Simon Tong
Encyclopedia
Simon Tong is a guitarist and keyboardist who was a member of The Verve
between 1996 and 1999 and is currently a member of Erland and the Carnival
and Transmission
. He has also played on tour with Blur
, Gorillaz
and the unnamed supergroup
responsible for The Good, the Bad & the Queen. He ranks in BBC
's "The Axe Factor" as the 40th greatest guitarist of the latest 30 years.
. He was brought in to replace lead guitarist Nick McCabe
after the band's first short-lived split, but remained with them when McCabe returned. Their third album was 1997's highly acclaimed Urban Hymns
. He played on many of their hits from that time such as The Drugs Don't Work
, Bittersweet Symphony and Sonnet
. The Verve disbanded in 1999 and later reformed in 2007, this time without Simon. By 2009 they had disbanded again.
from 2002 to 2003, where he contributed guitar, keyboards and songwriting.
's departure from Blur
in 2002, he was recruited as guitarist for some of the band's live performances. He continued the relationship formed with frontman Damon Albarn
by contributing guitar to Gorillaz
' 2005 album Demon Days
. In November 2005 he performed as part of the Gorillaz
live band at the Manchester Opera House, sharing guitar duties with another ex-Verve member, Simon Jones
. Tong also contributed Guitar to Gorillaz' 2010 album Plastic Beach
. He was previously absent from the live band, but joined them during their Escape to Plastic Beach World Tour.
reported that Albarn had foregone plans to record a solo album and instead formed a new unnamed group which featured Tong with Albarn, former Clash
bassist Paul Simonon
and drummer Tony Allen
. The band released their first album The Good, the Bad & the Queen on 23 January 2007, with the single "Herculean
" in October 2006. The album has enjoyed very good reviews and a second single, "Kingdom of Doom
", was also released in January 2007 as part of their pan European tour. While The Verve reunited in 2007, Tong remained with The Good, the Bad, and the Queen (it is not known whether he was invited to return to The Verve).
He is a member of the band Transmission
with Youth
, Paul Ferguson (of Killing Joke
) and Tim Bran (of Dreadzone
) which has released a single called "Noctolucent" and an album "Beyond Light" in 2006.http://www.myspace.com/transmissionofficial He has also played guitar on several tracks on the 2007 Client
album "Heartland
". He is also recording and performing as a member of heavy weight folk rock band Erland and the Carnival.http://www.myspace.com/carnival
(of Killing Joke
) called Butterfly Recordings. The first acts to be released are Indigo Moss and Duke Garwood along with a compilation entitled "What the Folk".
As a producer Simon has worked with Petra Jean Phillipson, Duke Garwood, Samatha Marais and Indigo Moss
.
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...
between 1996 and 1999 and is currently a member of Erland and the Carnival
Carnival (band)
Erland and the Carnival are a British folk rock band, formed in London, by multi-instrumentalist Simon Tong , Orcadian folk guitarist and singer Gawain Erland Cooper and Drummer/Engineer David Nock...
and Transmission
Transmission (band)
Transmission is an experimental/post-rock band based in the United Kingdom.The band includes former members of Killing Joke, Murder, Inc., The Verve, and Dreadzone.-Band members:*Tim Bran, Vocals/Keyboards*Paul Ferguson, Drums*Simon Tong, Guitars...
. He has also played on tour with Blur
Blur (band)
Blur is an English alternative rock band. Formed in London in 1989 as Seymour, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing...
, Gorillaz
Gorillaz
Gorillaz is an English musical project created in 1998 by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. This project consists of Gorillaz music itself and an extensive fictional universe depicting a "virtual band" of cartoon characters...
and the unnamed supergroup
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
responsible for The Good, the Bad & the Queen. He ranks in BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's "The Axe Factor" as the 40th greatest guitarist of the latest 30 years.
The Verve; 1996–1999
From 1996 to 1999, Simon was a guitarist and keyboardist for The VerveThe 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...
