Andy Bell (musician)
Encyclopedia
Andrew Piran "Andy" Bell (born 11 August 1970) is a Welsh musician, currently playing guitar in the band Beady Eye
. He is a songwriter, singer, producer, DJ and former member of the early 1990s shoegazing
band, Ride
, and later, Hurricane #1
. He is also well known as the bass guitarist for the British rock band Oasis
.
with Mark Gardener
(guitarist
), whom he met at Cheney School
in Oxford
and Laurence Colbert (drummer
) and Steve Queralt (bassist
), whom he met doing Foundation Studies in Art and Design at Banbury in 1988. While still at Banbury the band produced a tape demo including the tracks "Chelsea Girl" and "Drive Blind". In February 1989, Ride were asked to stand in for a cancelled student union gig at Oxford Polytechnic
that brought them to the attention of Alan McGee
. After supporting The Soup Dragons in 1989 McGee then signed them to Creation Records
. This was a key musical event in Bell's life.
With Ride, Bell released three EPs
between January and September 1990, entitled Ride
, Play
and Fall. While the EPs were not chart successes, enough critical praise was received to make Ride the darlings of music journalists. The first two EPs were eventually released together as Smile
in 1992, while the Fall EP was later incorporated into CD releases of their debut LP, Nowhere
, released in October 1990, which was hailed as a critical success, with the media dubbing Ride "the brightest hope" for 1991. Nowhere was followed in March 1992 with Going Blank Again
. The twin rhythm guitars of Bell and Gardener, both distorted, both using Wah-wah pedals and both feeding back on each other was seen as the highlight of the album's critical and chart success.
Despite having a solid fanbase and some mainstream success, the lack of a breakthrough contributed to inter-band tension, especially between Gardener and Bell. Their third LP, Carnival of Light
, was released in 1994, after shoegazing had given way to Britpop
. Carnival of Light was oriented towards this new sound, but sales were sluggish and the shift in musical tastes devastated much of their original audience. The band were joined at Creation Records by Oasis, who shot to fame in 1994 with their debut Definitely Maybe
. As label mates, Bell came to know the band's Gallagher brothers well and often shared in their partying, if not their success.
1995 saw the dissolution of the band while recording their fourth album, Tarantula, due to creative and personal tensions between the two guitarists. Bell penned most of the songs for the album, one of which - "Castle on the Hill" - was a lament for the band's situation and contains references to Gardener's self imposed exile from the group. Upon release of the album, it was announced that it would be deleted
after one week.
Since the break-up, both Bell and Gardener have been more reflective on the reasons why the group disintegrated, with Bell especially admitting his own part in the process. It appears that they had just been too young and too stubborn and had no real idea of where the band was heading when they changed their style.
Their second album, Only The Strongest Will Survive
, was released in 1998 and the title track was released as a single reaching number 19.
Hurricane #1 drew criticism, bordering on ridicule, for their similarity to Oasis. Bell himself said "Hurricane #1 is not so much influenced by Oasis, it's inspired by Oasis". Their albums did not sell well and in 1999 Bell took time out to tour as guitarist with the band Gay Dad
.
on hiatus Bell moved from Oxford
to live with his wife Idha and daughter in Sweden
. Bell was invited to join Oasis because they were looking for replacements for founding members Bonehead
and Guigsy. At the last minute Bell had to learn to play bass as well as the entire Oasis catalogue before his first Oasis gig. As he had no part in performing on Oasis' 2000 album Standing on the Shoulder of Giants
, he was originally paid the wage of a touring musician – about £85 a night.
Since joining Oasis, Andy Bell regularly made songwriting contributions to the band.
Following the demise of Oasis
Andy Bell is now a full-time member of the band Beady Eye
, together with former Oasis
members Gem Archer
and Liam Gallagher
who are joined by drummer Chris Sharrock
.
For Beady Eye
Andy Bell has changed from playing bass (as he did in Oasis), to play guitar
both live and in the studio for the band- as he had previously done for both Ride
and Hurricane#1.
Beady Eye's debut album Different Gear, Still Speeding
contains four songs written by Andy Bell and subsequently developed by the band, namely 'Four Letter Word', 'Millionaire', 'Kill For A Dream' and 'The Beat Goes On'.
and musician
, Bell has for a number of years actively been involved in record production. He receives co-production credit for both albums recorded by Hurricane#1- the eponymous Hurricane#1 and Only The Strongest Will Survive.
