2001
AVENGED SEVENFOLD
The members of metalcore outfit Avenged Sevenfold (or A7X) were still attending high school in Huntington Beach, CA, when they formed their band in 1999. Nevertheless, it didn't take long for M. Shadows (vocals), Zacky Vengeance (guitar), Synyster Gates (guitar), the Reverend (drums), and Johnny Christ (bass) to make an impression with their aggressive hybrid of metal and punk-pop. The band made its official debut in July 2001, releasing Sounding the Seventh Trumpet on the Good Life label before moving to the Hopeless roster for 2003's Waking the Fallen. Warner Bros. took interest in the band's aggressive sound and issued its breakthrough release, City of Evil, in June 2005. The album reached number 30 on Billboard's Top 200, propelled in part by the Top Ten success of the single "Bat Country." The accompany music video was heavily rotated on MTV and Fuse, where live appearances also helped boost Avenged's growing profile, and the band ultimately won the Best New Artist Award (though they were hardly newcomers) at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards.
As demand for their music increased, Avenged Sevenfold canceled their tour dates for fall 2006 and decamped to Houston, TX, where they set to work on a fourth studio album. Boasting a grittier sound than previous releases, the self-titled/self-produced disc appeared in October 2007, debuting at number four on the Billboard Top 200 and spinning off the radio single "Almost Easy." The album also fared well in England, where three songs cracked the Top Five of the U.K. rock charts, and Avenged Sevenfold helped support the release by touring North America on the Taste of Chaos tour. Released in September 2008, the CD/DVD package Live in the LBC and Diamonds in the Rough captured the band during a tour stop in Long Beach.
Source: Christina Fuoco, All Music Guide
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A-HA
Discography:
Hunting High and Low, Warner Bros. Records, 1985.
In their small snowy country of Norway, members of the 1980s super group A-ha are considered close to royalty. The pretty boys of Oslo were the first Norwegian band to make it big in pop-music. By the end of 1980s, they had amassed numerous awards and platinum albums.
Two of the band members, Magne Furuholmen and Pal Waaktaar, grew up in Oslo. Their first band together, Spider Empire—formed in 1977—was heavily influenced by the music of the Doors and Jimi Hendrix. Spider Empire evolved into another band called Bridges in 1979 and took on a bassist and drummer. Soon they released their first album, Fakkeltog —Torchlight Procession—on their own label, Vakenatt. The Bridges were working on their second album when Morten Harket entered the scene. Influenced by the falsetto of Freddy Mercury of Queen, Harket had been singing in other Oslo bands.
After deciding to work together, the band, with Harket on lead vocals and Furuholmen writing many of the lyrics, the band began tossing around ideas for a new name. They decided upon A-ha because, as Furuholmen explained, it was easily memorized and familiar exclamation in any language. "Originally, we were trying to find a Norwegian word that people would be able to say in English. Eventually Harket spotted a song called "a-ha" in Waaktaar's song notebook. It was a terrible song, but a great name. I mean, you say it, a-ha, all the time," Furuholmen said online.
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In 1982, the band began changing its tune and started working on becoming a more commercial, synth-pop sounding band, like pop kings Duran Duran. The trio began looking toward England for a record label to offer them a contract. Even with their chiseled good looks and snappy sound, success would take a while.
983 was to be the dawning for the Norwegian music marvels. After ringing in the new year by relocating to London in January, the trio managed to purchase some recording time at Rendezvous Studios. One demo, "Lesson One," caught the ear of John Ratcliff, manager of the recording studio. Ratcliff in turn played it for Terry Slater, a former record company executive who once worked with the Everly Brothers. Slater was so impressed with the band that he agreed to manage the trio immediately and arrange a series of influential auditions.
As a Christmas present for their families and compatriots, A-ha brought home a worldwide contract with Warner Bros. Records. The first album Hunting High and Low, included the single "Take On Me." Released in early 1984, it was re-worked version of "Lesson One." The band experienced a successful Norwegian debut, but failed to reach audiences over in England and abroad. Only 300 copies of the album were sold outside its native Norway. In 1985, the band, at the urging of Slater, remixed and re-released the single.
During the summer of 1986, Warner Bros. Records decided to invest some money on a revolutionary video for the struggling band. "Take On Me," directed by Steve Barron, was a charcoal animation of the band members was a fore-runner in semi-animated video-market. At the third MTV Music Awards in 1986, the video won for Best New Concept Video, Best New Artist Video, Best Special Effects, Best Direction, Most Experimental and the Viewers Choice awards, among others awards. According to the Encyclopedia of Rock Stars, it was a record number of wins by one act for both the fledgling ceremony and band.
