The most prominent part of Echobelly's success formula was vocalist Sonya Madan, who was also the group's lyricist.[1] Born in Delhi, India, before moving to England at the age of two, Madan had an atypical background for a pop star. Her upbringing made rock music an unusual choice for her as a youngster and she did not attend her first rock concert until she was in college. In 1990 she met Glenn Johansson, a guitarist from Sweden. In a radio interview with Janice Long, on BBC Radio Wales, in December 2017, she admitted that her parents had initially found it hard to accept her choice of career.
Career
In 1992, Madan and Johansson first met in a pub, with Sonya expressing her desire to sing in a band: "I used to sing to myself as a child. I suppose I had a secret desire to sing."[3][4][non-primary source needed] They soon teamed up with bass guitarist Alex Keyser and drummer Andy Henderson, who had previously played with PJ Harvey's band. Guitarist Debbie Smith, formerly of Curve, came on board in 1994.[1] According to the Epic Records' website, the group came up with the name Echobelly from the notion of "being hungry for something". With Madan and Johansson as the band's songwriters, they recorded their debut EP, Bellyache, on the independent Pandemonium label in late 1993.[1]
The favourable response to Bellyache helped Echobelly secure a recording contract with Rhythm King, which was then part of Epic.[5] Once on board the label, the group released the "I Can't Imagine the World Without Me" single in June 1994.[1] The group then recorded the album Everyone's Got One, which included the single "Insomniac" and reached number eight on the UK Albums Chart.[1] The single was featured in the film and soundtrack of Dumb and Dumber.
As their music received more airplay, Echobelly won admiration from other artists as well. Madonna expressed interest in putting them on her Maverick label (existing contractual arrangements prevented that), and R.E.M. requested the group as the opening act for their upcoming tour. The band returned to the studio in 1995 to create their next album, On, produced by Sean Slade and Paul Kolderie, who had also produced Hole and Radiohead.
Madan's lyrics often ventured into the less explored side of life, addressed in songs such as "King of the Kerb". and "Dark Therapy". "I wanted to challenge myself as a lyricist on a different level on this album," Madan said in Rolling Stone. "I want people to tell me what they thought the lyrics are about. I'm not a politician. I'm not interested in changing everybody around me. I'm interested in myself."
While many of the songs lamented the state of things, others on the On album celebrated the endless possibilities of the human spirit. In "Great Things", Madan sang "I want to do great things/ I don't want to compromise/ I want to know what love is/ I want to know everything."[citation needed] The album's mostly optimistic feel provides an intriguing contrast with its serious subject matter. As Pareles wrote, "Both music and lyrics examine the tension between order and liberty". Listeners in the UK responded favourably to the album, driving three singles from the release into the Top 30 of the UK Singles Chart.[1] Sales of the album rose to over 150,000 in the UK, nearly double that of Everyone's Got One.
Health and legal problems interrupted the success of Echobelly in 1995 and 1996. Madan had a serious thyroid problem during her world tour that was potentially life-threatening, but was later cured. Bass guitarist James Harris joined after Keyser defected because of personal and artistic differences. The group also had disagreements with Rhythm King after the label moved to Arista. The band chose to stay with Epic. In 1996, Madan also ventured away from the group when she sang on a recording of the club band, Lithium. Smith left the band before the release of the band's third album Lustra, which was produced by Gil Norton and issued in November 1997. A single from the album, "The World is Flat", was released in August of that year.[1]
A four-year hiatus was brought to an end in 2001 when the band returned with the Digit EP and their fourth album, People Are Expensive (produced by Ben Hillier), which were released on their own Fry Up label. Two further singles, "Tell Me Why" and "Kali Yuga" (a remixed version of the album track) followed.
In 2004, Echobelly released a fifth album, again through their own Fry Up label, Gravity Pulls (produced by Ian Grimble).
2009 acoustic show and future
Madan and Johansson performed an acoustic show featuring brand-new songs and older Echobelly tracks in Manchester on 9 July 2009 at MoHo Live, supported by Spyglass.[6] New material was demoed during this show which turned out to be part of two mini-albums that had already commenced recording under the alternative name Calm Of Zero.[7] Alex Reeves was brought in to record the drumming and percussion for the albums.[8]Acoustic Sessions 1 was released in January 2011 and Acoustic Sessions 2 in October 2012. Another song, "Molotov", became available for playback on Echobelly's official Myspace page during January.
On 21 July 2014, British independent record label 3 Loop Music released two-CD expanded editions of Echobelly's Everyone's Got One and On albums. The re-releases included b-sides, live recordings, radio session tracks and unreleased material. A limited number of signed copies were also made available on the label's official online store.