. He was brought in to replace lead guitarist Nick McCabe
Nick McCabe
Nick McCabe is a musician best known as the lead guitarist of The Verve.-Early life:Nick McCabe was the son of a bus driver and has two older brothers, Alan and Paul...
after the band's first short-lived split, but remained with them when McCabe returned. Their third album was 1997's highly acclaimed Urban Hymns
Urban Hymns
Urban Hymns is the third album by English rock band The Verve, released on 29 September 1997 on Hut Recordings. It earned nearly unanimous critical praise upon its release, and went on to become the band's best-selling release and one of the biggest selling albums of the year...
. He played on many of their hits from that time such as The Drugs Don't Work
The Drugs Don't Work
"The Drugs Don't Work" is a song by the British rock band, The Verve and is featured on their third album, Urban Hymns. It was released on September 1, 1997 as the second single from the album, charting at number 1 in the UK Singles Chart, becoming the band's most successful single in the UK...
, Bittersweet Symphony and Sonnet
Sonnet (song)
"Sonnet" is a song by Britpop band The Verve and is featured on their third album, Urban Hymns. It was released 2 March 1998 as the final single from the album . The song has the same instrumental layout as "The Drugs Don't Work", consisting of acoustic and electric guitars backed up with a string...
. The Verve disbanded in 1999 and later reformed in 2007, this time without Simon. By 2009 they had disbanded again.
The Shining; 2002–2003
After The Verve disbanded, Simon remained relatively active. He was a member of short lived band The ShiningThe Shining (band)
The Shining were an English rock band formed in 2000. The band was composed of Duncan Baxter , Dan MacBean , Mark Heaney , Simon Jones , and Simon Tong , the latter two both being members of The Verve....
from 2002 to 2003, where he contributed guitar, keyboards and songwriting.
Blur/Gorillaz; 2002–2005
Following Graham CoxonGraham Coxon
Graham Leslie Coxon is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and painter. He came to prominence as the lead guitarist, backing vocalist and occasional lead vocalist of rock band Blur, and is also a critically acclaimed solo artist, having recorded seven solo albums...
's departure from Blur
Blur (band)
Blur is an English alternative rock band. Formed in London in 1989 as Seymour, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing...
in 2002, he was recruited as guitarist for some of the band's live performances. He continued the relationship formed with frontman Damon Albarn
Damon Albarn
Damon Albarn is an English singer-songwriter and record producer who has been involved in many high profile projects, coming to prominence as the frontman and primary songwriter of Britpop band Blur...
by contributing guitar to Gorillaz
Gorillaz
Gorillaz is an English musical project created in 1998 by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. This project consists of Gorillaz music itself and an extensive fictional universe depicting a "virtual band" of cartoon characters...
' 2005 album Demon Days
Demon Days
Demon Days is the second studio album by British virtual band Gorillaz, released in May 2005. The album features contributions from De La Soul, Neneh Cherry, Martina Topley-Bird, Roots Manuva, MF DOOM, Ike Turner, Bootie Brown of the Pharcyde, Shaun Ryder, Dennis Hopper, the London Community Gospel...
. In November 2005 he performed as part of the Gorillaz
Gorillaz
Gorillaz is an English musical project created in 1998 by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. This project consists of Gorillaz music itself and an extensive fictional universe depicting a "virtual band" of cartoon characters...
live band at the Manchester Opera House, sharing guitar duties with another ex-Verve member, Simon Jones
Simon Jones (musician)
Simon Jones is an English bass player. He played bass and provided occasional backing vocals for the English band, The Verve.-Personal life:...
. Tong also contributed Guitar to Gorillaz' 2010 album Plastic Beach
Plastic Beach
Plastic Beach is the third studio album by British virtual band and alternative hip hop supergroup Gorillaz, released 3 March 2010 on Parlophone and Virgin Records. Conceived from an unfinished Gorillaz project called Carousel, the album was recorded during June 2008 to November 2009 and produced...
. He was previously absent from the live band, but joined them during their Escape to Plastic Beach World Tour.
