Kid British

Last updated

Kid British
Kid British backstage.jpg
Kid British - Left to right: Dominick, Sean, Simeon (centre), Matt, Adio & Mykey
Background information
Origin Manchester, England
Genres Ska, indie rock, hip hop, reggae
Years active2007–2012
Labels Mercury
Modern English
LAB Records
Past members Adio Marchant
Dominick Allen
Mykey Wilson
Matt Herod
Sean Mbaya
Simeon McLean
James Mayer
Tom Peek
Websitewww.kidbritish.net

Kid British, often styled as KiD BRiTiSH, were an English 6-piece music group, hailing from Manchester, England. The band was composed of Adio Marchant (vocals), Simeon McLean (vocals), Sean Mbaya (vocals/guitar/keyboard), Dominick Allen (vocals/rhythm guitar), Mykey Wilson (drums) and Tom Peek (bass guitar).

Contents

Former members were James Mayer (vocals), Tom Peek (bass) who both left due to personal reasons. Adio Marchant has since developed his own indie pop side project called Bipolar Sunshine. His debut EP, Aesthetics, was released on 18 June 2013, and the single Rivers was iTunes free single of the week, in the week commencing 14 July 2013.

History

Kid British came into existence when Sean Mbaya from Prestwich (who worked as a producer under the name Kid British) worked with a band called Action Manky - made up of schoolmates Adio Marchant from Chorlton and Simeon McLean and James Mayer from Withington - all joined forces in 2007 to form the band, initially known as Kid British & the Action Manky, but soon shortened to simply Kid British. [1] [2] The band signed to Mercury Records in May 2008, [3] signed a long-term publishing deal with EMI Music Publishing in June, [4] and released their first single "Elizabeth" (7" vinyl only) on the 'Another Music Another Kitchen' label in the October of that same year. [5] Their first Mercury release followed in the form of the Leave London (10" vinyl & digital download) EP featuring the tracks "She Will Leave", "Lost in London" and "Elizabeth", which was promoted by ten "guerilla gigs" in one day at various London tube stations, which led to the band playing an impromptu version of one of the tracks from the EP in front of Mayor Boris Johnson when they found themselves in the same train carriage. [6] [7] The four core members were joined in the band by musicians Tom Peek (bass guitar), Dominick Allen (rhythm guitar), and Mikey Wilson (drums). [8]

The band received regular airplay from BBC Radio One's Chris Moyles and also played support slots with The Enemy (2007), The Specials (2009) & UB40 (2010). [2] [9] [10]

The band released the single "Our House Is Dadless", which samples the Madness track "Our House" on 7 July 2009, [10] peaking at number 63 in the UK Singles Chart in its first week of release. [11] The band's It Was This Or Football First Half EP reached number 67 in the UK in its first week of release, dropping out of the top 75 entirely the following week. [11] The mooted Second Half, originally advertised within the liner notes of the 'First Half' as being due for release in September 2009, [12] remains unreleased, and the full twelve-track album that combined the two was not commercially released, although promotional copies were issued. [13] In February 2010, the band announced that they were recording new tracks for the album and that it was now planned to be released in Summer 2010. [14]

The band released the single "Winner" on 28 June, less than 12 hours after the England football team's 4–1 defeat to Germany at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, which resulted in their elimination from the first round of the bracket phase. It was their first release since being dropped by Mercury Records. It failed to reach the top 100 of the singles chart, but was featured in Electronic Arts' tie-in World Cup video game.

In 2011 they released an EP called "Northern Stories" as a free download, they also did the 'Northern Stories' tour around Manchester, Stoke-upon-Trent, Birmingham, London, Wakefield, Leicester, Carlisle & Oswestry.

During the early part of their career they worked with famed sound engineer and producer John Pennington, who has worked for many bands since leaving Strawberry studios including Moby. During the last three years of their career they took on Pete Poweron Smith as their sound engineer, Pete has written and produced as Big Arm, done sound with A Certain Ratio and now[ when? ] does sound for Lewis Watson, Bipolar Sunshine and Mayer.

