The Datsuns are a garage rock band from Cambridge, New Zealand. In 1995, while still at school, Dolf de Borst, Phil Buscke Somervell, and Matt Osment formed a band under the name Trinket. Christian Livingstone joined the band in 1997. They entered and won the 1999 89FM Battle of the Bands competition; by 2000 the band had renamed themselves 'The Datsuns'. In August 2000 they released their first single, "Super Gyration!" on 7 inch vinyl only. In July 2002, after featuring several times on John Peel' programme on the UK's BBC Radio 1 and being hailed as "the future of rock" by the British music press, the band signed with the V2 record label. Their second album "Outta Sight, Outta Mind" was produced by Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones. Their new album "Head stunts" will be released october 2008.

Belgian Ghent-Antwerp based 2-piece band. Formed in 2001, when Nico Maho and Thomas Vanelslander met through a mutual friend. The atmosphere was loose, people were having a good time, parties were attended, ... Making music is so much fun. Things got more serious when in 2005 they realized that their sound was actually different from other crap, the songs were catchy and friends seemed to share these feelings. Longtime friend CJ Bolland came into the picture during the making of "Night Vulture". The whole was mixed by Jan 'Jakke" De Rijck, who worked with people like Gabriel Rios, Zap Mama, Daan, A Brand and Novastar. In November 2006 a first EP (Night Vulture) and single (8 Day's Weekend) was released through the label of the band's management, Tourcontrol. The single also featured remixes by STIJN, CJ Bolland and Lester Bangs. And to top it off there was a funky video. The first full cd (Ready To Surrender) was released in January 2008.

White Circle Crime Club is a four-piece band from Antwerp (Belgium) consisting of Jelle De Cremer (vocals/guitar), Jan Matthé (bass/vocals), Sis Matthé (vocals/guitar/piano/organ) and Krist Torfs (drums). Around since 2001 and with a background in fast punk/hardcore bands at the end of the nineties, White Circle Crime Club so far have released These Are The Secret Sounds Of Fear (e.p., 2003), Written in Black (2005) and A Present Perfect (2006). Their third full-length effort is called Pictures Of Stares (2008) and was again recorded in their own Blue Hotel studio in Chimay (B) by Bert Aerts and mastered by Alan Douches. With the album, White Circle Crime Club have finally come home and for the first time musically succeeded in making a record that breathes one atmosphere throughout, in contrast with the eclectic, unfinished schizophrenia of a group still finding its feet on earlier efforts. Still, it's the unmistakable sound of these four people playing together. Each song on Pictures Of Stares paints a pretty, abstract and dreamy picture, eloquently streamed consciousness full of love for time, travel and unreality. Before and after releasing A Present Perfect in September 2006, White Circle Crime Club joined TV on the Radio twice on a European stint. They also played a VPRO radio session and successfully toured on their own, celebrated for the honesty and ferocity shows are delivered with on stage. Early 2007, White Circle Crime Club toured the larger part of Western Europe (from Oslo to Lissabon) together with The Blood Brothers.

The Cold Eighties. Destiny drove a Hong Kong concubine into the arms of a wellhung seaman. Together they built a lovenest in the sky above the Ghent sea of bricks. Their first kitten turned out to be a moustached female, that would live by the name of Sarah Yu. It took two more years before a little male, by the name of Boris, was born. At young age, both of them bundeled their musical strenghts and that's how The Hong Kong Dong was born. A band, brainchild to two unpure types with an enormous urge to form a awesome gang! In the summer of 2005 The Hong kong Dong took the stage for the very first time. What started as a duo, became a trio. Dave Willockx became the third member and would turn out to be the banging heart of the gang. Ouch! Together they started terrorising the local clubs with their spiky tunes. In the Year of the Pig (2007 for the occidentals among us) they conquered various tournaments (they won 'Lawijtstrijd, took second place in the 'Oost-Vlaams Rockconcour' and reached the finale of the 2008 'Humo's Rock Rally'). With the Year of the Rat in sight, a fourth member joined the gang. A real Rat: Geoffrey Burton. Armed with many years of experience in other gangs (Bashung, Arno, PJDS, Stéphane Eicher, Raphael, Polar, Absynth Minded,...) he provided The Hong Kong Dong with new weapons to conquer new stages (they played as support act for Digitalism at the Ancienne Belgique and were invited to open the dance at the Radio Soulwax festival at Flanders Expo).

Ruw, opwindend en compromisloos zijn drie woorden waarmee je de sound van de Belgische garageband Gentlemen of Verona het best kan omschrijven. Voortgestuwd op ruige drumritmes en snijdende gitaarrifs boort het vijftal zich als een roestige kogel door het alternatieve muzieklandschap. Hun aanpak blijkt wonderwel te lukken. Precies een jaar na hun eerste optreden, tekende de muziekgroep een contract bij het Belgische e-label The Wack Attack Barrack (A Brand, Triggerfinger, Mauroi, Buscemi...). Hun debuutalbum verscheen op 13 mei 2008. Voor de opnames van de plaat trok de band niet naar een dure studio, maar sloten ze zich enkele maanden op in hun repetitiehok. "Wie rauwe garagerock in de stijl van Iggy Pop, Pj Harvey, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs en The Goxxip wil maken moet zijn sound tot de basis uitpuren", vertelt zangers Debby Termonia. "Via een Londense kennis kwamen we in contact met de mensen van de legendarische Abbey Road Studios. Tijdens een bezoek aan de Beatles-studio vertelde technicus Sam O'Kell ons dat je,om een echte garageplaat te maken maar drie dingen nodig hebt: een garage en twee steengoede microfoons. We hebben zijn raad opgevolgd. Een paar maanden later stond alles op band."

Brazzaville (Belgian band) is a 7-headed band that produces an exciting, adventurous and especially a funky sound. The music is inspired by 70's jazz & funk, afrobeat and rare grooves. They recorded their debut album "Days of thunder, days of grace" in march 2008 featuring four special guests; Zap Mama, Mo & Grazz & Zita Swoon's Amel Serra. They are working on their second album that will be mixed by Ben Lamdin from Nostalgia77 (Tru Thoughts). Brazzaville already played the warm-up concerts for artists like Al Jarreau, The Neville Brothers & Marcus Miller. Last summer they played at the biggest Belgian jazz festival; Gent Jazz Festival and toured with Jazzlab Series. In 2007 they won the 'Young Jazz Talent Ghent' contest. 'Days of thunder, days of grace' best Belgian Jazz Album of 2008 according to the Belgian newspaper 'Le Soir'. The band consists of keys: Jan Willems, guitar: Geert Hellings, baritone sax: Vincent Brijs, tenorsax with effects: Andrew Claes, electric bass: Nicolas Rombouts, drums: Maarten Moesen and percussion: Amel Serra. Contact: info@brazzavillemusic.com (C) Evil Penguin (record company) 3) Brazzaville (Swedish band) Brazzaville was formed in Sala, Sweden as Tongue Gongue. Their debute demo from 1995 was given a 4.5 (of 4) rating in SA and was named "demo of the year" by Patrik Björk of Backstage Magazine. In 1996 and 1998 they played at the Hultsfred Festival. They were signed to Deaf & dumb Records and in 1996 they released their five track CD Introducing Brazzaville. It was followed in 1998 by the full length album The Girl Is Allright...