During late 1995, after the sessions for Tarantula were completed but prior to the official announcement of Ride's breakup, Bell undertook production
duties on Britpop
band The Kynd
's debut single "Egotripper", which was released in October 1996.
Bell also undertook production duties for the fifth studio album Fear & Love by Swedish
band Weeping Willows
released in 2007 Weeping Willows has always drawn upon early Roy Orbison
and The Smiths
as their main influences. On Fear & Love, Bell brought some English folk music
influences, and a some 1960s styled British Invasion
sounds. The album was more or less recorded live in the studio, by playing the songs until the band got them right with minimal digital post production. Weeping Willows last two albums relied on a lot of post-production and remix styled studio techniques. Scandinavian music critics have given the album a warm welcome and compared some songs to The Coral
, The Verve
, Talk Talk
and Oasis.
, together they have embarked on some musical projects. The two run and DJ
at the club
, Bangers 'n' Mash. Bell, also undertakes occasional DJ
sets in UK
clubs, for example, 'This Feeling' night club night in London
.
In 2003, Bell collaborated with the Stockholm
based Irish-Swedish electronica
/acid house
duo
, DK7, by providing guitar on the tracks "Heart Like a Demon" and "White Shadow" for their Disarmed album.
During the autumn of 2006 Carlson and Bell teamed up (with Janne Schaffer
) and performed at an event dedicated to the late 1970s singer-songwriter
, Ted Gärdestad
.
In addition to his role as producer
, Bell played a number of instruments
on eight of the twelve tracks on the 2007 album Fear & Love by Weeping Willows
ranging from glockenspiel
, piano
to guitar
.
He has also performed solo gigs at smaller Swedish summer festivals including the 2006'Fest-i-val' in Umeå
Sweden
In July 2007, Bell appeared with friend and former fellow Ride member Mark Gardener
onstage with California
n rock band
The Brian Jonestown Massacre
at the Oxford
'Truck' Music Festival
On 19 December 2007, Bell joined Weeping Willows on stage for an event called "An Evening With Weeping Willows At Chinateatern" He lined up with other prominent guests such as The Soundtrack of Our Lives
' Martin Hederos
, Echo & the Bunnymen
vocalist Ian McCulloch
and Jens Lekman
.
Andy Bell has worked with Swedish band The Most
on various recordings and contributed guitars and vocals on the song "Now I Feel" from the EP Moderation in Moderation (a title suggested by Bell).
Bell has on several occasions stated his intention to record and release a solo album in the future: I will get around to it, it’s just waiting for the songs to turn up that suit my voice. I've got one so far, give me about five years and I'll have an album's worth.
During 2008 Andy Bell collaborated with SPC-ECO a British American
shoegazing
/electronica
/psychedelic
group on the track 'Silver Clouds' to which Andy Bell contributes by playing an electronic sitar
drone machine and an old custom Dulcimer
as well as devising the songs lyrics
. 'Silver Clouds' was made available in 2009 as a bonus track to the Japan
ese edition of SPC-ECO's album 3-D.
2009 saw Andy Bell release his first solo recording under the Grapefruit name, an instrumental track also entitled Grapefruit which he contributed to the One by One: KZK Adidas
Originals by Originals compilation album, a Japan only release via Sony Music.
In 2010, it was reported that a former member of Oasis had collaborated with Adam Ant
on material for his forthcoming album Adam Ant Is the Blueblack Hussar in Marrying the Gunner's Daughter
. Andy Bell was susbequently identified as the former Oasis member in question. In an interview for Bizarre magazine published in January 2011, Ant named the song co-written with Andy Bell as Cool Zombie.
Ovelius. They have two children, a daughter, Leia, and a son, Leon. He currently resides in London
and is married to Shiarra, a label rep from Universal Music.
Bell revealed in an interview that he suffers from deafness in his left ear as a result of standing too close to Alan White's drumkit whilst playing bass during his first tour with Oasis.
Bell also uses a custom made guitar by Philippe Dubreuille, modeled over a Gibson Les Paul
with handgraved metal cover and Bigsby vibrato tailpiece
Beady Eye
Beady Eye are an English rock band formed in 2009. The band consists of vocalist Liam Gallagher, guitarist Gem Archer and guitarist Andy Bell, all former members of Oasis, rounded by drummer and percussionist Chris Sharrock who substituted for Oasis during their last tour in 2008/2009, before Oasis...
