Hefner | |
|---|---|
 Darren Hayman and Jack Hayter Members of Hefner band | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | London, England, United Kingdom |
| Genres | Indie rock |
| Years active | 1996–2002 |
| Labels | Too Pure |
| Past members |
|
| Website | www |
Hefner were a British indie rock band formed in east London in 1995. [1] They were active from about 1996 until 2002; since then they have played together only once, for a tribute to the DJ John Peel, who was a strong supporter of theirs.
Hefner's roots stretch back to 1992, when Darren Hayman and Antony Harding met at art school in Kent. [2] The band started playing live in 1995 and, after several line up changes, became a solo project of Darren Hayman. In 1996 he recorded a tape for Sticky Records (named The Devotion Chamber ) on which all instruments were played by Hayman himself. His friend from art school, Antony Harding, assisted, providing backing vocals.
The band's first release was in April 1997 when the 7-inch single "A Better Friend" was released by Boogle Wonderland. The single featured Harding on drums and John Morrison (from Rhatigan) on bass. Shortly after the release, the record label Too Pure offered a record deal to Darren, who extended the offer to Antony and John.
After a few more singles, Hefner recorded their debut album Breaking God's Heart , which was released in 1998. [1] A lo fidelity album primarily recorded in one take, Hayman has declared that this album is the one he is least interested in listening to, due to its unrealized potential.
The Fidelity Wars would be their next record (with the recent addition of multi-instrumentalist Jack Hayter); a darker collection of songs. In the official website of the band Hayman has explained that all of the songs gravitate towards the concept of breaking up.
Hefner had, at this point, recorded a large number of singles and EPs. Boxing Hefner collected some of those tracks that had not appeared on the previous albums, often as new recordings. The compilation also included some unreleased material.
We Love the City marked a change in direction for the band. In contrast with previous records, which had older songs, all of the compositions on We Love the City were made for this record, which had better production value and more varied instrumentation.
Dead Media , released in 2001, continues the interest that Hefner had shown in exploring new ways. Dead Media is certainly different from previous records in the sense of its electronic weight, [2] an interest that led Darren to eventually create The French.
After the band's final gig at the ICA in London on 10 December 2001 and the release of an EP called The Hefner Brain the following March, the band went on a seemingly permanent hiatus, save for one reformation for the "Keeping It Peel" tribute show, marking the death of one of their biggest supporters, Radio 1 DJ John Peel. In 2005 a T-shirt was released that read "Hefner, Britain’s Largest Small Band (1997–2002)", and in an interview Darren Hayman said "no, no reunion planned". [3]
Their song I Love Only You was featured on the 2015 Craig Cash sitcom After Hours.
In 2005, following a legal dispute between Darren Hayman and Too Pure, the rights to all of the band's Too Pure recordings were reverted to Hayman. [4] As a result, the band has released a best-of album, a 2 CD collection of 43 unreleased songs called Catfight and a live album, recorded at the BBC's Maida Vale Studios. All of the band's studio albums have been reissued as 2-CD sets with bonus tracks. Planned for the future is a compilation of BBC session tracks.[ citation needed ] The band recorded ten sessions for John Peel's BBC Radio One programme, as well as a number of live performances, and eleven of their tracks made it into the Festive 50. [5]
Darren Hayman and Jack Hayter played Hefner songs at a number of dates in Europe in June 2008. Despite this, Hayman has said that Hefner will not reform unless it's with the original line up. [6] He has consistently aired his disdain for bands that reform.
§ - Budget Album Chart
Six by Seven are an English indie rock band, formed in 1992 in Nottingham. The classic lineup of the band featured singer/guitarist Chris Olley, guitarist Sam Hempton, drummer Chris Davis, bassist Paul Douglas and keyboard player James Flower.
Senseless Things were an English pop punk band, formed in 1986 in London. The band released four studio albums and achieved two UK Top 20 hit singles before splitting up in 1995. Senseless Things reformed in 2017 to play several gigs including Shepherd's Bush Empire, as well as to record and release new material. Vocalist Mark Keds died in early 2021.