Prinzhorn Dance School are Tobin Prinz and Suzi Horn. Their music is sparse, uncompromising and idiosyncratic. They are signed to the New York record label DFA. Their debut release for the label was a self recorded and self produced 7-inch single featuring the tracks "You Are The Space Invader" and "Eat, Sleep" which is now highly sought after as it was limited to 500 copies only. Prinz and Horn recorded their debut album in isolation, in a rented barn in Sussex, having already written the songs in the disused chapel building they call home, also entirely on their own. The album was sebsequently mixed in New York with The DFA and was released on August 13, in the UK and on August 27 in North America. The band are known to be reclusive, with very few interviews given, and their own official website rarely features any images of their faces. Media-shy - in that they find photo-shoots vain, press releases dishonest and superlatives embarrassing - they prefer the isolation of their working space, writing and recording privately in their own austere and peculiar way. The band are building a dedicated following with impressive live shows and have completed several UK and European tours, although their American tour was famously cancelled due to visa problems.

Firewater is a rock group founded by Tod A. in 1995. He describes them as a "wedding band gone wrong". After Tod left his previous group, Cop Shoot Cop, he quickly regrouped and formed Firewater to explore the styles of music Cop Shoot Cop had only hinted at, including klezmer, cabaret, ska, jazz, and gypsy forms. More than one source described the original Firewater lineup as an "indie rock supergroup", based on members such as Duane Denison of The Jesus Lizard, Yuval Gabay of Soul Coughing, Jennifer Charles of Elysian Fields, and Hahn Rowe. This original lineup proved unable to tour, and Tod recruited new musicians for the band's first tour. While the lineup has changed over the years, with many different musicians appearing on different albums and tours, Tod remains the singer, songwriter, and bassist of Firewater. Firewater has released six albums, and has seen some success, especially in Europe and on United States college radio stations. Their previous album, Songs We Should Have Written, is a collection of cover songs. It includes songs written by Robyn Hitchcock, The Rolling Stones ("Paint It Black" reinterpreted as a crawlingly slow raga which "shove(s) a few downers down the song's throat to counter the original version's adrenaline-fueled fire" ), and a "dark and sweet" take of Sonny and Cher's "The Beat Goes On", described as "10 times more ominous and 20 times more pleasurable" than the original. The album also includes a modern rendition of the Johnny Cash anthem "Folsom Prison Blues".

Chikinki are an Electro-pop band from Bristol, United Kingdom. The band formed at Hiatt Baker Hall at the University of Bristol in 1996/7. Originally there were six members: Rupert (vocals), Ed (rhythm guitar), Steve (drums), Boris (keyboards), Luke (lead guitar) and Trevor (saxophone). They were briefly joined by a 7th member, a bass player, but the experiment did not last. After gigging regulary around many of Bristols pubs and clubs the band turned professional after the members had completed their degrees, however, Luke decided to leave and the band was reduced to a five piece. They were signed by local label sink and stove records though this was short-lived and the band joined Island Records though ultimately they were dropped and are currently with Kitty-Yo records. This European label has helped them break further into Europe where they were already popular and much of their earlier catalogue has now been re-released on this label. The band are now set to release new material on their own Urban Cow label, home of their first EP Telephone Heroes. Contrary to their current style, the band played more funk than anything else early on though gradually moved towards a more popular style and eventually went over to a more electronic / pop sound that they maintain today. After the loss of Luke, Trevor ultimately became a second keyboard/ sequencer player and this leads to the band's unique sound. Since they have no bass player, and Ed has taken over as the lead guitarist, the two keyboards provide a combination of melody and rhythm sections. Furthermore, the band has a strong sense of musical structure (both Trevor and Boris obtained their degrees in Music) and all five members are song writers. On stage they are dramatic, Rupert especially is prone to leaving the stage and performing from amongst the audience, and all are at their peak when launching into something akin to a group 'solo'. 'You Said' will be released on Urban Cow on May 8th 2006,. This will be backed with 'Nasty Side' and will be limited edition only. The band will be touring around the UK to support this. Check their site for details.

Dead Meadow met in the DC punk/indie scene, though their music draws from more faraway sources. The band formed in the fall of 1998 from the ashes of local bands The Impossible Five and Colour, when singer-guitarist Jason Simon, bassist Steve Kille, and drummer Mark Laughlin set out to fuse their love of early 70's hard rock and 60's psychedelia with their love of writers J.R.R. Tolkien and H.P. Lovecraft. Dead Meadow released their six-song debut in 2000 on Fugazi bassist Joe Lally's Tolotta Records, and a joint vinyl release on D.C. indie label Planaria Records. In 2001 the band released its second album, Howls From The Hills, on Tolotta. Whereas the first self-titled album was recorded in their practice space for a couple hundred dollars and plenty of learning curves, Howls From The Hills was born in a barn in Liberty, Indiana. Their sound fuller without losing its live essence, the band grew to encompass everything from ambient guitar drones to surging psych-funk sludge, blues-folk tunes to barbiturate space-rock, and some southern slow boogie thrown in for good measure. In spring 2002, original drummer Mark Laughlin reluctantly quit the group, replaced by old friend and previous collaborator Stephen McCarty (whose grandfather's farmhouse is where the band recorded Howls From the Hills). Also in mid-2002 the band found an unlikely patron in Brian Jonestown Massacre's Anton Newcombe, who recorded, produced and printed Dead Meadow's live disc 'Got Live if You Want' it on his "Committee to Keep Music Evil" imprint of the legendary Bomp label. Soon after, they recorded a Peel Session at the Fugazi practice space - the first time the BBC recorded a Peel Session outside their own studios. Shortly after signing with Matador in 2003, Dead Meadow self-produced 'Shivering King And Others' in the basement studio of the DC Pirate House over five months and during a busy schedule of touring. Along with the heavy rockers and bluesy numbers as on the previous two records, the band went deeper into the psychedelic realm, with chiming acoustic touches and lovely, disorienting ballads. With the addition of 2nd guitarist Cory Shane and beautifully spacious production, 'Feathers' opens up the Dead Meadow sound still further, seeming at once more experimental and more accessible than anything they've recorded thus far. The record captures the famous intensity of their live show, but songs like "At Her Open Door" and "Stacy's Song" reveal an obsessive beauty as jarring as sheer volume. Jason's guitar virtuosity is at its peak, as influenced by the droning modal character of Eastern music as by classic rock riffs. Ever deeper, Dead Meadow remain one step ahead of expectations.

