Felt | |
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| Origin | Water Orton, Warwickshire, England |
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| Years active | 1979–1989 |
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| Past members |
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Felt were an English jangle pop band, formed in 1979 in Water Orton, Warwickshire, and led by the mononymous Lawrence. [5] They were active for ten years through the 1980s, releasing ten singles and ten albums, although none reached the UK singles chart or albums chart. The band's name was inspired by Tom Verlaine's emphasis of the word "felt" in the Television song "Venus". [6]
Lawrence founded the band in 1979 with the release of the single "Index", a self-published solo recording. [7] A noisy effort unlike Felt's subsequent records, it was later awarded single of the week by Dave McCullough in music newspaper Sounds . [5]
With Lawrence initially on vocals and guitar, they formed properly in 1980 with the addition of schoolfriend Nick Gilbert on drums and local guitarist Maurice Deebank. [5] Becoming co-writer with Lawrence, Deebank's jangly, classical-influenced style of playing would provide the band's signature sound in its early years. [8]
The band performed as a trio before deciding that bass guitar was needed. Gilbert switched to bass and drummer Tony Race was added. [5] He was replaced soon after by Gary Ainge who would remain the only constant member besides Lawrence throughout the rest of Felt's existence, as well as the only member to play on all ten of their albums. [1]
Felt signed to Cherry Red Records and their first single as a band, "Something Sends Me to Sleep", was released in 1981. Their first album, Crumbling the Antiseptic Beauty , followed the next year. Exhausted by Lawrence's domineering nature during the album's sessions, Gilbert left and was replaced on bass by Mick Lloyd. Deebank would also take a sabbatical, recording a solo instrumental record Inner Thought Zone, before being coaxed by Lawrence to return to work on the band's second album, The Splendour of Fear . This lineup would then remain unchanged through their third album The Strange Idols Pattern and Other Short Stories , which took a more pop-orientated direction than the lengthy, ambient guitar workouts of its' predecessors. In 1982, the Felt song "My Face Is on Fire" appeared on the best-selling Pillows & Prayers compilation. [9]
In 1985, for the recording of their fourth album, keyboard player Martin Duffy was added and Marco Thomas became bassist. [10] Ignite the Seven Cannons was produced by Robin Guthrie of the Cocteau Twins and featured Elizabeth Fraser on the single "Primitive Painters". The song reached the top of the UK independent singles chart. [11] Deebank departed for good soon after, prompting a shift in Felt's sound with Duffy's keyboards becoming more central. The lead guitar position would subsequently be filled by an ever-changing succession of players. [8]
The band moved to Creation Records in 1986 and released Let the Snakes Crinkle Their Heads to Death , the first of two instrumental albums they would record. Their next album, Forever Breathes the Lonely Word , was a conventional collection of songs that gained the band praise and would become regarded by many as their best, though a full breakthrough continued to elude them. [12] [13]
Poem of the River followed in 1987, which took a much more low-key, intimate approach, at times recalling the sound of Felt's first two albums. In 1988, Felt released The Pictorial Jackson Review , which saw the band become more experimental, with one side devoted to tight, melodic pop songs and the other comprised of two solo piano pieces from Duffy. The second release of that year was the polarising Train Above the City , which saw Lawrence take on more of a directing role in the studio, guiding Duffy and Ainge full through a collection of cool jazz-influenced instrumentals.
In 1989, Lawrence declared it had been his intention all along to release ten singles and ten albums in ten years and, having done so, announced the end of Felt. [7] [14] After releasing their last album, Me and a Monkey on the Moon , which embraced a lusher, more multi-layered sound alongside a more personal lyrical bent from Lawrence, and undertaking a short tour, the band split up. Lawrence went on to form Denim and later, Go Kart Mozart and Mozart Estate. Duffy joined Primal Scream. Ainge would later play with Vic Godard. Mick Lloyd died in 2016. Subsequent bass player Mick Bund died in 2017. Martin Duffy died in 2022.
In 2018, Cherry Red reissued all ten Felt albums [15] on CD and vinyl, with new mixes of songs plus revised tracklistings and packaging.
Lawrence has said that he believes the band could have been more successful. According to Lawrence, "The reason Felt didn't make it is because John Peel didn't like us." [16]
Felt have been cited as an influence by Stuart Murdoch of Belle and Sebastian, [17] Tim Burgess of the Charlatans, [18] Manic Street Preachers, [19] Girls, [20] and the Tyde. [21]
The Cult are an English rock band formed in Bradford in 1983. Before settling on their current name in January 1984, the band performed under the name Death Cult, which was an evolution of the name of lead vocalist Ian Astbury's previous band Southern Death Cult. They gained a dedicated following in the United Kingdom in the mid-1980s as a post-punk and gothic rock band, with singles such as "She Sells Sanctuary", before breaking into the mainstream in the United States in the late 1980s establishing themselves as a hard rock band with singles such as "Love Removal Machine". Since its initial formation in 1983, the band have had various line-ups: the longest-serving members are Astbury and guitarist Billy Duffy, who are also their two main songwriters.
