The Maccabees (band)

Last updated

The Maccabees
The Maccabees 1.jpg
Background information
OriginLondon, England
Genres Indie rock
Years active2004–2017
Labels Fiction Records
Fierce Panda Records
Past members
  • Orlando Weeks
  • Felix White
  • Hugo White
  • Rupert Jarvis
  • Sam Doyle
  • Robert Dylan Thomas
  • Elliott Andrews
  • Will White
Website themaccabees.co.uk

The Maccabees were an English indie rock band, formed in 2004 in London. [1] [2] [3] They released four albums: Colour It In in 2007, followed by Wall of Arms in 2009, Given to the Wild which was released on 9 January 2012 and their last album Marks to Prove It released on 31 July 2015. The band announced that they decided to disband in August 2016, with farewell gigs in 2017. [4]

Contents

Name

The band came up with the name by flicking through the Bible and picking out a random word. [5] Despite adopting a name with perceived religious connotations, lead singer Orlando Weeks has more recently affirmed, in an interview on Steve Lamacq's BBC 6 Music show, that none of the band is religious.[ disputed – discuss ]

Music career

2007–2009: Colour It In

Their debut single, "X-Ray", was released on Promise records on 28 November 2005, and received some evening play on London radio station Xfm London. They received little significant exposure, however, until six months later, when they released their second single, "Latchmere", the subject of which is the wave machine at the Latchmere Leisure Centre in Battersea, South London, [6] on Fierce Panda Records in April 2006. This was championed by Radio 1 DJ Steve Lamacq and received airtime on MTV2. The video, directed by Hugh Frost and Samuel Bebbington, also proved an internet hit after it was posted on YouTube. They had their first taste of festivals by playing on the Carling stage of the Leeds/Reading festival in 2006. [7]

The band were signed to major label Fiction Records, and released their debut album Colour It In in May 2007. Because an early copy of the album appeared on the New York Times website, Colour It In became available to download exclusively from iTunes on 16 December, before its physical release on 14 May, in an effort to combat the leak. The single "First Love" was their first to chart in the UK top 40, and was followed by "About Your Dress", which peaked at No. 33. Their album received positive reviews, and charted at No. 24. They then toured the United States with fellow indie group Bloc Party. A full UK tour followed from October 2007, culminating in a sell-out show at the Roundhouse venue in London.

2009–2010: Wall of Arms

On the run-up to the release of their second album, the band played two new songs to Steve Lamacq on his "In New Music We Trust" show on Radio 1 in May 2008, "No Kind Words" and "Young Lions". The band also played a string of small venues in the UK to test out new songs, in March and April 2008. The Maccabees performed at Offset Festival in London as well the Underage Festival in August 2008.

On Zane Lowe's Radio 1 show in February 2009, Felix confirmed the name of the follow-up album to be Wall of Arms , an announcement that coincided with the release of the free downloadable track, "No Kind Words". On 16 March, Radio 1 DJ Steve Lamacq played the band's first single from Wall of Arms entitled Love You Better, the video to which was posted exclusively on ClashMusic.com on 27 March. [8]

Wall of Arms was released on 4 May 2009. It entered the UK albums chart at No. 13 and received positive reviews with the NME giving the album 8/10. [9] At the end of the year, Artrocker made the album joint No.1 Album of 2009 along with Yeah Yeah Yeahs' It's Blitz!.

In July 2009, second single "Can You Give It" was released. The Maccabees invited the Dodworth Colliery Band [10] of Barnsley to record a rousing brass version of the single for the B-side. [11] The Guardian interviewed Orlando and Felix during the recording session. [12] The accompanying video [13] for "Can You Give It" was filmed at the famous Coopers Hill annual cheese rolling race [14] in Gloucestershire.

Other performances in 2009 include Reading and Leeds Festivals on Friday 28th and Saturday 29 August respectively and Little Noise Sessions on 16 November.