EN/ Leafpeople is a five-headed musical monster from Antwerp, the (multi-)cultural capital of Flanders, Belgium. They deal in Neo-Post-Pre-Pop made especially for the kind of people who like their riffs catchy and their lyrics erudite. Their enthusiasm and puberal virility helps them to give clumsy and, strangely, therefore spectacular live-shows that have brought them numerous awards, like a crushing victory on LatentTalent, second place at FrappantPOP, second place in a hit song-competition in Bxl, a short stint on Humo's Rock Rally, and some interesting gigs in support of Think of One, Raymond van het Groenwoud, Sandra Kim(!) and Willy Sommers (!).

Fiction Plane is a rock band from England. Originally formed in London under the name Santa's Boyfriend in 2001, Fiction Plane is currently comprised of lead vocalist, guitar and bass player Joe Sumner; guitarist Seton Daunt; and American drummer Pete Wilhoit. Recording history Fiction Plane's first major label release, Everything Will Never Be OK, with MCA Records, was released in the US in March 2003 with the single "Hate". Shortly after the album's release, Bloomington, IN drummer Pete Wilhoit joined the band. In spite of positive critical acclaim for the group, including being named a 'Breaker' Artist by AOL Music in March of 2003, MCA folded and the band moved over to Geffen records. In 2005 the band released a 4-song EP entitled Bitter Forces and Lame Race Horses on the Geffen imprint label Everybody's Records. In 2006, Fiction Plane made a brief move to Interscope Records and parted ways with founding member and bass/keyboard player Dan Brown[. Joe Sumner took over on bass and the band started working on a new album, Left Side of the Brain, which was released on Bieler Bros. Records on May 22, 2007. Behind the success of the singles "Two Sisters" (a popular single in France, Belgium and Holland) and "Death Machine" the album rose all the way to #46 on the Billboard Heatseeker Album Chart. On January 23, 2008, Left Side of the Brain was released in Japan through Sideout Records with two bonus tracks: "Drink (acoustic)" and "Put On Your Shoes." In April 2008, a limited tour edition of Left Side of the Brain was re-released in France through XIII Bis Records, containing five bonus tracks "VIP fast", "Coolest Kid", "At Ease", "Sleepwalker", "Drink (acoustic)"), a video clip ("Two Sisters"), and a hidden track, "The Circus Trouser Enthusiast". Four of the bonus cuts were unused demos recorded in 2006. "Sleepwalker" is an early version of what would become "Anyone," the official album's first track. On March 23, 2009, the band released its first-ever live DVD and CD package, simply entitled Paradiso, through XIII Bis Records. It was recorded on December 7, 2008 at the band's sold-out performance in Amsterdam and then mixed by Ash Howes and mastered by Andy Walters at the famed Abbey Road Studios in London. Special features on the DVD include the unedited version of the "It's A Lie" video, and a photo gallery of images taken along the band's touring journey. In February 2010, Fiction Plane completed the recording of their latest studio album, Sparks, which has an initial European release slated for May 3rd, 2010 on Roadrunner Records. The UK and US album releases are set to follow in the Fall. Produced by Paul Corkett, whose collaborations also include artists the likes of Nick Cave, Bjork and Placebo, Sparks is said to include both large anthems and eclectic tracks. Tours and live performances Fiction Plane has performed before hundreds of thousands in arenas and festivals all across Europe, Asia and North America, and have headlined their own largely sold out European tour. In 2005, Fiction Plane was the support act for Sting's Broken Music Tour, which took the band all over Europe playing 29 shows in 25 countries. Fiction Plane was then hired to support The Police on the North American, European, Australian/New Zealand, and Asian legs of their 2007 Reunion Tour, playing 87 shows. In support of the album Left Side of the Brain and the singles "Two Sisters" and "Death Machine" Fiction Plane performed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Jimmy Kimmel Live in 2007. In the Spring of 2008, Fiction Plane toured America with The Bravery and Your Vegas. The band also toured the UK in March supporting The Feeling and supported 311 and Snoop Dogg on the 2008 Summer Unity Tour in the US. In December, 2008, Fiction Plane performed a largely sold-out run through Europe, culminating in selling out the legendary Paradiso in Amsterdam. On February 27, 2009, Fiction Plane previewed five brand new songs at a concert at Arlene's Grocery in New York City. The song titles were "Telephone Unknown," "Humanoid," "Denied," "Zero," and "Contagious." "Humanoid" and "Zero" are both currently featured in the track listing for their upcoming studio album Sparks. Fiction Plane has also been featured on several high-profile European music festivals, including Paaspop and Pinkpop in The Netherlands, The Vieilles Charrues in France, Rock Am Ring and Rock Im Park in Germany. In support of their new album Sparks, Fiction Plane recently revealed that they will be performing this summer at a number of major European rock festivals including the Meribel Little World Festival, the Benatska Festival in the Czech Republic and Sautrock in Austria. The band's members are; Joe Sumner - lead vocals, guitar and bass, Seton Daunt - guitar, Pete Wilhoit - drums. Former member; Dan Brown

The Rudy Trouvé Septet was formed around Rudy Trouvé around 2001, by that time a quintet. Rudy's biographie is huge, he was/is key-character of bands like Kiss My Jazz, Lionell Horrowitz, dEUS, Dead Man Ray, Rudy & the Wally's and The Love Substitutes. Most of the songs are about his daily life, fear, love and boredom, these themes also re-appear in his paintings. Many of his musical compositions are referring to his extensive record collection, and influences of Chet Baker, Joy Division, Rip & Panic and The Stooges are highly apparent. Besides playing in all different bands on account of getting bored with a single style after a while, and thus keeping things fresh, Rudy was released solo in 2000 on 'subsonic 6', an album with him on one side, and Lou Barlow on the other (on the vinyl version, it also was released as a CD). The album was released by the label 'Rosa'. This was merely a collection of old 4-tracks, and a few new ones for the occasion. The first true Rudy Trouvé band release on Heavenhotel was released May 2002, the single 'une chanson', which preceded the first full CD '1999-2002'. By the next CD, titled 2002-2003 the quintet was upgraded to sextet:: Rudy Trouvé (guitar, voice) , Sigrid Van Rosendaal (trumpet, keyboards) , Aarich Jespers (drums), Elko Blijweert guitar, keyboards), Dimitri Daggelinck (bass), Geert van Bever (Guitar). For the coming release planned in September 2007 Joris Caluwaerts (piano) was added and once more the band was upgraded, and called the Septet.