Erland and the Carnival/The Good, the Bad & the Queen; 2006–present
In July 2006, it was reported that Tong would again be working with Damon Albarn. NMENME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
reported that Albarn had foregone plans to record a solo album and instead formed a new unnamed group which featured Tong with Albarn, former Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
bassist Paul Simonon
Paul Simonon
Paul Gustave Simonon is an English musician and artist best known as the bass guitarist for punk rock band The Clash. Recent work includes his involvement in the album The Good, the Bad & the Queen with Damon Albarn, Simon Tong and Tony Allen, released in January 2007...
and drummer Tony Allen
Tony Allen (musician)
Tony Oladipo Allen is aNigerian drummer, composer, and songwriter who currently lives and works in Paris. He is currently writing his autobiography "Tony Allen: Master Drummer of Afrobeat" with author/musician Michael E...
. The band released their first album The Good, the Bad & the Queen on 23 January 2007, with the single "Herculean
Herculean (song)
"Herculean" is the first single by The Good, the Bad and the Queen, an alternative rock band fronted by Damon Albarn. Though Albarn later claimed that the band was unnamed, and that "The Good, The Bad & The Queen" was merely the name of band's first album, this single clearly credits the artist as...
" in October 2006. The album has enjoyed very good reviews and a second single, "Kingdom of Doom
Kingdom of Doom
"Kingdom of Doom" is a song by the supposedly unnamed British alternative rock supergroup The Good, The Bad & The Queen, made up of Damon Albarn, Paul Simonon, Simon Tong and Tony Allen and is the fourth track on their 2007 album The Good, the Bad and the Queen .The song was also released as the...
", was also released in January 2007 as part of their pan European tour. While The Verve reunited in 2007, Tong remained with The Good, the Bad, and the Queen (it is not known whether he was invited to return to The Verve).
He is a member of the band Transmission
Transmission (band)
Transmission is an experimental/post-rock band based in the United Kingdom.The band includes former members of Killing Joke, Murder, Inc., The Verve, and Dreadzone.-Band members:*Tim Bran, Vocals/Keyboards*Paul Ferguson, Drums*Simon Tong, Guitars...
with Youth
Martin Glover
Martin Glover, also known as Youth, is a record producer and a founding member and bassist of the UK band Killing Joke. He is a member of The Fireman along with Paul McCartney. Glover was born in Africa.-Early career:...
, Paul Ferguson (of Killing Joke
Killing Joke
Killing Joke are an English post-punk band formed in October 1978 in Notting Hill, London, England; other sources report the band formed in early 1979.Related news articles: Founding members Jaz Coleman and Geordie Walker have been the only constant members.A key influence on industrial rock,...
) and Tim Bran (of Dreadzone
Dreadzone
Dreadzone are a British band whose music is an eclectic fusion of dub, reggae, techno, folk and rock. They have so far produced six studio albums and two live albums.-Career:...
) which has released a single called "Noctolucent" and an album "Beyond Light" in 2006.http://www.myspace.com/transmissionofficial He has also played guitar on several tracks on the 2007 Client
Client (band)
Client are an English electronic musical group from London. They are most popular in Germany where they have had limited commercial success...
album "Heartland
Heartland (Client album)
Heartland is the third studio album by the English electronic group Client. It was released in Germany on 23 March 2007 by Out of Line Music.Initial copies came with a bonus DVD containing all the group's music videos released up to that point....
". He is also recording and performing as a member of heavy weight folk rock band Erland and the Carnival.http://www.myspace.com/carnival
Other projects
Tong also set up a record label with the uber-producer YouthMartin Glover
Martin Glover, also known as Youth, is a record producer and a founding member and bassist of the UK band Killing Joke. He is a member of The Fireman along with Paul McCartney. Glover was born in Africa.-Early career:...
(of Killing Joke
Killing Joke
Killing Joke are an English post-punk band formed in October 1978 in Notting Hill, London, England; other sources report the band formed in early 1979.Related news articles: Founding members Jaz Coleman and Geordie Walker have been the only constant members.A key influence on industrial rock,...
) called Butterfly Recordings. The first acts to be released are Indigo Moss and Duke Garwood along with a compilation entitled "What the Folk".
As a producer Simon has worked with Petra Jean Phillipson, Duke Garwood, Samatha Marais and Indigo Moss
Indigo Moss
Indigo Moss were an alternative, rock and roll, bluegrass band, based in London, England.-Band members:* Trevor Moss - Vocals, guitar, banjo, mandolin* Hannah-Lou Moss - Vocals, banjo, guitar* Lil' Daisy Moss - Bass guitar...
.