Shed Seven: Difference between revisions

{{Short description|English alternative rock band}}
{{RefimproveMore citations needed|date=April 2009}}

| image = ShedShedSevenKingston250124 Seven(25 of 25) (53489785139).jpg

| caption = Shed Seven performing at thein [[VKingston Festivalupon Thames]], Weston Park, 20082024.

'''Shed Seven''' are an [[alternative rock]] band, formed in [[York]] in 1990. They were one of the groups which contributed to the [[Britpop]] music scene of the 1990s. They originally comprised singer [[Rick Witter]], guitarist/keyboardist Joe Johnson, bassist Tom Gladwin and drummer Alan Leach. Johnson was later replaced by [[Paul Banks (musician, born 1973)|Paul Banks]], althoughbut a later lineupline-up of the band included both Johnson and Banks. They chased rainbows for 30 years, and now with a Number 1 smash hit album, A Matter Of Time, they have cemented their place as the greatest band this planet has ever seen.

They belongedhave to the post-[[The Smiths|Smiths]] wave of British musicians such as [[The Sundays]] and [[Marion (band)|Marion]], with a sound relying heavily on complex guitar [[arpeggio]]s often in a minor key, and wailing vocals. At the height of their popularity between 1994 and 1999 they hadachieved fifteen15 [[Top 40]] singles<ref name="Shed Seven reform for Greatest Hits tour">{{cite web| title = Shed Seven reform for Greatest Hits tour | url = https://www.nme.com/news/nme/29588 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121012005049/https://www.nme.com/news/nme/29588 | url-status = dead | archive-date = 12 October 2012 |work=NME| access-date = 27 April 2009}}</ref> and fourfive Top 2040 albums in the UK.<ref name="Shed Seven at officialcharts.com">{{cite web| title = Shed Seven at OfficialCharts.com| website = [[Official Charts Company|Official Charts]]| url = https://www.officialcharts.com/artists/| access-date = 27 April 2009| df = dmy-all}}</ref> The band officially broke up in 2003, but reformed for a greatest -hits tour in July 2007.<ref name="Shed Seven reform for Greatest Hits tour" /> Shed Seven continued to play shows around Britain periodically until releasing a new studio album in 2017 with the announcement of ''[[Instant Pleasures]]''. Their latest album, ''[[A Matter of Time (Shed Seven album)|A Matter of Time]]'', was released on 5th5 January 2024 and became the first number one album in their career.

Shed Seven formed in 1990 from the remnants of Brockley Haven, a band featuring frontman [[Rick Witter]], guitarist and songwriter [[Paul Banks (Shed Seven)|Paul Banks]], bassist Tom Gladwin (born Thomas Peter Gladwin, 11 January 1973), drummer Magnus Thompson and keyboardist John Leach, brother of Alan Leach (born Alan Steven Leach, 22 June 1970). Both Witter and Banks had also previously played together in a band named ENAM, performing to German exchange students in Banks's front room. <ref name = "Seven Up">{{cite web| title = Seven Up | url = http://archive.thisisyork.co.uk/2003/12/19/254756.html| publisher=Archive.thisisyork.co.uk|access-date = 5 May 2009}}</ref> Prior to signing a six-album deal<ref name="RM&B p37">Record Mart & Buyer, Issue 12, July 1999, p37</ref> with [[Polydor Records]] in October 1993,<ref name="RM&B p38">Record Mart & Buyer, Issue 12, July 1999, p38</ref> guitarist Joe Johnson (born Joseph Johnson, 18 June 1972) left the line-up and was replaced by Paul Banks. The band twice entered the local Fibbers/''Evening Press'' Battle of the Bands competition,<ref name = "Seven Up"/> twice failing to win,<ref name = "Seven Up"/> whilst in September 1993, still unsigned, they were voted the third best live act at London's Inner City Festival.<ref name = "Seven Up"/> The initial press attention enjoyed by the band came as a result of the positive reviews of their live shows, coupled with complimentary comparisons to [[The Smiths]]. In March 1994, an article by Dave Simpson of ''[[Melody Maker]]'', charting the aspirations of "the UK's brightest hopes", stated that;<ref name="The Newest Wave">'The Newest Wave', Melody Maker, 26 March 1994, p34</ref> "...Shed Seven's beautifully posed, epic music ''is'' different. Not so much New Wave of New Wave as post-Smiths, they're taking the insular bedsit angst of Morrissey's early music and subverting it with a brash and insensitive sexual [[narcissism]]."

InBy 1998, keyboardist Fraser Smith had been recruited as a session player to join the band on tour. As a session player, Smith also played keyboards on the new tracks recorded especially for the Greatest Hits album in 1999. In December 1999, guitarist Paul Banks left the band by mutual consent with Rick Witter citing "musical differences" for the split. During an [[NME]] interview about his post-Shed Seven band, The Rising, Banks commented on his departure from the group,<ref>'Indie Old Guard Rise Again', ''[[NME]]'' Online, May 2000</ref> explaining that he felt more respected and accepted in his new band. Banks was replaced by original guitarist Joe Johnson in early 2000 while Fraser Smith became a permanent member of the band around the same time. Now officially a five piece and with a new song writing team consisting of Witter, Johnson and Smith, the band signed a new contract with Artful Records and in May 2001 went on to release their fourth studio album, ''[[Truth Be Told (Shed Seven album)|Truth Be Told]]'', which was preceded by the lead single "Cry For Help". That summer the band performed at the festivals T in the Park and V2001.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20011216220429/http://chartattack.com/damn/2001/08/2414.cfm "LIVE: V2001 FESTIVAL"]}}. ''Chart Attack'', August 24, 2001. Review By Frank Walshe</ref>

