Haven (band)

Last updated

Haven
Haven1.jpg
Haven at The Garage, Islington, London, in March 2006
Background information
Origin Penzance, Cornwall, England
Genres Indie rock
Years active19962006
Labels Virgin
Past membersGary Briggs
Nathan Wason
Iwan Gronow
Rebecca 'Reb' Fitzpatrick
Tom Lewis
Jack Mitchell

Haven were an English indie rock band, formed in Cornwall in 1996. The band consisted of singer Gary Briggs, guitarist Nathan Wason, bassist Iwan Gronow and drummer Tom Lewis. Originally called Blew, their new name was taken from a local Haven Holidays resort. [1]

Contents

Career

The band formed after Gary Briggs moved to Cornwall and met Nathan Wason in a record shop in Penzance in 1996. [2] [3] After recruiting drummer Tom Lewis and London born Iwan Gronow, the band moved to Manchester in 1999 [4] after being discovered by the former Smiths' manager Joe Moss set them up with a regular slot at The Night and Day Café. [1] In 2001, drummer Tom Lewis left the band and was replaced by Manchester drummer Jack Mitchell. [5] Through Moss's Smiths connections they also played support slots for Johnny Marr's band The Healers, and others including Badly Drawn Boy. [1] The band's first release was the Til The End EP in May 2001, with further singles following, including the top-75 UK hit "Let It Live" and their top-30 breakthrough "Say Something". [1] They also appeared on New Music Television , presented by Marc Almond for ITV1 in 2001. [2]

Their debut album, Between The Senses, was released in February 2002, and reached No. 26 in the UK Albums Chart. [1] A second album was released in 2004, and the band constantly remained on tour. Their record label merged with another and the band were asked to record a third album. However, with the deadline set soon after the tour, Haven did not manage to record enough material to complete what the label wanted. They were subsequently released from their recording contract, and the band split up in 2006.

Following the split, Iwan Gronow and Jack Mitchell joined Manchester band Mutineers and went on to play as the rhythm section in Johnny Marr's live band. [6] Gary Briggs and Nat Wason formed the short lived band The Strays. Briggs was also recruited as the lead singer for the Peter Hook/Mani project Freebass [7] before going on to work on courses run for musicians. Wason was the guitarist in Peter Hook and The Light from 2010 to 2013 and is currently a member of A Blaze Of Feathers with singer-songwriter Ben Howard, having toured as part of his backing band for several years. [8]

In 2012, a comprehensive biography of the band was published by Matador Books. [9]

In 2021, it was announced that the band would reform for a one-off gig at Night & Day in Manchester on 2 July 2021. [10] However, after the gig was forced to be postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions, they then announced 2 gigs at the same venue for December 2021. All profits will go to the Christie Hospital. They are also set to release the song All I Ever Knew, which was originally set to be released as a single before the split up. [11]

The reformation came about as frontman Gary Briggs and drummer Jack Mitchell found themselves living near each other in Stockport, with Briggs stating the pair then "got in touch with the rest of the band and took things from there. I think like many people over the past year, we’ve found old connections reforming – you find the people that matter again when you’re forced to be so far apart. Reforming for the gigs just feels like the right thing to do and it’s been nice spending time with the guys again". [12]

Band members

Discography

Albums

Singles

Related Research Articles

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

The Stone Roses were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1983. One of the pioneering groups of the Madchester movement in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the band's classic and most prominent lineup consisted of vocalist Ian Brown, guitarist John Squire, bassist Mani and drummer Reni.

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

The Smiths were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1982 and composed of singer Morrissey, guitarist Johnny Marr, bassist Andy Rourke, and drummer Mike Joyce. Morrissey and Marr formed the band's songwriting partnership. The Smiths are regarded as one of the most important acts to emerge from 1980s British independent music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Marr</span> English musician (born 1963)

John Martin Marr is an English musician, songwriter and singer. He first achieved fame as the guitarist and co-songwriter of the Smiths, who were active from 1982 to 1987. He has since performed with numerous other bands and embarked on a solo career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Hook</span> English musician

Peter Hook is an English musician, best known as the bassist and co-founder of the rock bands Joy Division and New Order. Hook often used the bass as a lead instrument, playing melodies on the high strings with a signature heavy chorus effect. In New Order, he would do this, leaving the actual basslines to keyboards or sequencers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mani (musician)</span> British bassist

Gary "Mani" Mounfield is an English rock bassist, best known for being a member of The Stone Roses and Primal Scream.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slaughter & the Dogs</span> English punk rock band

Slaughter and the Dogs are an English punk rock band formed in 1975 in Wythenshawe, Manchester. Their original line-up consisted of singer Wayne Barrett McGrath, rhythm guitar Mick Rossi, drummer Brian "Mad Muffet" Grantham, lead guitarist Mike Day and bassist Howard Bates.