. He is a songwriter, singer, producer, DJ and former member of the early 1990s shoegazing
Shoegazing
Shoegazing is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged from the United Kingdom in the late 1980s. It lasted there until the mid 1990s, with a critical zenith reached in 1990 and 1991...
band, Ride
Ride (band)
Ride were a British alternative rock band that formed in 1988 in Oxford, England, consisting of Andy Bell, Mark Gardener, Laurence "Loz" Colbert, and Steve Queralt. The band were initially part of the "shoegazing" scene. Following the break-up of the band in 1996, members moved on to various other...
, and later, Hurricane #1
Hurricane No. 1
Hurricane #1 were an English indie rock band, formed in Oxford in 1996. The band were formed by former Ride guitarist Andy Bell, along with vocalist / guitarist Alex Lowe, bassist Will Pepper and drummer Gareth Farmer....
. He is also well known as the bass guitarist for the British rock band Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
.
Ride
Bell formed RideRide (band)
Ride were a British alternative rock band that formed in 1988 in Oxford, England, consisting of Andy Bell, Mark Gardener, Laurence "Loz" Colbert, and Steve Queralt. The band were initially part of the "shoegazing" scene. Following the break-up of the band in 1996, members moved on to various other...
with Mark Gardener
Mark Gardener
Mark Stephen Gardener is an English rock musician, and former singer and guitarist with the shoegazing band, Ride.-Ride:...
(guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
), whom he met at Cheney School
Cheney School
Cheney School is a secondary school located in Headington, Oxford, England.-Current:Cheney is currently one of the largest comprehensive schools in Oxford, serving the Headington and East Oxford area. It is the destination for students from numerous primary schools across the city...
in Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
and Laurence Colbert (drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
) and Steve Queralt (bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
), whom he met doing Foundation Studies in Art and Design at Banbury in 1988. While still at Banbury the band produced a tape demo including the tracks "Chelsea Girl" and "Drive Blind". In February 1989, Ride were asked to stand in for a cancelled student union gig at Oxford Polytechnic
Oxford Brookes University
Oxford Brookes University is a new university in Oxford, England. It was named to honour the school's founding principal, John Brookes. It has been ranked as the best new university by the Sunday Times University Guide 10 years in a row...
that brought them to the attention of Alan McGee
Alan McGee
Alan McGee has been a record label owner, musician, manager, and music blogger for The Guardian.McGee is best-known for co-forming and running the independent Creation Records label from 1983–1999, and then Poptones from 1999-2007...
. After supporting The Soup Dragons in 1989 McGee then signed them to Creation Records
Creation Records
Creation Records was a British independent record label headed by Alan McGee. Along with Dick Green and Joe Foster, McGee founded Creation in 1983. The label lasted until its demise in 1999. The name came from the 1960s band The Creation , whom McGee greatly admired. McGee, Green and Foster were...
. This was a key musical event in Bell's life.
With Ride, Bell released three EPs
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
between January and September 1990, entitled Ride
Ride (EP)
Ride is an extended player by British band Ride. Their first official release, the EP came out in 1990 on the Creation Records label.The EP was combined with its follow-up Play to form the Smile mini-album for the US market in July, 1990...
, Play
Play (EP)
Play is the second extended player by British band Ride.The EP was combined with its predecessor Ride to form the Smile mini-album for the US market in July, 1990...
and Fall. While the EPs were not chart successes, enough critical praise was received to make Ride the darlings of music journalists. The first two EPs were eventually released together as Smile
Smile (Ride album)
Smile is an album by British shoegazing band Ride. It is a compilation of Ride's first two EPs, Ride and Play, both of which were originally released in the first half of 1990. The album was first released by Sire Records, in July, 1990, for the North American market, in lieu of the two original...
in 1992, while the Fall EP was later incorporated into CD releases of their debut LP, Nowhere
Nowhere (album)
Nowhere is the debut album by British shoegazing band Ride. The album was released by Creation Records on 15 October 1990. Allmusic has cited the album as one of the greatest albums of the shoegazing genre, second only to My Bloody Valentine's Loveless...
, released in October 1990, which was hailed as a critical success, with the media dubbing Ride "the brightest hope" for 1991. Nowhere was followed in March 1992 with Going Blank Again
Going Blank Again
Going Blank Again is the second studio album by British alternative rock band Ride, released in March 1992 on Creation Records. It was produced by Alan Moulder, and peaked at #5 in the UK Albums Chart...
. The twin rhythm guitars of Bell and Gardener, both distorted, both using Wah-wah pedals and both feeding back on each other was seen as the highlight of the album's critical and chart success.
