Working for a Nuclear Free City
Encyclopedia
Working for a Nuclear Free City (sometimes abbreviated to WFANFC) is a band from Manchester
, England.
The band's self-titled debut album
was released in the UK in 2006. Tracks from the album also formed part of their debut American release, Businessmen & Ghosts
, which came out in November 2007. The band cites a wide array of influences, including artists as disparate as Bill Evans
, Devo
, The Grateful Dead, and Yes
. WFANFC's sound has been described as "a flawless lucid-dream trip through a thousand fantastical influences" and "as fresh as morning rain on Piccadilly Gardens
". Regarding their importance, major media outlets such as the BBC
have stated: "it’s the way that [WFANFC and The Longcut, another British music group] have distilled Manchester’s history into an exciting future brew that makes them important."
WFANFC's releases have won them praise from a variety of media outlets, including Spin (magazine)
, the BBC
, Stylus Magazine
, and Citylife Magazine; their song "Rocket" was featured on National Public Radio in June 2007.
The band performed on the Topman Unsigned Stage at the Carling Weekend's Leeds Festival in 2007, where they hinted in an interview as being unhappy with their current label.
In 2009 the band was approached by the development team for the video game Infamous to create the song that plays at the end of the game. The song is called "Silent Melody".
The band released their third album, Jojo Burger Tempest
, in October 2010, and in January 2011 the band opened a youtube channel, uploading snippets of a fourth album, Apoptosis. No record label was named.
Hovis
advertisement.
In 2009, Spoke Film's director Gary Holder used the song "England" in a launch film for the Jaguar X-Type
: X409.
In 2009 the band produced another commissioned track for the Playstation 3
game inFamous
, and was recently used in the Power Trip trailer for the game. The track, entitled "Silent Melody", was available for download on iTunes
on May 21, 2009.
The song "Dead Fingers Talking" was featured in Season 1: Episode 1 of the AMC Original Series Breaking Bad.
The song "Asleep at the Wheel" was used for a relaunch trailer for the British Channel 5 re-branding in 2008 and at the close of an Apple promotional video for the 10/2009 update of the iMac.
The song "Rocket" was used in the soundtrack for the movie Push
.
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, England.
History
Original members Phil Kay (production and keyboard) and Gary McClure (guitar) formed as a studio entity in 1999; WFANFC began performing live in 2004, after adding drummer Jon Kay and bassist Ed Hulme to the group. Guitarist Neil Harris joined the band shortly before their American tour in 2008.The band's self-titled debut album
Working for a Nuclear Free City (album)
Working For A Nuclear Free City is the debut album by Manchester indie band Working for a Nuclear Free City. The album was not released in the United States but all its tracks were included on their next release, the double album Businessmen & Ghosts.-Track listing:#"The 224th Day" -...
was released in the UK in 2006. Tracks from the album also formed part of their debut American release, Businessmen & Ghosts
Businessmen & Ghosts
Businessmen & Ghosts is a double album by British band Working for a Nuclear Free City. The album is Working for a Nuclear Free City's U.S. debut album....
, which came out in November 2007. The band cites a wide array of influences, including artists as disparate as Bill Evans
Bill Evans
William John Evans, known as Bill Evans was an American jazz pianist. His use of impressionist harmony, inventive interpretation of traditional jazz repertoire, and trademark rhythmically independent, "singing" melodic lines influenced a generation of pianists including: Chick Corea, Herbie...
, Devo
Devo
Devo is an American band formed in 1973 consisting of members from Kent and Akron, Ohio. The classic line-up of the band includes two sets of brothers, the Mothersbaughs and the Casales . The band had a #14 Billboard chart hit in 1980 with the single "Whip It", and has maintained a cult...
, The Grateful Dead, and Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
. WFANFC's sound has been described as "a flawless lucid-dream trip through a thousand fantastical influences" and "as fresh as morning rain on Piccadilly Gardens
Piccadilly Gardens
Piccadilly Gardens is a green space in Manchester city centre, England, situated at one end of Market Street and on the edge of the Northern Quarter...
". Regarding their importance, major media outlets such as the 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...
have stated: "it’s the way that [WFANFC and The Longcut, another British music group] have distilled Manchester’s history into an exciting future brew that makes them important."
