The Long Blondes
Encyclopedia
The Long Blondes were a five-piece English
indie rock
band formed in Sheffield
, United Kingdom
in 2003 by Dorian Cox (lead guitar and keyboards), Reenie Hollis (real name Kathryn Hollis) (bass guitar and backing vocals), Emma Chaplin (rhythm guitar, keyboards and backing vocals), Kate Jackson
(lead vocals) and Screech Louder (real name Mark Turvey, drums).
After several critically acclaimed singles, they released their debut album, Someone to Drive You Home
, on Rough Trade Records
in November 2006. Their second album, "Couples", was produced by Erol Alkan
and released in April 2008. On the 20th October 2008, due to the unexpected illness of their primary songwriter and lead guitarist, Dorian Cox, the band announced their amicable split via a message on their website, the same day their singles compilation, "Singles" was released.
. All the members were attending, or had attended university in the city. The following quote appeared on their website and served as an introduction to the Long Blondes; ”Our shared influences include The Mael Brothers
, Marx Brothers
and The Bewlay Brothers
. We do not listen to The Beatles
, The Rolling Stones
, Jimi Hendrix
, The Doors
or Bob Dylan
. We chose an instrument each and learnt to play it.”. The band have stated that the original inspiration for The Long Blondes was to form a fantasy pop group: "Nico
, Nancy Sinatra
, Diana Dors
and Barbara Windsor
. Sexy and literate, flippant and heartbreaking all at once."
" on the local Thee Sheffield Phonographic Corporation
label. This was followed by singles "Autonomy Boy" and "Giddy Stratospheres
". In 2005, they released further singles, "Appropriation (By Any Other Name)
" and "Separated By Motorways
", the latter being produced by Paul Epworth
and released on his own Good & Evil label. These releases were met with a positive critical reaction and growing media attention.
Still unsigned, in February 2006 the band were recipients of the NME Philip Hall Radar Award
, which in previous years was won by Franz Ferdinand
and Kaiser Chiefs
. Further adding to their reputation, the band were named by The Guardian
and Vogue
as "the best unsigned band in the UK". As they were unsigned, during the early success of the band, members remained working in various day jobs; Jackson sold vintage clothing
on eBay
, Cox was working in the University of Sheffield
Department of Law, Hollis in the Media Studies
department of a nearby college, Chaplin in a Leeds
art library and Louder in the Home Office
.
and began recording their debut album over the summer with Steve Mackey
, the former bassist with Pulp
. The album was preceded by the singles "Weekend Without Makeup
" in July and "Once and Never Again
", which was released on October 23 and debuted at number 30 in the UK Singles Chart
. The song was named the 15th best track of 2006 by NME.
Someone to Drive You Home
was released in November 2006. The music was written by the band collectively while the majority of the lyrics were written by Cox with Jackson completing the lyrics for "Separated by Motorways" and "Madame Ray". Critical reception was generally positive with the NME calling it "fantasy pop, performed to perfection" in a 9/10 review. Reviews picked up on the predominant themes of the album; outsider status, popular culture references from the 1950s and 60s and relationships from a female perspective. Other reviews indicated the numerous inspirations for the work. For example, a four-star review in The Guardian
said that "if talent borrows but genius steals ... the Long Blondes should be taking their Mensa
tests", comparing the album's style to Franz Ferdinand and 80s indie-pop band The Flatmates
. Some noted the impact of Jackson's voice; Colin Roberts of Drowned In Sound
said "her delivery is like a public address
call across a Sunday marketplace" while The Guardian said it was "marvellously belting, if unsubtle". A 3-star review in Uncut magazine recognised the ambition of the band's sound, advising that they should acquire "a ruthless pop producer, one who can coax them out of their indie-pop dowdiness - like Blondie
needed Mike Chapman, like ABC
needed Horn
." They appeared at a number of UK festivals over the summer of 2006, including the Carling Weekend. In 2007, they played on the Other Stage at the Glastonbury Festival
.
, who had previously produced their more dance
orientated b-sides such as "Five Ways To End It" and "Fulwood Babylon". On December 19, 2007, it was announced that the new album's title would be "Couples". The title alludes to the David Bowie album "Heroes" and also to a loose theme of the album as a "big breakup album". Before the album was released, all five members created their own cryptic promo videos explaining the inspiration behind "Couples". The band stated that the album drew influences from Italo-Disco revival acts such as Glass Candy
and the Italians Do It Better label. and Abba
. Cox stated that "...there’s something really innocent about Abba videos... really kinda funny, futuristic but old fashioned at the same time and that’s how we see our music on this album.”.
"Couples" was released on April 7, 2008, preceded by a single, "Century
", released on March 24, 2008. The album reached number 48 in the UK album chart. The album was generally well received by critics. Click Music gave the album a 4.5 out of 5 and said it was "a worthy contender for record of the year". The Guardian gave the album another 4-star review, noting the album's shift in style - saying that some tracks shared "more with the cinematic perfection of Kylie Minogue
's "Confide in Me
" than the kitchen-sink dramas of Pulp". A mixed 6/10 review in NME said the album was "not terrible, but disappointing" and "whereas once they sang of suburban boredom tempered with the thrill of escape, now they’ve started to sound like they’d be happy to stay put". After "Century", the next song to be taken off the album was "Guilt", which was released on 7" and digital download
.
On the 9 June 2008, the band posted on their official website that Cox had fallen ill and that he had to be rushed to hospital, which meant that they had to cancel all their live appearances until the end of July. The band were due to play a support slot on Duran Duran
's Red Carpet Massacre tour at the Birmingham NIA
and the O2 Arena
in London and on the John Peel stage at Glastonbury
.
After "Couples", the band decided to release a compilation of their rare early 7" singles, which was titled "Singles" on October 20, 2008 on Angular Records. The twelve track album collected all of the songs from the band's first singles. The version of "Separated By Motorways" differs from the single version produced by Paul Epworth, instead the group opted to include the demo version instead. The compilation also featured one previously unreleased song - "Peterborough". "Singles" was named the 25th best album of 2008 by Artrocker
magazine.
in June 2008, which resulted in a swath of cancelled gigs. Cox thanked fans for their support and goodwill. "We have decided to call it a day," he wrote. "The main reason for this is that I suffered from a stroke in June and unfortunately I do not know when/if I will be well enough to play the guitar again. On behalf of the band I'd like to say a big thank you to anyone who ever came to one of our shows, bought one of our records or danced to one of our songs in a club." The announcement was made the same day their compilation "Singles" was released, with the inside of the rear album art also containing news of the breakup. Upon their split, The Guardian
wrote an article entitled "Why music will miss the Long Blondes".
It was reported on 1 December 2008 that Cox was undergoing physiotherapy for his paralysis and is still hoping to get back to playing guitar.
Jackson has been working on her debut solo album with producer and ex-Suede
guitarist Bernard Butler
. She will be working under the name Madame Ray (after the song on Someone To Drive You Home). Jackson has said that the sound of the album first tended towards country rock
but has now become a "big pop record". Confirmed tracks so far are "Wonder Feeling" and "Lie To Me". Other tracks that may be included are "Metropolis", "The Atlantic", "Homeward Bound", "Leaving Me Easily", "The Twilight Zone" and "Velvet Sofa".
