Ooberman

Last updated

Ooberman
Origin Liverpool, England [1]
Genres
Years active1997–2003, 2006–2007
Labels Transcopic
Tugboat
Independiente
Rough Trade
Rotodisc
Past membersDanny Popplewell
Andy Flett
Steve Flett
Sophia Churney
Alan Kelly
Paul Walsham
Jaymie Ireland
Website ooberman.co.uk

Ooberman were an English band first formed in 1997 in Liverpool, England. The band released their debut album The Magic Treehouse in 1999. They split up in 2003, shortly after the release of their second album Hey Petrunko , but reformed in 2006 and released their third album Carried Away the same year. Six of their singles have charted on the UK singles chart, with "Blossoms Falling" (1999) peaking at #39. [4]

Contents

History

Early years

In 1988, Ooberman founders Danny Popplewell and Andy Flett met in Bradford, and, together with Flett's younger brother Steve, formed the Forestry Commission. The band's life soon ended when Popplewell moved to Liverpool, but the three friends kept in touch. [5]

Subsequently, the Flett brothers moved to Liverpool. Ooberman was founded nearly a decade after the previous band, with the addition of Sophia Churney (keyboards and vocals) and Alan Kelly (drums). [5] [6] The first Ooberman gig was in June 1997. [6]

Blur guitarist Graham Coxon heard a demo by Ooberman which he enjoyed; it was released as their first single "Sugar Bum" on his Transcopic record label. [7] [6] This was followed by the "seven-track mini-album" Shorley Wall EP on Tugboat Records which peaked at #13 on the UK Independent Albums Chart and sold 10,000 copies. [8] [9] [4] The band then secured up a major recording contract with Independiente, [6] on which they released the Top 40 hit "Blossoms Falling" in May 1999, which peaked at #39. [10] [4]

The Magic Treehouse

Ooberman recorded two Peel sessions in 1999, on 31 January and on 25 October. [11] Ooberman performed at the Glastonbury Festival in 1999. [12] In October 1999, the band released their critically acclaimed Stephen Street-produced debut album The Magic Treehouse on Independiente. [6] [10] The album peaked at #79 on the UK Albums Chart and received a 4/5 review in NME . [4] [8] The band won the NME Premier Award for Best Live Performance in February 2000. [13] According to Drowned in Sound , "the band didn't maintain their early sales despite continuing critical acclaim". [14] Afterwards, Independiente dropped Ooberman from the label in June 2000. [15] [9] [16]

Ooberman signed to Rough Trade Records, releasing the single "Dolphin Blue" on the label in December 2000. [17] The band left Rough Trade, and subsequent releases like 2001's Running Girl were released on Danny Popplewell's own label, Rotodisc. [15] [14] [18] According to Popplewell, "In the end we approached a distribution company [...] Basically they gave us enough money to fund our own label". [16] The limited edition "Running Girl" single sold out in three days. [18] The original drummer Alan Kelly was replaced by Paul Walsham.[ citation needed ]

Hey Petrunko

The Hey Petrunko CD album Compact disc album.jpg
The Hey Petrunko CD album

After two years of working on new material, the band announced that they would release their second album Hey Petrunko in October 2002. It was named after a Bulgarian folk song, as Popplewell had been listening to Bulgarian folk music. The band also picked up a new drummer – Jaymie Ireland. [18]

A five-track EP – Bluebell Morning – and a single – "Beany Bean" – were released in 2002, [19] [18] but Hey Petrunko was delayed.[ citation needed ] The band performed at the 2002 Glastonbury Festival. [16] Hey Petrunko was released on 3 March 2003 by Rotodisc,[ citation needed ] and peaked at #41 on the UK Independent Albums Chart. [4]

Hey Petrunko "failed to sell enough copies to pay the band's wages". [20] The group became disillusioned and broke up in 2003. [14]

Reformation

The band reformed in 2006. [14] [21] Their third album Carried Away was released in 2006 by Rotodisc. [14]

In September 2007 the band released The Lost Tapes – Rare Recordings 1991–2007, a collection of rare and unreleased recordings covering the period in the title. [14] [22]

The Magic Theatre

The album London Town featuring Ooberman members Sophia Churney and Danny Popplewell as "The Magic Theatre" was released on 7 June 2010. [23] The album's orchestral sound was achieved on a low budget by Popplewell writing library music, designed to be used as background for films and television, that fitted his songs, [20] and re-using the recordings with new vocals by him and Sophia Churney. They released their second album The Long Way Home in 2013. [24]

Discography

Many of the band's releases have been issued on their own label, Rotodisc. Peak charting positions are given in the list below.

