Freebass | |
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Origin | United Kingdom |
Genres | Alternative rock [1] |
Years active | 2005–2010 |
Labels |
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Spinoff of | |
Past members | |
Website | Artist site |
Freebass were an English rock supergroup consisting of, originally, three bassists - Andy Rourke (formerly of The Smiths), Peter Hook (formerly of Joy Division & New Order) and Gary "Mani" Mounfield (of The Stone Roses and Primal Scream) - and singer Gary Briggs (formerly of Haven). [2] [3] Rourke subsequently left the line-up. [4]
The band's sound has been described as "a heady mix of modern rock, dub, and Northern soul". [1]
The idea to form a band centred on three bass-players came out on a drunken night, [5] and was started by Hook and Mani as "a reaction because our groups New Order and Primals had been stalled". [2] In a late 2005 interview with NME Peter Hook stated that all of the songs have three basses; "Mani does the low part, Andy Rourke in the middle and I do the high bit ... it works out quite well". [2] In 2006 the band recorded the theme song for the Channel 4 Radio program The Tube , [6] an instrumental called "The Tower".[ citation needed ]
In a 2006 interview with Argentine newspaper Página/12, Hook expressed his satisfaction with the progress of the band, "We've already written 17 tracks and [the album]'s coming along very well. We hope to finish it soon." He also explained why he was so determined to succeed. "The reason we decided to do it was because everyone laughed in our face when we suggested the idea. So we thought, 'Fuck them! We're gonna show them.'" [7]
Having delayed the album for so long, in 2010 Hook launched a new website, worked out a distribution arrangement with American independent record label 24-Hour Service Station, and released the debut Freebass recording Two Worlds Collide EP, [8] as a digital download in March 2010 and on CD in August. A full album, titled It's a Beautiful Life , [9] was again initially released as a digital download in April 2010, and as an expanded edition CD with three additional tracks and a bonus instrumental versions disc, on 20 September by Essential for Europe, Australia and South East Asia; and 7 December by 24 Hour Service Station for the rest of the world.
The band's official website confirmed [4] in August 2010 that Rourke was no longer part of the line-up, noting: "Andy Rourke was initially involved in the conception of the group and contributed to the EP and a few tracks on the LP. He is now living in NYC and will not be joining the band for live dates."
In September 2010, relations between Mounfield and Hook appeared to have soured. On 6 September, Mounfield posted on his Twitter stream (@Maniscream) "Peter Hook's wallet" was "visible from space" [10] because it was "stuffed with Ian Curtis' blood money", a reference to Hook forming Peter Hook & The Light which played Joy Division's music. He further posted that "he ain't got time for me now he's getting fortunes for dragging his mates cadaver round the world getting himself paid". [11] Mounfield finally appeared to devolve himself from Freebass by stating he "Can't be doing with talentless nostalgia fuckwit whores". [12] Mounfield has since apologised for his remark, stating that his comments were "out of character" and that it was a "venomous, spiteful reaction to a lot of things that are going on in my life right now, and I chose to vent my frustrations and anger at one of my true friends in this filthy business, and ventured into territory which was none of my concern". Hook accepted Mounfield's apology, saying "Mani is a great friend of mine and he always will be. I have the utmost respect for him as a person and musician. Have none of you ever fallen out with somebody you love?" [13]
New Order are an English rock band formed in Salford in 1980 by vocalist and guitarist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook, and drummer Stephen Morris. Their integration of post-punk with electronic and dance music made them one of the most acclaimed and influential bands of the 1980s. The members regrouped after the disbandment of their previous band Joy Division due to the suicide of lead singer Ian Curtis. They were joined by keyboardist Gillian Gilbert later that year. They were the flagship band for Manchester-based independent record label Factory Records and its nightclub The Haçienda, and they worked in long-term collaboration with graphic designer Peter Saville.
The Stone Roses were an English rock band formed in Manchester, England in 1983. They were one of the pioneering groups of the Madchester movement in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The band's classic and most prominent lineup consisted of vocalist Ian Brown, guitarist John Squire, bassist Mani, and drummer Reni.