Hollis continues to play in The Bon Bon Club, a band she formed with Louder. Their debut single features three cover versions—"Lullaby" by The Cure
, "Love Is Blind" by Pulp
and "Romantic Rights" by Death From Above 1979
. It was released through Thee Sheffield Phonographic Corporation
on 23 June 2008. The 7" single was limited to 500 copies.
Dorian Cox's new band is called Milkteeth. They played their first gig on 4 February 2011 at Sheffield's The Funn Club. Reenie Hollis' new band is called Nature Set and their first single 7" has been published by Elefant Records
in 2011.
, The Fall, The Ramones
, Suede
, post-punk
and new wave
. Jackson's vocals have been compared to Ari Up
of The Slits
, Deborah Harry
of Blondie
and Lesley Woods of Au Pairs
. Dorian Cox's backing vocals are also similar to those of former Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker
. The music features angular guitars and prominent bass guitar lines. However, the band themselves claim somewhat more eclectic influences than their sound suggests, citing Burt Bacharach
, Holland-Dozier-Holland
, Chinn
and Chapman, and Stock, Aitken and Waterman as influences.
In 2004, the band named some of their actual influences and favourite bands. Chaplin's were The Smiths
, The Sweet and The Jesus and Mary Chain
. Hollis's were Belle and Sebastian, ELO
and The Eagles. Cox's were Abba
and The Fall. Louder's were Scott Walker
, The Slits
and Captain Beaky. Jackson's were The Smiths
, The Fall and Nancy Sinatra
and Lee Hazelwood.
Other themes include escapism
(e.g. "Separated by Motorways", "I Liked The Boys", "Erin O'Connor"), femme fatale
s (e.g. "Long Blonde", "All Bar One Girls") and nostalgia
(e.g. "Nostalgia"). In "Once And Never Again", the lyric goes "I know how it feels to be your age / Oh how I'd love to feel a girl your age / Once and never again". Some have interpreted these lines as alluding to homosexual feelings between the singer and the subject.
was a big inspiration when it came to referencing films in their music, he said "the whole film noir thing is very important because it's stylish but there's depth to it as well".
was featured in The Guardian's
style section and the NME
cool list, moving from 39 in 2005 to 7 in 2006. When questioned about her place in the first NME list by The Guardian, Jackson remarked "Probably because they didn't have enough girls. It was so overrun with boring boys, they needed someone to bring a touch of glamour." Jackson describes her style as "Bonnie Parker meets a Carry On girl".
and Franz Ferdinand
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band formed in Sheffield
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...
, United Kingdom
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...
in 2003 by Dorian Cox (lead guitar and keyboards), Reenie Hollis (real name Kathryn Hollis) (bass guitar and backing vocals), Emma Chaplin (rhythm guitar, keyboards and backing vocals), Kate Jackson
Kate Jackson (singer)
Kate Jackson, , is a British singer who was formerly the lead-singer with The Long Blondes. She now performs under the name Kate Jackson Group with David Venn, Steven Marsden, Richard Phillips and Duncan Morrison.-Biography:...
(lead vocals) and Screech Louder (real name Mark Turvey, drums).
After several critically acclaimed singles, they released their debut album, Someone to Drive You Home
Someone to Drive You Home
Someone To Drive You Home is the debut album by The Long Blondes. It was released on November 6, 2006. It received widespread critical praise and was placed 7th in the NMEs best 50 albums of 2006 list and features in many other best of lists for 2006.The predominant theme of the album is...
, on Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...
in November 2006. Their second album, "Couples", was produced by Erol Alkan
Erol Alkan
Erol Alkan is a London-based electro DJ of Turkish Cypriot descent.-DJ and club promoter:In 1993, Erol Alkan started DJing in various Indie nightclubs in London....
and released in April 2008. On the 20th October 2008, due to the unexpected illness of their primary songwriter and lead guitarist, Dorian Cox, the band announced their amicable split via a message on their website, the same day their singles compilation, "Singles" was released.
Career
The band was formed in 2003 in Sheffield, United KingdomUnited 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...
. All the members were attending, or had attended university in the city. The following quote appeared on their website and served as an introduction to the Long Blondes; ”Our shared influences include The Mael Brothers
Sparks (band)
Sparks is an American rock and pop band formed in Los Angeles in 1968 by brothers Ron and Russell Mael , initially under the name Halfnelson...
, Marx Brothers
Marx Brothers
The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act, originally from New York City, that enjoyed success in Vaudeville, Broadway, and motion pictures from the early 1900s to around 1950...
and The Bewlay Brothers
The Bewlay Brothers
"The Bewlay Brothers" is a song written by David Bowie in 1971 for the album Hunky Dory. The last track to be written and recorded for Hunky Dory, this ballad has been described as "probably Bowie's densest and most impenetrable song"...
. We do not listen to The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, The Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
or Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
. We chose an instrument each and learnt to play it.”. The band have stated that the original inspiration for The Long Blondes was to form a fantasy pop group: "Nico
Nico
Nico was a German singer, lyricist, composer, musician, fashion model, and actress, who initially rose to fame as a Warhol Superstar in the 1960s...
, Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sandra Sinatra is an American singer and actress. She is the daughter of singer/actor Frank Sinatra, and remains best known for her 1966 signature hit "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"....
, Diana Dors
Diana Dors
Diana Dors was an English actress, born Diana Mary Fluck in Swindon, Wiltshire. Considered the English equivalent of the blonde bombshells of Hollywood, Dors described herself as: "The only sex symbol Britain has produced since Lady Godiva."-Early life:Diana Mary Fluck was born in Swindon,...
and Barbara Windsor
Barbara Windsor
Barbara Ann Windsor, MBE , better known by her stage name Barbara Windsor, is an English actress. Her best known roles are in the Carry On films and as Peggy Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders....
. Sexy and literate, flippant and heartbreaking all at once."
Independent releases
In July 2004, The Long Blondes released their debut single "New IdolsNew Idols
"New Idols" is the first single to be released by Sheffield band The Long Blondes. It was released on Thee Sheffield Phonographic Corporation in June 2004 and was limited to 500 copies...
" on the local Thee Sheffield Phonographic Corporation
Thee Sheffield Phonographic Corporation
Thee Sheffield Phonographic Corporation, or Thee SPC, is an independent record label based in Sheffield, UK. It is one of the most influential labels in the Yorkshire area, having given early breaks and support to many bands in the so-called New Yorkshire scene. The label was formed by members of...
label. This was followed by singles "Autonomy Boy" and "Giddy Stratospheres
Giddy Stratospheres
"Giddy Stratospheres" was a 7" only release by Sheffield band The Long Blondes. It was released on November 29, 2004, on Angular Records. The single was accompanied by two B-sides, "Polly" and "Darts". The single was re-released in 2007 and was the third major label single from their debut album,...
". In 2005, they released further singles, "Appropriation (By Any Other Name)
Appropriation (By Any Other Name)
"Appropriation " was a 7" and CD release by Sheffield band The Long Blondes. It was released on June 13, 2005 on Angular Records. The song is a homage to Hitchcock's 1958 film Vertigo...
