Shed Seven

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Shed Seven


Img_capt =
Background = group_or_band
Origin = York, England
Genre = Britpop
Alternative rock
Years_active = 1990-2003, 2007-present
Label = Polydor Records [1993-1999]
Artful Records [2001-2002]
Taste Media [2003]
URL = http://www.shedseven.com
Current_members = Rick Witter
Paul Banks
Thomas Gladwin
Alan Leach
Joe Johnson
Past_members = Fraser Smith

Shed Seven are an English indie rock band from York and were one of the groups that contributed to the Britpop music scene that evolved during the 1990s, yet never received the degree of mainstream success achieved by bands such as Oasis and Blur. They formed in 1990 and originally comprised Rick Witter (vocals), Joe Johnson (guitar and keyboards, later replaced by Paul Banks), Tom Gladwin (bass) and Alan Leach (drums). They belonged to the post-Smiths wave of UK musicians such as the Sundays and Marion, with a sound relying heavily on complex guitar arpeggios in a minor or tonic key and wailing vocals. At the height of their popularity between 1994 and 1999 they had a number of top 40 singles and four top 20 albums in the UK. The band officially broke up in 2003, but announced their reformation for a greatest hits tour in mid 2007.

The early years

Shed 7 formed in 1990 from the ashes of Brockley Haven, a band featuring Witter, guitarist and songwriter Paul Banks and Gladwin, along with John Leach, brother of Alan Leach, and Magnus Thomson. Both Witter and Banks had also previously played together in a band named ENAM, performing to German exchange students in Banks's front room.

Prior to signing a six-album deal with Polydor Records in November 1993, guitarist Joe Johnson left the band and was replaced by Banks. The band twice entered the local Fibbers/"Evening Press" Battle Of The Bands competition, twice failing to win, whilst in September 1993 they were voted third best live act at London's Inner City Festival.

The band's name derived from their return trip to York. As they approached York railway station, they noticed a small shed on the sidings labelled "Shed 7". Witter said: "all my previous band names sounded like cheeses so I wanted something cool, simple and completely original".

Their debut single, the double A-side "Mark/Casino Girl", was released on March 7th 1994, but failed to make the UK Top 40. The follow-up single, "Dolphin", released on June 13th 1994, peaked at number 28 with first week sales reaching 15,000, leading to Shed Seven's first "Top of the Pops" appearance on June 23rd 1994.

Despite their third single release, "Speakeasy", entering the UK charts at number 24 and giving them their biggest hit to date, the first negative press reviews began to emerge. Writing for the UK music magazine "NME" in August 1994, John Mulvey believed that it represented:

"Four clumsy blokes trying to come over all sensuous, fragile and complex. Ham-fisted, circling elaborations in a doomed search for a song."

Despite gaining a loyal and ever-growing following of fans, the band failed to receive much positive press attention in the UK; "NME" never featured Shed Seven on its cover, whilst the now defunct "Melody Maker" did so once.

("Speakeasy" was later to be re-written as an advertising jingle in 1999, for the mobile phone company The Link, with Witter later admitting regret at his re-recording and re-wording of the original. As a result, the song was omitted from Shed Seven setlists for a number of years, only making its live comeback as a stripped-down acoustic version on their "farewell" tour, in December 2003.)

As well as enjoying popularity in both the UK and Australia, Shed Seven also found an audience in Thailand, where they managed to beat London-based pop act East 17 to the Christmas number 1 spot with their fourth single release, "Ocean Pie".

Peak of success

With five UK Top 40 entries in 1996, Shed Seven had more hit singles than any other act that year, the high point coming with the release of their seventh single, "Going For Gold", which entered the UK chart at number 8 on March 17th. A sold-out thirteen-date Autumn tour followed, including their debut at the York Barbican Centre.

The definitive band line-up released 3 studio albums - "Change Giver" (1994), "A Maximum High" (1996; originally titled "In Colour") and "Let It Ride" (1998) - along with a greatest hits compilation, "Going For Gold" (1999). The release of the latter was apparently forced upon the band by their record company, Polydor, after "Let It Ride" failed to match the album sales of its predecessor, which sold 250,000 copies in Britain alone.

