Felt (band)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English Template:Infobox musical artist

Felt were an English jangle pop band, formed in 1979 in Water Orton, Warwickshire, and led by the mononymous Lawrence.<ref name="gilbert">Template:Cite AV media notes</ref> They were active for ten years through the 1980s, releasing ten singles and ten albums, although none reached the UK singles chart or albums chart. The band's name was inspired by Tom Verlaine's emphasis of the word "felt" in the Television song "Venus".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

History

Formation

Lawrence founded the band in 1979 with the release of the single "Index", a self-published solo recording.<ref name="mojo">Template:Cite journal</ref> A noisy effort unlike Felt's subsequent records, it was later awarded single of the week by Dave McCullough in music newspaper Sounds.<ref name="gilbert"/>

With Lawrence initially on vocals and guitar, they formed properly in 1980 with the addition of schoolfriend Nick Gilbert on drums and local guitarist Maurice Deebank.<ref name="gilbert"/> Becoming co-writer with Lawrence, Deebank's jangly, classical-influenced style of playing would provide the band's signature sound in its early years.<ref name="amoeba">Template:Cite journal</ref>

The band performed as a trio before deciding that bass guitar was needed. Gilbert switched to bass and drummer Tony Race was added.<ref name="gilbert"/> He was replaced soon after by Gary Ainge who would remain the only constant member besides Lawrence throughout the rest of Felt's existence, as well as the only member to play on all ten of their albums.<ref name="Bio">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Signing

Felt signed to Cherry Red Records and their first single as a band, "Something Sends Me to Sleep", was released in 1981. Their first album, Crumbling the Antiseptic Beauty, followed the next year. Exhausted by Lawrence's domineering nature during the album's sessions, Gilbert left and was replaced on bass by Mick Lloyd. Deebank would also take a sabbatical, recording a solo instrumental record Inner Thought Zone, before being coaxed by Lawrence to return to work on the band's second album, The Splendour of Fear. This lineup would then remain unchanged through their third album The Strange Idols Pattern and Other Short Stories, which took a more pop-orientated direction than the lengthy, ambient guitar workouts of its predecessors. In 1982, the Felt song "My Face Is on Fire" appeared on the best-selling Pillows & Prayers compilation.<ref>Template:Cite videoTemplate:Cbignore</ref>

In 1985, for the recording of their fourth album, keyboard player Martin Duffy was added and Marco Thomas became bassist.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Ignite the Seven Cannons was produced by Robin Guthrie of the Cocteau Twins and featured Elizabeth Fraser on the single "Primitive Painters". The song reached the top of the UK independent singles chart.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Deebank departed for good soon after, prompting a shift in Felt's sound with Duffy's keyboards becoming more central. The lead guitar position would subsequently be filled by an ever-changing succession of players.<ref name="amoeba"/>

The band moved to Creation Records in 1986 and released Let the Snakes Crinkle Their Heads to Death, the first of two instrumental albums they would record. Their next album, Forever Breathes the Lonely Word, was a conventional collection of songs that gained the band praise and would become regarded by many as their best, though a full breakthrough continued to elude them.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Citation</ref>

Poem of the River followed in 1987, which took a much more low-key, intimate approach, at times recalling the sound of Felt's first two albums. In 1988, Felt released The Pictorial Jackson Review, which saw the band become more experimental, with one side devoted to tight, melodic pop songs and the other consisting of two solo piano pieces from Duffy. The second release of that year was the polarising Train Above the City, which saw Lawrence take on more of a directing role in the studio, guiding Duffy and Ainge full through a collection of cool jazz-influenced instrumentals.

Break up and later

In 1989, Lawrence declared it had been his intention all along to release ten singles and ten albums in ten years and, having done so, announced the end of Felt.<ref name="mojo"/><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> After releasing their last album, Me and a Monkey on the Moon, which embraced a lusher, more multi-layered sound alongside a more personal lyrical bent from Lawrence, and undertaking a short tour, the band split up. Lawrence went on to form Denim and later, Go Kart Mozart and Mozart Estate. Duffy joined Primal Scream. Ainge would later play with Vic Godard. Mick Lloyd died in 2016. Subsequent bass player Mick Bund died in 2017. Martin Duffy died in 2022.