Albums

EPs and mini-albums

Singles

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blur (band)</span> English rock band

Blur are an English rock band formed in London in 1988. The band consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bass guitarist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Their debut album, Leisure (1991), incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegaze. Following a stylistic change influenced by English guitar pop groups such as the Kinks, the Beatles and XTC, Blur released the albums Modern Life Is Rubbish (1993), Parklife (1994) and The Great Escape (1995). As a result, the band helped to popularise the Britpop genre and achieved mass popularity in the UK, aided by a widely publicised chart battle with rival band Oasis in 1995 dubbed "The Battle of Britpop".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catatonia (band)</span> Welsh rock band

Catatonia were an alternative rock band from Wales who gained popularity in the mid-to-late 1990s. The band formed in 1992 after Mark Roberts met Cerys Matthews and Kirsty Kennedy. The first major lineup featured Dafydd Ieuan of Super Furry Animals on drums, Paul Jones on bass, and Clancy Pegg on keyboards. With this line-up the band recorded two EPs, For Tinkerbell and Hooked.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Happy Mondays</span> English alternative rock band

Happy Mondays is an English rock band formed in Salford in 1980. The original line-up consisted of brothers Shaun Ryder (vocals) and Paul Ryder (bass), Gary Whelan (drums), Paul Davis (keyboard), and Mark Day (guitar). Mark "Bez" Berry later joined the band onstage as a dancer and percussionist. Rowetta joined as a second vocalist in 1990. They were initially signed to Tony Wilson's Factory Records label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cast (band)</span> English rock band, Liverpool

Cast is an English indie rock band formed in Liverpool in 1992 by John Power and Peter Wilkinson after Power left The La's and Wilkinson's former band Shack had split. Following early line-ups with different guitarists and drummers, Liam "Skin" Tyson (guitar) and Keith O'Neill (drums) joined Cast in 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gomez (band)</span> English indie rock band

Gomez are an English indie rock band from Southport, Merseyside, comprising Ian Ball, Paul "Blackie" Blackburn (bass), Tom Gray, Ben Ottewell and Olly Peacock. The band has three singers and four songwriters, employing traditional and electronic instruments. Their music covers the genres of blues, indie, alternative, rock, folk, psychedelic and experimental.

Stephen Brian Street is an English record producer best known for his work with the Smiths, the Cranberries and Blur. Street collaborated with Morrissey on his debut album Viva Hate following the split of the Smiths.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kula Shaker</span> English psychedelic rock band

Kula Shaker are an English psychedelic rock band. Led by frontman Crispian Mills, the band came to prominence during the Post-Britpop era of the late 1990s. The band enjoyed commercial success in the UK between 1996 and 1999, notching up a number of Top 10 hits on the UK Singles Chart, including "Tattva", "Hey Dude", "Govinda", "Hush", and "Sound of Drums". The band's debut album, K, reached No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart. It was voted number 879 in Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums 3rd Edition (2000).

Longpigs were an English indie rock band who rose to fame on the fringe of Britpop in the 1990s, comprising Crispin Hunt (vocals), Richard Hawley (guitar), Simon Stafford and former Cabaret Voltaire member Dee Boyle (drums) who was replaced by Andy Cook for their second album. Hailing from Sheffield, the group had success with singles such as "She Said", "On and On", and their well-received debut album The Sun Is Often Out (1996).

<i>The Man Who</i> 1999 album by Travis

The Man Who is the second studio album by the Scottish rock band Travis. The album was released on 24 May 1999 through Independiente. It saw a change in musical direction for the band, moving away from the rockier tone of their debut Good Feeling (1997). Four singles were released: "Writing to Reach You", "Driftwood", and the top 10 hits "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?" and "Turn".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toploader</span> English rock band

Toploader are an English rock band from Eastbourne, East Sussex, formed in 1997, with over two million album sales and several top 20 hits both home and abroad. Their debut album, Onka's Big Moka, sold over one million units and peaked in the top 5 of the UK Albums Chart, where it remained for six months. It earned them four nominations at the 2001 Brit Awards. They are recognised most of all for their cover of King Harvest's US hit "Dancing in the Moonlight" written by Sherman Kelly, which became a global hit for the band. Their second album, Magic Hotel, reached number 3 in the UK Albums Chart. The band reunited in 2009; they continue to tour and record music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drugstore (band)</span> Alternative and dream pop band

Drugstore are a London-based alternative and dream pop band, led by Brazilian singer-songwriter and bassist Isabel Monteiro, formed with Dave Hunter on guitar and Mike Chylinski on drums.

