The Maccabees

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This article is about the English band. For national Jewish movement, see Maccabees.
The Maccabees

Background information
Origin Brighton, England
Genre(s) Indie rock
Years active 2004–present
Label(s) Fiction Records
Fierce Panda Records
Website Official website♠
Members
Orlando Weeks
Hugo White
Felix White
Rupert Jarvis
Robert Dylan Thomas

The Maccabees are an English indie band, based in Brighton and originally from south London. They are known for their very poetic and metaphorical lyrics.


Contents

[edit] Name

The band came up with the name 'The Maccabees' by opening the Bible at random [1]. Despite adopting a name with religious connotations, lead singer Orlando Weeks has more recently affirmed, in an interview on Steve Lamacq's BBC Radio 1 show, that none of the band are religious.

[edit] History

Their debut single, "X-Ray", was released on Promise records on 28 November 2005, and received some evening play on London radio station Xfm London. They received little significant exposure, however, until six months later, when they released their second single, "Latchmere", the subject of which is the wave machine at the Latchmere Leisure Centre in Battersea, south London[citation needed], on Fierce Panda Records in April 2006. This was championed by Radio 1 DJ Steve Lamacq and received airtime on MTV2. The video, directed by Hugh (Sportsday Megaphone)Frost and Samuel Bebbington, also proved an internet hit after it was posted on YouTube.

In mid-2006, influential music magazine NME gave the band some extremely favourable press, including a review of their headline show at Cafe dé Paris in London, where the magazine called the band "the best new band in Britain". The NME also put the band on the NME Rock 'n' Roll Riot Tour (sponsored by O2) in October 2006, alongside The Horrors, The Dykeenies and headlined by The Fratellis.

In November 2006 the band toured with Fields, ¡Forward, Russia!, and Wolfmother as part of the MTV Two "Brand Spanking New Music" tour. Drummer Robert Dylan Thomas, having broken his wrist just before the band were due to begin touring, was replaced by session drummer Elliott Andrews, who toured with the band until early 2007. Andrews now drums for Kate Nash.

The band are currently signed to Fiction Records, and released their début album Colour It In in May 2007. Because an early copy of the album appeared on the internet, Colour It In became available to download exclusively from iTunes on 17 April, before its physical release on 14 May, in an effort to combat the leak. The single "First Love" was their first to chart in the UK top 40, and was followed by "About Your Dress", which peaked at #33. Their album fared much better, which was released to positive reviews, and charted at #24. They recently toured the USA with fellow indie group Bloc Party. A full UK tour followed from October 2007, culminating in a sell-out show at the Roundhouse venue in London. And then Nottingham Uni in May.

During late 2007, Samsung used the track "Toothpaste Kisses" in its advert campaign for its SGH-G800 mobile phone.

The band are currently in the process of writing material for a follow up album. The band played two new songs to Steve Lamacq on his "In New Music We Trust Show" on Radio 1 in May 2008

[edit] Band members

  • Orlando Weeks – vocals and guitar (live) for some songs
  • Hugo White - Guitar
  • Felix White – Guitar and Vocals
  • Rupert Jarvis – Bass
  • Robert Dylan Thomas – Drums

All of the band write the lyrics together. Orlando designs the band's artwork. Guitarist Felix White was formerly in a band with close friend and current solo artist Jack Peñate. This band was called 'Jack's Basement'. Felix and Hugo White are brothers, along with Will White, who is the lead singer and guitarist with another Indie band, Talk Taxis.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Album

Name (& Label) Release Chart Position
Colour It In (Fiction Records) 14 May 2007 #24 UK

[edit] Singles

Name (label) Release date Chart position
"X-Ray" (Promise Records) 28 November 2005 N/A
"Latchmere" (Fierce Panda Records) 10 April 2006 N/A
"Precious Time" (Steve Lamacq Live Session) / "X-Ray (Filthy Dukes Society Remix)" (Fiction Records) 14 September 2006 N/A
"First Love" (Fiction Records) 14 November 2006 #40
"About Your Dress" (Fiction Records) 26 February 2007 #33
"Precious Time" (Fiction Records) 7 May 2007 #49
"Toothpaste Kisses" (Fiction Records) 7 January 2008 #70

[edit] EPs

Name (& label) EP Release Date Chart Position
You Make Noise, I Make Sandwiches (Haircut Records) August 2004 N/A
Toothpaste Kisses (Fiction Records) 10 October 2007 N/A

[edit] External links

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Talking Shop: The Maccabees. BBC Entertainment. Retrieved on 2008-01-14.
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