Jonny Sniper

Last updated
"Jonny Sniper"
ESJonnySniperSingle.jpg
Single by Enter Shikari
from the album Take to the Skies
Released17 June 2007
RecordedThe Outhouse, Reading,
UK, 2006 - 2007
Genre
Length4:02
Label Ambush Reality
Songwriter(s) Chris Batten, Rou Reynolds, Rob Rolfe, Rory Clewlow
Enter Shikari singles chronology
"Anything Can Happen in the Next Half Hour..."
(2007)
"Jonny Sniper"
(2007)
"We Can Breathe in Space, They Just Don't Want Us to Escape"
(2008)

"Jonny Sniper" was the third physical single, and fourth overall, by Enter Shikari and the third single to be released from their debut album Take to the Skies . [1] The band have referred to the single as a "double a-side", [2] possibly due to the positive response to "Kickin' Back on the Surface of Your Cheek", the b-side from the previous single.

Contents

Track listing

  1. "Jonny Sniper" - 4:02
  2. "Acid Nation" - 3:12
  3. "Sorry You’re Not A Winner" (Live From Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 Session) - 4:23
  1. "Jonny Sniper" - 4:02
  2. "Acid Nation" - 3:12
  1. "Jonny Sniper" - 4:02
  2. "Acid Nation" - 3:12
  3. "Sorry You’re Not A Winner" (Live From Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 Session) - 4:23
  4. "Jonny Sniper" (Emotiquon Remix) - 7:10
  5. "Jonny Sniper" (Ocelot Remix) - 4:41 - iTunes pack only

Music video

The video premiered on MTV2 Europe (now MTV Two) on Monday, May 21, 2007. It shows the band going up from a platform to pick up their instruments and play. The video also features special effects throughout the video. At the end, the band's old tour van, dubbed by fans as "The Shikari Ferrari", is blown up by pyrotechnics.

Meaning

"Jonny Sniper" is described by Rou in the March 10th issue of Kerrang! saying this of the song "It's about people having no respect for the earth. The lyrics are about the earth crying out, telling us to behave". This is similar to the description given for the song "No Sssweat" by the band at live shows. They were present in other areas as well when a demo version of the track, less produced, with different lyrics and a slightly different structure, was featured on Enter Shikari's third demo EP 'Anything Can Happen In The Next Half Hour'. The band has claimed that "Johnny Sniper" is the name of the comic figure that appeared in their Key Stage 3 sex education lessons. Furthermore, during many gigs on their 2007 tour, promotional Jonny Sniper condoms were handed out.[ citation needed ]

Reception

The B-side "Acid Nation" was first aired on BBC Radio 1 on Wednesday, May 30, 2007, at 8:07 PM. The song was available free on iTunes as part of the "Free Single Saturday" campaign. The popular music magazine NME dubbed the single "The worst single ever made by anybody ever", [3] which Chris Batten mocked during the secret BBC Radio Theatre gig, and again by using the quote to introduce the song at the Download Festival 2007.

Chart performance

Chart (2007)Peak
position
UK Singles Chart [4] 75

Personnel

Enter Shikari
Production

Related Research Articles

Enter Shikari British rock band

Enter Shikari are a British rock band formed in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England in 1999 by bassist Chris Batten, lead vocalist and keyboardist Rou Reynolds, and drummer Rob Rolfe. In 2003, guitarist Rory Clewlow joined the band to complete its current line-up, and it adopted its current name. In 2006, they performed to a growing fanbase at Download Festival as well as a sold-out concert at the London Astoria. Their debut studio album, Take to the Skies, was released in 2007 and reached number 4 in the Official UK Album Chart, and has since been certified gold in the UK. Their second, Common Dreads, was released in 2009 and debuted on the UK Albums Chart at number 16; while their third, A Flash Flood of Colour, was released in 2012 and debuted on the chart at number 4. Both have since been certified silver in the UK. The band spent a considerable amount of time supporting the latter release through the A Flash Flood of Colour World Tour, before beginning work on a fourth studio album, The Mindsweep, which was released in 2015. Their fifth studio album The Spark was released in 2017. Their sixth album Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible was released in April 2020.

Sorry Youre Not a Winner/OK Time for Plan B

"Sorry You're Not a Winner" / "OK Time for Plan B" is the first physical single by Enter Shikari and second overall. It was released in 2006. It is available from their online store and from iTunes. The physical release was available on CD and 7" vinyl.

Anything Can Happen in the Next Half Hour

"Anything Can Happen in the Next Half Hour..." is the second physical single, and third overall, by Enter Shikari and the second single to be released from their debut album Take to the Skies. It was released on 18 February 2007 for digital download and on 5 March 2007 on both CD and 7" vinyl. It is the band's highest charting single, charting at #27 in the UK single chart, and number 1 on the UK indie chart. There are two remixes of the song, Colon Open Bracket Remix and Grayedout Mix. Both are up for download on their official download store.

<i>Take to the Skies</i> 2007 studio album by Enter Shikari

Take to the Skies is the debut studio album by British rock band Enter Shikari. It is the first album to achieve a significant chart success for a new act operating outside the traditional label system after selling 200,000 copies worldwide.

Hadouken! (band)

Hadouken! are a British band formed in London in 2006 by singer, writer and producer James Smith and synth player Alice Spooner along with guitarist Daniel "Pilau" Rice, bassist Christopher Purcell and drummer Nick Rice. The band name is taken from the special attack of the same name from the Street Fighter video game series. It was in Leeds that Hadouken! began their own record label, Surface Noise Records.

