Hootie & the Blowfish is an American rock band formed in Columbia, South Carolina, in 1986. The band's lineup for most of its existence has been the quartet of Darius Rucker, Mark Bryan, Dean Felber, and Jim Sonefeld. The band went on hiatus in 2008 until they announced plans for a full reunion tour in 2019 and released their first new studio album in fourteen years, Imperfect Circle.
Talk Talk were an English band formed in 1981, led by Mark Hollis, Lee Harris (drums), and Paul Webb (bass). Initially a synth-pop group, Talk Talk's first two albums, The Party's Over (1982) and It's My Life (1984), reached top 40 in the UK and produced the international hit singles "Talk Talk", "Today", "It's My Life", and "Such a Shame". They achieved widespread critical success in Europe and the UK with the album The Colour of Spring (1986) along with its singles "Life's What You Make It" and "Living in Another World". 1988's Spirit of Eden moved the group towards a more experimental sound informed by jazz and improvisation, pioneering what became known as post-rock; it was critically acclaimed but commercially unsuccessful.
808 State are an English electronic music group formed in 1987 in Manchester by Graham Massey, Martin Price and Gerald Simpson. Taking their name from the Roland TR-808 drum machine and the "state of mind" the members shared, they released their debut album Newbuild in September 1988 and secured commercial success in 1989, when their song "Pacific State" was picked up by BBC Radio 1 DJ Gary Davies and charted for 11 weeks in the UK.
Gerald Rydel Simpson, better known as A Guy Called Gerald, is a British record producer and musician. He was an early member of the electronic group 808 State, contributing to their debut LP Newbuild (1988) and hit single "Pacific State" (1989). He also achieved solo success with his 1988 hit single "Voodoo Ray", which became a touchstone of Manchester's acid house scene and reached No. 12 in the UK charts. He embraced breakbeat production in the 1990s, with his 1995 album Black Secret Technology becoming a "much-touted candidate for 'best jungle album ever.'" He also ran the London-based independent record label Juice Box Records from 1991 to 1998.
Elbow are an English rock band formed in Bury, Greater Manchester, in 1990. The band consists of Guy Garvey, Craig Potter, Mark Potter and Pete Turner. They have played together since 1990, adopting the name Elbow in 1997. Drummer Alex Reeves replaced Richard Jupp in 2016 as a touring and session musician at first, before becoming a full member in 2024.
Ian Zachary Broudie is an English musician and singer-songwriter from Liverpool. After emerging from the post-punk scene in Liverpool in the late 1970s as a member of Big in Japan, Broudie went on to produce albums for artists including Echo & the Bunnymen, the Fall, the Coral, the Zutons and the Subways.
I Am Kloot were an English rock band, formed in Manchester in 1999. The band was composed of vocalist/guitarist John Bramwell, bassist Peter Jobson and drummer Andy Hargreaves.
Alfie were an English indie rock band, formed in 1998 in Manchester. The band were composed of singer Lee Gorton, guitarist-vocalist Ian Smith, drummer Sean Kelly, bassist Sam Morris and cellist-guitarist Matt McGeever.
Puressence are a British rock band from Failsworth, Greater Manchester, England, formed in May 1992.
Stephen Jones is an English musician and novelist.
Natural History is the debut album by English rock band I Am Kloot, released to much eagerness from the British music press in 2001. The album was produced by Guy Garvey, lead singer for the Manchester-based band Elbow.
"Maybe I Should" is the first single I Am Kloot released after parting ways with their former record label Echo. The songs were recorded during the autumn of 2005. The single was released on 21 November 2005 by Skinny Dog label, co-founded by I Am Kloot's bass player, Peter Jobson, and Elbow's lead vocalist, Guy Garvey. The music was produced by Guy Garvey and Craig Potter.
Sky at Night is the fifth studio album by English rock band I Am Kloot. The album was produced by Guy Garvey and Craig Potter of the band Elbow and was released on 5 July 2010. Since 2 July 2010, the whole album has been streamed for free on the guardian.co.uk website.
Liam Frost is a musician from Manchester, England. He recorded and played with his backing group 'The Slowdown Family' on his debut album Show Me How The Spectres Dance but now performs solo under the name Liam Frost.
Guy Edward John Patrick Garvey is an English musician, singer, songwriter and radio presenter. He is the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band Elbow. He has a weekly show on BBC Radio 6 Music titled Guy Garvey's Finest Hour.
John Harold Arnold Bramwell is an English singer-songwriter, best known as the frontman for the former three-piece alternative rock band I Am Kloot.
Gods and Monsters is the third album by English rock band I Am Kloot which was released on 11 April 2005. It reached #74 in the UK. As well as being released on vinyl and CD, the CD version of the album also appeared in a gate-fold sleeve edition with a second disc: a DVD titled Live At The Ritz + Videos which contained filmed live tracks from a gig, music videos, and a band interview.
Skinny Dog Records is an independent record label based in Manchester, England, set up in 1999 by John Bramwell and Peter Jobson of I Am Kloot, Mark Potter of Elbow, Scott Alexander of Indigo Jones and media lawyer David Sefton. Potter and Alexander resigned from the company in 2003 and 2004 respectively.
Let It All In is the sixth and final studio album by English rock band I Am Kloot. Like the previous one, this record was produced by Guy Garvey and Craig Potter of the band Elbow. It was released on 21 January 2013. On 27 January, the album debuted at #10 in the UK Albums Chart and at #1 in the Official Record Store Chart.
"From Your Favourite Sky" is I Am Kloot's first single of 2004, released in March of that year. It was promoted by a video using filmed footage taken from their UK and European tour at the end of the previous year. X-Ray Magazine said of the song, that the 'Manchester trio' restore 'faith in songwriting', with 'Johnny Bramwell's fabulous voice ... the key to a lot of this magic,' his 'tongue-twisting around the easy-going "From Your Favourite Sky" ... is captivating and soothing'. Natasha Perry at Contact Music wrote: "There's a definite classical and flamenco tinge to it, bizarre given there's not a classical instrument in there. The lyrics are great... I guarantee you that I Am Kloot will find a way into your heart'.