" and "Separated By Motorways
Separated By Motorways
"Separated By Motorways" was a 7" only release by Sheffield band The Long Blondes. It was released on December 12, 2005, on Paul Epworth's Good and Evil label. Kate described the song as a mini-road movie...
", the latter being produced by Paul Epworth
Paul Epworth
Paul Epworth is an award-winning British music producer, musician, and songwriter. His production credits include Adele, Cee Lo Green, Florence and the Machine, Plan B, Friendly Fires, Bloc Party, Primal Scream, The Rapture, Jack Peñate, Kate Nash and Maxïmo Park.-Lomax:From 2002-2004 Paul provided...
and released on his own Good & Evil label. These releases were met with a positive critical reaction and growing media attention.
Still unsigned, in February 2006 the band were recipients of the NME Philip Hall Radar Award
NME Awards
The NME Awards is an annual music awards show in the United Kingdom, founded by the music magazine, NME .The first awards show was held in 1953 as the NME Poll Winners Concerts, shortly after the founding of the magazine....
, which in previous years was won by Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand (band)
Franz Ferdinand are a Scottish post-punk revival band formed in Glasgow in 2002. The band is composed of Alex Kapranos , Bob Hardy , Nick McCarthy , and Paul Thomson .The band first experienced chart success when their second single, "Take Me Out", reached #3 in...
and Kaiser Chiefs
Kaiser Chiefs
Kaiser Chiefs are an English indie rock band from Leeds who formed in 1996. They were named after the South African football club Kaizer Chiefs....
. Further adding to their reputation, the band were named by The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
and Vogue
Vogue (magazine)
Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...
as "the best unsigned band in the UK". As they were unsigned, during the early success of the band, members remained working in various day jobs; Jackson sold vintage clothing
Vintage clothing
Vintage clothing is a generic term for new or second hand garments originating from a previous era. The phrase is also used in connection with a retail outlet, e.g...
on eBay
EBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
, Cox was working in the University of Sheffield
University of Sheffield
The University of Sheffield is a research university based in the city of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It is one of the original 'red brick' universities and is a member of the Russell Group of leading research intensive universities...
Department of Law, Hollis in the Media Studies
Media studies
Media studies is an academic discipline and field of study that deals with the content, history and effects of various media; in particular, the 'mass media'. Media studies may draw on traditions from both the social sciences and the humanities, but mostly from its core disciplines of mass...
department of a nearby college, Chaplin in a Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
art library and Louder in the Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
.
Someone to Drive You Home
On April 13, 2006 they signed to Rough Trade RecordsRough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...
and began recording their debut album over the summer with Steve Mackey
Steve Mackey
Steve Mackey is a British musician and record producer best known for playing bass guitar in the band Pulp. He also played bass for Pulp singer Jarvis Cocker in the latter's solo career, and worked as a songwriter and producer with artists such as M.I.A...
, the former bassist with Pulp
Pulp (band)
Pulp are an English alternative rock band formed in Sheffield in 1978. Their lineup consists of Jarvis Cocker , Russell Senior , Candida Doyle , Mark Webber , Steve Mackey and Nick Banks ....
. The album was preceded by the singles "Weekend Without Makeup
Weekend Without Makeup
"Weekend Without Makeup" was the first single to be taken from The Long Blondes' first album Someone to Drive You Home. It was released on July 26, 2006, on CD, 2x7" and digital download...
" in July and "Once and Never Again
Once And Never Again
"Once And Never Again" is the second major label single from UK indie rock band The Long Blondes. It was released in October 2006, shortly before their debut album Someone To Drive You Home.-Meaning:...
", which was released on October 23 and debuted at number 30 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. The song was named the 15th best track of 2006 by NME.
Someone to Drive You Home
Someone to Drive You Home
Someone To Drive You Home is the debut album by The Long Blondes. It was released on November 6, 2006. It received widespread critical praise and was placed 7th in the NMEs best 50 albums of 2006 list and features in many other best of lists for 2006.The predominant theme of the album is...
was released in November 2006. The music was written by the band collectively while the majority of the lyrics were written by Cox with Jackson completing the lyrics for "Separated by Motorways" and "Madame Ray". Critical reception was generally positive with the NME calling it "fantasy pop, performed to perfection" in a 9/10 review. Reviews picked up on the predominant themes of the album; outsider status, popular culture references from the 1950s and 60s and relationships from a female perspective. Other reviews indicated the numerous inspirations for the work. For example, a four-star review in The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
said that "if talent borrows but genius steals ... the Long Blondes should be taking their Mensa
Mensa International
Mensa is the largest and oldest high-IQ society in the world. It is a non-profit organization open to people who score at the 98th percentile or higher on a standardised, supervised IQ or other approved intelligence test...
tests", comparing the album's style to Franz Ferdinand and 80s indie-pop band The Flatmates
The Flatmates
The Flatmates, part of the mid 1980s British indie pop boom, were part of The Subway Organization, a Bristol record label formed by Martin Whitehead, who was also guitarist and main songwriter for the band....
. Some noted the impact of Jackson's voice; Colin Roberts of Drowned In Sound
Drowned in Sound
DrownedinSound.com or DiS is a UK based music webzine financed by artist management company Silentway . The site is an editorially independent music website.-History:...
said "her delivery is like a public address
Public address
A public address system is an electronic amplification system with a mixer, amplifier and loudspeakers, used to reinforce a sound source, e.g., a person giving a speech, a DJ playing prerecorded music, and distributing the sound throughout a venue or building.Simple PA systems are often used in...
call across a Sunday marketplace" while The Guardian said it was "marvellously belting, if unsubtle". A 3-star review in Uncut magazine recognised the ambition of the band's sound, advising that they should acquire "a ruthless pop producer, one who can coax them out of their indie-pop dowdiness - like Blondie
Blondie (band)
Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...
needed Mike Chapman, like ABC
ABC (band)
ABC are an English band, that charted ten UK and five US Top 40 singles between 1981 and 1990. The band continues to tour and released a new album, Traffic, in 2008.-Formation:...
needed Horn
Trevor Horn
Trevor Charles Horn CBE is an English pop music record producer, songwriter, musician and singer. He was born in Houghton-le-Spring in north-east England....
." They appeared at a number of UK festivals over the summer of 2006, including the Carling Weekend. In 2007, they played on the Other Stage at the Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
.
"Couples" and "Singles"
After an extended European tour, in October 2007 The Long Blondes began work on their second album with producer Erol AlkanErol Alkan
Erol Alkan is a London-based electro DJ of Turkish Cypriot descent.-DJ and club promoter:In 1993, Erol Alkan started DJing in various Indie nightclubs in London....
, who had previously produced their more dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
orientated b-sides such as "Five Ways To End It" and "Fulwood Babylon". On December 19, 2007, it was announced that the new album's title would be "Couples". The title alludes to the David Bowie album "Heroes" and also to a loose theme of the album as a "big breakup album". Before the album was released, all five members created their own cryptic promo videos explaining the inspiration behind "Couples". The band stated that the album drew influences from Italo-Disco revival acts such as Glass Candy
Glass Candy
Glass Candy is an American indie electronic band from Portland, Oregon that formed in 1996. The band consists of vocalist Ida No and guitarist/synthesist/general producer Johnny Jewel. While the band's early work blends elements of no wave and glam rock, their later work incorporates Italo disco...
and the Italians Do It Better label. and Abba
Abba
ABBA is the name of a former Swedish pop music group.Abba may also refer to:* ABBA , a self-titled album by the Swedish pop music group ABBA* "Abba ", a song by Christian pop and rock artist, Rebecca St...