Despite having a solid fanbase and some mainstream success, the lack of a breakthrough contributed to inter-band tension, especially between Gardener and Bell. Their third LP, Carnival of Light
Carnival of Light (album)
Carnival of Light is the third studio album by British alternative rock band Ride, released in June 1994 via Creation Records. "How Does It Feel to Feel?" is a cover of a song by The Creation...
, was released in 1994, after shoegazing had given way to Britpop
Britpop
Britpop is a subgenre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom. Britpop emerged from the British independent music scene of the early 1990s and was characterised by bands influenced by British guitar pop music of the 1960s and 1970s...
. Carnival of Light was oriented towards this new sound, but sales were sluggish and the shift in musical tastes devastated much of their original audience. The band were joined at Creation Records by Oasis, who shot to fame in 1994 with their debut Definitely Maybe
Definitely Maybe
Definitely Maybe is the debut album by English rock band Oasis, released in August 1994. It was an immediate commercial and critical success in the UK, having followed on the heels of singles "Supersonic", "Shakermaker" and "Live Forever"....
. As label mates, Bell came to know the band's Gallagher brothers well and often shared in their partying, if not their success.
1995 saw the dissolution of the band while recording their fourth album, Tarantula, due to creative and personal tensions between the two guitarists. Bell penned most of the songs for the album, one of which - "Castle on the Hill" - was a lament for the band's situation and contains references to Gardener's self imposed exile from the group. Upon release of the album, it was announced that it would be deleted
Deletion (music industry)
Deletion is a music industry term referring to the removal of a record or records from a label's official catalog, so that it is out of print, but usually at a record artist's request....
after one week.
Since the break-up, both Bell and Gardener have been more reflective on the reasons why the group disintegrated, with Bell especially admitting his own part in the process. It appears that they had just been too young and too stubborn and had no real idea of where the band was heading when they changed their style.
Hurricane #1
Bell returned in 1997 with Hurricane #1, another Creation signing. Aware of his own vocal fragility, Bell had drafted in a more gutsy singer, Alex Lowe, who would sing the songs Bell wrote for him. The same year, they released their first album, also called Hurricane #1. Their first single, "Step Into My World", number 29 in the UK charts (a re-mix of reached number 19 that year), and other less successful singles "Just Another Illusion" and "Chain Reaction".Their second album, Only The Strongest Will Survive
Only The Strongest Will Survive
Only The Strongest Will Survive is the second studio album by British rock band Hurricane #1,released in 1999. All songs written by Andy Bell except "What Do I Know?"by Alex Lowe...
, was released in 1998 and the title track was released as a single reaching number 19.
Hurricane #1 drew criticism, bordering on ridicule, for their similarity to Oasis. Bell himself said "Hurricane #1 is not so much influenced by Oasis, it's inspired by Oasis". Their albums did not sell well and in 1999 Bell took time out to tour as guitarist with the band Gay Dad
Gay Dad
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. An extensive UK tour was followed by a limited edition single "Harder, Faster". The third single "Transmission" was released just before the album came...
.
Oasis
During 1999 with Hurricane #1Hurricane No. 1
Hurricane #1 were an English indie rock band, formed in Oxford in 1996. The band were formed by former Ride guitarist Andy Bell, along with vocalist / guitarist Alex Lowe, bassist Will Pepper and drummer Gareth Farmer....
on hiatus Bell moved from Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
to live with his wife Idha and daughter in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. Bell was invited to join Oasis because they were looking for replacements for founding members Bonehead
Paul Arthurs
Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs is an English musician and one of the founding members of the English rock band Oasis, best known as their rhythm guitar player from 1991-1999.-Early life:...
and Guigsy. At the last minute Bell had to learn to play bass as well as the entire Oasis catalogue before his first Oasis gig. As he had no part in performing on Oasis' 2000 album Standing on the Shoulder of Giants
Standing on the Shoulder of Giants
Standing on the Shoulder of Giants is the fourth studio album by English rock band Oasis, released on 28 February 2000. The album is the 16th fastest selling album in UK chart history, selling over 310,000 copies in its first week...
, he was originally paid the wage of a touring musician – about £85 a night.
Since joining Oasis, Andy Bell regularly made songwriting contributions to the band.
