The View (band)

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The View
The View onstage at the Glasgow SECC, November 17, 2006
The View onstage at the Glasgow SECC, November 17, 2006
Background information
Origin Dundee, Scotland
Genre(s) Indie Rock
Years active 2005 – Present
Label(s) Current
1965 Records (Sony BMG/Columbia)
Former
Two Thumbs
Website www.theviewareonfire.com
Members
Kyle Falconer
Kieren Webster
Peter Reilly
Steven Morrison

The View are a band from Dundee who have received much media praise.

The band are currently signed to 1965 Records and their debut single, "Wasted Little DJs", was released on August 7, 2006. The single entered the MTV Two/NME charts on July 9, 2006,[1] eventually reaching number one on August 13, 2006. On the same day, the song reached number 15 in the UK Singles Chart.[2]

The View released their debut album Hats Off to the Buskers on January 22, 2007, which entered the UK Album Chart at number one the following week.[3] It was nominated for the 2007 Mercury Music Prize.[4]

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Origin

The View initially formed around a cover band at school, playing their own versions of bands such as Squeeze and the Sex Pistols.[5] Lead singer Kyle Falconer, guitarist Peter Reilly and bassist Kieren Webster attended St John's RC High School, while Drummer Steven Morrison attended Harris Academy. They began by preforming a number of their own songs and cover versions at school talent contests. Following this, the band set up base to write their own material in a back room of The Bayview Pub, a bar owned by Falconer's cousin.[5] They progressed to play many eventful cover gigs and weddings around the Dundee area, including the Centenary Bar in Central Dundee and a caravan park in Arbroath. The band were later ejected from their base in The Bayview, following singer Kyle Falconer reportedly riding a scooter along the bar.[6][7]

[edit] The Doghouse, Lemuria and Two Thumbs

The View at The Doghouse, Christmas Eve 2006.
The View at The Doghouse, Christmas Eve 2006.

The band continued to write and rehearse, gathering an ever-growing army of fans wherever they played. Local club promoter John (Lemuria) More, and current manager Grant Dickson, had been working together on the ambitious Lemuria Sessions project with producer Robin Wynn Evans based at T-Pot Studios for around a year, and the three worked with The View and other local acts, continuing to work under the name of Lemuria. Most of the initial Lemuria Sessions project were filmed by Stephen Johnson who was lecturing at Dundee College, teaching a young Kieren Webster who keenly handed over a demo knowing that the Stephen was working on Music based film project. Dickson and Evans later split from More and Lemuria to form Two Thumbs, More taking on the role of entertainments manager at the Doghouse which was being taken over by new management Sarah Hill who offered the band their spare room upstairs to continue rehearsing. Both Two Thumbs and Lemuria continued to work with The View following the split with Two Thumbs taking on band management, and the band went on to write the majority of what was to be their first album upstairs in the Doghouse. Stephen Johnson went on to film the original promo video for Face for the Radio during the View's recording session for the View EP, during the recorded take at T-Pot.

[edit] Early recordings

Embarking on a 'World tour of Dundee', they continued to play and sharpen their craft at 'unlikely' local bars around the town. A live performance and band interview was professionally filmed at The Doghouse on 29 October 2005 (known as the "Halloween footage" as it took place on the nearest Saturday to Halloween) as part of a Lemuria video session night. From this performance, live recordings of "Posh Boys" and "Comin' Down" were made widely available for download.[8]

After their second billed gig at The Doghouse, they were signed to local Dundee record label Two Thumbs and released the self-titled The View EP in early 2006. Alongside the EP, the band recorded a complete demo album at T-Pot studios in Perthshire and this was made available for download from the band's Two Thumbs management website. Videos were also made available to accompany the T-Pot recordings of "Face for the Radio" and "Wasted Little DJs". The Wasted Little Dj's video was filmed by the bands manager on a hastily arranged trip to Londonderry to play in Stephen Johnston's home town. This is when they first met Mickey Bradley from the Undertones who invited them back to Derry to support the Undertones at their New Year show 2005 / 2006.

[edit] Babyshambles support

Prior to a gig in Dundee by the band Babyshambles, The View handed over The View EP and busked to an amused and impressed Pete Doherty. The View fought off stiff competition from 4 other bands also trying to play a set in support of his own band's performance later that night. A few months later Doherty asked The View to support a national Babyshambles tour.

On 27 February 2006, drummer Steve was arrested with Doherty, driving the wrong way down a one-way street in Birmingham. No charges were brought.

[edit] Media attention

The band's free CD with 1965 Records, on the cover of NME, November 25, 2006.
The band's free CD with 1965 Records, on the cover of NME, November 25, 2006.