. Cox stated that "...there’s something really innocent about Abba videos... really kinda funny, futuristic but old fashioned at the same time and that’s how we see our music on this album.”.
"Couples" was released on April 7, 2008, preceded by a single, "Century
Century (song)
Century is the first single to be taken from The Long Blondes second album "Couples". It was released on March 24, 2008, as a limited edition 7" single and digital download....
", released on March 24, 2008. The album reached number 48 in the UK album chart. The album was generally well received by critics. Click Music gave the album a 4.5 out of 5 and said it was "a worthy contender for record of the year". The Guardian gave the album another 4-star review, noting the album's shift in style - saying that some tracks shared "more with the cinematic perfection of Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
's "Confide in Me
Confide in Me
Confide in Me is a compilation album by Australian recording artist Kylie Minogue, which was released in May, 2002. The album cosists both studio albums of her former record label Deconstruction Records, which are Kylie Minogue and Impossible Princess. However, her single Breathe was not featured...
" than the kitchen-sink dramas of Pulp". A mixed 6/10 review in NME said the album was "not terrible, but disappointing" and "whereas once they sang of suburban boredom tempered with the thrill of escape, now they’ve started to sound like they’d be happy to stay put". After "Century", the next song to be taken off the album was "Guilt", which was released on 7" and digital download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
.
On the 9 June 2008, the band posted on their official website that Cox had fallen ill and that he had to be rushed to hospital, which meant that they had to cancel all their live appearances until the end of July. The band were due to play a support slot on Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
's Red Carpet Massacre tour at the Birmingham NIA
National Indoor Arena
The National Indoor Arena is a large indoor arena and is owned by the NEC Group. It is situated in central Birmingham, England and was opened in 1991, as the largest indoor arena at the time in the UK...
and the O2 Arena
The O2 arena (London)
The O2 Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in the centre of The O2, a large entertainment complex on the Greenwich peninsula in London, England.With a capacity of up to 20,000 depending on the event, it is second largest...
in London and on the John Peel stage at Glastonbury
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
.
After "Couples", the band decided to release a compilation of their rare early 7" singles, which was titled "Singles" on October 20, 2008 on Angular Records. The twelve track album collected all of the songs from the band's first singles. The version of "Separated By Motorways" differs from the single version produced by Paul Epworth, instead the group opted to include the demo version instead. The compilation also featured one previously unreleased song - "Peterborough". "Singles" was named the 25th best album of 2008 by Artrocker
ArtRocker
Artrocker is a UK-based collective involved in music promotion and publishing. It was started by Paul Cox and Tom Fawcett who had been co-promoters of a London night called The Sausage Factory...
magazine.
Breakup and post-breakup
On 20 October 2008, Guitarist Dorian Cox posted a message on their official website that the band had split up. The main motivation for the breakup was Cox's strokeStroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
in June 2008, which resulted in a swath of cancelled gigs. Cox thanked fans for their support and goodwill. "We have decided to call it a day," he wrote. "The main reason for this is that I suffered from a stroke in June and unfortunately I do not know when/if I will be well enough to play the guitar again. On behalf of the band I'd like to say a big thank you to anyone who ever came to one of our shows, bought one of our records or danced to one of our songs in a club." The announcement was made the same day their compilation "Singles" was released, with the inside of the rear album art also containing news of the breakup. Upon their split, The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
wrote an article entitled "Why music will miss the Long Blondes".
It was reported on 1 December 2008 that Cox was undergoing physiotherapy for his paralysis and is still hoping to get back to playing guitar.
Jackson has been working on her debut solo album with producer and ex-Suede
Suede (band)
Suede are an English alternative rock band from London, formed in 1989. The group's most prominent early line-up featured singer Brett Anderson, guitarist Bernard Butler, bass player Mat Osman and drummer Simon Gilbert. By 1992, Suede were hailed as "The Best New Band in Britain", and attracted...
guitarist Bernard Butler
Bernard Butler
Bernard Joseph Butler is an English musician and record producer. He first emerged in the early Britpop era with Suede. He has been hailed by some critics as the greatest guitarist of his generation, as well as one of Britain's most original and influential guitarists...
. She will be working under the name Madame Ray (after the song on Someone To Drive You Home). Jackson has said that the sound of the album first tended towards country rock
Country rock
Country rock is sub-genre of popular music, formed from the fusion of rock with country. The term is generally used to refer to the wave of rock musicians who began to record country-flavored records in the late 1960s and early 1970s, beginning with Bob Dylan and The Byrds; reaching its greatest...
but has now become a "big pop record". Confirmed tracks so far are "Wonder Feeling" and "Lie To Me". Other tracks that may be included are "Metropolis", "The Atlantic", "Homeward Bound", "Leaving Me Easily", "The Twilight Zone" and "Velvet Sofa".
Hollis continues to play in The Bon Bon Club, a band she formed with Louder. Their debut single features three cover versions—"Lullaby" by The Cure
The Cure
The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member...
, "Love Is Blind" by Pulp
Pulp (band)
Pulp are an English alternative rock band formed in Sheffield in 1978. Their lineup consists of Jarvis Cocker , Russell Senior , Candida Doyle , Mark Webber , Steve Mackey and Nick Banks ....
and "Romantic Rights" by Death From Above 1979
Death from Above 1979
Death from Above 1979 are a Toronto-based Canadian dance-punk/noise rock duo. Their album, You're a Woman, I'm a Machine, was released in late 2004. The band broke up in 2006, but announced a reunion in 2011.-History:...
. It was released through Thee Sheffield Phonographic Corporation
Thee Sheffield Phonographic Corporation
Thee Sheffield Phonographic Corporation, or Thee SPC, is an independent record label based in Sheffield, UK. It is one of the most influential labels in the Yorkshire area, having given early breaks and support to many bands in the so-called New Yorkshire scene. The label was formed by members of...
on 23 June 2008. The 7" single was limited to 500 copies.
Dorian Cox's new band is called Milkteeth. They played their first gig on 4 February 2011 at Sheffield's The Funn Club. Reenie Hollis' new band is called Nature Set and their first single 7" has been published by Elefant Records
Elefant Records
Elefant Records is an independent record label based in Spain. Elefant records was founded in 1989 by Luis Calvo as an offshoot of a fanzine he produced called "La Línea Del Arco"...
in 2011.
Influences
The Long Blondes' songs reflect a number of influences, including 60s pop, BuzzcocksBuzzcocks
Buzzcocks are an English punk rock band formed in Bolton in 1976, led by singer–songwriter–guitarist Pete Shelley.They are regarded as an important influence on the Manchester music scene, the independent record label movement, punk rock, power pop, pop punk and indie rock. They achieved commercial...