Just landed on 62 TV records (Girls in Hawaii, Malibu Stacy, Austin Lace, etc.), this very young duet (19 and 20) from Bousval remained only as a bedroom secret till lately. The simple story of two big kids -not really interested in spending days in school or college- who spend their time playing their guitar and writing songs, a with a stron rock feel, somewhere between Bob Dylan, the Libertines or Violent Femmes. After losing a demo contest on belgian alternative national radio Pure FM and receiving a true enthusiastic response, the two boys got more sure of themselves and decided to show the people what they are up to. In october 2005 they opened shyly for Saint Thomas at Brussels Botanique Club. A few month later, they are back as a support act for Belgian band Venus and The Tellers are truly another group, Ben and Charles show the arrogant talent of the ones that come from nowhere. Okay from nowhere indeed, but you have to reckon that they don't show up holding anything in their hands... Ben has a voice that gives you thrills as Charles is taking care of all subtle acoustic arrangments, the Tellers fire at you with laidback ballads, melancholy tunes,...beauty. Their third gig was at the Nuits Botanique festival in Brussels, they'll play the Dour festival and a couple summer gigs around Europe. They'll have a 7-track-mini album available in june, lend them your ear... or even both... (2) There is at least one pre-existing artist with this name, a power-pop/ pub rock group from Brisbane, Australia fronted by Damien Garvey. They released 2 albums, a cassette-only release in 1991, and CD "Flex" in 1992, and enjoyed a loyal local following.

The Van Jets are a rock group from Belgium. The coastal waves spew forth four of its descendants, including the constantly bickering pair of Verschaeve brothers. The intricate mix of violence and beauty, guitar riffs and great songs, the masculine and the feminine, all mingle to produce The Van Jets' chemistry. The band previously recorded the EP Belvédère Records presents The Van Jets, and the full album Electric Soldiers, from which several songs became hit singles on national radio. Expanding their live reputation outside the steaming clubs, The Van Jets billed many festivals throughout the years, such as Rock Werchter, Pukkelpop, Dour Festival, Marktrock, etc, and toured in the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, and France. Ready for the next step, The Van Jets have now recorded their follow-up album Cat Fit Fury! at the renowned subterranean studio The Garden in London with producer Jon Gray (The Subways, Editors, Infadels, The Kooks, etc. ). Greg Gordon (Wolfmother, Jet, Soulwax) mixed the album.

CONFUSE THE CAT BIO Confuse The Cat beheld the white stage lights in 2002, the same year The Back Street Boys split. In truth a blessed year in music. Their first album Kiss Kiss Kissinger still being bedroom pop, their second album pushed the band towards a more optimistic big-city-sound with impressive drums and old-fashioned electronics. Gradually Confuse The Cat worked at their popularity, with the hit 'Akela' (from their third album 'We can do it') being a major culmination point, camping out on Studio Brussels's play list for months on end. In their own country as well as abroad, the band succeeded in attracting attention with their energetic live reputation. Now, anno 2008, the band is ticking on the window of the better alternative scene with a sturdy 'Aufmachen'. The band, conducted by Geert Plessers (Reiziger, Kosjer D) has returned with new fire shots ahead, with the album 'Kericky' to be released on Zealrecords in the fall of 2008. And the sirens are shrieking. Shelter women and children in the basement and entrench yourself beneath your headphones because Confuse The Cat is whirling into town! The band, injected with fresh members, still avails itself of sharp-edged beats and cleaving guitars. The raging raw live sound owes its reputation to Thielemans' melting guitar echo's, Neyens' metronome-steady grooves, Hoskens' deep propelling bass and most of all the intense ripping-everything-apart voice of front man Plessers. Due to an armoury of dub-sounds, Wobble-bass lines, firm slam-riffs and Luna Park-guitar effects, this pack doesn't allow itself to be labelled. Confuse The Cat is back from never been gone. This time the Belgian pop brigade is marching ahead with swinging hips in the direction of trendy clubs and fresh festivals. The dub-influences recall to memory the great London riots, though be it in white tennis slacks and with a large emphasis on dance, equally due to the portion (collaboration!!!) of Luuk - Shame on you Boy - Cox (Buscemi, Tim Vanhamel, Arsenal), operating from a Malteser mixing table. Kericky! Confuse The Cat is: Geert Plessers: Vocals & Guitar (ex Reiziger, Kosjer-d) - Dirk Neyens: Drumset - Sven Hoskens: Bass - Dirk Thielemans Guitar and Keys

The Rifles are an indie rock band formed in Chingford, London, England in 2004. They are heavily influenced by The Clash, The Jam and 90s Britpop. They have produced 2 albums. Their debut album No Love Lost was released on 17 July 2006 which peaked at #26 in the UK charts. Their highest charting single is Repeated Offender which reached #26. They released their second album entitled Great Escape on 26th January 2009 (originally scheduled for 13th October 2008 release), which peaked at #27 in the UK charts and reached the number 2 slot in the UK indie charts. The first single from the album Fall to Sorrow was also released that day. The band's current line-up is as follows: Joel Stoker(Vocals/ guitar) Luke Crowther Robert Pyne Grant Marsh(drums)

Bell X1 is an irish band which hails from Co. Kildare. The band members are Paul Noonan (vocals) who also plays guitar, percussion and kazoo. Paul plays drums on all of Bell X1's studio recordings. He has also been known to occasionally play drums live if a session drummer is not available. David Geraghty plays lead guitar, banjo, (electric) piano and does backing vocals and sometimes lead vocals. Dominic Philips plays bass guitar and does backing vocals. Until his departure in 2008 Brian Crosby played guitar, keyboards and did backing vocals. 1991 - 2000 Brian, Paul, Dom and Damien Rice form Juniper, having met in school. They go to college, play some weddings, 21st's and Bar Mitzvahs... and for a while have a Sunday night residency in the Kildrought Lounge and Bar, Celbridge. They meet Dave, who weans them off the Neil Diamond and Roxette covers. Band move into house in country, release EP, Manna, and two singles in Ireland. Damien leaves band, the others read about Chuck Yeager and his Right Stuff. They call the new band Bell X1. Bell X1 support Elliott Smith and Bon Jovi in the same 1 week period, leading to severe identity crisis, making small music with big hair. They make their first album, Neither Am I, in the summer/autumn of 1999 with Nick Seymour of Crowded House and release it in Ireland a year later, after much touring and a couple of old singles. 2001 Band take some time to indulge musical differences. Paul records and tours as drummer with Tipperary siren Gemma Hayes, Brian's away with Offaly hearthrob Mundy, and Dave and Dom join Richie Mullen of Lino Richie Carpets, Finglas, in touring cabaret show. Bell X1 regroup in late summer and write songs for what would become Music In Mouth in a house by the sea in Wexford. 2002 Second album recording starts in Ridge Farm studios in Surrey, with producer Jamie Cullum. After 4 weeks they move to the Fallout Shelter, London. The studio has no teapot!! Some moaning. The band take turns to make dinner. Some of it is shit. The world Cup happens. Mixing finishes in July and everyone goes away for a while. Come back and mix it all again. Borrow a friend's house in Kilkenny, record some more songs, play hurling, are laughed at by locals. Music In Mouth finally finished in December, a few days after the birth of Jamie's daughter Ellie, who was both conceived and born during the making of the record. 2003, 2004 The album Music In Mouth is released on July 21st 2003, to tremendous applause, and the band play with all sorts to try to flog it. Tom McRae, Keane, Starsailor, Aqualung and Snow Patrol show them the highways and byways of the UK and continental Europe. Songs from the record appear in many TV series, from Teachers to The OC, and at home the album goes double platinum, with four top 40 singles. In July 2004, the band gather in yet another house in Wexford to write a new record. 2005 Flock is recorded in Dublin and mixed in London, with Roger Becherian producing and Phil Hayes knob twiddling. A shrine to Daniel O' Donnell (Irish singing deity, ref Cliff Richard without ever having had a brush with cool) is created in the green room, Dave creates Pistachio Nut Shell Installation and mustaches are grown. The band take a break from recording and sell out a mini tour in the USA, where they record a live session for Nic Harcourt's essential show on KCRW in L.A. Flock is released in Ireland and hits the heights of #1 in the album charts. The band leaves Island Records and sets up its own record label called BellyUp records. A live album called Tour De Flock is released - it is a 2-disc compilation featuring 16 tracks from their sold-out gig at The Point Theatre, Dublin on December 1, 2006. In 2008, Flock is released in the United States and the band appears on the St. Patrick's Day edition of the Late Show with David Letterman. On 2nd October, Brian Crosby quits saying "It's been an extraordinary privilege to be in a band with your mates for more than 15 years. I'm really grateful for everything I got to do with Bell X1, for all the adventures we had and for the great support of our fans. It's been particularly wonderful to have connected with so many people and to have got to meet people all over the world doing what I love. I look forward to continue making those connections. At the same time I'll be applauding the boys continued success." As well as promoting Flock in the USA, the band gets busy recording a new album Blue Lights On The Runway. It finally sees the light of day in 2009, with lead single The Great Defector becoming their biggest hit to date (no. 3 in the Irish charts).

