Razorlight

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Razorlight
Razorlight perform at Make Trade Fair Live, 2004
Razorlight perform at Make Trade Fair Live, 2004
Background information
Origin London, England
Genre(s) Indie Rock, Post-punk, Pop
Years active 2002–present
Label(s) Mercury Music (UK) (Universal Music Group)
Label type: Major
Website http://www.razorlight.co.uk/
Members
Johnny Borrell
Björn Ågren
Carl Dalemo
Andy Burrows
Former members
Christian Smith-Pancorvo

Razorlight is an Anglo-Swedish band formed in 2002 by singer-songwriter Johnny Borrell.

Contents


[edit] Band History

At the start of their career Johnny Borrell's new outfit began by supporting The Libertines at various venues (including 333 in Old Street) where a young A&R scout, Justin Cross, found them and put them in Liam Watson's Toerag Studios where he produced the tracks "Rip It Up", "Rock 'n' Roll Lies" and "In The City" alongside John Fortis. Off the back of these tracks the band (now named Razorlight) began getting serious A&R heat due to the songs success on radio stations such as John Kennedy show on XFM.

The band then became very popular on the London music scene. Large demand caused the band to play extra shows, including a 7,000+ capacity gig at Alexandra Palace. The album was heavily marketed in the UK.

Following the release of their successful debut album Up All Night in summer 2004, drummer Christian Smith-Pancorvo left the group and was replaced with Andy Burrows.

Up All Night was re-issued in April 2005, including the previously unreleased single "Somewhere Else", which peaked at Number 2.

In July 2005, the band performed at Hyde Park, London as part of the Live 8 series of concerts. However, the band came under fire for being the only band that did not donate their extra revenue to charity. The band subsequently claimed that due to their "fledgling status", they were unable to make such a commitment. [1]

Razorlight supported Queen + Paul Rodgers on July 15, in front of 60,000 people. This gig had been rescheduled following the July 2005 London bombings. In December of the same year, they supported Oasis, at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium. They also supported The Rolling Stones at their gigs in Cologne and Paris.

During the Christmas season the band played an intimate show at the Railway Inn in Winchester. They were supported by up and coming London band Captain Phoenix, who are fronted by drummer Andy Burrows' younger brother Ben.

The band played their biggest tour to date in October-November 2006 and also supported Richard Ashcroft in his homecoming gig at the Lancashire County Cricket Club on June 17.

In November 2006 the band had to be hospitalised after traces of radioactive poisoning was detected on their plane. Their British Airways return flight from Moscow was a scheduled route used by Russian ex-spy Alexander Litvinenko. [2]

In 2007, Razorlight were nominated for two BRIT Awards - one for 'Best British Band' and the other for 'Best Song', "America". They were also nominated for two NME Brit Awards for 'Best Band' and 'Best Album'.

They played Reading on 24 August, and Leeds on 25 August 2007. They also played the Main Stage on 19 May in Preston for Radio 1's Big weekend alongside bands such as Kasabian and the Kaiser Chiefs.

On July 7, 2007, Razorlight performed at both the UK leg of Live Earth at Wembley Stadium, London, and T in the Park in Balado, Scotland.

[edit] Up All Night

Razorlight's debut album, Up All Night, was released on June 28, 2004, reaching number 3 in the UK album charts. [3] The critical reception was generally good, receiving good reviews from NME, Q magazine and Billboard, although they were also accused of lack of imagination and unoriginality for allegedly borrowing ideas from other influential bands such as The Strokes.

[edit] War Child

Razorlight contributed the song "Kirby's House" to the War Child charity album Help-A Day in the Life.

[edit] Razorlight

Continuing their association with The Who which started at the Live 8 gig, Razorlight debuted some of new songs from their forthcoming second album live on March 30, 2006, in one of a chain of Teenage Cancer Trust concerts, organised by Roger Daltrey. Later that year, on July 2, they played to a sellout Hyde Park Calling gig, where they were preceded by The Zutons, and opened for The Who. The band went on to play on the beach opposite Brighton's West Pier on July 12 in a free concert as part of a Vodafone TBA event broadcast on Channel 4.

Razorlight released their second album Razorlight on July 17, 2006, in the United Kingdom and it debuted at #1 in the UK Albums Chart a week later. It received mixed reviews, Q magazine giving it a rare 5/5 rating, whilst Pitchfork Media gave it 2.8/10. The leading single from the album, "In the Morning" was released as a single on July 3, 2006, which peaked at #3 in the UK Singles Chart. To date, it is their third biggest single after "Somewhere Else", which peaked at #2, and "America", which peaked at #1. It also reached #2 on iTunes' top songs chart.

[edit] Funeral Blues

Razorlight's latest song, Funeral Blues was recorded in support of The Big Ask, Friends of the Earth's climate campaign. The song was recorded at The Premises in East London - Europe's first solar-powered recording studio.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

[edit] Singles

Year Title Chart Positions Album
UK Singles Chart UK Download Chart Irish Singles Chart US Modern Rock.
2003 Rock ‘N’ Roll Lies 56 - - - Up All Night
Rip It Up 42 - - -
2004 Stumble and Fall 27 - - -
Golden Touch 9 3 - 32
Vice 18 - - -
Rip It Up (re-release) 20 - - -
2005 Somewhere Else 2 2 - 36
2006 In The Morning 3 5 - - Razorlight
America 1 1 6 -
Before I Fall to Pieces 17 17 37 -
2007 I Can't Stop This Feeling I've Got 44 - - -
Hold On 80 - - -

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.nmefestivals.com/t_in_the_park/news/112932
  2. ^ NME: Bands caught up in spy poison scandal [1]
  3. ^ UK Top 20 Albums @ Top40-Charts.com - 40 Top 20 & Top 40 Music Charts from 25 Countries
  4. ^ Platinum Awards Content
  5. ^ Platinum Awards Content

[edit] External links


v • d • e
Razorlight
Johnny Borrell | Björn Ågren | Carl Dalemo | Andy Burrows
Albums
Singles