<i>The Zone</i> (album) 2007 compilation album by Enter Shikari

The Zone is a compilation CD by Enter Shikari. It was announced on 1 October 2007 by one of the members of Ambush Reality and was released on 12 November 2007. The compilation features b-sides, demos and a remix by Rou's side-project, Routron 5000. The first few released have 2 hidden tracks, these were put on by mistake. Three tracks are from the BBC Radio 1 Zane Lowe Session performance.

We Can Breathe in Space, They Just Dont Want Us to Escape

"We Can Breathe in Space, They Just Don't Want Us to Escape" is a song by the band Enter Shikari. The release of the single is the only release of Enter Shikari in 2008. The single was not released on the band's album, Common Dreads, in 2009, as it was decided by the band that it would be a "go-between" Take to the Skies and Common Dreads.

The King Blues

The King Blues are a British punk rock band from London, England, credited for fusing punk and hip hop together with influences from ska and spoken word. Tariq Ali described the band's sounds as "rough, radical music that should unsettle the rulers of this country. A new generation of musicians are challenging war-monger politicians and their courtiers". Influences include Public Enemy, The Clash and The Specials. Lead singer Jonny "Itch" Fox describes the band's sound as 'rebel street music.'

General Fiasco are an indie rock group from Bellaghy, Northern Ireland. Since their formation in 2006, they have toured with Little Comets, Fighting With Wire, The Wombats, One Night Only, The Pigeon Detectives, The Enemy, Jet and Kids in Glass Houses. They released their debut album Buildings on 22 March 2010 on Infectious Records and released their second album Unfaithfully Yours on 30 July 2012 on Dirty Hit.

Juggernauts (song)

"Juggernauts" is a song by British band Enter Shikari produced by record producer Andy Gray for their second studio album, Common Dreads. The song was released as a single on 29 May 2009. The song was also released on 7" limited edition vinyl, of which only 1000 copies were made. "Juggernauts" was first broadcast to the public on Zane Lowe's show on BBC Radio 1 on 15 April 2009. It was selected by Scott Mills as his record of the week on 1 June 2009.

No Sleep Tonight (Enter Shikari song)

No Sleep Tonight is a song by British post-hardcore band Enter Shikari, taken from their second studio album, Common Dreads. The song was released as a single on 31 July 2009.

Quelle Surprise 2011 single by Enter Shikari

"Quelle Surprise" is a single by British rock band Enter Shikari, released on 19 May 2011. It was originally planned to be the first single released from the band's third studio album A Flash Flood of Colour. However, Rou Reynolds later confirmed that it would not feature, and instead will be a stand-alone single much like the previous single "Destabilise". The song was first played live at the SXSW Festival on 18 March 2011 in Austin, Texas. The track's debut airing was on 19 May 2011 Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show, he chose the track for the "Hottest Record In the World" spot.

A Flash Flood of Colour World Tour

A Flash Flood of Colour World Tour was a concert tour by rock band Enter Shikari, which took place through 2012 and 2013, in support of the band's third studio album A Flash Flood of Colour, released on 16 January 2012. The tour supersedes the world tour that the band embarked on to support Common Dreads throughout 2009 and 2010. A Flash Flood of Colour was recorded in Bangkok, Thailand, between 8 May and 4 June 2011.

<i>A Flash Flood of Colour</i> 2012 studio album by Enter Shikari

A Flash Flood of Colour is the third studio album by English rock band Enter Shikari, and was produced by Dan Weller. The album was recorded in May and June 2011 at Karma Sound Studios in Bang Saray, Thailand, and at the Fortress in London, United Kingdom. It was released internationally on 16 January 2012 by Ambush Reality, the band's record label in the United Kingdom, and Hopeless Records in North America.

Radiate (Enter Shikari song)

"Radiate" is a single by British rock band Enter Shikari. The song was first played on Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show on the evening of 10 June 2013 and was his single of the week. The single peaked at #79 on the UK Singles Chart on 22 June 2013.

<i>The Mindsweep</i> 2015 studio album by Enter Shikari

The Mindsweep is the fourth studio album by English rock band Enter Shikari, released on 19 January 2015 through Ambush Reality, PIAS Recordings and Hopeless Records. It was recorded in 2014 with producer Dan Weller.

Rat Race (Enter Shikari song)

"Rat Race" is a single by British rock band Enter Shikari. The song was first played on Zane Lowe's BBC Radio One show on the evening of 31 October 2013. The single was released with a remix of the song Radiate by Enter Shikari's alter ego Shikari Sound System. The band also released an EP, which compiled the two previous singles "The Paddington Frisk" and "Radiate".

The Last Garrison

"The Last Garrison" is the first single taken from the fourth studio album by British rock band Enter Shikari, The Mindsweep. The song was first played on Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show on 20 October 2014, while the single was released on iTunes and Spotify on the same day.

Anaesthetist (song)

"Anaesthetist" is the second single taken from the album The Mindsweep by British band Enter Shikari. The song was first played on Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show on 5 January 2015. An official video for the song directed by Mike Tyler was released on YouTube later the same day.

Redshift (Enter Shikari song)

"Redshift" is a single by British band Enter Shikari. The song was first played on BBC Radio 1 on 11 January 2016 and released as a digital single the day after. An official video for the song directed by Mike Tyler was released on YouTube the same day.

References

  1. Enter Shikari Announce New Single! – Smash Music
  2. "Enter Shikari – Official Website". Archived from the original on 2007-06-10. Retrieved 2007-06-10.
  3. Enter Shikari (2007-06-13). "Enter Shikari". NME. Retrieved 2016-11-22.
  4. "Jonny Sniper | Full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts Company . Retrieved August 23, 2018.