In October 2015, Echobelly made a successful return to stage, playing a sell-out gig at the 1,500-capacity Scala venue in London.[9]
On 31 May 2016, it was announced that Echobelly were entering the studio to record a new album entitled Anarchy and Alchemy.[10] The album was released on 26 May 2017.
In December 2018, a compilation album entitled Black Heart Lullabies was released.[11]
Everyone's Got One is the debut studio album by English rock band Echobelly. Released to a favourable response from critics, the album reached number 8 in the UK Albums Chart in September 1994. On 21 July 2014, a 2CD expanded edition of the album was released by 3 Loop Music which featured B-sides and previously unreleased live material.
On is the second studio album by English alternative rock band Echobelly. Gaining a favourable response from critics, the album reached number 4 in the UK Albums Chart becoming their most commercially successful album. The album spawned three top 40 singles two of which managed to reach the top 20. On 21 July 2014, a 2CD expanded edition of the album was released with B-sides and previously unreleased live performances.
Lustra is the third studio album by English alternative rock band Echobelly. The album was delayed due to label difficulties, line-up changes and the health problems of singer Sonya Madan. The album only reached number 47 in the UK Albums Chart.
Gravity Pulls is the fifth studio album by English rock band Echobelly.
People Are Expensive is the fourth studio album by English rock band Echobelly.
"Insomniac" is a song by the Britpop band Echobelly. It was released as a single in March 1994 and was included on the band's album, Everyone's Got One. The song, written by Sonya Madan and Glenn Johansson, is primarily about drug abuse.
I Can't Imagine the World Without Me is the first greatest hits album released by alternative rock band Echobelly in 2001. The album is heavily biased on the bands' first album Everyone's Got One, with 9 of the 18 songs coming from that album.
The Best of Echobelly is the second greatest hits collection from rock band Echobelly, released in 2008. The songs on the album all come from the band's first three albums, Everyone's Got One, On and Lustra.
"Bellyache" is the first single released by the Britpop band Echobelly in 1993. The songs "Bellyache" and "Give Her A Gun" were re-recorded for their debut album, Everyone's Got One. The other two b-sides, "Sleeping Hitler" and "I Don't Belong Here" were re-recorded and released as b-sides to "Kali Yuga", from the album People Are Expensive. The EP was also released on 12" vinyl.
"Tell Me Why" is the second single of Echobelly's fourth album People Are Expensive. It reached 111 on the UK Singles Chart.
"King of the Kerb" is the second single from British rock band Echobelly's second album, On (1995). The song reached 25 on the UK Singles Chart. "King of the Kerb" was included on both of the greatest hits albums that Echobelly have released: I Can't Imagine The World Without Me and The Best Of Echobelly. All the single's B-sides were included on the expanded edition of On.
"I Can't Imagine the World Without Me" is the third single from English rock band Echobelly's debut album, Everyone's Got One. It was released as a single on 20 June 1994. The song is about Sonya Madan's self-confidence, hence the name. It reached 39 in the UK Singles Chart. The song was included on both of the greatest hits albums that Echobelly have released: I Can't Imagine the World Without Me and The Best of Echobelly. The B-sides were re-released on the expanded version of Everyone's Got One.
"Close... But" is the fourth and final single from Echobelly's 1994 debut album, Everyone's Got One. It was released in October 1994. The song was included on the greatest hits album I Can't Imagine The World Without Me. The song was poorly received by AllMusic, who gave it 1.5 stars out of 5, and described it as "not one of the album's high points". It reached number 59 in the UK Singles Chart. A music video was made for the song.
"Great Things" is a song by Britpop band Echobelly, released as the first single from their second album, On (1995), in August 1995. The song is about inspiration and aspiration and how "everyone is hungry for something". It reached 13 on the UK Singles Chart, making it their highest-charting single. The song was included on both of the greatest hits albums that Echobelly have released: I Can't Imagine the World Without Me and The Best of Echobelly. All B-sides to the single were re-released on the expanded edition of On.
"Dark Therapy" is the third and final single from Echobelly's second album On. It was released by the Britpop group in February 1996.
"The World Is Flat" is the first single from Echobelly's third album Lustra. It was released by the Britpop group on 11 August 1997.
"Here Comes The Big Rush" is the second and final single from Echobelly's third album Lustra. It was released by the Britpop group in October 1997.
Digit is the second EP released by Echobelly. 3 of the 4 songs were rerecorded and released on their fourth album People Are Expensive.
"Kali Yuga" is the third and final single of Echobelly's fourth album People Are Expensive. It reached 175 in the UK Singles Chart.
Anarchy and Alchemy is the sixth studio album by English rock band Echobelly, and their first studio album since Gravity Pulls, released in 2004.
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