Vent 414
Encyclopedia
Vent 414 were a short-lived British
independent rock
band
, who were active for a few years in the 1990s. They were mostly notable for their line-up; Miles Hunt
from the recently defunct The Wonder Stuff
, Billy Duffy
(The Cult
), and Morgan Nicholls
(Senseless Things
, The Streets
, Muse
), along with Pete Howard, drummer
from The Clash
and Eat
.
before they had recorded anything at all. They first played live at the 1995 Reading Festival, before touring the U.S.
, and returning for a UK
tour supporting Therapy?
Duffy left the band shortly before this tour.
A full UK headlining tour followed to support the release of their self-titled album
, produced
by Steve Albini
, in 1996. By this time the band had been forced to change their name, because of the threat of legal action by an American
band of the same name.
In early 1997, Nicholls left, stating dissatisfaction with Polydor
's promotion of the group, and indeed, shortly afterwards the group was dropped. Ex-Wonder Stuff guitarist
Malcolm Treece was recruited, but after attempting unsuccessfully to garner record label
support for a second album, Hunt folded the group. He and Treece have continued to work together since.
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...
independent 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
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
, who were active for a few years in the 1990s. They were mostly notable for their line-up; Miles Hunt
Miles Hunt
Miles Hunt is the singer / guitarist and songwriter for the Stourbridge, England-based Alternative Rock band The Wonder Stuff.- Early life :His father was a union official for the TGWU...
from the recently defunct The Wonder Stuff
The Wonder Stuff
The Wonder Stuff are a British alternative rock band, originally based in Stourbridge, West Midlands, in the Black Country, England.-Origins:...
, Billy Duffy
Billy Duffy
Billy Duffy is an English guitarist and songwriter, best known as the guitarist in The Cult.-Early days:He grew up in Manchester, where he began playing guitar at the age of fourteen...
(The Cult
The Cult
The Cult are a British rock band that was formed in 1983. They gained a dedicated following in Britain in the mid 1980s as a post-punk band with singles such as "She Sells Sanctuary", before breaking mainstream in the United States in the late 1980s as a hard rock band with singles such as "Love...
), and Morgan Nicholls
Morgan Nicholls
Morgan Nicholls is an English musician, member of Senseless Things and best known for performing with Gorillaz, The Streets, Muse and most recently Lily Allen. He released one solo album under the name Morgan.-Career:...
(Senseless Things
Senseless Things
Senseless Things were a British indie punk band, who were active on the UK festival circuit in the late 1980s and early 1990s.-Career:Senseless Things formed around the musical partnership of songwriter Mark Keds and Morgan Nicholls , who as eleven year old schoolboys in Twickenham, Middlesex put...
, The Streets
The Streets
The Streets were a British rap/garage project from Birmingham, United Kingdom, led by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Mike Skinner and has included a myriad of other contributors most notably drummer Johnny Drum Machine, vocalist Kevin Mark Trail and the Italian-American beatmaker Leroy.The...
, Muse
Muse (band)
Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...
), along with Pete Howard, drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
from The 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...
and Eat
Eat (band)
Eat were a British alternative rock band who were active in the late 1980s and early 1990s. They released two albums on The Cure's label Fiction...
.
History
The band, originally called 'Vent', were formed in early 1995, and received considerable media attention, mostly because of the presence of Hunt, with the result that they were invited to produce a session for Radio 1BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
before they had recorded anything at all. They first played live at the 1995 Reading Festival, before touring the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and returning for a UK
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...
tour supporting Therapy?
Therapy?
Therapy? is an alternative metal band from Northern Ireland. The band was formed in 1989 by guitarist–vocalist Andy Cairns from Ballyclare and drummer-vocalist Fyfe Ewing from Larne, Northern Ireland. The band initially recorded their first demo with Cairns filling in on bass guitar...
Duffy left the band shortly before this tour.
A full UK headlining tour followed to support the release of their self-titled album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
by Steve Albini
Steve Albini
Steven Frank Albini is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, audio engineer and music journalist. He was a member of Big Black, Rapeman, and Flour, and is currently a member of Shellac...
, in 1996. By this time the band had been forced to change their name, because of the threat of legal action by an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
band of the same name.
In early 1997, Nicholls left, stating dissatisfaction with Polydor
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
's promotion of the group, and indeed, shortly afterwards the group was dropped. Ex-Wonder Stuff guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Malcolm Treece was recruited, but after attempting unsuccessfully to garner record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
support for a second album, Hunt folded the group. He and Treece have continued to work together since.