WFANFC's releases have won them praise from a variety of media outlets, including Spin (magazine)
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
, the 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...
, Stylus Magazine
Stylus Magazine
Stylus Magazine was an online music and film magazine launched in 2002. It featured long-form music journalism, four daily music reviews, movie reviews, a number of different podcasts, an MP3 blog, and a text blog....
, and Citylife Magazine; their song "Rocket" was featured on National Public Radio in June 2007.
The band performed on the Topman Unsigned Stage at the Carling Weekend's Leeds Festival in 2007, where they hinted in an interview as being unhappy with their current label.
In 2009 the band was approached by the development team for the video game Infamous to create the song that plays at the end of the game. The song is called "Silent Melody".
The band released their third album, Jojo Burger Tempest
Jojo Burger Tempest
Jojo Burger Tempest is a double album by the British band Working for a Nuclear Free City. Released in 2010, the album is the band's third album, and the second to be released in the U.S. The album contains one disc of 17 individual songs and one of a single 33-minute suite.-Critical...
, in October 2010, and in January 2011 the band opened a youtube channel, uploading snippets of a fourth album, Apoptosis. No record label was named.
Albums
- Working for a Nuclear Free CityWorking for a Nuclear Free City (album)Working For A Nuclear Free City is the debut album by Manchester indie band Working for a Nuclear Free City. The album was not released in the United States but all its tracks were included on their next release, the double album Businessmen & Ghosts.-Track listing:#"The 224th Day" -...
(2006) - Businessmen & GhostsBusinessmen & GhostsBusinessmen & Ghosts is a double album by British band Working for a Nuclear Free City. The album is Working for a Nuclear Free City's U.S. debut album....
(2007) - Jojo Burger TempestJojo Burger TempestJojo Burger Tempest is a double album by the British band Working for a Nuclear Free City. Released in 2010, the album is the band's third album, and the second to be released in the U.S. The album contains one disc of 17 individual songs and one of a single 33-minute suite.-Critical...
(2010)
Related Albums
- Secret Things (2010) Featuring members of Working for a Nuclear Free City and Produced by band member, Phil Kay
In Other Media
In 2008 the band composed a commissioned piece, "History", for the Go On LadGo On Lad
Go On Lad is a British television and cinema advertisement launched by Premier Foods in 2008 to promote its Hovis brand of bread. The 122-second piece was commissioned as part of a £15,000,000 brand relaunch designed to reverse Hovis' declining market share and profits...
Hovis
Hovis
Hovis is a UK brand of flour and bread, owned by Premier Foods. The brand, which began in 1886, ended up as part of Rank Hovis McDougall in 1962 after a succession of mergers. RHM, whose bread making division has been known as British Bakeries since 1955, also owns the Mother's Pride and Nimble...
advertisement.
In 2009, Spoke Film's director Gary Holder used the song "England" in a launch film for the Jaguar X-Type
Jaguar X-Type
The X-Type is a compact executive car manufactured and marketed for model years 2001-2009 by Jaguar Cars. The smallest of the Jaguar model range, the X-type was marketed in saloon and wagon variants and was the only estate ever manufactured in series production by the company...
: X409.
In 2009 the band produced another commissioned track for the Playstation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
game inFamous
InFamous
Infamous, stylized as inFAMOUS or inFamous, is an open world video game for the PlayStation 3 video game console. It was developed by Sucker Punch Productions and published by Sony Computer Entertainment...
, and was recently used in the Power Trip trailer for the game. The track, entitled "Silent Melody", was available for download on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
on May 21, 2009.
The song "Dead Fingers Talking" was featured in Season 1: Episode 1 of the AMC Original Series Breaking Bad.
The song "Asleep at the Wheel" was used for a relaunch trailer for the British Channel 5 re-branding in 2008 and at the close of an Apple promotional video for the 10/2009 update of the iMac.
The song "Rocket" was used in the soundtrack for the movie Push
Push (2009 film)
Push is a 2009 American science fiction thriller film directed by Paul McGuigan. The film stars Chris Evans, Dakota Fanning, Camilla Belle, Cliff Curtis, Joel Gretsch and Djimon Hounsou...
.