Despite the band's reservations about issuing such a compilation so soon in their career, the album featured brand new material in "Disco Down" and "High Hopes", both intended to be issued as singles. "Disco Down" went on to become the last Banks-era hit for the band, peaking at number 13, whilst "High Hopes" was sidelined by Polydor in favour of a proposed re-release of the previous single, "Going For Gold". However, the band refused to comply, leading to Shed Seven and Polydor Records parting company in late 1999.

hed Seven mark II

In December of the same year, Paul Banks left the band by mutual discontent, with Rick Witter citing "musical differences" for the split. Banks was replaced by original guitarist Joe Johnson, while part-time keyboardist Fraser Smith was also added to the permanent line-up.

The band signed a new contract with Artful Records, and in 2001 went on to release their fourth studio album, "Truth Be Told", which spawned two further singles in "Cry For Help" and "Step Inside Your Love".

Despite finding themselves a new deal, the band were continually dissatisfied with the lack of promotional support from their label, and frustrated by apparent mismanagement and delayed releases. This was highlighted by Artful's decision to change the band's "Step Inside Your Love" single release from a 2 CD chart-eligible format to a non-eligible 4-track EP, ending their chances of a 15th consecutive chart hit.

The band were further hindered by BBC Radio 1's refusal to playlist them in their post-Polydor days (despite DJ Chris Moyles being a long-time supporter of the band).

As a result, Shed Seven quit Artful Records in 2002.

Beginning of the end

In 2003, Shed Seven found a new home at Taste Media, and soon returned to the charts in the form of their seventeenth single, "Why Can't I Be You?", released on May 5th and peaking at number 23. This proved to be their first and last single release for the label, as the band lost patience with Taste's refusal to release their fully recorded would-be fifth studio LP, slated for release in September 2003. With Taste demanding another big hit before they were willing to release a new Shed Seven album, the ready and complete LP was held back indefinitely.

As a consequence, the band announced their imminent split via the official Shed Seven website on 23rd November 2003. One further album release did, however, come of their time at Taste: their only official live album, "Where Have You Been Tonight? Live", recorded at various destinations on tour in December 2002.

The band arranged a "farewell tour", accompanied by a statement noting that::"Although we feel that certain aspects of the music industry have put a strain on the recording side of things in recent years, the one thing that has remained consistent throughout has been the band’s love of performing live and the ability to please the fans by giving 100% every time. This is exactly what we plan to do at these last remaining shows, making a special effort to play what people want to hear."

The final tour was a sell-out success, with the last gig played on 20th December 2003 at the Barbican Centre, in their hometown of York.

hed Seven post-split

Album releases

An alternative hits 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". The 'new' material, which would have comprised 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, surfaced in June 2006.

Band members

Former lead singer Rick Witter began a solo career with "Rick Witter & The Dukes" in 2005. The band played several low-key gigs in Scotland as well as two sold-out shows in York shortly before Christmas of the same year, before embarking on a month-long tour in April and May 2006. The Dukes' debut album, "The Year Of The Rat", produced by both the band and Will Jackson (who has also worked with The Music and Embrace), was released on April 16th 2007.

Alan Leach returned to York, where he teaches drums and runs "speedquizzing" in two of the city's bars. Tom Gladwin went on to join the Leeds-based pop/dance outfit The Clients with former members of The Dandys. In 2007 Tom Gladwin started a new band, people:in airports, with singer/songwriter and guitarist Paul Downes.

After leaving Shed Seven, Paul Banks went on to form The Rising, a York-based band comprising of Banks (guitar/bass/keyboards), David McKellar, formerly of The 88's (vocals), Rob "Maxi" Maxfield, formerly of Audioweb/Ian Brown (drums/programming) and Stuart Fletcher, formerly of The Seahorses/Rick Witter & The Dukes (bass). Banks also returned to York to become both a freelance film-maker and music tutor, teaching guitar/bass and songwriting at his studio in Pocklington.

Reunion tour

On 5 July 2007, after widespread rumours, the band announced a greatest hits reunion tour of 14 UK venues for November and December 2007, starting in Scotland and culminating at London's Shepherds Bush Empire.

