Dubstar
This article needs additional citations for verification. (April 2009) |
Dubstar | |
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Newcastle , England | |
Genres | |
Years active | 1992–present |
Labels | Food |
Members |
|
Past members |
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Website | www |
Dubstar are an English indie-dance duo,
"Stars", the best-selling single by Dubstar, received a great deal of play time in clubs. Many remixes were also created of this song and it was covered by metal band Lacuna Coil on their 2000 EP Halflife.
Career
Formerly known as The Joans, Dubstar were initially a two-piece band, with Chris Wilkie playing guitar and Steve Hillier singing and playing keyboards. Blackwood replaced Hillier on vocals in early 1994.
Dubstar appointed
In June 1997, Dubstar contributed a
In 2002, Blackwood was recruited by ex-Frazier Chorus member Kate Holmes to join her duo Technique, replacing singer Xan Tyler for a European tour with Depeche Mode. Shortly afterwards, Holmes and Blackwood decided to write together and formed a new pseudonymous electropop act, Client (stylised CLIEИT). The duo would not have their faces photographed in promotional photos, with Holmes and Blackwood being referred to Client A and Client B. Client would chart three singles in the UK, with their biggest, "Pornography", getting to number 22 in 2005.[10]
Posts in 2008 on their official Myspace page stated that the recording of Dubstar's fourth album was underway.[11] However, in November 2008 they made a post to their Facebook group stating that Blackwood would not participate, and the future of the album was up in the air.[12] Blackwood and Wilkie have worked together in the interim, as Blackwood's first solo album, 2008's Acoustic at the Club Bar & Dining, features Wilkie on guitar; the seven-track live recording was released exclusively online, and consists of acoustic versions of Dubstar and Client songs, plus covers of tracks by The Smiths and New Order.
On 12 April 2010, the band released a cover of "
Dubstar released a new single, "Waltz no.9", on 1 June 2018. Via their website, they revealed that it was taken from a new album titled One, due for release on 28 September 2018. The album was produced by Youth and published by the band's own label, Northern Writes.[13][14] The release date was 12 October 2018.
On 27 August 2020, Dubstar released a pandemic-inspired track titled "Hygiene Strip". A video for the new song was released on the same day. Later in 2020, the duo released the disco-pop track "I Can See You Outside", which was recorded during the United Kingdom's first COVID-19 lockdown and which was co-produced with Stephen Hague.[15][16][17]
Dubstar announced via Facebook, on 27 August 2021, a new single titled "Tectonic Plates", co-produced by Stephen Hague and Chris Wilkie, to be released on 8 September on the Northern Writes label.
Personnel
- vocalist
- Chris Wilkie – songwriter, guitarist
Former personnel
Additional live band members
- Rochelle Vincente – backing vocalist
- Diid Osman – bassist
- Paul Wadsworth – drummer, percussionist
Discography
Dubstar discography | |
---|---|
Studio albums | 5 |
Compilation albums | 1 |
Music videos | 13 |
EPs | 1 |
Singles | 13 |
The discography of Dubstar consists of five studio albums, a compilation album, an extended play, thirteen singles, and six songs exclusive to compilation and soundtrack albums. Prior to 2018, all of the group's work was released by Food Records with the exception of their compilation album which was released by EMI, due to the closure of Food Records in 2001. In 2018, the group started releasing records on their own label, Northern Writes. Their fifth album ‘Two’ saw the duo re-enter the UK album charts for the first time since Goodbye in 1997.
