Gay Dad
Gay Dad | |
---|---|
London/B-Unique | |
Past members | Cliff Jones Nicholas "Baz" Crowe Andrew Smith Tim Forster Nigel Hoyle James Riseboro Charley Stone Tim Forster Dominic Stinton Denise Johnson |
Gay Dad were an English rock band that formed in London in 1994 and broke up in 2002. The line-up of the band has included Cliff Jones (guitarist/vocalist), Nick "Baz" Crowe (drummer), James Riseboro (keyboardist), Nigel Hoyle (bassist) and Charley Stone.
Musical career
Early history
Gay Dad were formed in 1994 by former
Their first Gay Dad demo was produced by Jim Irvin, (the writer and former frontman of Furniture) and funded by the Rolling Stones record producer, Andrew Loog Oldham and his original Immediate business partner Tony Calder. Jones had met with Calder and Oldham who were convinced by a performance at the band's rehearsal room to sign the band.
Gay Dad went on to make their live debut in 1995 at the now defunct Orange Club in West Kensington.
Following a band reshuffle, Crowe invited fellow
"To Earth with Love" (1998)
With Charley Stone (formerly of
The band were the first act ever to play Top of the Pops without having a record out. They also performed on TFI Friday and CD:UK.
The band generated a huge amount of interest from the media,
"To Earth with Love" was finally released as the band's debut single in January 1999.
Leisure Noise period (1999–2000)
Gay Dad's debut album
The second single "Joy!" reached No. 22 in the UK, but the third single from the album, "Oh Jim", only made No. 47.[1] Disappointing reviews for some of their live shows started a general media backlash.[1] Jones was criticized for his pretentious statements, and the band's whole authenticity was questioned due to his connections with the music press. After a U.S. tour Stone left the band and was on the verge of being replaced by Andy Bell (who had previously been guitarist with Ride and had seen the band play a sell out show in Stockholm. Liam Gallagher heard of Bell's plan and asked him to join Oasis).[5]
The band started to work on a second album at
Transmission period (2001–2002)
Jones, Hoyle and Crowe signed a recording contract with new independent record label B-Unique, set up by their former A&R man at London Records, Mark Lewis, and began work on a new album, Transmission.
"GAY DAD ARE POST EMBARRASSMENT".
Transmission, Sleeve notes.
In 2001, the leading single from Transmission – "Now Always and Forever" – was released. It fell just short of the Top 40 in the UK Singles Chart.[3] An extensive UK tour was followed by a limited-edition single "Harder, Faster". Third single "Transmission" was released just before the album came out in late 2001.
Gay Dad played a one-off show in Houston, Texas in the summer of 2001. It was at this show that Jones shared a bill with up-and-coming Austin band Young Heart Attack. Smitten with the energy and drive of the band, Jones struck up a friendship with them and played a key role in getting the band signed in England. A new song, "Young Heart Attack", later appeared as a b-side to one of the singles from Transmission.
The Carling Festival saw the band's final two full appearances headlining the New Bands Tent. Their Leeds appearance was initially delayed by technical issues and then was cut short by the stage hands. In response Jones smashed his guitar and led the crowd in an a cappella version of "Joy!".
Having left the stage to the crowd chanting their name the previous two nights, their Reading appearance saw people attempting to cram into a full tent. The set was successful with the band able to perform "Joy!" with a crowd sing-along, in a less ad-hoc nature.
Band split
Rumours of a split started circulating in 2002, and Jones finally announced the breakup of the band on the eve of the U.S. release of Transmission, citing the excessive press hype the band had received and the pressures resulting from it, as well as negative reactions to the band's controversial name. "We got shot out of the cannon," said Jones, "then things started to get out of control, and as rapidly as we went up, we came down again."
Jones claimed that one negative reaction came from
Later that year Gay Dad's second single, "Joy!" was used in a Mitsubishi car advertisement,[7] the football video game FIFA 2000, and TV shows including Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) and The Naked Chef.
Following the split, Jones went into production and co-songwriting working with The Electric Soft Parade, Sia, Scanners, Lovebites, Jamie Dornan, The Applicators, Faceless Warewolves, The Golden Virgins, and Mark Owen (though nothing was ever released with Owen). He occasionally writes on music for The Sunday Times.[8] He is also tutoring at the Bristol Institute of Modern Music.[9]
Crowe went on to write for Prospect magazine, contributing music criticism and essays, while bringing up his children on a small holding on Exmoor.
Hoyle eventually ended up working with
Discography
Albums
- Leisure Noise (1999) – UK No. 14
- Transmission (2001)[3]
Singles
- 1999: "UKNo. 10
- 1999: "Joy!" – UK No. 22
- 1999: "Oh Jim" – UK No. 47
- 2001: "Now Always and Forever" – UK No. 41
- 2001: "Harder Faster" – Did not chart (special limited editiontour single, 2000 CD, 500 7" available for one week only)
- 2001: "Transmission" – UK No. 58[3]
References
- ^ ISBN 0-7535-0427-8.
- ^ "Dad's not home yet". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
- ^ ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ "Live Reviews: The Glastonbury FestivalJune 25–27, 1999"[usurped]. Chart Attack, Richard Beland, 25–27 June 1999.
- ISBN 1-84195-017-3.
- ^ "News". 11 August 2007. Archived from the original on 11 August 2007. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
- ^ "New Page 1". 5 October 2006. Archived from the original on 5 October 2006. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ "Cliff Jones – Event Management, Music Industry Management". Bimm.ac.uk. Retrieved 6 December 2019.