, The Fall, The Ramones
Ramones
The Ramones were an American rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first punk rock group...
, Suede
Suede (band)
Suede are an English alternative rock band from London, formed in 1989. The group's most prominent early line-up featured singer Brett Anderson, guitarist Bernard Butler, bass player Mat Osman and drummer Simon Gilbert. By 1992, Suede were hailed as "The Best New Band in Britain", and attracted...
, post-punk
Post-punk
Post-punk is a rock music movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...
and new wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
. Jackson's vocals have been compared to Ari Up
Ari Up
Ariane Daniele Forster , better known by her stage name Ari Up, was a German-born vocalist, best known as a member of the English punk group, The Slits.-Career:...
of The Slits
The Slits
The Slits were a British punk rock band. The quartet was formed in 1976 by members of the bands The Flowers of Romance and The Castrators. The members were Ari Up , who died of cancer in October 2010, and Palmolive , with Viv Albertine and Tessa Pollitt replacing founding members, Kate Korus and...
, Deborah Harry
Debbie Harry
Deborah Ann "Debbie" Harry is an American singer-songwriter and actress, best known for being the lead singer of the punk rock and new wave band Blondie. She has also had success as a solo artist, and in the mid-1990s she performed and recorded as part of The Jazz Passengers...
of Blondie
Blondie (band)
Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...
and Lesley Woods of Au Pairs
Au Pairs (band)
The Au Pairs were a British post-punk band that formed in Birmingham in 1979. Music historian Gillian G. Gaar noted in her history of women in rock that the band mingled male and female musicians in a revolutionary collaborative way, as part of its outspoken explorations of sexual...
. Dorian Cox's backing vocals are also similar to those of former Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker
Jarvis Cocker
Jarvis Branson Cocker is an English musician and frontman for the band Pulp. Through his work with the band, Cocker became a figurehead of the Britpop movement of the mid-1990s. Following Pulp's hiatus Cocker has led a successful solo career...
. The music features angular guitars and prominent bass guitar lines. However, the band themselves claim somewhat more eclectic influences than their sound suggests, citing Burt Bacharach
Burt Bacharach
Burt F. Bacharach is an American pianist, composer and music producer. He is known for his popular hit songs and compositions from the mid-1950s through the 1980s, with lyrics written by Hal David. Many of their hits were produced specifically for, and performed by, Dionne Warwick...
, Holland-Dozier-Holland
Holland-Dozier-Holland
Holland–Dozier–Holland is a songwriting and production team made up of Lamont Dozier and brothers Brian Holland and Edward Holland, Jr. They are considered to be one of the greatest songwriting teams in popular music...
, Chinn
Nicky Chinn
Nicky Chinn born Nicholas Barry Chinn, 16 May 1945, London, UK) is a British songwriter and record producer. Together with Mike Chapman he had a long string of hit singles in the UK and US in the 1970s and early 1980s, including several number-one records...
and Chapman, and Stock, Aitken and Waterman as influences.
In 2004, the band named some of their actual influences and favourite bands. Chaplin's were The Smiths
The Smiths
The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce...
, The Sweet and The Jesus and Mary Chain
The Jesus and Mary Chain
The Jesus and Mary Chain are a Scottish alternative rock band formed in East Kilbride, Glasgow in 1983. The band revolves around the songwriting partnership of brothers Jim and William Reid...
. Hollis's were Belle and Sebastian, ELO
Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra were a British rock group from Birmingham who released eleven studio albums between 1971 and 1986 and another album in 2001. ELO were formed to accommodate Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne's desire to create modern rock and pop songs with classical overtones...
and The Eagles. Cox's were Abba
Abba
ABBA is the name of a former Swedish pop music group.Abba may also refer to:* ABBA , a self-titled album by the Swedish pop music group ABBA* "Abba ", a song by Christian pop and rock artist, Rebecca St...
and The Fall. Louder's were Scott Walker
Scott Walker (singer)
Scott Walker, born Noel Scott Engel on January 9, 1943 is an American singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, and the former lead singer of The Walker Brothers. Despite being American born, Walker's chart success has largely come in the United Kingdom, where his first four solo albums...
, The Slits
The Slits
The Slits were a British punk rock band. The quartet was formed in 1976 by members of the bands The Flowers of Romance and The Castrators. The members were Ari Up , who died of cancer in October 2010, and Palmolive , with Viv Albertine and Tessa Pollitt replacing founding members, Kate Korus and...
and Captain Beaky. Jackson's were The Smiths
The Smiths
The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce...
, The Fall and Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sandra Sinatra is an American singer and actress. She is the daughter of singer/actor Frank Sinatra, and remains best known for her 1966 signature hit "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"....
and Lee Hazelwood.
Lyrical themes
A prominent theme across much of the Long Blondes' output is a concern with intimate relationships. This is expressed from different perspectives;- A female who has been disappointed or mistreated by her male loverBoyfriendA boyfriend is a person's regular male companion in a romantic or sexual relationship, although normally not in long-term committed relationships, where other titles A boyfriend is a person's regular male companion in a romantic or sexual relationship, although normally not in long-term committed...
(e.g. "New Idols" - "Johnny gets drunk and Johnny gets loud/And Jenny wonders why she ever had him around", Once and Never Again - "19. you're only 19 for God's sake,/Oh, you don't need a boyfriend."). - Relationship roles (e.g. "Weekend Without Makeup" - "Well I feed you but I need you to make a little more effort")
- LustLustLust is an emotional force that is directly associated with the thinking or fantasizing about one's desire, usually in a sexual way.-Etymology:The word lust is phonetically similar to the ancient Roman lustrum, which literally meant "purification"...
(e.g. "Lust in the Movies" - "my doctor said that I should give it up because I'm clinically obsessed", "Big Infatuation" - "I caught his eye/He said be there this evening/The rooom began to spin") - Sexual jealousySexual jealousySexual jealousy is a special form of jealousy in sexual relationships, present in animals that reproduce through internal fertilization, and is based on suspected or imminent sexual infidelity. It is founded on the instinct of keeping genes in the gene pool and expecting sexual partners to care for...
(e.g. "Giddy Stratospheres" - "She'll never take you to giddy stratospheres", "You Could Have Both" - "She's away and you get by without her very well/If I'm around you get by without her even better", "Five Ways To End It" - "He wanted a woman to cling to you see/...She'd make him happy when he could be with me", Too Clever By Half - "You thought that you were pretty smart/But when you and her were out I would go round to his house/And I don't have to tell you what we did next") - LonelinessLonelinessLoneliness is an unpleasant feeling in which a person feels a strong sense of emptiness and solitude resulting from inadequate levels of social relationships. However, it is a subjective experience...
- (e.g. "The Couples" "You're not lonely/I am, baby")
Other themes include escapism
Escapism
Escapism is mental diversion by means of entertainment or recreation, as an "escape" from the perceived unpleasant or banal aspects of daily life...
(e.g. "Separated by Motorways", "I Liked The Boys", "Erin O'Connor"), femme fatale
Femme fatale
A femme fatale is a mysterious and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers in bonds of irresistible desire, often leading them into compromising, dangerous, and deadly situations. She is an archetype of literature and art...
s (e.g. "Long Blonde", "All Bar One Girls") and nostalgia
Nostalgia
The term nostalgia describes a yearning for the past, often in idealized form.The word is a learned formation of a Greek compound, consisting of , meaning "returning home", a Homeric word, and , meaning "pain, ache"...