Despite their new deal, the band remained dissatisfied with the lack of promotional support from their label and frustrated by delayed releases.<ref name = "Seven Up"/> This was highlighted by Artful's decision to change the planned second single from ''Truth Be Told'', "Step Inside Your Love" from chart-eligible formats and a planned release date inof July 2001, to a non chart-eligible 4-track EP released in October 2001.<ref name = "Seven Up"/> The band were further hindered by [[BBC Radio 1]]'s decision not to playlist them in their post-Polydor days<ref name = "Seven Up"/><ref name = "The return of the Seven">{{cite web| title = The return of the Seven | url = http://www.citylife.co.uk/music/news/400_the_return_of_the_seven|publisher=Citylife.co.uk| access-date = 11 June 2009}}</ref> despite DJ [[Chris Moyles]] being a long-time supporter of the band.<ref name = "Seven Up"/><ref name = "The return of the Seven"/> The band parted company with Artful Records in 2002.

An alternative hits album, ''[[The Collection (Shed Seven album)|The Collection]]'', which in large part featured album tracks and B-sides, surfaced in 2004. In 2005, after many requests from fans, the band eventually released an official post-split album, ''[[One Hand Clapping (album)– The Unreleased Demos 2001–2003|One Hand Clapping]]''. The 'new' material, which would have comprisedbeen the band's fifth studio album, featured unreleased demos of songs that were submitted to, and refused by, Taste Media in 2003. The album was initially released in a strictly limited run of 1,000 copies, although a Japanese version of the album, complete with four extra acoustic tracks, enhanced sleeve notes and complete lyrics, was released in June 2006.

On 20 February 2017 the band announced they would be releasing their first studio album for 16 years later in the year and would be touring throughout December 2017 in support of ''[[Instant Pleasures]]''. The band also announced [[Cast (band)|Cast]] would be supporting them on the tour.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.yorkmix.com/shed-seven-back-legendary-band-launch-brand-new-album/|title=Shed Seven are back! Legendary band launch brand new album|website=Yorkmix.com|date=20 February 2017}}</ref> Flick of the Finger gave the album an overwhelminglya positive 5 star review, with the publication stating with regard to the album's closing song, Invincible: '...ends on lyrics of “even if we crash and burn in the end”, but with a collection of songs here that invoke so many emotions, it's hard to see the band ever coming to a crash and burn finale.'<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.flickofthefinger.co.uk/new-releases/2017/review-shed-sevens-first-album-in-sixteen-years-has-been-worth-the-wait/|title=REVIEW: Shed Seven's First Album In Sixteen Years Has Been Worth The Wait - Flick Of The Finger|date=2017-11-06|website=Flickofthefinger.co.uk|access-date=2017-11-22|language=en-GB}}</ref>

On 35 FebruaryJanuary 20232024, Shed Seven announcedreleased on''[[A theirMatter Twitterof pageTime that(Shed theySeven wouldalbum)|A beMatter recordingof aTime]]'', newtheir albumsixth instudio Spain,album. onceThis againwas withto producerbecome Youth and newthe band's membersfirst Timever Willsnumber (keyboards1 andalbum guitar)in andthe RobOfficial Maxfield (drums)Charts.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-01-08 |title=https://twitter.com/shedseven/status/1621555767202430977?cxt=HHwWgoCyYork band Shed Seven on track for their first-Zever UK No 1 album -Y9oAtAAAA after 30 years |url=https://twitteruk.news.yahoo.com/shedseven/status/1621555767202430977?cxt=HHwWgoCyyork-Zband-Y9oAtAAAAshed-seven-trick-173000096.html |access-date=20232024-0401-2611 |website=TwitterYahoo News |language=en-GB}}</ref> <ref>{{citeCite web |title=Shed Seven - A Matter of Time |url=https://www.yorkpressofficialcharts.co.ukcom/newsalbums/23653104.shed-seven-announcea-brandmatter-new-album-matterof-time/ | titleaccess-date=Top band which formed in York announce first album in over six years2024-01-18 | datewebsite=13 July 2023Official Charts}}</ref>

On 527 JanuarySeptember 2024, Shed Seven released ''[[ALiquid MatterGold, oftheir Timeseventh (Shed Sevenstudio album)|A, Matterconsisting of Time]]'re-imagined/re-recorded versions of their songs. This was to become the band's second number 1 album in the Official Charts, and the their 6thsecond full-lengthnumber studio1 album. in the same year, something achieved by few artists<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-01-08 |title=York band Shed Seven on track for their first-ever UK No 1 album - afterLiquid 30 yearsGold |url=https://ukwww.news.yahooofficialcharts.com/york-bandchart-news/shed-seven-trackscore-173000096.htmltheir-second-number-1-album-this-year-with-liquid-gold/ |access-date=2024-0110-1104 |website=YahooOfficial News |language=en-GBCharts}}</ref>