Beady Eye
Noel Gallagher quit Oasis in August 2009, following an argument with his brother in Paris. Gallagher placed part of the blame for his decision to leave on Bell, and Gem Archer for a lack of support saying "the lack of support and understanding from my... band mates has left me with no other option than to get me cape and seek pastures new." According to Gallagher, he is still on friendly terms with Archer and Chris Sharrock, however he has not spoken with his brother or Bell since.Following the demise of Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
Andy Bell is now a full-time member of the band Beady Eye
Beady Eye
Beady Eye are an English rock band formed in 2009. The band consists of vocalist Liam Gallagher, guitarist Gem Archer and guitarist Andy Bell, all former members of Oasis, rounded by drummer and percussionist Chris Sharrock who substituted for Oasis during their last tour in 2008/2009, before Oasis...
, together with former Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
members Gem Archer
Gem Archer
Colin Murray "Gem" Archer is a member of the English rock band Beady Eye. He is, however, best known for his work with Heavy Stereo and Oasis. He joined Oasis as rhythm guitarist in November 1999, and handled lead guitarist for acoustics as well. He also contributed towards the writing of some of...
and Liam Gallagher
Liam Gallagher
William John Paul "Liam" Gallagher is an English musician and singer-songwriter, the former frontman of the English rock band Oasis and currently of the band Beady Eye. Gallagher's erratic behaviour, distinctive singing style, and abrasive attitude have been the subject of commentary in the press...
who are joined by drummer Chris Sharrock
Chris Sharrock
Chris Sharrock is an English drummer from Bebington, Merseyside, England who has a long history of being an official member of many noted British bands, including The Icicle Works, The La's, The Wild Swans, World Party, The Lightning Seeds, The Robbie Williams Band, Oasis, and Beady...
.
For Beady Eye
Beady Eye
Beady Eye are an English rock band formed in 2009. The band consists of vocalist Liam Gallagher, guitarist Gem Archer and guitarist Andy Bell, all former members of Oasis, rounded by drummer and percussionist Chris Sharrock who substituted for Oasis during their last tour in 2008/2009, before Oasis...
Andy Bell has changed from playing bass (as he did in Oasis), to play guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
both live and in the studio for the band- as he had previously done for both Ride
Ride (band)
Ride were a British alternative rock band that formed in 1988 in Oxford, England, consisting of Andy Bell, Mark Gardener, Laurence "Loz" Colbert, and Steve Queralt. The band were initially part of the "shoegazing" scene. Following the break-up of the band in 1996, members moved on to various other...
and Hurricane#1.
Beady Eye's debut album Different Gear, Still Speeding
Different Gear, Still Speeding
Different Gear, Still Speeding is the debut album by the English rock band Beady Eye, released on 28 February 2011. It debuted at #3 in the UK albums chart selling 66,817 in the first week, and had sold approximately 157,000 copies in the UK as of November 2011...
contains four songs written by Andy Bell and subsequently developed by the band, namely 'Four Letter Word', 'Millionaire', 'Kill For A Dream' and 'The Beat Goes On'.
Production work
In addition to being a songwriterSongwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, Bell has for a number of years actively been involved in record production. He receives co-production credit for both albums recorded by Hurricane#1- the eponymous Hurricane#1 and Only The Strongest Will Survive.
During late 1995, after the sessions for Tarantula were completed but prior to the official announcement of Ride's breakup, Bell undertook production
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
duties on Britpop
Britpop
Britpop is a subgenre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom. Britpop emerged from the British independent music scene of the early 1990s and was characterised by bands influenced by British guitar pop music of the 1960s and 1970s...
band The Kynd
The Kynd
The Kynd were an English indie rock band from Buckinghamshire that were professionally active from 1996–2000. The band consisted of Paul King , Danny Tipping , Tristan Tipping , Bradley Hills , and from 1998–2000, Richard Elson...
's debut single "Egotripper", which was released in October 1996.
Bell also undertook production duties for the fifth studio album Fear & Love by Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
band Weeping Willows
Weeping Willows
Weeping Willows is a Swedish indie rock group that started 1995.-History:The band's first two albums are primarily influenced by the popular music of the late 1950's to early 1960's...
released in 2007 Weeping Willows has always drawn upon early Roy Orbison
Roy Orbison
Roy Kelton Orbison was an American singer-songwriter, well known for his distinctive, powerful voice, complex compositions, and dark emotional ballads. Orbison grew up in Texas and began singing in a rockabilly/country & western band in high school until he was signed by Sun Records in Memphis...
and The Smiths
The Smiths
The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce...
