Guillemots

Infobox musical artist
Name = Guillemots


Img_capt = From left to right: MC Lord Magrão, Greig Stewart, Fyfe Dangerfield and Aristazabal Hawkes
Landscape = yes
Background = group_or_band
Origin = England
Genre = Indie rock
Years_active = 2004–present
Label = Fantastic Plastic
Polydor
URL = http://www.guillemots.com/
Current_members = Fyfe Dangerfield
MC Lord Magrão
Aristazabal Hawkes
Greig Stewart

Guillemots (sometimes written gUiLLeMoTs) are a BRIT Award nominated indie rock band formed in November 2004 by Fyfe Dangerfield. The band consists of 4 members: Fyfe Dangerfield, MC Lord Magrão, Aristazabal Hawkes, Greig Stewart. The band has experienced chart success since they formed, with their single "Get Over It" reaching number 20 in the UK Singles Chart in March 2008. Their second album, Red, reached number 9 in the UK Albums Chart in the same month.

History

Fyfe Dangerfield began writing songs in his native Birmingham and then in Bromsgrove. His early band, Senseless Prayer, recorded a session for John Peel's Radio 1 show in 1999. Dangerfield then began song writing under the name "Fyfe Dangerfield and the Accident", and in 2004 he featured alongside Misty's Big Adventure, Mike in Mono, Dreams of Tall Buildings, and X Is Greater Than Y on a promotional CD that was offered free with "The Birmingham Post", called "Broader Than Broad Street". He then joined old school friend, Paul "Booby" Tooby, on his "Ragamuffin Blues but Holes in my Shoes" tour.

Dangerfield had moved to Bromsgrove in 1988; he moved to London in 2002, where he recruited the current line up. He also became a maverick music teacher for Cranbrook College.

" (a real-life variation of the band's namesake).

Dangerfield, Ward and Cundy are also founding members of the jazz ensemble Gannets. [ [http://www.myspace.com/gannets MySpace.com - Gannets - London, UK - Big Beat / Power pop / Expérimentale - www.myspace.com/gannets ] ]

Birds are the source of inspiration for the band not just in name. For example, their 2006 EP "From the Cliffs" continues the Guillemot theme, the bird's natural habitat being steep sea cliffs. In their MySpace entry their influences are given as 'BIRDSONG first and foremost', although the only artist that all the band members have publicly stated as being an influence is Björk [ [http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/news.aspx?id=619 Glastonbury Festivals ] ] . Their first album features recordings of Red-throated Diver "Gavia stellata" and European Robin "Erithacus rubecula", as well as the line 'flitting like a flycatcher', a reference to the mercurial movements of these birds, and the song "Redwings", after the thrush species of the same name. In June 2007, the band appeared on the BBC Four documentary, "Why Birds Sing", contributing their musical talents to a Birdsong-inspired collaboration called "The Twitch".

The band are signed to Fantastic Plastic, who released their debut album in 2006, but after offers from several majors they will eventually move to Polydor.

The band ended a very successful 2005 opening for Rufus Wainwright's sold-out UK tour and began 2006 by being awarded fifth place in the BBC Sound of 2006 [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4514016.stm BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Sound of 2006: The Top 10 ] ] survey. Guillemots' debut album, "Through The Windowpane" was nominated for the 2006 Mercury Music Prize, and was second favourite to win from the outset, but lost out to Arctic Monkeys debut "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not". It received a good deal of critical acclaim, scoring an average of 81% on metacritic.com's overview of the critical response [ [http://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/guillemots/throughthewindowpane?q=guillemots Guillemots: Through The Windowpane (2006): Reviews ] ] .

"Trains To Brazil" was promoted in September, 2006, as their fourth (second chart-eligible) single; a new version of "Annie, Let's Not Wait" was released as their next single, on January 15, 2007.

The latest album, "Red" was released on March 24, 2008. [http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0011648ZU] , preceded by the single "Get Over It" on March 17th.

