The Boy I Used to Be
Encyclopedia
The Boy I Used to Be was the debut extended play
(EP) by Bombay Bicycle Club
, released in 2007. It was released on CD
and 1000 limited edition
numbered 10-inch vinyls
. 500 vinyl copies were also pressed by independent record label
Nettwerk
. It was the band's first release since winning Channel 4
's "Road to V" competition, where they won the opportunity to be the opening act at the 2006 V Festival
.
in Lincolnshire
with music producer Jim Abbiss
, who had previously worked with Arctic Monkeys
and Kasabian. It contained tracks that were re-recordings of demo
s that the band had performed in their bedrooms. At the time of recording, the band were in the same year at school as fellow London
band Cajun Dance Party
. London solo artist FrYars also attended their school.
, the band stated that this was because they wanted to gain more experience in the industry first.
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...
(EP) by Bombay Bicycle Club
Bombay Bicycle Club
Bombay Bicycle Club are a British indie rock and folk band from Crouch End, London. The band comprises: Jack Steadman , Jamie MacColl , Ed Nash and Suren de Saram ....
, released in 2007. It was released on CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
and 1000 limited edition
Special edition
The terms special edition, limited edition and variants such as deluxe edition, collector's edition and others, are used as a marketing incentive for various kinds of products, originally published products related to the arts, such as books, prints or recorded music and films, but now including...
numbered 10-inch vinyls
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...
. 500 vinyl copies were also pressed by independent record label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
Nettwerk
Nettwerk
The Nettwerk Music Group is the umbrella company for Nettwerk Management, Nettwerk Records, Nettwerk One Publishing, Nutone Records, and Artwerk. With over 150 employees, the Vancouver-based company has offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Boston, Nashville, and Hamburg...
. It was the band's first release since winning Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
's "Road to V" competition, where they won the opportunity to be the opening act at the 2006 V Festival
V Festival
The V Festival is an annual music festival held in England during the penultimate weekend in August. The event is held at two parks simultaneously which share the same bill; artists perform at one location on Saturday and then swap on Sunday. The sites are located at Hylands Park in Chelmsford and...
.
Recording
The EP was recorded at Chapel StudiosChapel Studios
Chapel Studios is a music recording studio, located in South Thoresby, Lincolnshire.-Studios:The facility houses two main studio rooms, both of which are available for use by the public and contain state of the art equipment. The studio houses a former Masonic Chapel, from which the studio takes...
in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
with music producer Jim Abbiss
Jim Abbiss
Jim Abbiss is a British music producer, best known for his work on records including Arctic Monkeys' Mercury Music Prize winning debut album, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, Ladytron's Witching Hour, Sneaker Pimps' debut Becoming X, Editors' debut The Back Room, Kasabian's...
, who had previously worked with Arctic Monkeys
Arctic Monkeys
Arctic Monkeys are an English indie rock band. Formed in 2002 in High Green, a suburb of Sheffield, the band currently consists of Alex Turner , Jamie Cook , Nick O'Malley and Matt Helders...
and Kasabian. It contained tracks that were re-recordings of demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
s that the band had performed in their bedrooms. At the time of recording, the band were in the same year at school as fellow 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...
band Cajun Dance Party
Cajun Dance Party
Cajun Dance Party were a five-piece band based in London, England. They originally consisted of Robbie Stern, Max Bloom, Daniel Blumberg, Will Vignoles, and Vicky Freund. The band has split after Blumberg and Bloom left the band in 2009 to form the band Yuck, while other members of the band went to...
. London solo artist FrYars also attended their school.
Release
The band self-released the EP on their own label, Mmm... Records, despite receiving numerous record label offers following the "Road to V" competition. In an interview with The IndependentThe Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
, the band stated that this was because they wanted to gain more experience in the industry first.