One Thousand Violins
Encyclopedia
One Thousand Violins were a sixties-influenced indie-pop group from Sheffield
, Yorkshire
, who had several UK Indie Chart
hits in the late 1980s.
's BBC Radio 1
show, the band having recorded a session for the show earlier that year. 1986 saw a second Peel session, and the band breaking into the indie chart with "Please Don't Sandblast My House", which reached number 11. In 1987, Day was replaced by Ian Addey, and the indie hits continued with "Ungrateful Bastard", "Locked Out of The Love-In", and "If I Were a Bullet". The following year the band's debut album, Hey Man That's Beautiful was released, and Wood departed, to be replaced by ex-Hays Office singer Vince Keenan. With the band troubled by financial problems and 'mind differences', they split in 1989.
Colin Gregory went on to form The Dylans
. Keenan went on to join Splendid Fellows and later SPIGGOTT. Walmsley died from cancer
in 1992.
While the band's success during their lifetime was limited, the internet and the interest in this era of indie pop saw interest in the band increase. Vinyl Japan issued a collection of the band's work in 2001, Like One Thousand Violins.
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, who had several UK Indie Chart
UK Indie Chart
The UK Independent Chart or Indie Chart is a chart of the best-selling independent record releases in the UK.- History :In the wake of punk, small record labels began to spring up, as an outlet for artists that were unwilling to sign contracts with major record companies, or were not considered...
hits in the late 1980s.
History
The band was formed in 1985 by Darren Swindells (bass), Colin Gregory (guitar), John Wood (vocals), David Walmsley (keyboards/guitar), and Peter Day (drums). Gregory and Walmsley had previously played together in The Page Boys. Their first single, "Halcyon Days" was released in 1985. The follow-up, "Like One Thousand Violins" was voted into that year's Festive 50 by listeners to John PeelJohn Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
's BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
show, the band having recorded a session for the show earlier that year. 1986 saw a second Peel session, and the band breaking into the indie chart with "Please Don't Sandblast My House", which reached number 11. In 1987, Day was replaced by Ian Addey, and the indie hits continued with "Ungrateful Bastard", "Locked Out of The Love-In", and "If I Were a Bullet". The following year the band's debut album, Hey Man That's Beautiful was released, and Wood departed, to be replaced by ex-Hays Office singer Vince Keenan. With the band troubled by financial problems and 'mind differences', they split in 1989.
Colin Gregory went on to form The Dylans
The Dylans
The Dylans were an alternative rock band formed in Sheffield, England, in 1991. The band released two albums before splitting in 1994.-History:...
. Keenan went on to join Splendid Fellows and later SPIGGOTT. Walmsley died from cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
in 1992.
While the band's success during their lifetime was limited, the internet and the interest in this era of indie pop saw interest in the band increase. Vinyl Japan issued a collection of the band's work in 2001, Like One Thousand Violins.
Singles
- "Halcyon Days" (1985) Dreamworld
- "Like One Thousand Violins" (1985) Dreamworld
- "Please Don't Sandblast My House" (1986) Dreamworld (#11)
- "Ungrateful Bastard" (1987) Constrictor (#27)
- "Locked Out Of The Love-In" (1987) Dreamworld (#13)
- "If I Were a Bullet" (1987) Report (#17)
- "If Only Words" Immaculate
- "All Aboard The Lovemobile" Immaculate
Albums and EPs
- Please Don't Sandblast My House (six track EPExtended playAn 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...
) (1987) Constrictor - Locked Out of the Love-In" (1987) Constrictor
- Hey Man That's Beautiful (1988) Immaculate
- Like One Thousand Violins (2001) Vinyl Japan