Live performances

Guillemots have made numerous live performances since they first appeared in the music world in 2004.On the 29 June 2006 Guillemots performed a set on the Gideon Coe's BBC 6 Music show and in the 6 Music Hub.They started their second full scale UK tour on October 16 2006 in Birmingham and it ends on the 4th November in Oxford (the first took place in April/May of the same year). They are known for their live performances, which are varied every night. They often perform songs differently live to how they are performed on their recordings. The recent tour saw the live "premiere" of many of their songs, including "By the Water" (which features double-bassist Aristazabal Hawkes on vocals), and the rarely performed "Cats' Eyes" from their debut EP.

One of their most notable live performances to date came in October 2006 at the first BBC Electric Proms when the band performed 7 tracks (including four from their "Of the Night" EP) with a full orchestra, with songs transcribed and arranged for such a performance by Dangerfield himself. This included a rare (and somewhat unusual) performance of the song "Bad Boyfriend" where the entire band donned animal masks.

Support on Guillemots' tours is often varied, usually with two support acts for each show - one main support who stay with them for the majority of the tours' dates (Misty's Big Adventure in early 2006 and The Last Town Chorus for their Autumn tour), as well as a first support act, specific to the location (examples include Beerjacket, The Courtesy Group, The Bellagios, Richard Burke and Grace and Delete). Another common support/friend of the band is Joan As Policewoman, who the band met while performing as support for Rufus Wainwright.

Guillemots have also performed live with political songwriter Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly and supported Snow Patrol at Wembley Arena in December 2006, in a performance culminating in a lightsaber duel between the band's tour manager, and MC's guitar tech, on stage as Dangerfield played percussion on a tray [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MY_y0t_ItA] .

The band appeared at the V Festival both in 2007 and in 2008. They played Marlay Park on 25 August 2007 as one of the support acts to Damien Rice.

Guillemots, along with Sons and Daughters supported KT Tunstall at the 2008 Eden Sessions, held at the Eden Project, in Cornwall. The band played a free concert in Huddersfield on 29 June 2008, along with Elliot Minor and The Script. They also played a set on the O2 Wireless Main Stage in London's Hyde Park on 4 July 2008, supporting acts such as The Wombats, Dirty Pretty Things, Beck and Morrissey.

They performed the Uncut Arena at the 2008 Latitude Festival on Saturday 19 July; in addition to this, they also played a live set to a screening of David Lynch's film Eraserhead at the Music & Film Arena on the preceding Friday. The band performed as the first warm-up act, followed by Editors, for REM on the 27 August 2008 at the Southampton Rose Bowl.

In June 2008, Guillemots had their Kentish Town Forum gig filmed and later broadcast on Channelbee.

Members

*Fyfe Dangerfield (also known as Fyfe Antony Dangerfield Hutchins) - singer, keyboard and guitar
*MC Lord Magrão - guitar and bass
*Aristazabal Hawkes - double bass and percussion
*Greig Stewart (also known as Rican Caol) - drums and percussion

The "Bridled" Guillemots

*Alex J. Ward - Alto Sax
*Christopher Cundy - Soprano Sax, Tenor Sax, Baritone Sax and Bass Clarinet

Discography

Albums

*"Through the Windowpane" (July 10, 2006) #17 UK
*"Red" (March 24, 2008) #9 UK

EPs

*"I Saw Such Things in My Sleep EP" (September 5, 2005)
*"Of the Night" (February 14, 2006)
*"From the Cliffs" (March 14, 2006)

ingles

*"Trains to Brazil" (December 5, 2005)
*"We're Here" (March 27, 2006)
*"Made-Up Lovesong #43" (June 26, 2006) #23 UK
*"Trains to Brazil" (Re-release) (September 11, 2006) #36 UK
*"Annie, Let's Not Wait" (January 15, 2007) #27 UK
*"Get Over It" (March 17, 2008) #20 UK
*"Falling Out of Reach" (May 26, 2008) #49 UK
*"Kriss Kross/Clarion (double A-side)" [ 4 Music Buzz Chart = No 6 [http://soundcheckmusic.proboards85.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=international&thread=14142&page=1 Sound Check - "Kriss Kross," Guillemots ] ]

