National Park (band)
Encyclopedia
National Park are a Scottish
band formed in 1997 in Glasgow
. The band's music has been described as having some similarities to Velvet Underground, Galaxie 500
and Yo La Tengo
"without sounding like anything else."
and Telstar Ponies
member John Hogarty and Scott Walker. In August 1997, the band played their first gig
. Simon Shaw
and Michael McGaughrin of the band V-Twin joined Hogarty and Walker, and played the bass
and drums, respectively.
National Park's first single, "Great Western", was a 10"
released on Earworm records; a ten minute long improvisation. It was recorded on a tape deck
at an early rehearsal session. Despite the length of the track it was playlist
ed on Xfm London
. Hogarty was also part of the Phantom Engineer project with David Keenan and Bill Wells
. Collaborations with Future Pilot A.K.A.
then followed, and were released on Beggars Banquet Records and also on Earworm records. The band also played live with many of their favourite bands, including Belle and Sebastian at the Shepherds Bush Empire
.
Scott Walker left the band in 1999, and was replaced briefly by Alasdair Roberts (of Appendix Out) and later by Gerard Love of Teenage Fanclub
. Walker did return briefly to record "No More Rides" for the compilation You Don't Need Darkness to Do What You Think is Right, which was released by Geographic Music, a subsidiary
of Domino Records during 2001-2002.
In 2003, the band released a lathe-cut 7" single, "Background Frequencies", on an Australian label. In 2005 National Park released "The Only Stars" in Japan
, which featured contributions by Bill Wells (piano
), Sarah Martin
(flute
) and Mick Cooke
(horn
) of Belle and Sebastian.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
band formed in 1997 in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
. The band's music has been described as having some similarities to Velvet Underground, Galaxie 500
Galaxie 500
Galaxie 500 was an American alternative rock band that formed in 1987 and split up in 1991 after releasing three albums.-History:Guitarist Dean Wareham, drummer Damon Krukowski and bassist Naomi Yang had met at the Dalton School in New York City in 1981, but began playing together during their time...
and Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo, sometimes abbreviated as YLT, is an American alternative rock band formed in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1984. Since 1992, the lineup has consisted of Ira Kaplan , Georgia Hubley , and James McNew .Despite achieving limited mainstream success, Yo La Tengo has been called "the quintessential...
"without sounding like anything else."
History
The band was formed by former BMX BanditsBMX Bandits (band)
BMX Bandits are a Scottish 1960s-influenced guitar pop band who have been making music from 1986 to the present day. They have shared members with other Bellshill bands Teenage Fanclub and The Soup Dragons....
and Telstar Ponies
Telstar Ponies
Telstar Ponies are a rock band formed in Glasgow, Scotland in 1994. They were signed to Fire Records Their musical style varies considerably but displays obvious influences from Krautrock, folk , and experimental noise.-History:...
member John Hogarty and Scott Walker. In August 1997, the band played their first gig
Gig (musical performance)
Gig is slang for a musical engagement in which musicians are hired. Originally coined in the 1920s by jazz musicians, the term, short for the word "engagement", now refers to any aspect of performing such as assisting with performance and attending musical performance...
. Simon Shaw
Simon Shaw
Simon Dalton Shaw MBE is an English rugby union player who plays at lock for Toulon and England.-Biography:...
and Michael McGaughrin of the band V-Twin joined Hogarty and Walker, and played the bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
and drums, respectively.
National Park's first single, "Great Western", was a 10"
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
released on Earworm records; a ten minute long improvisation. It was recorded on a tape deck
Tape recorder
An audio tape recorder, tape deck, reel-to-reel tape deck, cassette deck or tape machine is an audio storage device that records and plays back sounds, including articulated voices, usually using magnetic tape, either wound on a reel or in a cassette, for storage...
at an early rehearsal session. Despite the length of the track it was playlist
Playlist
In its most general form, a playlist is simply a list of songs. They can be played in sequential or shuffled order. The term has several specialized meanings in the realms of radio broadcasting and personal computers.-In radio:...
ed on Xfm London
Xfm London
Xfm London is a commercial radio station in the United Kingdom owned by Global Radio and broadcasts on 104.9 FM in London, on digital radio via 30 DAB multiplexes across the country, Sky, TalkTalk TV and Virgin Media....
. Hogarty was also part of the Phantom Engineer project with David Keenan and Bill Wells
Bill Wells
Bill Wells is a Scottish bassist, pianist, guitarist and composer.He is best known for his group the Bill Wells Octet, since the early 1990s, but he has performed and recorded in a wide range of settings, including collaborations with The Pastels, Maher Shalal Hash Baz, Future Pilot A.K.A., Lol...
. Collaborations with Future Pilot A.K.A.
Future Pilot A.K.A.
Future Pilot A.K.A. is the nom de plume of Glasgow indie musician Sushil K. Dade, a former member of the Soup Dragons, BMX Bandits and Telstar Ponies...
then followed, and were released on Beggars Banquet Records and also on Earworm records. The band also played live with many of their favourite bands, including Belle and Sebastian at the Shepherds Bush Empire
Shepherds Bush Empire
The O2 Shepherds Bush Empire is a music venue in Shepherd's Bush, London, England, run by the Academy Music Group. It was built in 1903, as a music hall, and in 1953 became the BBC Television Theatre...
.
Scott Walker left the band in 1999, and was replaced briefly by Alasdair Roberts (of Appendix Out) and later by Gerard Love of Teenage Fanclub
Teenage Fanclub
Teenage Fanclub are an alternative rock band from Bellshill, Scotland. The band is composed of Norman Blake , Raymond McGinley , Gerard Love and Francis MacDonald , with songwriting duties shared equally among Blake, McGinley and Love...
. Walker did return briefly to record "No More Rides" for the compilation You Don't Need Darkness to Do What You Think is Right, which was released by Geographic Music, a subsidiary
Subsidiary
A subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...
of Domino Records during 2001-2002.
In 2003, the band released a lathe-cut 7" single, "Background Frequencies", on an Australian label. In 2005 National Park released "The Only Stars" in 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...
, which featured contributions by Bill Wells (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...
), Sarah Martin
Sarah Martin
Sarah Martin was a British philanthropist. She was born at Great Yarmouth; and lived in nearby Caister. She earned her living by dressmaking, and devoted much of her time amongst criminals in the Tollhouse Gaol in Great Yarmouth....
(flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
) and Mick Cooke
Mick Cooke
Mick Cooke is the trumpet player of the Scottish indie band Belle & Sebastian. Besides trumpet, Cooke plays other brass instruments, including the French horn, and occasionally plays electric guitar and bass live...
(horn
Horn (instrument)
The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
) of Belle and Sebastian.
Singles
- "Great Western" (1998) 10" on Earworm
- "Norman Dolph's Money" (1999) 7" collaboration with Future Pilot AKA on Earworm
- "Secret Songs" (2003) 7" on Background Frequencies
- "The Only Stars" (2005) 7" on Yield
Compilation appearances
- "Sterling", on Future Pilot A.K.A. vs. A Galaxy of Sound (2000)
- "No More Rides" on You Don't Need Darkness to Do What You Think Is Right (2002) Geographic
- "The Only Stars", on Crunk Into Up Vol. 3 (2005)
External links
- Official website
- National Park at Earworm
- National Park at Yield