In 1986, A-ha released it's sophomore album, Scoundrel Days. Although less successful than Hunting High And Low, the album did include the hit single "Cry Wolf." A year later, the band was commissioned to create the theme song for the new James Bond movie, The Living Daylights. Their third album, Stay on These Roads, almost entirely written by guitarist Pal Waaktaar continued A-ha's popularity in England while marking its journey into obscurity in the United States. The album entered the English charts early in 1988 at number two.
After a two year holiday, A-ha released their fourth album, East of the Sun, West of the Moon, in November 1990. This new album shows a departure from the heavy synth-ladled albums of the past. In 1991, after a string of little noticed singles,, A-ha released a six year retrospective album entitled Headlines and Deadlines, The Hits Of A-ha.
During the fifth annual World Music Awards, the darlings of Norwegian pop music were named Best Selling Norwegian Artist of the Year two years in a row 1992-93. In 1993, the band releases Memorial Beach, which featured the single "Dark Is the Night." More than previous A-ha albums, this album highlighted the talents of the other band members including new members bassist J.B. Bogeberg and Per Hillestad on drums. Much of the album reflects time spent in America.
After feeling "spent out" artistically, the band took a two year sabbatical according to an online interview at http://www.wwiv.com/a-ha/a-ha-faq.html. The trio decided to pursued individual artistic challenges. Furuholmen co-wrote the soundtrack for the Norwegian movie Ten Knifes in the Heart, which world premiered in 1994. He also created a wood carving for the cover design for the album Songs from the Pocket, a solo project of his fellow tour mate J.B Bogeberg. During this time apart, the band did regroup to record "Shapes That Go Together, " theme song for the 1994 Special Olymics that were held in Lillehammer, Norway.
Harket recorded the Frankie Valli hit "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You" for the Coneheads soundtrack in 1983. The movie was directed by Steve Baron, the gentleman behind the record shattering "Take On Me video." In 1995, Harket released Wild Seed, his first solo album with Warner Brothers Records International. In 1996, Pal Waaktaar also released an album with Warner Brothers Records International. With his band Savoy, he released Mary is Coming in early 1996 in Europe and the United States writing all the songs on the album.
For The Record:
Members include Magne Furuholmen (born November 1, 1962), keyboards, vocals; Morten Harket (born September 14, 1959), lead vocals; and Pal Waaktaar (born September 6, 1961), guitar, vocals.
Group formed in 1977 as Spider Empire, changed name to A-Ha in 1982. Released debut album Hunting High and Low on Warner Bros. Label, 1986; other releases on the Warner Bors. Labes include: Scoundrel Days, 1986; Stay on These Roads, 1988; East of the Sun, West of the Moon, 1991; Headlines & Deadlines, The Hits of A-Ha, 1991; Memorial Beach, 1993. Contributed "The Living Daylights" for soundtrack of the same name, 1987.
Awards: MTV Video Awards for Best New Concept Video, Best New Artist Video, Best Special Effects, Best Direction, Most Experimental and Viewers Choice Awards, all in 1986.
Address: Record company—Warner Bros. Records, 10907 Magnolia Blvd., Box 419, North Hollywood, CA.
Source: Gretchen Monette
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Why Not Check Out:
Coldplay
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THE KILLERS
If you asked the average person on the street, they could probably have their own favourite song from the Las Vegas band. Formed in 2002, Brandon Flowers (lead singer, piano), Dave Keuning (guitar, backing vocals), Mark Stoermer (bass, backing vocals), Ronnie Vannucci Jr (drums, percussion) are heavily influenced by 1980 iconic bands such as New Order, David Bowie and Joy Division among others. They have gone from strength to strength by selling out venues such as the legendary Royal Albert Hall and headlining festivals all over the world.
Their first album ‘Hot Fuzz’ was released in 2004 after The Killers agreed to sign for UK label Marrakesh records and US label Island records. The album included the singles ‘Mr Brightside’, ‘Smile Like You Mean It’, ‘Somebody Told Me’ and ‘All These Things That I’ve Done’. The album itself has been influenced by 80s rock and is regarded by many as one of the best records of the decade with songs released from ‘Hot Fuzz’ being placed respectfully in the top ten of the best songs of the decade. ‘Mr Brightside’ received the accolade for best song of the decade from Xfm. In 2009, young British artists were brought together to form Young Soul Rebels, covered the song ‘All These Things That I’ve Done’ to raise money for the charity War Child Group.
Bouncing from the success from ‘Hot Fuzz’, The Killers released their second album ‘Sam’s Town’ in 2006. The album was not as successful as the first and received mixed reviews. However, ‘Sam’s Town’ includes the singles ‘When You Were Young’, ‘Read my Mind’, ‘Bones’ and ‘For Reasons Unknown’ which are hits in their own right. The self titled song on the record was not released as a single to the annoyance of their fans. By the end of the year, The Killers won Best International Group and Best International Album at the BRIT awards. They also headlined Glastonbury festival in 2007.
