King Swamp
Encyclopedia
King Swamp was a British
rock
band, consisting of Walter Wray (vocals), Dave Allen
(bass), Steve Halliwell
(keyboards), Dominic Miller
(guitar), and Martyn Barker
(drums). The band was formed in 1988 in London
, after Allen and Barker had parted ways with Shriekback
and recruited Wray as frontman. Halliwell and Mike Cozzi (featured on the second album) were also ex Shriekback members.
King Swamp's first single
, "Is This Love?", reached number 21 on Billboard
s Album Rock chart. The band released two album
s plus several singles before disbanding in 1990 after their second studio album, Wiseblood
, failed to chart anywhere in the U.S. or the U.K. and was panned by critics.
Wray later produced a solo album with Dominic Miller
, who later went on to play with Sting (with whom he still plays).
Wray and Halliwell are currently part of The Saturday Girls - backing group for Lily Rae
, the former's daughter. They also play in a band named Little Machime.
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...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band, consisting of Walter Wray (vocals), Dave Allen
Dave Allen (producer/bassist)
Dave Allen was the bass guitarist for the post-punk band, Gang of Four. In 1981, he left Gang of Four to found Shriekback....
(bass), Steve Halliwell
Steve Halliwell
Steve Halliwell isan English actor best known for his part in ITV's Emmerdale as smallholder Zak Dingle, a role he has played since 1994....
(keyboards), Dominic Miller
Dominic Miller
Dominic Miller is an Argentine-English guitarist who toured and recorded with World Party and King Swamp, worked on Phil Collins' solo album ...But Seriously and played guitar on every Sting album and tour since 1990...
(guitar), and Martyn Barker
Martyn Barker
Martyn Barker is an English drummer, best known as the drummer for Shriekback. He has also been a member of King Swamp, and worked with Paula Rae Gibson, Billy Bragg and Beth Gibbons, Rustin Man and Juldah Camara & Justin Adams....
(drums). The band was formed in 1988 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...
, after Allen and Barker had parted ways with Shriekback
Shriekback
Shriekback are an English rock band, formed in 1981 in Kentish Town by Barry Andrews, formerly of XTC and League of Gentlemen , and Dave Allen, formerly of the Gang of Four , with Carl Marsh, formerly of Out On Blue Six soon added to the line-up. They were joined by Martyn Barker on drums in 1983...
and recruited Wray as frontman. Halliwell and Mike Cozzi (featured on the second album) were also ex Shriekback members.
King Swamp's first single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, "Is This Love?", reached number 21 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s Album Rock chart. The band released two album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s plus several singles before disbanding in 1990 after their second studio album, Wiseblood
Wiseblood (King Swamp album)
Wiseblood is the second studio album by the British rock band King Swamp. Originally released in September 1990, the album was panned by the critics. When the album failed to chart anywhere in the U.S. or the U.K., the band split up.-U.S...
, failed to chart anywhere in the U.S. or the U.K. and was panned by critics.
Wray later produced a solo album with Dominic Miller
Dominic Miller
Dominic Miller is an Argentine-English guitarist who toured and recorded with World Party and King Swamp, worked on Phil Collins' solo album ...But Seriously and played guitar on every Sting album and tour since 1990...
, who later went on to play with Sting (with whom he still plays).
Wray and Halliwell are currently part of The Saturday Girls - backing group for Lily Rae
Lily Rae
Lily Rae is a Brixton-born singer-songwriter.-Life and career:She was born Lily Rae Walsworth and raised in Brixton and Streatham. At the age of 13, Rae started writing music - penning the early track Scallywag, later used as a B-side for her E.P. Bad Film...
, the former's daughter. They also play in a band named Little Machime.
Albums
- King SwampKing Swamp (album)King Swamp is the self-titled debut album of the British rock band King Swamp. Originally released in May 1989, the album was well-received by critics. But, its failure to peak even in the top-150 on the Billboard 200 proved to be a bad omen. When their second album failed to chart anywhere in...
(1989) - WisebloodWiseblood (King Swamp album)Wiseblood is the second studio album by the British rock band King Swamp. Originally released in September 1990, the album was panned by the critics. When the album failed to chart anywhere in the U.S. or the U.K., the band split up.-U.S...
(1990) [additional guitars provided by Mike Cozzi and Nick Lashley]