Back with a new line-up, on 24 June 2012 released an EP called You Can't Please Them All on LAB Records with a headline tour due to follow later. On 27 March 2012, it was confirmed that Kid British would support The Stone Roses at their Heaton Park concert in Manchester on 29 June 2012. [15] It was confirmed on 29 June 2012 that Kid British will be doing an intimate UK tour called 'You Can't Please Them All' with six dates taking place. Glasgow, York, London, Southampton, Birmingham and the last date being at their hometown of Manchester.

A statement was released along with their final ever Kid British video for the new single "You Against The World" on 17 September 2012 that they were going their separate ways. Having to cancel three of their dates on the You Can't Please Them All tour in Glasgow, York and Southampton due to personal reasons.

Kid British played their final gig in Manchester in December 2012.

Musical style

With their witty social commentary and lively performances, Kid British were often compared to the likes of The Specials, Madness, Blur and The Streets.[ by whom? ]

The band combine indie rock, ska and hip hop. Arwa Haider of Metro described their sound as "a very modern mishmash of styles – indie rock, r'n'b, rap, ska revival – and bring a cuddly blokeishness to their jaunty tunes". [12]

Discography

Album

EPs

Singles

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buzzcocks</span> British punk rock band

Buzzcocks are an English punk rock band singer-songwriter-guitarist Pete Shelley and singer-songwriter Howard Devoto formed in Bolton in 1976. During their career, the band combined elements of punk rock, power pop, and pop punk. They achieved commercial success with singles that fuse pop craftsmanship with rapid-fire punk energy; these singles were later collected on Singles Going Steady, an acclaimed compilation album music journalist and critic Ned Raggett described as a "punk masterpiece".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bernard Butler</span> Musical artist

Bernard Joseph Butler is a British musician, songwriter and record producer. He is best known as guitarist with Suede, until his departure in 1994. He has been hailed by some critics as the greatest guitarist of his generation; BBC journalist Mark Savage called him "one of Britain's most original and influential guitarists". He was voted the 24th greatest guitarist of the last 30 years in a national 2010 BBC poll and is often seen performing with a 1961 cherry red Gibson ES-355 TD SV with a Bigsby vibrato tailpiece.

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

Happy Mondays are an English rock band formed in Salford in 1980. The original line-up was Shaun Ryder (vocals), his brother Paul Ryder (bass), Gary Whelan (drums), Paul Davis (keyboard), and Mark Day (guitar). Mark "Bez" Berry later joined the band onstage as a dancer/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">Sea Power</span> English rock band

Sea Power, previously known as British Sea Power and initially as British Air Powers, are an English alternative rock band. The group's original lineup consisted of Scott Wilkinson, known as Yan; Martin Noble, known as Noble; and Alison Cotton. By the time the band had begun its recorded career, Cotton had departed, and two new members had joined: Neil Hamilton Wilkinson, known as Hamilton; and Matthew Wood, known as Wood. Eamon Hamilton joined the band in autumn 2002. He left in 2006 and was subsequently replaced by Phil Sumner, with Abi Fry joining the band in 2008.

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

Athlete were an English indie rock band formed in Deptford, London, comprising Joel Pott, Carey Willetts, Stephen Roberts, Tim Wanstall (keyboards).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ugly Kid Joe</span> American rock band

Ugly Kid Joe is an American hard rock band from Isla Vista, California, formed in 1989. The band's name spoofs the glam metal band Pretty Boy Floyd's name.

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

Elbow are an English rock band formed in Bury, Greater Manchester in 1997. 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.

Puressence was a British rock band from Failsworth, Greater Manchester, England, formed in May 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don't Stop Me Now</span> Song by British rock band Queen

"Don't Stop Me Now" is a song by the British rock band Queen featured on their 1978 album Jazz that was released as a single in 1979. Written by lead singer Freddie Mercury, it was recorded in August 1978 at Super Bear Studios in Berre-les-Alpes (Alpes-Maritimes), France, and is the twelfth track on the album.

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

Mystery Jets are an English indie rock band, formerly based on Eel Pie Island in Twickenham, London. The band consists of Blaine Harrison, Jack Flanagan, Kapil Trivedi (drums) and Henry Harrison (lyrics).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Octopus Project</span> American indietronica band

The Octopus Project is an American indietronica band based in Austin, Texas, active since 1999. Their sound blends pop and experimental elements, and is a combination of digital and electronic sounds and noises and analog equipment. The band's music is mostly instrumental.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hadouken! (band)</span> British dance-punk band

Hadouken! were a British band formed in London in 2006 by singer, songwriter and producer James Smith and synth player Alice Spooner along with guitarist Daniel "Pilau" Rice, bassist Christopher Purcell and drummer Nick Rice. The band took its name 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.