The Frames (formed 1990) is an Irish band based primarily in Dublin. As of late 2004, the band consists of Glen Hansard (vocals, guitar), Joe Doyle (bass guitar, vocals), Colm Mac Con Iomaire (violin, keyboard and vocals), Rob Bochnik (lead guitar), and Johnny Boyle (drums). On both versions of the album "Fitzcarraldo" the band went by the moniker "The Frames DC", to avoid being mistaken with a United States band of the same name. The Frames have been together since 1990 and are a survivor of Dublin's prolific early 90's rock and roll scene. They have also been essential in the development of the current crop of emerging Irish rock bands, such as Turn. The Frames have toured with various other Irish artists, including Damien Rice and Bell X1. In December 2004, Hansard appeared on stage in a collaboration with singer songwriter Paddy Casey. The name The Frames reportedly arose from Hansard's habit, at a young age, of fixing the bicycles of many of his friends. The large number of bicycle frames lying around his house led neighbours to dub it the "house with the frames". Their new, 6th studio album, The Cost, is available in Ireland since 22 September 2006 and worldwide since 20 February 2007. Lead singer Hansard recently collaborated with Czech musician Markéta Irglová, which led to the solo album "The Swell Season". Glen and Markéta also star and perform in the John Carney movie Once (www.oncethemovie.com). The movie received several awards including the World Cinema Audience Award - Dramatic at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival as well as an Oscar for best Song for the track "Falling Slowly". On several occasions the members of The frames appear on stage during the Swell season gigs.

Dan Sartain is an American rockabilly musician from Birmingham, Alabama. He has released records for Swami Records, One Little Indian, Skybucket Records, Cass Records and Bent Rail Foundation. Although he has released several self-produced albums over the years, his first commercially-available studio album Dan Sartain Vs. The Serpientes was released by Swami Records in 2005. This was followed in 2006 with Join Dan Sartain on the same label. As of June 2007 he is on tour as support for The White Stripes.

Infadels are a London-based rock band signed to the Wall of Sound record label. The band is known for its frenetic live shows. Their debut album, We Are Not the Infadels, was produced by Jagz Kooner and released in January 2006. The follow-up, entitled Universe In Reverse, was released in June 2008. Infadels were founded in 2003 by Bnann (vocals), Matt Gooderson (guitar, programming) and Alex Bruford (drums), who were joined shortly afterwards by Richie Vernon (live keys) and Wag Marshall-Page (Bass). The band released two singles, Leave Your Body and Can't Get Enough/Murder That Sound, on their own record label, Dead at Thirty. The awards for "Best Live Act" and "Best Dance Band" at the 2004 Diesel-U-Music Awards sealed a move to the Wall of Sound record label. In January 2005 the Infadels headed into the studio with producer Jagz Kooner to record their critically acclaimed debut album, We Are Not The Infadels. The band supported the release with an almost constant touring schedule with over 150 shows in 20 countries in 2006 alone. This included two UK tours, three European tours, two Australian tours, a number of shows in the USA & China and 35 festival dates. The band's second album, Universe In Reverse, was released in June 2008. Written largely by Bnann Watts and Matt Gooderson, and produced by Martin "Youth" Glover (The Verve, Guns N' Roses, Depeche Mode), Universe In Reverse makes the leap from dance tent to main stage, with a more urgent, rockier sound characterised by crashing guitars and revving hoover-synths. Guitarist Matt Gooderson described this evolution of the band's sound by saying: "We took the energy and guitars of a rock 'n' roll band like The White Stripes or Yeah Yeah Yeahs, then surrounded the music in deep, cinematic sounds." "Play Blind", the first material from the second album, was given away for free as a limited-time download in February 2008. The next single, "Make Mistakes", was released in April, and "Free Things For Poor People" was released in June 2008, reaching #1 on the UK Indie Singles Charts. On Tuesday the 17th of June, the band threw several thousand pounds from an office window in central London in celebration of their own "Free Things Day". The day was brought to an early close when the band and their fans were cautioned by the police. On Monday the 19th of August they were voted best band at the 2008 Lowlands festival by the Dutch public ahead of Editors and N*E*R*D. Drummer Alex Bruford is the son of drummer virtouso Bill Bruford, famous from bands such as King Crimson and Yes. Bassist Wag Marshall-Page is a friend of Danny Wallace, and is often mentioned in his books. In March 2009 the band announced via their MySpace page that they had already begun recording a follow-up to Universe In Reverse. In June 2009, the band confirmed their third album would be entitled, "The Future of The Gravity Boy" during their interview on 3FM's "That's Live!". In May 2009 the band released their first studio material since "Universe in Reverse", by making their cover of "Sweet Dreams" available on their website. The following month a new track, "Ghosts" was aired on Radio 1 by Alex Metric and backed up rumours of a return to the dance inspired sound of their debut album We Are Not The Infadels.