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A B-side collection of the band was released in 2007 named ‘Sawdust’. The album saw the release of the single ‘Tranquilize’ and saw the legendary Lou Reed collaborate to create the song. The Killers also cover the songs ‘Shadowplay’ (Joy Division), ‘Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love To Town’ (Kenny Rodgers and The First Edition) and ‘Romeo and Juliet’ (Dire Straits) as a mark of respect for the bands they admire.
2008 saw The Killers release their third album ‘Day & Age’, produced by Stuart Price, includes the singles ‘The World We Live In’, ‘Spaceman’, ‘A Dustland Fairytale’ and the number one classic ‘Human’.
The Killers are heavily linked to the charity group ‘Project Red’ as they have released a Christmas song every year since 2006 with all of the profits going to the charitable organization. The singles include ‘A Great Big Sled’, ‘Don’t Shoot Me Santa’, ‘Joseph, Better You Than Me’ (collaborated with Elton John) and ‘Happy Birthday Guadalupe’.
The accolades keep coming for the American indie band with NME giving them Best International Band for the years 2005, 2008 and 2009 and they have received seven Grammy nominations.
Recently, the Daily Telegraph reported Brandon Flowers hopes The Killers will be bigger than U2 in the future. If they continue to create more number one albums, it looks like that could be the case.
Albums:
Source: Dean Woodhouse
HAVE A LOOK AT THIS GREAT THE KILLERS MERCHANDISE HERE
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Why Not Check Out:
Dire Straits
Kings Of Leon
U2
Blood On The Tracks
Joy Division Cult Heroes
THE POGUES
Discography:
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Known mostly for their Christmas single, “Fairytale of New York”, The Pogues nevertheless had fourteen years of success on the punk scene. Shane MacGowan, Peter Stacy, Jem Finer and James Fearnly, on vocals, tin whistle, banjo and accordion respectively, formed the Irish folk-tinged punk outfit Pogue Mahone in London in 1982. Bassist Cait O’Riordan and drummer Andrew Ranken joined a little later.
The band were noticed, and signed, by Stiff Records in 1984 after opening The Clash’s UK tour. They changed their name to The Pogues after complaints from Gaelic-speaking BBC listeners – Pogue Mahone is the Anglicisation of the Gaelic meaning, “kiss my arse”.
Their first album, Red Roses For Me, was released in October that year, and, despite only reaching #89 in the UK charts, still gained The Pogues some recognition. With the help of Elvis Costello, The Pogues released Rum, Sodomy & the Lash a year later, which reached #13.
Despite the success of their second album, The Pogues didn’t release another until 1988, three years later. If I Should Fall from Grace with God, which contained “Fairytale of New York”, peaked at #3 in the charts, and 1989’s Peace and Love fared almost as well, hitting #5. However, MacGowan’s increasingly erratic behaviour – including missing the start of their 1988 US tour and preventing the band from promoting their next album, Hell’s Ditch – forced the rest of The Pogues to sack him in 1991. This sounded the death knell for the band, and they disbanded in 1996, following a failed seventh album, Pogue Mahone, multiple personnel changes and Jem Finer’s ill health.
The Pogues reformed in 2001 and have since conducted a few tours, but have not recorded any new material.
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Why Not Check Out:
Dropkick Murphys
Elvis Costello
The Clash
The Pogues Video
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THE QUIREBOYS
The Quireboys formed in London in 1984, then known as The Queerboys. Formed by friends Spike Gray (vocals) and Guy Bailey (guitar), the band have seen multiple reformations of the group.
In 1987, The Quireboys recorded its debut single, ‘Mayfair’, released under the Survival Records label. Three years later the group's first album, ‘A Bit of What You Fancy’, was released through EMI. Four of the tracks from that full-length debut found their way onto the charts, carrying The Quireboys from hushed fame to the public spotlight. Tours followed throughout England and Europe, and helped develop the bands strong fanbase.
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A live album was put together in a rush for a following release, conveniently enough titled ‘Live Album’. The music was The Quireboys, but the live recording badly done and held enough flaws to be a disappointment. In 1993, a third album hit the market, ‘Bitter Sweet & Twisted’. The writing was already on the wall for the group by then, and members called it quits.
Even though The Quireboys had come to a halt, its music hadn't, and two more albums were released during the band's sabbatical. The first, ‘From Tooting to Barking’, came from some early demo works by the band. The second was a double-CD offering that carried the tracks from the albums ‘A Bit of What You Fancy and Bitter Sweet & Twisted’, as well as a number of extra tracks.
Through the rest of the '90s, The Quireboys regrouped with new members, then disbanded. Many of those members went on to become part of other bands, like God's Hotel, Dogs d'Amour, Blood From a Stone, and Nancy Boys.
In 2000, the newest makeup of the group released another album, ‘Lost in Space'. The group continue to perform.
Albums:
Source: Carly Page
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