On 3 October 2009, the five-piece band played a gig at Brixton Academy to finish off their Wall of Arms tour. The band pulled in a huge crowd for their homecoming show at the O2, as well as a brass section for many of their songs as they performed their entire 2009 album and a host of tracks from their 2007 debut Colour It In. During the set Felix White declared the Academy as 'the best venue in the world'. [15] The Guardian ran a five star live review of the gig. [16]

In November 2009, The Maccabees collaborated with rapper Roots Manuva on a heady re-working of Wall of Arms album track and live favourite "No Kind Words". The track, newly titled "Empty Vessels", features new lyrics and vocals from fellow south Londoner Roots. It was debuted on Zane Lowe's evening show on Radio One on 11 November. The single release of "Empty Vessels" was made available on iTunes from 24 November 2009 on Fiction Records. [17]

The Maccabees were named as headlines for the Shockwaves NME Awards Tour 2010 with Bombay Bicycle Club, The Big Pink and The Drums in February 2010. [18]

2012–2013: Given to the Wild

The Maccabees debuted new song "Child" in Brighton in August 2010, as well as playing the Main Stage at the Reading & Leeds festival 2010, debuting new song titled "Forever I've Known", displaying what seems to be a darker, deeper sound for the band.

They played new songs "Child", "Feel to Follow", "Pelican", "Ayla", "Went Away", "Forever I've Known" and "Grew Up at Midnight" at The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth on 8 August 2011.

On 4 October 2011, the band announced via their blog that their third album, Given to the Wild , would be released on 9 January 2012. [19]

The first single from the album was "Pelican", it was first played on 15 November 2011 on BBC Radio 1 by Zane Lowe. It was released on 9 January 2012 to very favourable reviews, it currently holds a score of 72 on Metacritic. [20] At the 58th Ivor Novello Awards, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London on Thursday 16 May 2013, "Pelican" won Best Contemporary Song.

The album was at No. 1 on the midweek chart update, at the end of the week it debuted No. 4 on the UK Album Chart, the highest Maccabees release to date there. [21]

On 12 September 2012 the album was nominated for the 2012 Mercury Prize. On 24 October 2012 the album was certified gold in the UK.

In 2015 their song "Grew Up at Midnight" was featured in the film Steve Jobs .

2014–2017: Marks to Prove It and Disbanding

In 2013 The Maccabees announced in an NME article that they were hoping to release a fourth album in early 2014. [22] However, in January 2014 in another article with NME, guitarist Felix White stated, "We started the record at the beginning of 2013. We went into the studio with the idea that it was going to be finished by now. And we've finished two songs. We've got a lot of songs but every time you write something new, it raises the standard." Frontman Orlando Weeks added, "we haven't really come across the songs that set the tone or mood for this record yet, we're kind of shooting in the dark. But I like that: there isn't a specific thing I'm trying to funnel stuff into." [23]

In March 2015, it was announced that The Maccabees were going to release new single "Marks To Prove It" on 11 May through Fiction Records. [24] In May 2015, the band confirmed that Marks To Prove It would feature eleven tracks. [25] The album was recorded in the band's studio in Elephant and Castle and pays tribute to the area. [26]

On 18 May, the band announced that the album would be released on 31 July 2015. [27] "Something Like Happiness" was released as the second single and streamed by the band on 11 June. [28] It was released on 31 July, to coincide with the album. [29]

In August 2016 the band released a statement stating that "After 14 years as a band we have decided to call it a day", with farewell shows to follow in summer 2017. [30] [ non-primary source needed ] [31]

After the break-up

For the first time in January 2018, the founding member and the producer for Maccabees, Hugo White, talked of his memorable time working with the Maccabees and his life as a music producer after the Maccabees disbanded. [32]

On August 17, 2023, Felix White and Hugo White unveiled their first single, "Worn Out Buildings," as part of their new musical project, 86TVs. Band members included their younger brother, Will, and the drummer Jamie Morrison, known for his previous work with the bands Noisettes and Stereophonics. [33] In June 2023, they signed with Parlophone Records. [34]

Members

Discography

Related Research Articles

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

Keane are an English alternative rock band from Battle, East Sussex, formed in 1995. They met while at Tonbridge School together. The band comprises Tom Chaplin, Tim Rice-Oxley, Richard Hughes and Jesse Quin. Their original line-up included founder and guitarist Dominic Scott, who left in 2001.