Comprised of Tom Atkin (vocalist), Martin Hines (guitarist), Josh Hubbard (guitarist); and brothers Lloyd (bassist) and Grant Dobbs (drummer), The Paddingtons were signed by Alan McGee to his Poptones record label. They originally made their name touring in and around the Hull area, at such venues as the Welly Club, the New Adelphi Club, and the Railway pub in Cottingham. Favoured by ex- Libertines frontman Pete Doherty, they toured with his current band Babyshambles. Their debut album, First Comes First, was produced by Owen Morris, producer of Oasis' Definitely Maybe. In November 2006, they headed out on a small scale national tour to road test new material. They appeared alongside The Cribs at the Birmingham Academy. The Paddingtons have also appeared with Dirty Pretty Things at "The Forum" in May, and again at The Spice Festival at the Hackney Empire in July 2007. On a holiday in Taipei, Carl Barat of Dirty Pretty Things broke his collarbone, so they recruited the help of Hubbard to play guitar while Barat's injury healed. The Paddingtons are currently touring new material. The band's second album has just been completed and will be released in the near future. The forthcoming album is to be titled No Mundane Options. The first single from the album, "Stand Down", was available for download via iTunes on the Mama Bear Records label, on 4 August 2008. plans are in place to do a full u.k tour throughout ouctober and november to coinside with the second single and album release out on all formats Hull 2005

The Chap, a pan-European modern pop group based in London and Berlin, began life at the beginning of the last decade. In their quest to create music which "sounds wrong", they pre-empted the current flavour for lo-fi prog-pop by several years and spawned a legion of fans who couldn't believe how a band that revelled in the multilayered detachment and precision of their recordings could dive headlong into the realms of hard rock n roll immediacy, gaining themselves a reputation as one of the most exciting, challenging, and engaging live acts around. After two seminal bedroom-produced albums, "The Horse" and "Ham" - the latter in particular gathering considerable acclaim from the likes of Errol Alkan, Kissy Sellout and The Wire Magazine - The Chap delivered a third album, the masterpiece that is "Mega Breakfast". This album featured corporate motivational style anthems about "proper music" and wanting to clone oneself. Despite being lauded by Pitchfork and many others, commercial success and world domination continued to evade The Chap, so they finally decided to "sell out" by recording a collection of pop classics that constitute their fourth album "Well Done Europe". Needless to say, it's another masterpiece featuring hit after hit, quite a few of which mention love and death and stuff like that. It sounds like the coolest new wave pop album ever recorded by a group of teachers (almost nobody in The Chap is a teacher). The Chap's music marries a deep passion for pop culture with arch observation and a sense of the surreal. This new album is no exception - a unique and heady blend of taut, hideously catchy melodies, hip snaking rhythms, memorable but unconventional lyrics all cut through with a wry sense of humour that some might describe as 'Dadaist'. Witness the frenetic, summery vibes of 'Even Your Friend', the shimmering, tightly wound grooves in 'Nevertheless The Chap' and the chugging, intimate closer 'Chalet Chalet' - "Well Done Europe" is The Chap at the pinnacle of their powers, and quite possibly their finest work yet.

Dear Leader are a Boston based rock group formed in 2003. The band takes its name from the communist dictator of North Korea, Kim Jong-il. Originally, Dear Leader was a solo project by singer, songwriter, and guitarist Aaron Perrino (formerly the frontman for The Sheila Divine) with the intention of it having a revolving lineup for each album. For live performances, Perrino recruited his friends guitarist Will Claflin, bassist Jon Sulkow (formerly of Tugboat Annie), and drummer Paul Buckley (formerly of Orbit) - all of whom now form the permanent lineup for the band. Perrino has a very distinctive aggressive vocal style which really adds to the feel of the music.

We Are Scientists is an American indie rock band featuring Keith Murray (guitar and lead vocals), Chris Cain (bass guitar and backing vocals), Max Hart (keys and guitar) and Andy Burrows (drums). Co-founder Michael Tapper (drums and backing vocals) left the band in 2007 and is currently a member of the bands Bishop Allen and Fool's Gold. They formed in 2000 in Claremont, California, United States. Their name was inspired by an awkward conversation with a U-Haul employee who was inspecting a van that the band had rented. The U-haul employee, attempting to make polite conversation, asked the three bespectacled band members if they were brothers. They said no. He asked if they were scientists, as they looked like they could be the kind of people who wear lab coats. They told him that they were musicians, not scientists. To this day, they regret telling the truth. They are not named after the Cap'n Jazz song which bears the name. The band formed while its members attended the Claremont Colleges. Murray and Cain attended Pomona College; Michael Tapper attended Harvey Mudd College. The band has released three self-made EPs (Bitching!, Safety, Fun, and Learning (In That Order) and In Action). Their debut LP, With Love and Squalor was on Virgin Records, the first three singles of which were "Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt", "The Great Escape" and "It's A Hit". The album takes its name from the J.D. Salinger short story "For Esme - With Love and Squalor". They have since released LP Crap Attack, which is a collection of B-Sides, covers and other rarities, and their full follow-up album, Brain Thrust Mastery which debuted in the UK on March 17,2008 reached number 11 at the UK Album charts. On the 1st November 2007, NME reported that Michael Tapper has left We Are Scientists under amicable circumstances, and on September 18, 2007, the band announced on their website that Max Hart, a keyboardist and guitarist who has played live with them before, has joined the band temporarily. As they put it: "There's no easy answer as to how long Max will stick around. Maybe we'll grow to hate his sanctimonious ways, which for now tickle us so. Maybe he'll grow to hate our open-minded, funny, refreshing, handsome ways, thus achieving what psychologists and bookies long ago labeled impossible." And to make things even more exciting for the band, We Are Scientists is featured in the soundtrack of the 2008 film Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist, which Bishop Allen - at the time featuring former We Are Scientists drummer Michael Tapper - appears in a cameo. According to Keith Murray's Wikipedia he was nominated for World's Sexiest Vegetarian 2007 and is predicted that he will be the new face of Louis Vuitton's spring/summer '09 collection. The Band's 3rd effort, Barbara, is slated for a release in June of 2010 and features ex-Razorlight drummer Andy Burrows.

Based in Philadelphia, PA, Man Man is an experimental indie band that incorporates Eastern European and circus-esque styles in their music, creating a unique sound. The band consists of Honus Honus (lead vocals, piano, percussion), Pow Pow (drums, auxiliary percussion), Critter Crat (aka Cougar) (guitar, trumpet, bass, marimba, vocals), Organ Freeman (synth, organ, accordion, vocals), and Chang Wang (alto sax, bari sax, vibraphone, melodica, flute, percussion, vocals).

Their style has been compared to a mixture of Tom Waits, Frank Zappa, and Captain Beefheart. Man Man is known for their distinctive live shows where the members of the band dress in white tennis outfits and don war paint. During their sets the band does not take breaks between songs in order to keep a constant energy level.

Man Man has released two LPs with Ace Fu Records: The Man In The Blue Turban With A Face (2004) and Six Demon Bag (2006). In November 2007 they signed with Anti- to release Rabbit Habits (2008). Their second Anti- release is slated for the spring of 2010.

Cold War Kids are an indie rock band from Fullerton, California, USA. Band members are Nathan Willett (lead vocals, piano, guitar), Jonnie Russell (guitar, vocals, percussion), Matt Maust (bass guitar) and Matt Aveiro (drums).