as their main influences. On Fear & Love, Bell brought some English folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
influences, and a some 1960s styled British Invasion
British Invasion
The British Invasion is a term used to describe the large number of rock and roll, beat, rock, and pop performers from the United Kingdom who became popular in the United States during the time period from 1964 through 1966.- Background :...
sounds. The album was more or less recorded live in the studio, by playing the songs until the band got them right with minimal digital post production. Weeping Willows last two albums relied on a lot of post-production and remix styled studio techniques. Scandinavian music critics have given the album a warm welcome and compared some songs to The Coral
The Coral
The Coral are an English band formed in 1996 in Hoylake on the Wirral Peninsula in England. The band first emerged during the early 2000s and found success with their debut album The Coral and follow up Magic and Medicine...
, The Verve
The Verve
The Verve were an English rock band formed in 1989 in Wigan by lead vocalist Richard Ashcroft, guitarist Nick McCabe, bassist Simon Jones, and drummer Peter Salisbury. Guitarist and keyboardist Simon Tong later became a member. Beginning with a psychedelic sound indebted to shoegazing and space...
, Talk Talk
Talk Talk
Talk Talk were an English musical group, active from 1981 to 1991. The group had a string of international hit singles including "Today", "Talk Talk", "It's My Life", "Such a Shame", "Dum Dum Girl", "Life's What You Make It" and "Living in Another World"....
and Oasis.
Solo activities and projects
Bell has been good friends with Magnus Carlson, the lead singer in Swedish band, Weeping WillowsWeeping Willows
Weeping Willows is a Swedish indie rock group that started 1995.-History:The band's first two albums are primarily influenced by the popular music of the late 1950's to early 1960's...
, together they have embarked on some musical projects. The two run and DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
at the club
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
, Bangers 'n' Mash. Bell, also undertakes occasional DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
sets in UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
clubs, for example, 'This Feeling' night club night in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
In 2003, Bell collaborated with the Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
based Irish-Swedish electronica
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
/acid house
Acid house
Acid house is a sub-genre of house music that emphasizes a repetitive, hypnotic and trance-like style, often with samples or spoken lines rather than sung lyrics. Acid house's core electronic squelch sounds were developed around the mid-1980s, particularly by DJs from Chicago who experimented with...
duo
Duet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
, DK7, by providing guitar on the tracks "Heart Like a Demon" and "White Shadow" for their Disarmed album.
During the autumn of 2006 Carlson and Bell teamed up (with Janne Schaffer
Janne Schaffer
Jan Erik Tage Janne Schaffer is a Swedish songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for his work as a session guitarist for ABBA but he has also recorded with artists such as Bob Marley, Johnny Nash, Art Farmer and Tony Williams...
) and performed at an event dedicated to the late 1970s singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
, Ted Gärdestad
Ted Gärdestad
Ted Gärdestad , internationally known as Ted Gardestad, Ted Gaerdestad or just Ted was a Swedish singer, songwriter and musician.-Early career:...
.
In addition to his role as producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, Bell played a number of instruments
Musical instrument
A musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
on eight of the twelve tracks on the 2007 album Fear & Love by Weeping Willows
Weeping Willows
Weeping Willows is a Swedish indie rock group that started 1995.-History:The band's first two albums are primarily influenced by the popular music of the late 1950's to early 1960's...
ranging from glockenspiel
Glockenspiel
A glockenspiel is a percussion instrument composed of a set of tuned keys arranged in the fashion of the keyboard of a piano. In this way, it is similar to the xylophone; however, the xylophone's bars are made of wood, while the glockenspiel's are metal plates or tubes, and making it a metallophone...
, piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
to guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
.
He has also performed solo gigs at smaller Swedish summer festivals including the 2006'Fest-i-val' in Umeå
Umeå
- Transport :The road infrastructure in Umeå is well-developed, with two European highways passing through the city. About 4 km from the city centre is the Umeå City Airport...
Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
In July 2007, Bell appeared with friend and former fellow Ride member Mark Gardener
Mark Gardener
Mark Stephen Gardener is an English rock musician, and former singer and guitarist with the shoegazing band, Ride.-Ride:...
onstage with California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
n rock band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
The Brian Jonestown Massacre
The Brian Jonestown Massacre
The Brian Jonestown Massacre is an American eclectic musical group led by Anton Newcombe, whose music spans multiple genres including psychedelia, electronica, folk music, blues, experimental music, and many others....
at the Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
'Truck' Music Festival
Music festival
A music festival is a festival oriented towards music that is sometimes presented with a theme such as musical genre, nationality or locality of musicians, or holiday. They are commonly held outdoors, and are often inclusive of other attractions such as food and merchandise vending machines,...