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

Bloc Party are an English rock band that was formed in London in 1999 by co-founders Kele Okereke and Russell Lissack. They are joined in the band's current iteration by Louise Bartle and Harry Deacon. Their brand of music, whilst rooted in rock, retains elements of other genres such as electronica and house music.

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

Razorlight are an English indie rock band, formed in 2002 in London by lead singer and guitarist Johnny Borrell. Along with Borrell, the current line-up of the band is composed of founding members Björn Ågren on guitar and bassist Carl Delemo, as well as drummer Andy Burrows. This lineup is a reunion of the lineup from the band's second and third albums.

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

Idlewild are a Scottish rock band formed in Edinburgh in 1995. The band's line-up consists of Roddy Woomble, Rod Jones, Colin Newton (drums), Andrew Mitchell (bass), and Luciano Rossi (keyboards). To date, Idlewild have released nine full-length studio albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enter Shikari</span> British rock band

Enter Shikari are a British rock band formed in St Albans 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. Their seventh and latest album, A Kiss for the Whole World, was released on 21 April 2023 which gave them their first-ever No. 1 album.

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

The Cribs are a British indie rock band originally from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, that formed in 2001. The band consists of twins Gary and Ryan Jarman and their younger brother Ross Jarman. They were subsequently joined by ex-Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, who was an official member of the group from 2008 until 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Turner</span> English singer-songwriter

Francis Edward Turner is an English punk and folk singer-songwriter from Meonstoke, Hampshire. He began his career as the vocalist of post-hardcore band Million Dead, then embarked upon a primarily acoustic-based solo career following the band's split in 2005. In the studio and during live performances, Turner is accompanied by his backing band, The Sleeping Souls, which consists of Ben Lloyd, Tarrant Anderson (bass), Matt Nasir and Callum Green (drums).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Felix White</span> British musician

Felix Andrew Odell White is a British musician, best known as the guitarist of the British indie rock band The Maccabees and as founding member, guitarist and vocalist of 86TVs. He is also co-presenter on the cricket podcast Tailenders alongside Greg James, James Anderson and Matt Horan.

<i>Colour It In</i> 2007 studio album by The Maccabees

Colour It In is the debut studio album by the British indie band The Maccabees. It was released in the UK on 14 May and in the US on 22 May 2007. It was released on the UK iTunes Store on 16 April 2007. The album name is from the B-Side from the third single "First Love". The album was named the 24th Best Album of 2007 by NME.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Ting Tings</span> English musical duo

The Ting Tings are an English indie pop duo formed in Salford, Greater Manchester, in 2007. The band consists of Katie White and Jules De Martino.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White Lies (band)</span> English post-punk band

White Lies are an English post-punk revival band from Ealing, London. Formerly known as Fear of Flying, the core band members are Harry McVeigh, Charles Cave, and Jack Lawrence-Brown (drums). The band performs live as a four-piece, when they are joined by Tommy Bowen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Silvery</span> London-based 4-piece indie rock band

Silvery are a London-based 4-piece indie rock band, signed to Blow Up Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florence and the Machine</span> English indie rock band

Florence and the Machine are an English indie rock band formed in London in 2007 by lead vocalist Florence Welch, keyboardist Isabella Summers, guitarist Rob Ackroyd, drummer Christopher Lloyd Hayden & harpist Tom Monger. The band has consisted a number of other musicians. The band's music has received acclaim across the media, especially from the BBC, which played a large part in their rise to prominence by promoting Florence and the Machine as part of BBC Music Introducing. At the 2009 Brit Awards they received the Brit Awards "Critics' Choice" award. The band's music is renowned for its dramatic, eccentric production and Welch's powerful vocals.

