their second and final album Kill the Last Romantic, because it had not yet been written. The band's record label Jive decided the band should record a new track as it was felt none of the tracks on the album were suitable for release. The single charted at #50 in September 2004, missing the top 40 after "Til the Day" charted at #27 in February. Easyworld announced their split the following week, though this had been decided in July, after lead singer David Ford informed all concerned that he wished to pursue a solo career. The eventual announcement of the band's split came by accident, after Mark Lamarr revealed the news live on Radio 2. The CD single contains a cover of Candi Staton's "Young Hearts Run Free" and "You Can't Tear Polaroids" which was written and sung by bassist Jo Taylor.
I Like Trains is an English alternative/post-rock band, formed in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. The group play brooding songs featuring sparse piano and guitar, baritone vocals, uplifting choral passages and reverberant orchestral crescendos. They draw their inspiration from historical failings and a pessimistic world view.
X Is Loaded were a four-piece rock band from Bath, Somerset, England.
Youthmovies were an English rock quintet active from 2002 to 2010. They comprised Andrew Mears, Al English (guitar), Graeme Murray (drums), Stephen Hammond (bass) and Sam Scott.
Veil of Maya is an American metalcore band, formed in Chicago, Illinois, by members Marc Okubo and Sam Applebaum in 2004. They are currently signed to Sumerian Records and have released six studio albums. Their first four albums are considered to be deathcore, but their fifth album, Matriarch, is considered to be metalcore. They have also been associated with djent.
Engerica were an English alternative rock band heavily influenced by metal, grunge and punk. The several styles incorporated into their music made them difficult to categorise for music fans and industry professionals. Despite that the band gained a cult like following and towards the end of their career received support from major British music industry publications including Kerrang!, Rock Sound, Big Cheese and Metal Hammer music magazines.
Desperate Journalist are an English, London-based post-punk band, formed in 2012. They released their debut album, the self-titled Desperate Journalist, in 2014, on Fierce Panda Records. A second album, Grow Up, was released in March 2017. The band's third album, In Search of the Miraculous, was released in February 2019.