Studio albums
- Disgraceful (9 October 1995, Food Records) UK #30
- Goodbye (22 September 1997, Food Records) UK #18
- Make It Better (28 August 2000, Food Records) UK #112
- One (12 October 2018, Northern Writes Records)
- Two (6 May 2022, Northern Writes Records) UK #86
Compilation albums
- Stars: The Best of Dubstar (29 March 2004, EMI)[8]
Singles
The following singles were released in the UK:
Year | Single | Israel | Album | UK | Certifications | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1995 | "Stars" | 40 | 1 | Disgraceful | 30 | UK: Gold |
"Anywhere" | 37 | |||||
"Not So Manic Now" | 19 | 2 | ||||
1996 | "Stars" (re-release) | 15 | ||||
"Elevator Song" | 25 | |||||
1997 | "No More Talk" | 20 | 15 | Goodbye | 18 | |
"Cathedral Park" | 41 | |||||
1998 | "I Will Be Your Girlfriend" | 28 | ||||
2000 | "I (Friday Night)" | 37 | Make It Better | 112 | ||
2018 | "Waltz No.9" | - | One | |||
"You Were Never in Love" | - | |||||
"Love Comes Late" | - | |||||
"Why Don't You Kiss Me" | - | |||||
2020 | "Hygiene Strip" | - | Two | 86 | ||
"I Can See You Outside" | - | |||||
2021 | "Tectonic Plates" | - | ||||
2022 | "Token" | - | ||||
"Tears" | - |
Music videos
- "Stars" (1995)
- "Anywhere" (1995)
- "Not So Manic Now" (1995)
- "Stars" (new version (vacuum cleaner in the sky)) (1996)
- "Stars" (USA version) (1996)
- "Elevator Song" (1996)
- "No More Talk" (1997)
- "Cathedral Park" (1997)
- "I Will Be Your Girlfriend" (1998)
- "I (Friday Night)" (2000)
- "The Self Same Thing" (2000)
- "You Were Never In Love" (2018)
- "Love Comes Late" (2018)
- "Why Don't You Kiss Me" (2018)
- "I Can See You Outside" (2020)
- “Token” (2022)
- "I Can See You Outside (new version)" (2022)
Extended plays
- The Self Same Thing (2000, Food/EMI)[8] (chart-ineligible EP)
Exclusive songs
- "Not So Fast" – Volume Sixteen (1996)
- "Everyday I Die" – Random, Volume 1: A Tribute(1997)
- "In Charge" – Shooting Fish Soundtrack (1997)
- "Jealousy" – Come Again (EMI, UK, 1997) / Essential: Interpretations (Capitol, 1998)
- "Poupée de Cire, Poupée de Son" featuring Sacha Distel – Song for Eurotrash (1998)
- "I'm in Love with a German Film Star" from Peace, a compilation for Amnesty International (2010)
- "Circle Turns" – Record Store Day single (2012)
References
- ^ Note: An American indie hip hop artist has released some tracks and video via the Internet under the name "Dubstar", but is not connected to the band in any way.
- ^ "A Short Conversation with DUBSTAR". 19 November 2020.
- ^ "What happened to the female stars of Britpop? - BBC Music". 13 November 2017.
- ^ ISBN 1-85227-745-9.
- ^ https://www.markgreenwood23.com/. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
{{cite web}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ "Disgraceful". www.dubstar.com. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
- ^ "Disgraceful, the beginnings". www.stevehilliler.net. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
- ^ ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ Nissim, Mayer (19 February 2013). "Dubstar announce live return". Digital Spy.
- OfficialCharts.com.
- ^ "dubstar.com". Dubstar. Archived from the original on 10 July 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
- ^ Dubstar's Notes Facebook "Sarah has now decided (at the 11th hour) to not do anything with Dubstar and to concentrate on CLIEИT. ... Chris and Steve ... are currently figuring out how to move forward through all of this".
- ^ "Review: Dubstar - One". 2 November 2018.
- ^ "Soaring Pop Band Dubstar Return with Their Fourth Album 'One'". 19 July 2018.
- ^ "Dubstar".
- ^ "Interview: Dubstar Rediscover Their Creative Muse and Reclaim Their Artistic Power". 24 November 2018.
- ^ "Dubstar's 25th Anniversary".
- ^ "Dubstar". stevehillier.net. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
- ^ "The Official Charts Company - Dubstar". Official Charts Company. 8 July 1995. Retrieved 7 July 2015.