<i>Wall of Arms</i> 2009 studio album by The Maccabees

Wall of Arms is the second studio album by the English indie band The Maccabees, released on 4 May 2009. The album was preceded by the single "Love You Better" on 27 April. The LP was produced by Markus Dravs, who has collaborated with Björk, Arcade Fire and Coldplay in the past.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The xx</span> British indie pop band

The xx are an English indie rock band from Wandsworth, London, formed in 2005. The band consists of Romy Madley Croft, Oliver Sim, Jamie Smith, also known as Jamie xx, and formerly Baria Qureshi. They are known for their distinct and minimalist sound that blends indie rock, indie electronic, indie pop, dream pop and electro-rock and the dual vocalist setup of both Madley Croft and Sim. Their music employs soft, echoed guitar, prominent bass, light electronic beats and ambient soundscape backgrounds.

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

The Crookes were a British indie rock band who formed in Sheffield in 2007. They released their first single "A Collier's Wife" in 2009 as part of the Too Pure singles club, followed by single "Bloodshot Days" that was released on Heist or Hit Records in 2010. Signed to London independent record label Fierce Panda Records, they have subsequently released four albums, Chasing After Ghosts (2011), Hold Fast (2012), Soapbox (2014), and Lucky Ones (2016) along with an extended EP Dreams Of Another Day (2010).

Films of Colour are an English alternative rock band, formed in 2008 at the Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford, Essex, England. They originally started gigging under the name of Spires but as there were other bands already established by this name, they later changed their name to Films of Colour. After seeing them at their second gig, they were taken under the wing of Phil Catchpole where he developed their sound and put them in the studio and finally on tour with Cage the Elephant. Paul Carey joined the band as a Co-Manager in 2009, but when Phil Catchpole left in 2010, Paul Carey continued on and took command as their sole manager. On 4 October 2010, the band released their first single "Actions" with the B-side "Circles" (both produced/mixed by Duncan "Pixie" Mills. The single was released digitally and on limited edition 7" Vinyl by Fierce Panda's sister label – Label Fandango. The band's sound were compared to acts such as Radiohead, Muse, Coldplay, early Bloc Party and Swedish act – Miike Snow. Simon Williams, head of Fierce panda described the band "as the best band he's signed since Radiohead and Coldplay". Picked up as The Guardian's New Band of the Day, Best of Myspace Winners, The Independent newspaper's Barometer: One to Watch and Steve Lamacq's Favourite New Band. There was radio support from 6 Music, Absolute Radio, BBC Radio 2 as well as holding the number 1 spot for two weeks on Amazing Radio

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

Tribes are a British four-piece indie rock band, based in Camden Town, London, England, that formed in 2010. The group consists of former Operahouse members Johnny Lloyd, Dan White (guitar) and Jim Cratchley (bass), along with White's childhood friend, Miguel Demelo (drums).

<i>Given to the Wild</i> 2012 studio album by The Maccabees

Given to the Wild is the third studio album by English indie rock band The Maccabees. The album was first released in the United Kingdom on 9 January 2012, where it debuted at number four on the UK Albums Chart and number thirty-one on the Irish Albums Chart. The album has seen four single releases: "Pelican", "Feel to Follow", "Went Away", and "Ayla".

<i>Marks to Prove It</i> 2015 studio album by The Maccabees

Marks to Prove It is the fourth and final studio album released by the English band The Maccabees released on 31 July 2015 through Fiction Records. Upon release, it reached number one in the UK Album chart. In North America a digital version was made available through Communion Records with a physical release to follow at a later date.