On 19 December 2007, Bell joined Weeping Willows on stage for an event called "An Evening With Weeping Willows At Chinateatern" He lined up with other prominent guests such as The Soundtrack of Our Lives
The Soundtrack of Our Lives
The Soundtrack of Our Lives, alternatively known as T.S.O.O.L. or Soundtrack, is a Swedish rock band that formed in 1995 after the dissolution of the punk band Union Carbide Productions....
' Martin Hederos
Martin Hederos
Martin Hederos, born 1972, is a founding member of Nymphet Noodlers and The Soundtrack of Our Lives. He is also a member of the duo Hederos & Hellberg together with Mattias Hellberg, as well as ex-Esbjörn Svensson Trio bassist Dan Berglund's Tonbruket collective. He has released two albums with...
, Echo & the Bunnymen
Echo & the Bunnymen
Echo & the Bunnymen are an English post-punk band, formed in Liverpool in 1978. The original line-up consisted of vocalist Ian McCulloch, guitarist Will Sergeant and bass player Les Pattinson, supplemented by a drum machine. By 1980, Pete de Freitas had joined as the band's drummer, and their debut...
vocalist Ian McCulloch
Ian McCulloch (singer)
Ian Stephen McCulloch is an English singer, born in Liverpool, and is best known as the frontman for the rock group Echo & the Bunnymen.-Career:...
and Jens Lekman
Jens Lekman
Jens Martin Lekman is a Swedish musician. His music is guitar-based pop with heavy use of samples and strings, with lyrics that are often witty, romantic, and melancholic. The English lyrics reflect an advanced knowledge of the language and its idioms...
.
Andy Bell has worked with Swedish band The Most
The Most (Swedish band)
The Most is a rock band from Umeå, Sweden. Original members are Frans Perris , Magnus Kollberg , Mats Westin , Inge Johansson and Marcus Holmberg . Vinyl EPs being released on the label Ny Våg Records...
on various recordings and contributed guitars and vocals on the song "Now I Feel" from the EP Moderation in Moderation (a title suggested by Bell).
Bell has on several occasions stated his intention to record and release a solo album in the future: I will get around to it, it’s just waiting for the songs to turn up that suit my voice. I've got one so far, give me about five years and I'll have an album's worth.
During 2008 Andy Bell collaborated with SPC-ECO a British American
British American
British Americans are citizens of the United States whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in the United Kingdom . The term is seldom used by people to refer to themselves and is used primarily as a demographic or historical research term...
shoegazing
Shoegazing
Shoegazing is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged from the United Kingdom in the late 1980s. It lasted there until the mid 1990s, with a critical zenith reached in 1990 and 1991...
/electronica
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
/psychedelic
Psychedelic
The term psychedelic is derived from the Greek words ψυχή and δηλοῦν , translating to "soul-manifesting". A psychedelic experience is characterized by the striking perception of aspects of one's mind previously unknown, or by the creative exuberance of the mind liberated from its ostensibly...
group on the track 'Silver Clouds' to which Andy Bell contributes by playing an electronic sitar
Sitar
The 'Tablaman' is a plucked stringed instrument predominantly used in Hindustani classical music, where it has been ubiquitous since the Middle Ages...
drone machine and an old custom Dulcimer
Appalachian dulcimer
The Appalachian dulcimer is a fretted string instrument of the zither family, typically with three or four strings. It is native to the Appalachian region of the United States...
as well as devising the songs lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
. 'Silver Clouds' was made available in 2009 as a bonus track to the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese edition of SPC-ECO's album 3-D.
2009 saw Andy Bell release his first solo recording under the Grapefruit name, an instrumental track also entitled Grapefruit which he contributed to the One by One: KZK Adidas
Adidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
Originals by Originals compilation album, a Japan only release via Sony Music.
In 2010, it was reported that a former member of Oasis had collaborated with Adam Ant
Adam Ant
Adam Ant is an English musician who gained popularity as the lead singer of New Wave/post-punk group Adam and the Ants and later as a solo artist, scoring ten UK top ten hits between 1980 and 1983, including three No.1s...
on material for his forthcoming album Adam Ant Is the Blueblack Hussar in Marrying the Gunner's Daughter
Adam Ant Is the Blueblack Hussar in Marrying the Gunner's Daughter
Adam Ant Is The Blueblack Hussar in Marrying The Gunner's Daughter is the upcoming sixth solo studio album by Adam Ant. The album is due to be released in 2012 by Ant's own record label Blueblack Hussar Records, as confirmed by Ant's official website and numerous interviews. The album's title was...