(e.g. "Nostalgia"). In "Once And Never Again", the lyric goes "I know how it feels to be your age / Oh how I'd love to feel a girl your age / Once and never again". Some have interpreted these lines as alluding to homosexual feelings between the singer and the subject.
Intertextual references
The Long Blondes are known for referencing films, singers, starlets and artists in their music. Screech Louder said that Alfred HitchcockAlfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
was a big inspiration when it came to referencing films in their music, he said "the whole film noir thing is very important because it's stylish but there's depth to it as well".
Lyrics
- "Appropriation (By Any Other Name)" is a homage to Hitchcock's 1958 film VertigoVertigo (film)Vertigo is a 1958 psychological thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring James Stewart, Kim Novak, and Barbara Bel Geddes. The screenplay was written by Alec Coppel and Samuel A...
. It has been said that the song is told from Judy's perspective, due to lines such as "When I met you, I never wore dresses like that" & "You can't have me, make me act the same". Lead singer Kate Jackson painted two different portraits for the CD single and 7" Vinyl, they both depicted Kim Novak's characters Madeleine Elster and Judy Barton. - "Darts" mentions British darts player Bobby GeorgeBobby GeorgeRobert Francis George is an English darts player and presenter. He is widely recognised as one of the game's biggest personalities, known for his flamboyant entrances in which the "King of Darts" makes his way to the stage bedecked in jewellery, wearing a crown and cloak and holding a candelabra...
and darts commentator Sid Waddell. - "Erin O'Connor" is a homage to Erin O'ConnorErin O'Connor-Early life:Erin O'Connor was born and brought up in the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall, England and went to Brownhills Community School . She was raised Catholic and her father is from Ballycastle, Northern Ireland...
which also mentions fellow model, Lily ColeLily ColeLily Luahana Cole is an English model and actress. Cole's modelling career was launched by a chance encounter with Benjamin Hart in Soho, London when she was 14....
. It begins with a line by Ronnie CorbettRonnie CorbettRonald Balfour "Ronnie" Corbett, OBE is a Scottish actor and comedian of Scottish and English parentage who had a long association with Ronnie Barker in the British television comedy series The Two Ronnies...
and David Swift from the BBCBBCThe 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...
play No Sex Please, We're BritishNo Sex Please, We're BritishNo Sex Please, We're British is a British comedic play written by Alistair Foot and Anthony Marriott, first staged in London's West End in 1971. It was unanimously panned by critics, but still ran for nearly a decade to packed audiences...
. - "Five Ways To End It" mentions Carry On star Hattie JacquesHattie JacquesJosephine Edwina Jaques was an English comedy actress, known as Hattie Jacques.Starting her career in the 1940s, Jacques first gained attention through her radio appearances with Tommy Handley on ITMA and later with Tony Hancock on Hancock's Half Hour...
and also the producer of the Carry On films, Peter RogersPeter RogersPeter Rogers was a British film producer.Rogers began his career as a journalist for his local paper before graduating to scriptwriting religious informational films...
. - "I Liked The Boys" ends with "Not the most original sentiment I've ever heard, so what's new" which is a line from a radio show by Terry WoganTerry WoganSir Michael Terence Wogan, KBE, DL , or also known as Terry Wogan, is a veteran Irish radio and television broadcaster who holds dual Irish and British citizenship. Wogan has worked for the BBC in the United Kingdom for most of his career...
. Whilst recording the second album, they found an old reel-to-reel radio recording and decided to use parts in some of their songs. - "I'm Going To Hell" ends with a line by Peter SellersPeter SellersRichard Henry Sellers, CBE , known as Peter Sellers, was a British comedian and actor. Perhaps best known as Chief Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther film series, he is also notable for playing three different characters in Dr...
. - "Long Blonde" mentions punkPunk rockPunk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band RamonesRamonesThe Ramones were an American rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first punk rock group...
. - "Lust In The Movies" mentions underground actresses such as 60's socialiteSocialiteA socialite is a person who participates in social activities and spends a significant amount of time entertaining and being entertained at fashionable upper-class events....
and museMuseThe Muses in Greek mythology, poetry, and literature, are the goddesses who inspire the creation of literature and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge, related orally for centuries in the ancient culture, that was contained in poetic lyrics and myths...
, Edie SedgwickEdie SedgwickEdith Minturn "Edie" Sedgwick was an American actress, socialite, model and heiress. She is best known for being one of Andy Warhol's superstars. Sedgwick became known as "The Girl of the Year" in 1965 after starring in several of Warhol's short films in the 1960s...
, American actress Arlene DahlArlene DahlArlene Carol Dahl is an American actress and former MGM contract star, who achieved notability during the 1950s. She is the mother of actor Lorenzo Lamas.-Early years:...
& French actress Anna KarinaAnna KarinaAnna Karina is a Danish film actress, director, and screenwriter who has spent most of her working life in France. Karina is known as a muse of the director, Jean-Luc Godard, one of the pioneers of the French New Wave...
. Also the repeated line "Nag nag nag" is a reference to the same repeated lyric in the song "Nag Nag NagNag Nag NagNag Nag Nag was an influential former London club night at the late Simon Hobart's Ghetto nightclub for six years, founded by veteran DJ, promoter and musician Jonny Slut. It is commonly associated with the ambisexual post-electroclash scene. The Independent described the night as a "legendary...
" by Sheffield band Cabaret VoltaireCabaret Voltaire (band)Cabaret Voltaire were a British music group from Sheffield, England.Initially composed of Stephen Mallinder, Richard H. Kirk and Chris Watson, the group was named after the Cabaret Voltaire, a nightclub in Zürich, Switzerland that was a centre for the early Dada movement.Their earliest performances...
. - "Madame Ray" is inspired by Lee MillerLee MillerElizabeth 'Lee' Miller, Lady Penrose was an American photographer. Born in Poughkeepsie, New York in 1907, she was a successful fashion model in New York City in the 1920s before going to Paris where she became an established fashion and fine art photographer...
, the photographer and muse of avent-garde artist Man RayMan RayMan Ray , born Emmanuel Radnitzky, was an American artist who spent most of his career in Paris, France. Perhaps best described simply as a modernist, he was a significant contributor to both the Dada and Surrealist movements, although his ties to each were informal...
. - "Melville Farr" is based on Dirk BogardeDirk BogardeSir Dirk Bogarde was an English actor and novelist. Initially a matinee idol in such films as Doctor in the House and other Rank Organisation pictures, Bogarde later acted in art-house films such as Death in Venice...
's character in the 1961 British film Victim. - "Never To Be Repeated" references film-star Greta GarboGreta GarboGreta Garbo , born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson, was a Swedish film actress. Garbo was an international star and icon during Hollywood's silent and classic periods. Many of Garbo's films were sensational hits, and all but three were profitable...