The French are a British rock band, formed by Darren Hayman and John Morrison after the band Hefner declared an indefinite hiatus. Musically there is a specific continuity between Hefner and the French, which is manifested not only in the lyrics and compositions but also in the use of vintage drum machines and synthesizers, an aesthetic choice that was very present in Hefner's last recordings.
Antony Harding is an English singer, songwriter and musician from New Mexico. He grew up on the Isle of Wight. He is best known as the drummer in London band Hefner, and has also played independently as ANT and now performs solo as Antony Harding.
Darren Hayman is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is best known as the writer, lead singer, and guitarist in Hefner. Since Hefner disbanded in 2002, Hayman has embarked on a prolific solo career releasing twelve albums under his own name and appearing on albums by Papernut Cambridge, Rotifer and The Great Electric. He has regularly worked with The Wave Pictures, producing an album for them, directing three of their music videos and briefly employing them as his backing band. In January 2011 Hayman recorded and released a song every day in the month of January, working with many collaborators. Hayman also paints and has exhibited his work at exhibitions about animals in space and racing dogs.
Suzanne Rhatigan is an Irish singer, songwriter, and musician.
Jack Hayter is a British musician. He is best known as a multi instrumentalist with Hefner but is also an acclaimed folk singer-songwriter in his own right. Hayter also played with alt-country band Spongefinger and folktronica band Dollboy. Hayter is also frequently used as a session pedal steel guitar player in the London alternative scene.
Comet Gain are a British indie pop band, formed by singer-songwriter and guitarist David Christian in 1992, with musical influences including post-punk and northern soul. Pitchfork called them "one of the most underrated contemporary indie bands in the UK".
Breaking God's Heart is the debut full-length album by British indie rock band Hefner. The album was originally released by Too Pure in 1998, and a reissue was released by Darren Hayman, the band's lead singer, in September 2007. The album's cover was designed by Hayman and Flirt.
The Fidelity Wars is the second full-length album by British indie rock band Hefner. Recorded in London over a period of twelve days at Roundhouse Studios, it was released in 1999 on Too Pure. It was the first Hefner album to feature Jack Hayter.
We Love the City is the third album by British indie rock band Hefner. It was released by Too Pure in two formats in 2000, the standard version and a second version with a disc featuring videos for "I Took Her Love for Granted" and "Good Fruit," as well as a John Peel session. The entire John Peel session was later released as the album Maida Vale. The album was reissued in 2009.
"Love Will Destroy Us in the End" is a single by British indie rock band Hefner. It was released by Too Pure in 1998, and is the first proper single from their album Breaking God's Heart.
Billy Mahonie is a British post-rock band.
The Loves were a heavily 1960s influenced pop band, formed in 2000 in Cardiff, Wales. Their debut album Love was released on Track and Field Records in 2004, but attracted generally hostile press coverage, and was commercially unsuccessful. Recorded mostly by Simon Love alone, their second album Technicolour was released in 2007 on Fortuna Pop. The band recorded four Peel sessions between 2001 and 2002: three in Maida Vale and one at Peel Acres.
Murry the Hump were a Welsh indie rock and "urban folk" band. They were active from 1999 until 2001. Since then they have continued to release music under the name The Keys.
How Does It Feel to Be Loved? is a London-based nightclub which predominantly plays indie pop, Northern Soul and Motown music. On the club's website, founder Ian Watson explains: "We love pop, we love guitars that jangle, we love foot stomping melodies and huge choruses." The club's name is taken from the lyrics to The Velvet Underground song "Beginning to See the Light".
January Songs is the fifth studio album by British singer-songwriter Darren Hayman. The album comes from a one-month project undertaken by Hayman whereby each song was written and recorded throughout January 2011 and accompanied by a music video and video diaries. A special anniversary physical release of the album was released in January 2012. A limited edition of 1500 came with sleeves individually hand-drawn by Hayman.
Audio Antihero is a British independent record label formed in October 2009 and based in South East London. They have been the centerpiece of several radio BBC, PRI and international radio stories.
A Long Way To Blow A Kiss is the debut full-length album by singer songwriter Antony Harding, ANT.
The Birds Sing Goodnight to You and Me is the 2012 full-length album by ANT, singer songwriter Antony Harding.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