The band started in historic downtown Fullerton in Jonnie's apartment above the restaurant Mulberry St. (their first EP title). They are avid supporters of unsigned talent such as the band Electric Furs. They have toured in support of Two Gallants, Tapes 'n Tapes, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Sound Team, Muse and The White Stripes. Their music is heavily inspired by artists such as Jeff Buckley, Bob Dylan, Velvet Underground and Johnny Segment. Recently they starred in an MTV2 special titled "Cold War Kids Takeover!" They appeared on Soccer AM and were announced as Norwich City F.C. Fans. They were going to tour with The White Stripes for their Icky Thump tour, but The White Stripes had to cancel.

In 2007, they contributed to OKX, a tribute to the 10-year-old Radiohead album OK Computer, recording their version of the track "Electioneering." Nathan Willett identified Radiohead and the album as a strong influence, saying, "It's the only album that I feel compelled to say way too grandiose things about, that rock journalists have already said plenty: Like that OK Computer is the single most important album to be released during my youth and that it was a rite of passage. But that really is the truth and I have never had an emotional connection with an album quite like I have with this one."

He also explained why the band chose to cover "Electioneering" from the album: "I'm not saying 'Electioneering' is the best song on the album, but (still, a big claim!) it's certainly the most badass. It's lyrically everything we want to do - bursts of concrete imagery."

Ever since 2002 when Adam Stephens (guitar/vocals/harmonica) and Tyson Vogel (drums/vocals) began making noise at house parties and on street corners they've slowly been carving out their own creative space. In a world where bigger is often considered better and quality is sacrificed with ease, Two Gallants have risen against the tide with their cathartic, stripped-down sound and depth of material to forge an intimate bond with a wide array of fans.

"The intensity of our interaction while playing is clearly quite different" explains Stephens. "I think it's the product of both of us pushing our own selves so hard and so far that out of necessity we have to lean upon each other to keep from flying off the track."

There is no substitute for an honest, deep connection built on trust and respect. Through the shared experience of growing up together in San Francisco, Two Gallants have pushed each other into a unique and timeless spectrum of music. They craft emotional, visceral, intelligent songs that remind us of America's folk, country, and blues traditions but are fuelled with the energy of punk. Through Stephens' first-person narratives, murder ballads, and drunken outlaw tales, Two Gallants have tapped into the universal struggle of the human condition as they channel the pain of men twice their age.

Speaking of their on-stage relationship, Stephens says, "[As a guitar player] I stick to the basic structure of the song, Tyson listens to the changes in vocals and melody; he draws them out and intensifies them. Tyson has a plan but it never grows old and lost in routine." While Vogel's unorthodox drumming and gut-wrenching support vocals give the songs life, it's Stephens' words that give them a soul. "There's something about the way he sees things" says Vogel. "He's very convicted, clear and emotionally pregnant. There's a real unique clarity and truth to what he sees and how he puts that forward through music and writing."

As the band continued to grow, tour, and write new songs, they found a home at the seminal indie label Saddle Creek in both the US and Europe. Always known as a record label that does things their own way, the fertile grounds of Saddle Creek have provided Two Gallants with the freedom to grow as they constantly work to refine their craft. In response to their nearly 200 international shows last year and two solid albums (2004's The Throes and 2006's What The Toll Tells) Two Gallants have garnered remarkable praise in almost every major music publication including MOJO, Rolling Stone, Harp, Paste, Uncut, Pitchfork, Vice, NME, to name a few. But it's the pair of 2007 releases, the acoustic EP Scenery of Farewell and self-titled third full-length, that finds the band coming of age in the studio. "The live context is always where we've felt the most comfortable, it's where the magic or the spiritual side of things comes in" offers Vogel; "where as recording has taken some warming up to, until now."

After working with Alex Newport (Mars Volta, At the Drive-In) on a new mix of The Throes, they developed a creative compatibility and asked him to produce their next two albums. By combining Newport's personality, experience as a musician and recording engineer with a new batch of songs the band had written specifically for the new record, Two Gallants have created their most fully-realized, cohesive piece of work to date.

While the new album documents the band's growth and maturity, as Stephens says, "This record was a bit of a return to our beginnings. I think that's why we decided to have it stay simple and self-titled." By harnessing the power of what they do live and relying on each other, Two Gallants expands on what makes this band so special: their exceptional songwriting and raw chemistry.

www.twogallants.com

Customs is a combo of four retrofuturists, known for melody, atmosphere and mathematical edge. Influences detected by several journalists include: The House of Love, Echo & The Bunnymen, The Sound, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry and Cocteau Twins. Customs is known as well for making fame in a rather swift fashion: In April 2009 Customs became the first ever Artist in Residence at Het Depot. Around the same time Customs' first single, entitled "REX", was released. It stayed at the n°1 spot of De Afrekening for 4 weeks and popped up in the Ultratop Chart as well. July marks the recording of their first album and the mastering at the legendary Abbey Road Studios by the even more legendary Geoff Pesche (Gorillaz, Basement Jaxx, Simon Webbe, Kylie Minogue, Athlete, Coldplay and Dizzee Rascal). In the summer of 2009 they were welcomed at the Pukkelpop festival and received raving in reviews in the Dutch magazine Oor as well as in the Flemish weekly Focus Knack. In September 2009, the band was elected 'Vi.be On Air' Band of the Year 2008-2009 by Studio Brussel. One week later "Justine" was released as the first single of the forthcoming debut album. The band played a concert to remember at the Leffingeleuren Festival and proudly presented a music video for "Justine", shot in Berlin and directed by Joris Rabijns. On 26th October 2009 'ENTER THE CHARACTERS' found its way to every record store. De Morgen celebrated the release with a four star review Best Belgian Album Of The Year.Focus Knack put the four retrofuturists on their cover Belgian Revelation Of The Year and also Humo(Belgian weekly) hails them in their pages. CUSTOMS is: Kristof Marie August Albert Uittebroek (vocals, guitar) Joan Willy August Govaerts (bass) Jelle Florentius Mark Janse (guitar) Ace Mirko Zec (drums).