It's Only Rock 'n Roll is the 12th studio album by English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 18 October 1974 by Rolling Stones Records. It was the last album to feature guitarist Mick Taylor; the songwriting and recording of the album's title track had a connection to Taylor's eventual replacement, Ronnie Wood. It's Only Rock 'n Roll combines the core blues and rock 'n' roll–oriented sound with elements of funk and reggae. It's Only Rock 'n Roll reached number one in the United States and number two in the UK.
Beyond Good and Evil is the seventh studio album by English rock band The Cult. Released in 2001, it marked their first new recording in six and a half years. The record debuted at No. 37 on the charts in the United States, No. 22 in Canada, No. 25 in Spain.
Poem of the River is the seventh album by English alternative rock band Felt, released in 1987.
The Seventeenth Century is the fifth album by English alternative rock band Felt, released in 1986.
Forever Breathes the Lonely Word is the sixth album by English alternative rock band Felt, released in September 1986. This is the first Felt album with no instrumental tracks. The cover photo subject is keyboardist Martin Duffy.
Ignite the Seven Cannons is the fourth album by English alternative rock band Felt, released in 1985. The album is sometimes referred to as "Ignite the Seven Cannons and Set Sail for the Sun", a phrase which was printed in one place on the original vinyl record.
The Strange Idols Pattern and Other Short Stories is the third album by English alternative rock band Felt, released in 1984 and produced by John Leckie. The album marked a departure from the introspective, guitar-led sound of their first two albums, with Lawrence's vocals becoming much more dominant in the mix along with a greater emphasis on pop melodies. The album also introduced a traditional drum kit to the band's sound, having previously relied on tom drums in the past.
The Splendour of Fear is the second album by English alternative rock band Felt, released in 1984. It is a largely instrumental album based around long guitar passages inspired by classical guitar music, with only tracks 2 and 5 having any lyrics.
Crumbling the Antiseptic Beauty is the debut album by the English rock band Felt. Recorded in 1981, it was released in February 1982 by Cherry Red Records. Band leader Lawrence features on the cover.
The Pictorial Jackson Review is the eighth album by English alternative rock band Felt, released in 1988. The name of the album is a play on the character Pictorial Review Jackson from Jack Kerouac's novel Pic.
Train Above the City is the ninth and penultimate album by English alternative rock band Felt, released in 1988.
Me and a Monkey on the Moon is the tenth and final album by English alternative rock band Felt, released in 1989. It was originally issued on Mike Alway's él label, part of Cherry Red. In a review for Sounds, Roy Wilkinson described it as "perhaps their finest album yet."
Lawrence Hayward, known mononymously as Lawrence, is an English singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is known as the frontman in the English indie pop bands Felt, Denim, and Mozart Estate.
Maurice Deebank is a classically trained English guitarist. He was the co-founder and lead guitarist of the British indie band Felt from its debut album until 1985, and was responsible for the ornate, atmospheric guitar work found on many of the band's early recordings. During his tenure in Felt he co-wrote most of its material with frontman Lawrence.
Dead to Me is the debut album by Northern Irish band Girls Names. It was released on 25 April 2011 by Tough Love in Europe and Slumberland Records in the USA.
Absolute Classic Masterpieces is the third compilation album by English alternative rock band Felt, released in 1992. It collects tracks from the band's singles and albums recorded for Cherry Red between 1981 and 1985, with two exceptions: "Dance of Deliverance" from guitarist Maurice Deebank's album, Inner Thought Zone; and "Index", a single recorded and released by leader Lawrence before the band formed properly. Tracks 4, 9, 11, 15 and 18 are instrumental.
Stains on a Decade is the fifth compilation album by English alternative rock band Felt, released in 2003. A career-spanning collection, it contains tracks from the band's singles released between 1981 and 1988, with one album-track exception: "Dismantled King Is Off The Throne".
Gold Mine Trash is the first compilation album by English alternative rock band Felt, released in 1987. It collects tracks from the band's singles and albums recorded for Cherry Red between 1981 and 1985. The cover photo shows a detail from the Throne Hall of Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany.
Absolute Classic Masterpieces Volume II is the fourth compilation album by English alternative rock band Felt, released in 1993. It collects tracks from the band's singles and albums recorded for Creation Records between 1986 and 1988. The album comprises two CDs; the first contains single tracks only and the second contains album tracks. Tracks 3 and 7 of the first disc are instrumental, as are tracks 1-4 and 13-16 of the second disc.
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