. Andy Bell was susbequently identified as the former Oasis member in question. In an interview for Bizarre magazine published in January 2011, Ant named the song co-written with Andy Bell as Cool Zombie.
Personal life
Bell was previously married to Swedish singer IdhaIdha (singer)
Idha Övelius , known professionally as Idha, is a Swedish singer/songwriter. She released two albums in the 1990s on Creation Records - Melody Inn and Troublemaker....
Ovelius. They have two children, a daughter, Leia, and a son, Leon. He currently resides in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and is married to Shiarra, a label rep from Universal Music.
Bell revealed in an interview that he suffers from deafness in his left ear as a result of standing too close to Alan White's drumkit whilst playing bass during his first tour with Oasis.
Bass guitars
- Burns Bison- Bell's main bass guitar since he joined Oasis in 2000; he uses a black vintage one
- Fender Precision BassFender Precision BassThe Fender Precision Bass is an electric bass.Designed by Leo Fender as a prototype in 1950 and brought to market in 1951, the Precision was the first electric bass to earn widespread attention and use. A revolutionary instrument for the time, the Precision Bass has made an immeasurable impact on...
- Used during the "Dig out your soul tour" throughout 2008 and 2009. The color of the bass is sunburst and has a blue sticker on the body under the strings that says "Love one another", a reference to the Oasis song "Turn Up the Sun" which he had written
Guitars
- Rickenbacker 330Rickenbacker 330The Rickenbacker 330 is part of Rickenbacker's 300 series of guitars, the series for which Rickenbacker is perhaps best known. The 330 entered the Rickenbacker product line in 1958, though at the time the 300 series of guitars was known as the "Capri" series. It was designed by the German luthier...
- Used live with Hurricane #1 and Beady Eye - Fender TelecasterFender TelecasterThe Fender Telecaster, colloquially known as the Tele , is typically a dual-pickup, solid-body electric guitar made by Fender.Its simple yet effective design and revolutionary sound broke ground and set trends in electric guitar manufacturing and popular music...
- Used live with Hurricane#1 - Gibson Trini LopezGibson Trini LopezThe Gibson Trini Lopez is a semi-hollow body electric guitar manufactured by Gibson, released in 1964 as a signature model for Latin pop star Trini Lopez. It is based on the ES range of Gibson semi-acoustic guitars. More specifically, this guitar is said to have been based on a mid 60's Gibson...
- Bell's main guitar with Beady Eye; classic cherry body with Bigsby vibrato tailpiece - Fender JazzmasterFender JazzmasterThe Fender Jazzmaster is an electric guitar designed as an upmarket sibling to the Fender Stratocaster. First introduced at the 1958 NAMM Show, it was initially marketed at jazz guitarists, but found favor among surf rock guitarists in the early 1960s...
- Bell owns a blue one used in the song "Millionaire" - Gibson ES-335Gibson ES-335The Gibson ES-335 is the world's first commercial thinline arched-top semi-acoustic electric guitar. Released by the Gibson Guitar Corporation as part of its ES series in 1958, it is neither hollow nor solid; instead, a solid wood block runs through the center of its body...
- Black one, used with Beady eye
Bell also uses a custom made guitar by Philippe Dubreuille, modeled over a Gibson Les Paul
Gibson Les Paul
The Gibson Les Paul was the result of a design collaboration between Gibson Guitar Corporation and the late jazz guitarist and electronics inventor Les Paul. In 1950, with the introduction of the Fender Telecaster to the musical market, electric guitars became a public craze. In reaction, Gibson...
with handgraved metal cover and Bigsby vibrato tailpiece
External links
- Oasis Online Andy Bell Biography, Gallery, and Media
- Weeping Willows
- Bangers n' Mash Club page @MySpace
- Ticket2Ride- Ride fansite including 1998 interview with Andy Bell.
- Official Ride website including Q&A session with Andy fellow Ride members
- Official Oasis Website
- 2001 Designer Magazine interview with Andy Bell
- 1997 Andy Bell interview about Ride & Hurricane#1
- Early 00's interview with Andy Bell
- 2005 interview with Andy Bell & Gem Archer
- Extensive Gallery of Andy Bell images