. - "Only Lovers Left Alive" is a homage to the 1950s film From Here To EternityFrom Here to EternityFrom Here to Eternity is a 1953 drama film directed by Fred Zinnemann and based on the novel of the same name by James Jones. It deals with the troubles of soldiers, played by Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Frank Sinatra and Ernest Borgnine stationed on Hawaii in the months leading up to the...
. - "Round The Hairpin" begins with a line by British comedian Kenny EverettKenny EverettKenny Everett was an English comedian, radio DJ and television entertainer. Born Maurice James Christopher Cole, Everett is best known for his career as a radio DJ and for the Kenny Everett television shows.-Early life:...
. - "Swallow Tattoo" has a lyric ("you fill me with inertia") which is a reference to the parody pop band fronted by Peter Cook in BedazzledBedazzled (1967 film)Bedazzled is a 1967 British comedy film directed and produced by Stanley Donen. It was written by and stars Peter Cook and Dudley Moore. It is a comic retelling of the Faust legend, set in the Swinging London of the 1960s...
. - "You Could Have Both" namechecks American singer Scott WalkerScott Walker (singer)Scott Walker, born Noel Scott Engel on January 9, 1943 is an American singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, and the former lead singer of The Walker Brothers. Despite being American born, Walker's chart success has largely come in the United Kingdom, where his first four solo albums...
. The song also alludes to the MorrisseyMorrisseySteven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,...
song "My Love Life". The song also mentions the character of C.C. 'Bud' Baxter from The ApartmentThe ApartmentThe Apartment is a 1960 American comedy-drama film produced and directed by Billy Wilder, and starring Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, and Fred MacMurray. It was Wilder's follow-up to the enormously popular Some Like It Hot and, like its predecessor, was a commercial and critical hit, grossing $25...
.
Artwork
- Before "Couples" was released, all five members created their own cryptic promo videos "explaining" what the inspiration behind "Couples" was. Jackson explained who inspired the album cover, she found artist Richard HamiltonRichard Hamilton (artist)Richard William Hamilton, CH was a British painter and collage artist. His 1956 collage, Just what is it that makes today's homes so different, so appealing?, produced for the This Is Tomorrow exhibition of the Independent Group in London, is considered by critics and historians to be one of the...
, videos by AbbaAbbaABBA is the name of a former Swedish pop music group.Abba may also refer to:* ABBA , a self-titled album by the Swedish pop music group ABBA* "Abba ", a song by Christian pop and rock artist, Rebecca St...
, Lee MillerLee MillerElizabeth 'Lee' Miller, Lady Penrose was an American photographer. Born in Poughkeepsie, New York in 1907, she was a successful fashion model in New York City in the 1920s before going to Paris where she became an established fashion and fine art photographer...
and Le CorbusierLe CorbusierCharles-Édouard Jeanneret, better known as Le Corbusier , was a Swiss-born French architect, designer, urbanist, writer and painter, famous for being one of the pioneers of what now is called modern architecture. He was born in Switzerland and became a French citizen in 1930...
to be the main inspiration. - The two front covers of "Weekend Without MakeupWeekend Without Makeup"Weekend Without Makeup" was the first single to be taken from The Long Blondes' first album Someone to Drive You Home. It was released on July 26, 2006, on CD, 2x7" and digital download...
" are paintings of Diana DorsDiana DorsDiana Dors was an English actress, born Diana Mary Fluck in Swindon, Wiltshire. Considered the English equivalent of the blonde bombshells of Hollywood, Dors described herself as: "The only sex symbol Britain has produced since Lady Godiva."-Early life:Diana Mary Fluck was born in Swindon,...
. - The front cover of their debut album Someone To Drive You Home is a painting by Kate Jackson of Faye DunawayFaye DunawayFaye Dunaway is an American actress.Dunaway won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Network after receiving previous nominations for the critically acclaimed films Bonnie and Clyde and Chinatown...
in the film Bonnie and ClydeBonnie and Clyde (film)The film was originally offered to François Truffaut, the best-known director of the New Wave movement, who made contributions to the script. He passed on the project to make Fahrenheit 451. The producers approached Jean-Luc Godard next...
, with a Mark 3 Ford Cortina as her getaway car. The artwork inside the album sleeve is a painting of Nicolas CageNicolas CageNicolas Cage is an American actor, producer and director, having appeared in over 60 films including Raising Arizona , The Rock , Face/Off , Gone in 60 Seconds , Adaptation , National Treasure , Ghost Rider , Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans , and...
& Laura DernLaura DernLaura Elizabeth Dern is an American actress, film director and producer. Dern has acted in such films as Smooth Talk , Blue Velvet , Fat Man and Little Boy , Wild at Heart , Jurassic Park and October Sky...
in the film Wild At HeartWild at Heart (film)Wild at Heart is a 1990 American film written and directed by David Lynch, and based on Barry Gifford's 1989 novel Wild at Heart: The Story of Sailor and Lula. Both the book and the film revolve around Sailor Ripley and Lula Pace Fortune , a young couple from Cape Fear, North Carolina who go on...
. - The front cover of "New Idols" is a painting of Diana DorsDiana DorsDiana Dors was an English actress, born Diana Mary Fluck in Swindon, Wiltshire. Considered the English equivalent of the blonde bombshells of Hollywood, Dors described herself as: "The only sex symbol Britain has produced since Lady Godiva."-Early life:Diana Mary Fluck was born in Swindon,...
in Yield to the NightYield to the NightYield to the Night is a 1956 British crime drama film starring Diana Dors as a murderess sentenced to hang and spending her last days in the condemned cell in a British women's prison...
.
Music
- The opening drum beat to "New Idols" is reminiscent of "Be My BabyBe My Baby"Be My Baby" is a 1963 single written by Phil Spector, Jeff Barry, and Ellie Greenwich, performed by The Ronettes and produced by Spector. When released as a single, the song reached #2 on the U.S. Billboard Pop Singles Chart and #4 on the UK's Record Retailer...
" by The RonettesThe RonettesThe Ronettes were a 1960s girl group from New York City, best known for their work with producer Phil Spector. The group consisted of lead singer Veronica Bennett ; her older sister, Estelle Bennett; and their cousin Nedra Talley...
. - "Christmas Is Cancelled" bears resemblance to "Oliver's ArmyOliver's Army"Oliver's Army" is a song written by Elvis Costello, originally performed by Elvis Costello and the Attractions and appearing on the album Armed Forces in 1979. It remains his most successful single, spending four weeks at Nº2 in the UK singles chart....
" by Elvis CostelloElvis CostelloElvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...
. A cover of the Long Blondes' track by The Vichy Government makes reference to the similarity between the two songs.
Style
Front-woman Kate JacksonKate Jackson (singer)
Kate Jackson, , is a British singer who was formerly the lead-singer with The Long Blondes. She now performs under the name Kate Jackson Group with David Venn, Steven Marsden, Richard Phillips and Duncan Morrison.-Biography:...
was featured in The Guardian's
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
style section and the NME
NME
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...
cool list, moving from 39 in 2005 to 7 in 2006. When questioned about her place in the first NME list by The Guardian, Jackson remarked "Probably because they didn't have enough girls. It was so overrun with boring boys, they needed someone to bring a touch of glamour." Jackson describes her style as "Bonnie Parker meets a Carry On girl".