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

Courteeners are an English band formed in Middleton, in 2006 by Liam Fray, Michael Campbell, Daniel "Conan" Moores and Mark Cuppello (bass); the last was replaced by the band's producer Joe Cross in 2015. They previously toured with pianist Adam Payne, who has been featured on every album, but in 2019 was replaced with Elina Lin. In December 2012, the band dropped "The" from their name, continuing simply as "Courteeners".

<i>It Was This or Football</i> 2009 studio album by Kid British

It Was This or Football was the intended first album by the British ska/indie band Kid British. The album was originally scheduled to be released via Mercury Records in two halves, like a football match – this idea was inspired by the title of the album, and the first half was released as an EP on 20 July 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LAB Records</span> Independent Record Label

LAB Records is an independent record label operating from Manchester, England, and founded by Mark Orr and Nathen McVittie in 2007. The company also has a creative and distribution division, LAB Exposure, as well as a New York–based management company, LAB Partners.

Kill It Kid was an English alternative rock band fronted by Chris Turpin. Members also include Stephanie Ward, Marc Jones (drums) and Dom Kozubik.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neon Trees</span> American rock band

Neon Trees is an American rock band from Provo, Utah. The band received nationwide exposure in late 2008 when they opened several North American tour dates for the band The Killers. Not long after, the band was signed by Mercury Records. Their first single, "Animal", climbed to No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the Alternative Songs chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Cape Race</span> Five-piece rock band from Manchester, United Kingdom

The Cape Race are an English five-piece British rock band from Manchester, England. They formed in September 2009.

Jody Has A Hitlist were a pop punk band from Dublin, Ireland. They formed in April 2009, from previous bands such as Steer Clear and The Upgrades, and have since performed alongside artists such as Lostprophets, The Used and Kids In Glass Houses. In 2010, they were nominated for the Most Promising New Artist award at the Meteor Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bipolar Sunshine</span> British musician

Adio Marchant, known professionally as Bipolar Sunshine, is an English singer and songwriter from Manchester, England. Previously the co-vocalist with the band Kid British, he embarked on a solo career in 2013.

References

  1. Ryan, Kathryn (30 July 2009). "Band proving to be best of British". Salford Advertiser.
  2. 1 2 Mugan, Chris (2009) "Kid British - New Kids on the block", The Independent , 6 March 2009, retrieved 13 April 2010
  3. "Kid British Chat About Influences and X-Men", FemaleFirst, 14 January 2009, retrieved 13 April 2010
  4. "Kid British conclude publishing deal", Music Week , 21 June 2008, retrieved 13 April 2010
  5. "Kid British to rock Introducing", BBC, 11 June 2009, retrieved 13 April 2010
  6. Geddes, Clarke (2009) "Kid British for Tube Station Tour: band to play ten stations in London", Clash , 19 January 2009, retrieved 13 April 2010
  7. "Kid British confront Boris Johnson during London tube 'gig'", NME , 21 January 2009, retrieved 13 April 2010
  8. Lester, Paul (2008) "new Band of the Day No. 352: Kid British", The Guardian , 18 July 2008, retrieved 13 April 2010
  9. Petridis, Alexis (2009) "Kid British: It Was This or Football", The Guardian , 17 July 2009, retrieved 13 April 2010
  10. 1 2 Savage, Mark (2009) "Talking Shop: Kid British ", BBC, 3 July 2009, retrieved 13 April 2010
  11. 1 2 Kid British, Chart Stats, retrieved 11 April 2010
  12. 1 2 Haider, Arwa (2009) "Kid British smells like team spirit", Metro , 20 July 2009, retrieved 13 April 2010
  13. Smith, David (2010) "Kid British: It Was This or Football", PopMatters, 18 January 2010, retrieved 13 April 2010
  14. "KiD BRiTiSH: LETS AV IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! kid british Album !!!!!!!!!", Facebook posting, 23 February 2010: "we will be releasing a single around the world cup which will be followed by our album "it was this or football" shortly after"
  15. "The Stone Roses". Thestoneroses.org. Retrieved 23 June 2020.