In 2018, Cherry Red reissued all ten Felt albums<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> on CD and vinyl, with new mixes of songs plus revised tracklistings and packaging.

Legacy

Lawrence has said that he believes the band could have been more successful. According to Lawrence, "The reason Felt didn't make it is because John Peel didn't like us."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Felt have been cited as an influence by Stuart Murdoch of Belle and Sebastian,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Tim Burgess of the Charlatans,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Manic Street Preachers,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Girls,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> and the Tyde.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Members

  • Lawrence – vocals, guitars (1979–1989)
  • Maurice Deebank – guitars (1980–1981, 1983-1985)
  • Nick Gilbert – bass, drums (1980–1981)
  • Tony Race – drums (1980–1981)
  • Gary Ainge – drums, percussion (1981–1989)
  • Martin Duffy – keyboards (1985–1989; died 2022)
  • Mick Lloyd – bass (1982–1984; died 2016)
  • Marco Thomas – bass, guitars (1985–1987)
  • Phil King – bass (1986–1987)
  • Mick Bund – bass (1988; died 2017)
Timeline
<timeline>

ImageSize = width:990 height:300 PlotArea = left:100 bottom:60 top:0 right:50 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1979 till:12/31/1989 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy

Colors = 

 id:Vocals           value:red         legend:Vocals
 id:Guitar           value:green       legend:Guitar
 id:Keyboards        value:purple      legend:Keyboards
 id:Bass             value:blue        legend:Bass
 id:Drums            value:orange      legend:Drums
 id:bar              value:black       legend:Studio_albums

Legend = orientation:horizontal position:bottom

ScaleMajor = increment:1 start:01/01/1979 ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:1 start:01/01/1979

LineData = 

 at:02/01/1982 color:black layer:back 
 at:02/01/1984
 at:10/26/1984
 at:09/20/1985
 at:06/01/1986
 at:09/01/1986
 at:06/01/1987
 at:03/01/1988
 at:07/01/1988
 at:11/13/1989

BarData = 

 bar:Lawrence text:"Lawrence"
 bar:Deebank  text:"Maurice Deebank"
 bar:Duffy    text:"Martin Duffy"
 bar:Lloyd    text:"Mick Lloyd"
 bar:Thomas   text:"Marco Thomas"
 bar:King     text:"Phil King"
 bar:Bund     text:"Mick Bund"
 bar:Gilbert  text:"Nick Gilbert"
 bar:Race     text:"Tony Race"
 bar:Ainge    text:"Gary Ainge"

PlotData= 

 width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4)
 bar:Lawrence   from:start till:03/01/1988 color:guitar width:3
 bar:Lawrence from:start till:end color:vocals
 bar:Deebank  from:01/01/1980 till:01/01/1986 color:Guitar
 bar:Gilbert  from:01/01/1980 till:08/01/1980 color:Drums
 bar:Gilbert  from:08/01/1980 till:01/01/1982 color:Bass
 bar:Race     from:08/01/1980 till:01/01/1981 color:Drums
 bar:Ainge    from:01/01/1981 till:end color:Drums
 bar:Lloyd    from:01/01/1982 till:01/01/1985 color:bass
 bar:Thomas   from:01/01/1985 till:06/01/1987 color:bass
 bar:King     from:10/01/1986 till:05/01/1987 color:bass
 bar:Thomas   from:01/01/1986 till:10/01/1986 color:guitar width:3
 bar:Thomas   from:10/01/1986 till:03/01/1988 color:guitar
 bar:Bund     from:05/01/1987 till:03/01/1988 color:bass
 bar:Duffy    from:01/01/1985 till:end color:Keyboards

</timeline>

Discography

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}}

References

Template:Reflist

Further reading

Template:Felt Template:Authority control

Retrieved from "https://wiki.sarg.dev/index.php?title=Felt_(band)&oldid=503108"