Albums
| Year | Album information | Chart positions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
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... |
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| 2006 | Someone to Drive You Home Someone to Drive You Home Someone To Drive You Home is the debut album by The Long Blondes. It was released on November 6, 2006. It received widespread critical praise and was placed 7th in the NMEs best 50 albums of 2006 list and features in many other best of lists for 2006.The predominant theme of the album is...
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44 | 1 | |||
| 2008 | "Couples"
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48 | 2 | |||
Compilations
| Year | Album information | Chart positions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
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... |
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| 2008 | "Singles" "Singles" "Singles" is a compilation album released by Sheffield band The Long Blondes on October 8, 2008 via Angular Records. The 12-track album collates all of the songs from the band's singles prior to their signing to Rough Trade Records in April 2006, released by various independent record labels...
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Singles and EPs
| Date | Single | UK Chart position | Included on: | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A-side | B-side(s) | |||
| July 2004 | "New Idols New Idols "New Idols" is the first single to be released by Sheffield band The Long Blondes. It was released on Thee Sheffield Phonographic Corporation in June 2004 and was limited to 500 copies... " |
"Long Blonde" | "Singles" "Singles" "Singles" is a compilation album released by Sheffield band The Long Blondes on October 8, 2008 via Angular Records. The 12-track album collates all of the songs from the band's singles prior to their signing to Rough Trade Records in April 2006, released by various independent record labels... |
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| September 30, 2004 | "Autonomy Boy" | "Long Blonde" | ||
| November 29, 2004 | "Giddy Stratospheres Giddy Stratospheres "Giddy Stratospheres" was a 7" only release by Sheffield band The Long Blondes. It was released on November 29, 2004, on Angular Records. The single was accompanied by two B-sides, "Polly" and "Darts". The single was re-released in 2007 and was the third major label single from their debut album,... " |
"Polly", "Darts" | ||
| June 2005 | "Giddy Stratospheres" | "Polly", "Autonomy Boy", "Darts" | ||
| June 13, 2005 | "Appropriation (By Any Other Name) Appropriation (By Any Other Name) "Appropriation " was a 7" and CD release by Sheffield band The Long Blondes. It was released on June 13, 2005 on Angular Records. The song is a homage to Hitchcock's 1958 film Vertigo... " |
"My Heart Is Out of Bounds", "Lust in the Movies" | 83 | |
| December 12, 2005 | "Separated By Motorways Separated By Motorways "Separated By Motorways" was a 7" only release by Sheffield band The Long Blondes. It was released on December 12, 2005, on Paul Epworth's Good and Evil label. Kate described the song as a mini-road movie... " |
"Big Infatuation" | ||
| June 26, 2006 | "Weekend Without Makeup Weekend Without Makeup "Weekend Without Makeup" was the first single to be taken from The Long Blondes' first album Someone to Drive You Home. It was released on July 26, 2006, on CD, 2x7" and digital download... " |
"Fulwood Babylon", "Platitudes", "Last Night On Northgate Street" | 28 | Someone To Drive You Home Someone to Drive You Home Someone To Drive You Home is the debut album by The Long Blondes. It was released on November 6, 2006. It received widespread critical praise and was placed 7th in the NMEs best 50 albums of 2006 list and features in many other best of lists for 2006.The predominant theme of the album is... |
| October 23, 2006 | "Once And Never Again Once And Never Again "Once And Never Again" is the second major label single from UK indie rock band The Long Blondes. It was released in October 2006, shortly before their debut album Someone To Drive You Home.-Meaning:... " |
"Five Ways To End It", "The Whippet Fancier", "Who Are You To Her?" | 30 | |
| February 5, 2007 | "Giddy Stratospheres Giddy Stratospheres "Giddy Stratospheres" was a 7" only release by Sheffield band The Long Blondes. It was released on November 29, 2004, on Angular Records. The single was accompanied by two B-sides, "Polly" and "Darts". The single was re-released in 2007 and was the third major label single from their debut album,... " |
"All Bar One Girls", "Never To Be Repeated", "I'm Coping" | 37 |
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| September 2007 | "Five Ways To End It/Fulwood Babylon (Erol Alkan Remixes)" | |||
| March 24, 2008 | "Century Century (song) Century is the first single to be taken from The Long Blondes second album "Couples". It was released on March 24, 2008, as a limited edition 7" single and digital download.... " |
"The Unbearable Lightness of Buildings" | "Couples" | |
| June 30, 2008 | "Guilt" | "Melville Farr", "Good As Gold", "Too Happy" | ||
Other releases
- Christmas Is Cancelled was released by the band on a limited run of CD-Rs in Christmas 2004.
Music videos
The Long Blondes were also known for their cheap and glamorous music videos. Their first proper music video was "Appropriation (By Any Other Name)" which was directed by Rupert Noble, a music video director they regularly made videos with after.| Date | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| July 2004 | "New Idols" | Reenie Hollis |
| September 2004 | "Autonomy Boy" | Reenie Hollis |
| September 2004 | "Long Blonde" | Reenie Hollis |
| November 2004 | "Giddy Stratospheres" | Reenie Hollis |
| June 2005 | "Appropriation (By Any Other Name)" | Rupert Noble |
| December 2005 | "Separated By Motorways" | Rupert Noble |
| June 2006 | "Weekend Without Makeup" | Gina Birch Gina Birch Gina Birch is an English musician and film-maker, probably best known as a founding member of The Raincoats.Born in Nottingham where she attended Nottingham High School for Girls, Birch formed The Hangovers and released an album, Slow Dirty Tears, in 1998. In 2002 and 2007 she performed live at... |
| October 2006 | "Once And Never Again" | Rupert Noble |
| February 2007 | "Giddy Stratospheres" | Rupert Noble |
| March 2008 | "Century" | Minsu Song |
| June 2008 | "Guilt" | Abby Warrilow & Lewis Gourlay |
Awards and nominations
In 2006 The Long Blondes received the Philip Hall Radar Award at the NME Awards honouring rising talent, which in previous years has accurately predicted big things for Kaiser ChiefsKaiser Chiefs
Kaiser Chiefs are an English indie rock band from Leeds who formed in 1996. They were named after the South African football club Kaizer Chiefs....
and Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand (band)
Franz Ferdinand are a Scottish post-punk revival band formed in Glasgow in 2002. The band is composed of Alex Kapranos , Bob Hardy , Nick McCarthy , and Paul Thomson .The band first experienced chart success when their second single, "Take Me Out", reached #3 in...
.
| Year | Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | NME Awards NME Awards The NME Awards is an annual music awards show in the United Kingdom, founded by the music magazine, NME .The first awards show was held in 1953 as the NME Poll Winners Concerts, shortly after the founding of the magazine.... |
Philip Hall Radar Award | Won |
External links
- Live video of Long Blondes, Cake Shop NYC, June 22, 2005 (RealplayerRealPlayerRealPlayer is a cross-platform media player by RealNetworks that plays a number of multimedia formats including MP3, MPEG-4, QuickTime, Windows Media, and multiple versions of proprietary RealAudio and RealVideo formats.-History:...
, mp4)