Primal Scream are a Scottish rock band originally formed in 1982 in Glasgow by Bobby Gillespie (vocals) and Jim Beattie (guitar). The band's current lineup consists of Gillespie, Andrew Innes (guitar), Simone Butler (bass), and Darrin Mooney (drums).
Peter Hook is an English musician, best known as the bassist and co-founder of the post-punk band Joy Division and its successor New Order. He often used the bass as a lead instrument, playing melodies on the high strings with a signature heavy chorus effect. In New Order, he would do this, leaving the actual basslines to keyboards or sequencers.
Gary "Mani" Mounfield is an English rock bassist, best known for being a member of The Stone Roses and Primal Scream.
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XTRMNTR is the sixth studio album by Scottish rock band Primal Scream. It was first released on 31 January 2000 in the United Kingdom by Creation Records and on 2 May 2000 in the United States by Astralwerks. It peaked at number 3 on the UK Albums Chart.
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Timothy Allan Burgess is an English musician, singer-songwriter and record label owner, best known as the lead singer of the alternative rock band the Charlatans.
Andrew Michael Rourke was an English musician best known as the bassist of the 1980s indie rock band the Smiths. Regarded as one of the greatest bassists of his generation, he was known for his melodic and funk-inspired approach to bass playing.
Haven were an English indie rock band, formed in Cornwall in 1996. The band consisted of singer Gary Briggs, guitarist Nathan Wason, bassist Iwan Gronow and drummer Tom Lewis. Originally called Blew, their new name was taken from a local Haven Holidays resort.
Versus Cancer was an annual concert, reportedly then the largest annual charity concert in the United Kingdom. It raised money predominantly for Cancer Hospital Christie Hospital in Manchester to assist research for effective alternative treatments but acted more as a blanket charity aiming to help fund hospitals or organisations that may require assistance.
KAV is a British musician from Leicester, England, now based in Los Angeles. Sandhu played guitar with British band Happy Mondays for four years after helping reform the band with frontman Shaun Ryder in 2004. He launched his solo project under moniker "KAV" in 2008 with long-time friend and drummer Jim (James) Portas. His solo material has been compared by the media to Iggy and the Stooges, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Primal Scream, Kasabian, the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan. He uses a full band for live performances, which sometimes features guest musicians from various bands.
24 Hour Service Station is an American independent record label founded by Marshall Dickson in Tampa, Florida, in 1993. Among its releases are Ceremony - A New Order Tribute, a charity album, and albums from artists such as Freebass, Peter Hook and The Light, The Beauvilles, John Ralston, and punk band Pink Lincolns. It also operates the division 24 Hour Distribution, a global media distribution network which is partnered with entities such as the Independent Online Distribution Alliance and The Orchard.
Detachments are a London-based, post-punk influenced art rock/electronic group led by Blackpool native Bastien Marshal. They were signed by Thisisnotanexit Records in 2008. Their sound has been compared to that of New Wave music of the late 1970s and early 1980s, such as New Order and Joy Division.
Reverend Soundsystem or RSS are an English 'indiestep' band that formed in Sheffield in 2010. The band's vocalist Jon McClure had been playing under the Reverend Soundsystem pseudonym for some time in between Reverend and The Makers albums, and he recruited his Makers-bandmate and wife Laura McClure to join him, with Ocelot and Maticmouth Sheffield MC and former classmate of Jon.
Peter Hook & The Light are an English post-punk band, formed in May 2010 by bassist and vocalist Peter Hook, formerly of the influential post-punk bands Joy Division and New Order. The band also features Hook's son Jack Bates (bass), as well as Andy Poole (keyboards) and Paul Kehoe (drums), who both played with Hook as part of Monaco, one of Hook's previous groups. From the first gigs in May 2010, Nat Wason was the group's guitarist, however in July 2013 he was replaced by David Potts, another former member of Monaco.
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