Revenge was a band formed by New Order bassist Peter Hook and Lavolta Lakota and Rawhead singer Davyth Hicks on guitar and vocals, together with Chris Jones (keyboards). Revenge formed during New Order's hiatus in 1989-1990 and played their final gigs in January 1993. After their industrial rock/house music hybrid album One True Passion was written and recorded, the band was joined on stage by David Potts and Ash Taylor on drums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andy Rourke</span> English musician (1964–2023)

Andrew Michael Rourke was an English musician, best known as the bassist of the 1980s indie rock band the Smiths. Regarded as one of the greatest bassists of his generation, he is known for his melodic and funk inspired approach to bass playing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phil Cunningham (rock musician)</span> English guitarist

Philip Cunningham is an English guitarist who is a member of the bands Marion, New Order, Bad Lieutenant, ShadowParty and, more recently in 2020, Sea Fever.

<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-The Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr who was an official member of the group from 2008 until 2011.

Iwan Gronow is a British musician, writer and producer. A bass guitarist, he has previously been a member of Haven and Mutineers. Since 2013, he has been a member of Johnny Marr's band, which he joined with Haven drummer Jack Mitchell. He also formed Sea Fever in 2020.

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

Marion are an English Britpop band, formed in 1993 in Macclesfield, Cheshire. The band's classic lineup featured frontman Jaime Harding, guitarist Phil Cunningham, guitarist Tony Grantham, bassist Julian Phillips and drummer Murad Mousa.

Freebass were an English rock supergroup consisting of, originally, three bassists - Andy Rourke, Peter Hook and Gary "Mani" Mounfield - and singer Gary Briggs. Rourke subsequently left the line-up.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Mitchell (drummer)</span> British musician

Jack Edward Mitchell is a British drummer. Part of Johnny Marr's band since 2012, he has previously played with Mutineers, Haven, Marion, Tailgunner and Bad Lieutenant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">24 Hour Service Station</span> American independent record label

24 Hour Service Station is an American independent record label founded by Marshall Dickson in Tampa, Florida, in 1993. Among its releases are Ceremony - A New Order Tribute, a charity album, and albums from artists such as Freebass, Peter Hook and The Light, The Beauvilles, John Ralston, and punk band Pink Lincolns. It also operates the division 24 Hour Distribution, a global media distribution network which is partnered with entities such as the Independent Online Distribution Alliance and The Orchard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Hook and the Light</span> English rock band

Peter Hook and The Light are an English rock band, formed in May 2010 by bassist and vocalist Peter Hook, formerly of the influential post-punk bands Joy Division and New Order. The band also features Hook's son Jack Bates (bass), as well as Andy Poole (keyboards) and Paul Kehoe (drums), who both played with Hook as part of Monaco, one of Hook's previous groups. From the first gigs in May 2010, Nat Wason was the group's guitarist, however in July 2013 he was replaced by David Potts, another former member of Monaco.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josephine Oniyama</span> Musical artist

Josephine Ejiroghene Oniyama is an English singer-songwriter. She has released three albums and a number of singles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Chapman</span> Franco-British musician

Thomas Louis Chapman is a Franco-British musician, producer and songwriter, best known as being the bass guitarist of English rock band New Order. He is also one of the founding members of Anglo-American group ShadowParty and more recently in 2020, Sea Fever.

<i>Its a Beautiful Life</i> (album) 2010 studio album by Freebass

It's a Beautiful Life is the only studio album by English supergroup Freebass, featuring bassists Peter Hook, Gary Mounfield, Andy Rourke and vocalist Gary Briggs (Haven). It was released on 20 September 2010 through Hook's Haçienda Records label. The band broke up before the album's release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blossoms (band)</span> Indie pop group from Stockport, England

Blossoms are an English indie rock band from Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. Formed in 2013, the band consists of Tom Ogden, Charlie Salt, Josh Dewhurst, Joe Donovan (drums) and Myles Kellock.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Strong, Martin C. (2003) The Great Indie Discography, Canongate, ISBN   1-84195-335-0, p.783
  2. 1 2 Marc Almond (presenter), Gary Briggs (singer) and Nathan Wason (guitarist) (2001). Haven - Let It Live video and interview (video). soulbrotherjimmy via YouTube. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  3. "CMJ New Music Report". 12 August 2002.
  4. "HAVEN at Pride Of Manchester".
  5. "Johnny Marr And Haven". Johnny Marr plays guitar. Archived from the original on 28 July 2011.
  6. "Mutineers". Myspace.
  7. "Freebass — Peter Hook, Mani, Andy Rourke — releases debut album, 'It's a Beautiful Life'". Slicing Up Eyeballs . 24 April 2010.
  8. "A Blaze of Feather - Meet the people behind the mysterious new band (exclusive)" . Independent.co.uk . 28 April 2017. Archived from the original on 9 May 2022.
  9. "Between the Lines - A History of Haven - Matador Non-Fiction - Mary O'Meara". Troubador.co.uk. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
  10. "Haven on Instagram: "We are delighted to announce that haven are to play a special one off show at the @nightanddaycafe on Friday the 2nd July 2021. Ticket link in bio ; See you there! #haven #20years #betweenthesenses #anniversary #livemusic #saysomething"".
  11. "Manchester indie favourites HAVEN reform for 20th anniversary gig". 6 October 2021.
  12. "Haven".
  13. 1 2 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 246. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.