Felt | |
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| Origin | Water Orton, Warwickshire, England |
| Genres | |
| 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. 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. Gilbert left and was replaced on bass by Mick Lloyd. The band's lineup would then remain unchanged through their next two albums, The Splendour of Fear and The Strange Idols Pattern and Other Short Stories . 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 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. [12] [13]
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 , 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.
Felt have been cited as an influence by Belle and Sebastian's Stuart Murdoch [16] and Tim Burgess of the Charlatans, [17] as well as by alternative rock bands Manic Street Preachers, [18] Girls, [19] and the Tyde. [20]
She's the Boss is the debut solo album by English singer Mick Jagger, released on 19 February 1985 in the US and 4 March 1985 in the UK.
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. He has never used his surname in credits or press for his work.
Our Favourite Shop is the second studio album by English band the Style Council. Recorded ten months after the band's debut, Café Bleu, it was released on 8 June 1985 on Polydor. It features guest vocalists including Lenny Henry, Tracie Young, and Dee C Lee. The album includes "Come to Milton Keynes", "The Lodgers", "Boy Who Cried Wolf", and "Walls Come Tumbling Down!", which were all released as singles. The three singles released in the UK all reached the top 40 on the UK charts. The track listing was reconfigured for the U.S. release.
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.
Bubblegum Perfume is the second compilation album by English alternative rock band Felt, released in 1990. It collects tracks from the band's singles and albums recorded for Creation Records between 1986 and 1988. Tracks 5, 8, 13, 16 and 19 are instrumental.
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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