TV

*"Friday Night With Jonathan Ross" Performing 'Annie, Let's Not Wait' (2006)
*"Top Of The Pops" Performing 'Made-Up Lovesong #43' (2006)
*"Waterloo Road" 'Trains To Brazil' background music. (2007)
*"Hollyoaks" 'Made-Up Lovesong #43' background music. (2007)
*"EastEnders" 'We're Here' played in Queen Vic. (2007)
*"EastEnders" 'Trains To Brazil' played in Phil Mitchell's car. (2007)
*"Never Mind The Buzzcocks" Fyfe Dangerfield appeared on the TV quiz show (2007)
*"Talk to Me" 'Made-Up Lovesong #43' appeared as background music in last episode. (2007)
*"Friday Night With Jonathan Ross" Performing 'Get Over It' (2008)
*"Lily Allen And Friends" Performing 'Get Over It' (2008)
* Hollyoaks Music Show Performing 'Get Over It' (2008)
* "The Nokia Green Room" - Performing 'Falling Out Of Reach' (2008)

Trivia

*The single "We're Here" was named "Single of the Week" on the [http://www.jungalist.net/ Jungalist] website on March 27, 2006.
*Their song, "Trains to Brazil" was given out as "Single of the Week" on iTunes.
*On June 19 2006 they played their first Top Of The Pops performance; it was for single Made-Up Lovesong #43. A memorable show where guitarist MC Lord Magrao had his back to the audience and played his guitar into a set of mirrors, reflecting his performance back to the crowd.
*Guillemots often use quirky musical instruments, such as the sound of a typewriter in the song "Who Left The Lights Off, Baby?"
*During the weekend of 1st July 2006 they appeared on Transmission with T-Mobile on Channel 4, E4 and More 4.
*'Through The Windowpane' was nominated for the 2006 Mercury Music Prize.
*The band share a tour manager with Scottish rock band Biffy Clyro. Apparently there are various crew members shared by the band.
*Made-up Lovesong #43 is used as background music on Sky Sports Champions League games
*During Paul McCartney's "Radio 1 Legends" show, celebrating the 40th anniversary of the station, he played some of his favorite songs. One of those was the song "Little Bear", "a very brave way to open an album" he said. He stated his admiration for the track's "beautiful orchestration".

External links

;Official sites
* [http://www.guillemots.com/ Guillemots Official Website]
*MySpace-music|id=guillemotsmusic|name=Guillemots
* [http://www.fantasticplasticrecords.com/guillemots.htm Guillemots] at Fantastic Plastic

;News and media
* [http://www.thisisfakediy.co.uk/articles/445.html Guillemots band profile] on This is Fake DIY
* [http://www.musicomh.com/interviews/guillemots_0308.htm Guillemots interview] on musicOMH.com
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire/content/articles/2006/10/31/guillemots_review_feature.shtml Guillemots gig review] on BBC Berkshire online.
* [http://www.platformsmagazine.com/3/contents/guillemots.htm Early Guillemots interview] on Platforms Magazine
* [http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/news.aspx?id=619 Interview with Fyfe Dangerfield and Greig Stewart] on Glastonbury Festival
* [http://bandweblogs.com/blog/2007/03/19/guillemots-drummer-greig-stewart-interview-with-bandweblogscom Interview with Greig Stewart] on Band Weblogs
* [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/03/01/bmguillemots101.xml Guillemots: Not like any other pop] Article on Telegraph
* [http://comfortcomes.com/?page=artist&artist=Guillemots Guillemots album reviews]

Notes