Rosita was an English band formed by Marie Du Santiago and Emmy-Kate Montrose, formerly one-half of the band Kenickie, in the immediate aftermath of Kenickie's split in October 1998. Although mainly remembered as a Kenickie offshoot, they received regular coverage in their own right in the weekly UK music press, their second single, "Santa Poca's Dream" was a UK Independent Singles Chart Top 20 hit, and one of its bonus tracks, "Demon", was used as the soundtrack to a television advertisement for Leyland DAF Vans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gossip (band)</span> American rock band

Gossip is an American indie rock band formed in Searcy, Arkansas. For most of their career, the band has consisted of singer Beth Ditto, multi-instrumentalist Nathan "Brace Paine" Howdeshell, and drummer Hannah Blilie. After releasing several recordings, the band broke through with their 2006 studio album, Standing in the Way of Control. A follow-up, Music for Men, was released in 2009. The band played a mix of post-punk revival, indie rock, and dance-rock. Their fifth album, A Joyful Noise, was released in May 2012. They disbanded in 2016 but reformed to embark on an anniversary tour for Music for Men in 2019 and released the album Real Power in 2024.

<i>The Magic Treehouse</i> 1999 studio album by Ooberman

The Magic Treehouse is the debut album from Ooberman, released in October 1999 on Independiente Records. The album was produced by Stephen Street, known for his work with the Smiths and Blur, among others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Wombats</span> English indie rock band

The Wombats are an English indie rock band formed in Liverpool in 2003, consisting of Matthew Murphy, Tord Øverland Knudsen, and Dan Haggis. They have sold over 1 million albums worldwide.

<i>Hey Petrunko</i> 2003 studio album by Ooberman

Hey Petrunko is the second album by Ooberman, released in March 2003 on the band's own Rotodisc label. It was recorded and produced by the band.

<i>Running Girl</i> 2001 studio album by Ooberman

Running Girl is a mini-album by Ooberman, released in October 2001 on the band's own Rotodisc label. A single of the title track was released in November 2001. The title track was also featured on the band's Hey Petrunko album.

<i>Shorley Wall</i> 1998 EP by Ooberman

The Shorley Wall EP was the second release by Ooberman, following the Sugar Bum single, and was the first release that gained the band attention from the press and music fans. It was named as the single of the year for 1998 by The Times.

<i>Bluebell Morning</i> 2002 EP by Ooberman

Bluebell Morning is an EP by Ooberman, released in May 2002 on the band's own Rotodisc label. The title track and "SnakeDance" were reworked and featured on the band's 2003 album Hey Petrunko.

Tugboat Records was a small independent record label based in London, England, which was affiliated with Rough Trade Records. It was founded in May 1998 by Geoff Travis, who had previously founded Rough Trade Records itself. The first release on Tugboat Records was "Joan of Arc", a 7" single by Low. The label's manager was Glen Johnson of Piano Magic. Among the most influential albums originally released by Tugboat was Any Other City (2001), the only studio album by Scottish indie rock band Life Without Buildings.

References

  1. 1 2 "Graham Coxon's Transcopic label" (PDF). Music Week. 29 August 1998. p. 10. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  2. ↑ Marotta, Michael (17 August 2007). "Hotline: Ooberman gives it all away". Boston Herald. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  3. ↑ "London W1 Notre Dame Hall". NME. 12 September 2005. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 "OOBERMAN". Official Charts. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  5. 1 2 "Ooberman". AllMusic. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Harrison, Ian (June 1999). "Ignition - Ooberman". Select . p. 21. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  7. ↑ Burnet, Andrew (26 June 1999). "Ooberman with a plan". The Scotsman. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  8. 1 2 "The Magic Treehouse". NME. 12 September 2005. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  9. 1 2 "Ooberman Summon Up Angels and Ghosts". NME. 15 August 2000. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Strong, Martin C. (2003). The great indie discography. Edinburgh: Canongate. p. 902. ISBN   978-1-84195-335-9 . Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  11. ↑ "BBC - Radio 1 - Keeping It Peel - Ooberman". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  12. ↑ "BBC News | Glastonbury 1999 | Arrests up at Glastonbury". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  13. ↑ "Ooberman Know Where It's At!". NME. 22 March 2000. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Album Review: Ooberman - The Lost Tapes: Rare Recordings 1991-2007". DrownedInSound. 3 September 2007. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  15. 1 2 "Album reviews" (PDF). Music Week. 3 November 2001. p. 25. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  16. 1 2 3 Johnson, Debbie (16 August 2002). "MUSIC: You only get an 'OO' with Danny's crew". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  17. ↑ "OH, MAN!". NME. 24 November 2000. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  18. 1 2 3 4 Brown, Chris (23 August 2002). "Ooberman catch you by the Bulgars". Liverpool Daily Post . Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  19. ↑ "Ep Review: Ooberman - Bluebell Morning EP". DrownedInSound. 20 May 2002. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  20. 1 2 "That's magic". The Sunday Times . Archived from the original on 25 February 2015. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  21. ↑ "BBC Programme Index". genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. 4 September 2006. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  22. ↑ "The Lost Tapes Rare: Recordings 1991-2007". Record Collector . Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  23. ↑ "London Town by The Magic Theatre". Cargo Records. Archived from the original on 9 September 2010.
  24. ↑ "Album review: The Long Way Home by The Magic Theatre". Leeds Weekly News. 28 November 2013. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.