References

  1. ↑ "The Maccabees at Fiction Records". Fiction Records. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
  2. ↑ Hall, Duncan (20 March 2009). "The Maccabees Move Back to London". The Argus. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
  3. ↑ Bray, Elisa (10 February 2012). "The Maccabees – The quiet men of guitar rock" . The Independent. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
  4. ↑ Morgan, Luke (8 August 2016). "The Maccabees announce split – read their statement in full". NME. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  5. ↑ "Talking Shop: The Maccabees". BBC Entertainment. 7 January 2008. Retrieved 14 January 2008.
  6. ↑ "NME Album Reviews – The Maccabees: Colour It In". NME. 27 April 2007. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  7. ↑ "Leeds Festival 2006 | Leeds Festival". Archived from the original on 7 July 2017. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  8. ↑ "Maccabees Video Exclusive | Clash Music Exclusive Video". Clash. 27 March 2009. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  9. ↑ "NME Album Reviews – Album review: The Maccabees". NME. 28 April 2009. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  10. ↑ "Dodworth Colliery MW Brass Band". Dodworthcollieryband.co.uk. 11 December 2011. Archived from the original on 5 March 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  11. ↑ "Download the Maccabees and the Dodworth Colliery Band". The Guardian. London. 8 July 2009. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
  12. ↑ Barton, Laura (7 July 2009). "Where there's Maccabees there's brass". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
  13. ↑ "Can You Give It (Exclusive Brand New Video)". Archived from the original on 17 December 2021. Retrieved 19 March 2012– via YouTube.
  14. ↑ "The Official & Only Authoritative Site Of Cheese Rolling at Coopers Hill in Gloucestershire". Cheese-rolling.co.uk. 19 January 2012. Archived from the original on 15 March 2010. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  15. ↑ "The Maccabees play the 'best gig' of their lives in London". NME. 4 October 2009. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  16. ↑ Gittins, Ian (5 October 2009). "The Maccabees". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
  17. ↑ [ dead link ]
  18. ↑ "Maccabees, Bombay Bicycle Club, Big Pink, Drums for Shockwaves NME Awards Tour". NME. 9 November 2009. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  19. ↑ "The Maccabees Blog – "Given to the Wild" Released 9th January". Themaccabees.tumblr.com. 1 March 1994. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  20. ↑ vermas. "Given to the Wild Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  21. ↑ "Radio 1 – Chart – The Official UK Top 40 Albums Chart". BBC. 24 February 2007. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  22. ↑ "The Maccabees outline plan to release fourth album in early 2014". NME. 14 August 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  23. ↑ "The Maccabees reveal slow progress being made on new album". NME. 16 January 2014. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  24. ↑ "The Maccabees' share new video for 'Marks To Prove It'". neverenoughnotes.co.uk. 8 April 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  25. ↑ "The Maccabees: Band Announce Fourth Album 'Marks To Prove It' Tracklisting". Inveterate. 18 May 2015. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  26. ↑ "The Maccabees: Why we love Elephant and Castle". BBC News. 4 August 2015. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  27. ↑ "Home – The Maccabees". The Maccabees. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  28. ↑ "Never Enough Notes". Never Enough Notes. 18 May 2015. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  29. ↑ "The Maccabees' new single 'Something Like Happiness'". Never Enough Notes. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  30. ↑ "The Maccabees on Twitter" . Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  31. ↑ "The Maccabees Announce Breakup". Hot Press. 8 August 2016. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  32. ↑ Gumble, Daniel (4 January 2018). "'So much of producing is understanding that band dynamic': ex-Maccabees Hugo White on his new studio career". PSNEurope.
  33. ↑ Rhian, Daly (17 August 2023). "The Maccabees' Felix and Hugo White on 86TVs, their comeback band". NME. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  34. ↑ "We just signed to @parlophone records". Instagram.
  35. ↑ "BMI | Repertoire Search". repertoire.bmi.com. Retrieved 8 August 2016.[ permanent dead link ]
  36. ↑ Smyth, David (8 May 2015). "The Maccabees". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  37. ↑ "BMI | Repertoire Search". repertoire.bmi.com. Retrieved 8 August 2016.[ permanent dead link ]
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.