Bloc Party are an English alternative rock band. In 2005, the band released their critically acclaimed debut album Silent Alarm. Their second studio album, A Weekend In The City was released on February 5, 2007 in the United Kingdom and February 6 in the United States. A third album, Intimacy, was released in August 2008 as a download and later as a CD release on October 27. The band consists of Kele Okereke (vocals, guitar), Russell Lissack (guitar), Gordon Moakes (bass, vocals) and Matt Tong (drums). Formation and rising popularity Bloc Party have been together since 2002, with names such as Superheroes of BMX, The Angel Range, Diet, and Union, before settling on Bloc Party in September 2003. Band members Kele Okereke and Russell Lissack have formed the fulcrum of these various incarnations, and were subsequently joined by bassist Gordon Moakes who answered an advert in the NME, and most recently drummer Matt Tong. Lissack and singer/guitarist Kele Okereke first met in 1998 in Essex, where Lissack had grown up and Okereke attended school. Lissack attended Bancroft's School and Okereke attended Ilford County High School until 16 then Trinity School for sixth form. They bumped into each other again in 1999 at the Reading Festival and soon after formed the band Union. In 2003 they changed their name from Union to Bloc Party. The name is a play on block party, a name for an informal neighbourhood festival, which might hire a local band as entertainment. The band have said that the name was not intended to be an allusion to the Soviet Bloc or the Canadian political party Bloc Québécois; the absence of a 'k' is purely for aesthetics. However, the band's bassist, Gordon Moakes, said on the group's official internet forum that it was more a merging of the eastern and the western "parties", in the political sense. Moakes notes that the name was not driven by politics, but rather it "looked, sounded, seemed fine so we went with it." In November 2003, Bloc Party had their track "The Marshalls Are Dead" featured on a compilation CD called The New Cross released by Angular Recording Corporation. Soon after they released their debut single "She's Hearing Voices" on the then fledgling record label Trash Aesthetics. The band got their break after Okereke went to a Franz Ferdinand concert in 2003, and was able to thrust a copy of the single into the hands of both Franz lead singer Alex Kapranos and Radio One DJ Steve Lamacq. Lamacq subsequently played the song on his radio show, labeling the track "genius", and invited them to record a live session for the show. The buzz generated off the back of the single sparked some A&R interest, leading to another single "Banquet", this time released by the label Moshi Moshi, and to the eventual signing with indie label Wichita Recordings in April 2004. Bloc Party's own variation of spiky guitar rock draws on influences such as The Cure, Gang of Four, The Smashing Pumpkins, Sonic Youth, Pixies, Joy Division, and XTC, but the band says that some of these bands are just comparisons. Does that last bit even mean anything? The drumming on Bloc Party songs is often influenced by the London dance and R&B scene whilst the guitar demonstrates typical indie sharpness with alternative panned chords and fast chord picking. To achieve their unique guitar style, BOSS echo effects equipment is implemented and is particularly apparent on the track "Like Eating Glass". The musical style of A Weekend in the City is more varied, however, drawing influence particularly from more expansive sounding bands, including Radiohead. As large as Bloc Party has been over recent years, they are still in their youth. They have developed unique songs and sounds, but they are still trying to find their own personality. The song "Flux" was released at the end of 2007 as an add-on to A Weekend in the City. The band is coming to terms with its growth and development, and should find itself with its next album. Silent Alarm; Their debut album Silent Alarm, released in February 2005, was met with critical acclaim and broke sales records, being voted by NME critics as the 2005 album of the year and reaching #3 on UK album charts (selling platinum in the UK). The second single from the album "So Here We Are" made the top 5 on UK charts. Further singles "Banquet" (which reached #13 in NME's "Top 50 singles of 2005"), "Helicopter" (which featured on the FIFA 06, Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure, Project Gotham Racing 3, Burnout Revenge and Guitar Hero III game soundtracks) and "Pioneers" (July 2005), whilst failing to repeat this success, managed to make dents in the UK top 20. The animated video for the single "Pioneers" was number one in the NME video charts for 4 weeks and was made for a tiny budget in four weeks by the Shoreditch based Mini Vegas design agency. Even though the band was met with good reviews from critics in America, Bloc Party failed to break through to the pop or rock charts in the US. Bloc Party became one of the most popular new bands of 2005, and the established electronic group The Chemical Brothers soon collaborated with Okereke for "Believe", a track on the Brothers' Push the Button album. An album of remixes of tracks from Silent Alarm was released at the end of August in the UK. This remix album, Silent Alarm Remixed, retained the album's original track list and includes remixes from the likes of Ladytron, M83, Death from Above 1979, Four Tet and Mogwai. During July, they recorded two new tracks (titles were given of "Hero" and "Two More Years") with Silent Alarm producer Paul Epworth. The latter, "Two More Years" was released on October 3 to coincide with their October 2005 UK tour. The songs were released as an EP titled Two More Years, accompanied with a re-release of Silent Alarm, which included "Two More Years" itself along with former single "Little Thoughts". The single format of "Two More Years" contained a remix of "Banquet" done by The Streets, for which a video was also recorded. The band also contributed the track "The Present" to the Help: a Day in the Life compilation, the profits of which benefits the War Child charity. The single "Banquet" was sampled in 2006 by DJ Green Lantern for a track with Apathy, Tak (of rap duo Styles of Beyond) and Mike Shinoda. The track, entitled "Bloc Party", appears on Green Lantern's Fort Minor: We Major mixtape. A Weekend in the City; The band released their second album, called A Weekend in the City on February 5, 2007 in the UK and February 6 in the United States. The album debuted at #12 in the Billboard 200 with 48,000 copies sold. It became available via the UK's iTunes store a day ahead of schedule, on February 4, and reached the #2 spot in the Official UK Chart. The album was produced by Jacknife Lee. The first single, "The Prayer", was released on January 29. This single had been located on their MySpace since November 22, 2006. The next single, "I Still Remember", is their first American single. In the build up to the release of the album, Zane Lowe aired a live set from Maida Vale featuring a mix of old songs and new ones on his evening radio show on BBC Radio 1 on January 30, 2007. On February 1, 2007, A Weekend in the City was made available to listen to for free through the band's official MySpace page. The band's first gig following the release of AWITC was on February 5 at Reading Hexagon. It was broadcasted live on BBC's Music Station 6 Music that night as well. Bloc Party played in the Live Earth concerts on July 7, 2007 and T in the Park and the Oxegen Festival that same weekend, as well as Glastonbury and the Reading and Leeds Festivals 2007. On 27th October, Bloc Party showed "Flux" to the world at their gig during the BBC Electric Proms, and on November 12th, they released the single. It charted well, reaching #8 in the UK charts, and was well received both by critics and fans, despite the new electronic direction. Intimacy (2008-present) On 7th July, Bloc Party premiered new track "Mercury" on Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show following a countdown timer on Bloc Party's website. The track took a bold new direction, moving away from guitar rock, with an experimental electronic sound. The track charted at #16 in the UK charts when it was released as a single on the 11th of August. On the 18th of August, in a webcam chat with fans, they announced that their third album, Intimacy, would be released for download on their website on the 21st of August. The album contained On the 23rd and 24th of August, Bloc Party played second headliners before The Killers at Reading & Leeds Festivals, opening their set with "Mercury", and also playing "One Month Off" from their new album. They also played an entirely unplanned encore of "She's Hearing Voices". The album Intimacy was released in physical formats on October 27th, featuring additional tracks, such as current single "Talons". As of October 2009, the band has gone on hiatus. Drummer Matt Tong has hinted he may not come back if the band reform. Kele has recorded a solo album to be released sometime in 2010, Gordon has a side project called "Legionnaire" and Russell also has a band called "Pin Me Down".