The reformed line up includes all original members, including both Joe Johnson and Paul Banks; Fraser Smith, however, does not appear to be involved in the reunion. This will be the first time Banks has appeared on stage with the band since 1999. The announcement also stated: "These plans do not affect the individual members’ projects which will continue as before. This includes Rick, who recently released a debut album with his new band The Dukes".

By mid July, several major venues had completely sold out and a further five concerts were announced, including two extra dates in London. The tour finished on 22nd December 2007 at Carling Academy Glasgow. Paul Banks commented: " None of us could have predicted the overwhelming response to the Shed Seven Reunion Tour. This has now turned into the biggest tour that the band has ever undertaken."

In September 2007 Universal Music and Polydor Records announced the forthcoming release of a double CD featuring the best of Shed Seven’s BBC recordings. Unlike a "Greatest hits" package, the CD is an alternate take on the band’s career, and comprises some of the their biggest hits (including "Going For Gold", "Dolphin", "On Standby" and "Getting Better") alongside lesser-known album tracks and B-sides, all recorded between 1994-1997 at BBC’s Maida Vale studios or for its "Live In Concert" broadcasts.

Released on 15th October 2007, all tracks were hand picked by the band, with sleeve notes by Paul Banks. The artwork also features rare photos from the recording of the sessions at the BBC’s studios.

The band are scheduled to appear at both the T in the Park festival in Balado, Scotland, and V Festival in Chelmsford and Staffordshire during summer 2008.

Shed Seven are honoured in the present day by the Yorkshire band Ched Evans, fronted by scraggy haired ruffian James Glossop, a lifelong seven fan, who formed the tribute band two weeks after the bands hit single Dolphin 99 entered the charts.

Discography

ingles/EPs

*"Mark/Casino Girl" (March 1994) [reached #80 on UK singles chart]
*"Dolphin" (June 1994) [#28]
*"Speakeasy" (August 1994) [#24]
*"Ocean Pie" (October 1994) [#33]
*"Where Have You Been Tonight?" (May 1995) [#23]
*"Getting Better" (January 1996) [#14]
*"Going For Gold" (March 1996) [#8]
*"Bully Boy" (May 1996) [#22]
*"On Standby" (August 1996) [#12]
*"Chasing Rainbows" (November 1996) [#17]
*"She Left Me On Friday" (March 1998) [#11]
*"The Heroes" (May 1998) [#18]
*"Devil In Your Shoes" (August 1998) [#37]
*"Disco Down" (May 1999) [#13]
*"Cry For Help" (April 2001) [#30]
*"Step Inside Your Love EP" (November 2001)
*"Why Can't I Be You?" (May 2003) [#23]

Albums

*"Change Giver" (1994) [reached #16 on UK albums chart]
*"A Maximum High" (1996) [#8]
*"Let It Ride" (1998) [#9]
*"Going For Gold" (1999) [#7]
*"Truth Be Told" (2001) [#42]
*"Where Have You Been Tonight? Live" (2003) [#113]
*"The Collection" (2004)
*"One Hand Clapping - The Unreleased Demos 2001-2003" (2005)
*"Live at the BBC" (2007)
*"The Singles Collection" (2008)

VHS

*"Stuffed" (1997). Features all the Shed Seven promo videos up to the date of release, along with live footage of various album tracks and B-sides recorded at the Forum, London on December 16th 1996.

DVD

*"See Youse At The Barras" (2003). Features Shed Seven recorded live in concert at the Glasgow Barrowlands, Scotland on December 3rd 2002.
*"Classic Shed Seven" (2005). Released as part of the "Universal Masters DVD Collection" series, the disc contains the promo videos of 10 Shed Seven singles.

External links

*MySpace|officialshedseven
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:o2jleay14xs7~T1 Shed Seven at AMG]

Media

* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/4146424.stm "Britpop - Where are they now?" BBC News, August 2005] Audio clip (Realplayer)
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/music/2002/12/06/shed_review.shtml Concert review and recorded interview, BBC Manchester, December 2002] (Realplayer)
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xEgX-fFHJM Promo video, Shed Seven reunion tour] July 5, 2007