It was during this period, the band came to the attention of BBC Radio 1 presenters Zane Lowe, Edith Bowman and Jo Whiley as well as BBC Radio 2 presenter Dermot O'Leary who gave them airplay nine months before the album hit number one. The band's live performance of "Wasted Little DJs" (later to be their first single) featured on Zane's 8 February 2006 show.[9], alongside established acts The Kooks and be your own PET. Soon after, tracks from the debut EP began to be played on Radio 1 and other local and national stations. In particular, Jim Gellatly, at Xfm Scotland, featured the band heavily on X-Posure Scotland, his new music show. A live acoustic session was recorded for the show broadcast 3 May 2006. Tracks featured were: "Face For The Radio", "Wasted Little DJs", "Superstar Tradesman" and "Same Jeans"[10]

Co-writer and bassist Kieren Webster, was voted No. 6 on the NME Cool List 2006 Top 50, in the issue dated 25 November 2006. The band took part in the NME Awards Tour 2007, beginning January 2007[11] and "Wasted Little DJs" was voted Best Track of the year at the annual NME Awards 2007.[12]

[edit] 1965 Records

In early 2006, the band signed to James Endeacott's new record label 1965 Records, part of the Sony BMG group and linked to Columbia Records. A rare live version of "Screamin' n Shoutin'", recorded at the University of Abertay Dundee, headlined the NME/1965 Records cover CD featured with the NME issue dated 25 November 2006.

[edit] Debut album and singles

In mid-2006, they began to record their debut album, with Owen Morris, who has previously produced albums by Oasis and The Verve. Titled Hats Off to the Buskers, the album was released on 22 January 2007 and entered the UK album chart at #1 on 28 January.[13]

Taken from the album, their first single, "Wasted Little DJs", was released 7 August 2006. The single entered the UK top 75 at #73 on the week before full release, due to download sales alone, and climbed to #15 the following week. Four weeks prior to release, on July 9, 2006, the single entered the UK MTV/NME video charts at Number 9,[14] climbing to Number 1 on 13 August 2006.[15] The single was the BBC Radio 1 Colin and Edith show's record of the week for week commencing Monday, 10 July 2006 and entered the BBC Radio 1 daytime playlist on 12 July 2006.[16]The band followed up with their second single "Superstar Tradesman", released 23 October 2006, also reaching #15 in the UK.

"Same Jeans", the third single from the album, was released 15 January 2007. It became their most successful single to date, reaching #3 in the UK Singles Chart and becoming a major hit for the band. Subsequent singles however, a double a-side of "The Don"/Skag Trendy and "Face for the Radio", failed to receive such chart success, reaching only #33 and #69 respecively in the UK Singles Chart. "Face for the Radio" is the band's only single to not chart in the UK Top 40.

In an interview with Radio Forth One's Mark Martin, which was recorded at the Gate House, Edinburgh, The View admitted their song "Face for the Radio" was inspired by Karen Ballingall of Dundee based radio station Tay FM.[17]

[edit] First headlining tour

The Automatic, The View, The Horrors and Mumm-Ra on stage at NME Indie rock tour 2007
The Automatic, The View, The Horrors and Mumm-Ra on stage at NME Indie rock tour 2007

In mid-2006, the band began a UK wide headline tour. During this tour the band played their first headline show in Scotland at the Liquid Room on 1 September 2006, they then went on to play dates with other major acts and feature in the MTV Two Gonzo tour.[18][19]. Documenting this, a half hour long special "On Tour With The View" was broadcast on MTV Two on 18 November 2006.

During the tour, The View played with the Underground Heroes at the Tap'n'Tin in Chatham. At the end of the night The View and Underground Heroes joined forces on a version of 'Same Jeans'. The union prompted the band to be called 'The Underground View'.

[edit] Japan and U.S. mini tour

In December 2006, the band played gigs in Tokyo, Japan and made their first trip to the USA, in January 2007, playing dates in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles.[20]. A follow-up U.S. tour due in March 2007 was postponed because of visa problems. This was reportedly due to singer Kyle Falconer's arrest for cocaine possession in August 2006.[21]. Falconer was convicted of cocaine possession and fined £1000. The tour was rescheduled for May 2007. This tour has now been cancelled.[22].

[edit] Album headline tour

The band announced a national tour in April 2007 to mark the album release. Tickets for the entire UK tour sold out within 1 hour. In August, they headlined the NME/Radio 1 stage at the Carling: Reading and Leeds festival. [23]

[edit] Winter tour

The band announced a 6 date national tour for December 2007 to support their new album due out in 2008. They played the 2nd at Edinburgh Liquid Rooms, 3rd at Leeds Cockpit, 4th at Brighton Concorde 2, 10th at London Astoria, 11th at Stoke Sugarmill and the 13th at Dundee University. [24]

[edit] Major appearances

Their biggest performance so far was at BBC Radio 1's One Big Weekend in Dundee on 14 May 2006 and this was followed, soon after, by their second major festival appearance at T in the Park on 8 July 2006.[25][26][27] They played again in 2007, when they also performed at the Glastonbury Festival.

On 26 August and 27 August 2006, The View were a last-minute addition to the Reading and Leeds Festivals. The NME reported the fans' chant of "The View, The View, The View are on Fire!" could be heard ringing loudly around the packed tent.[28] They also played both festivals in 2007.

On 22 July 2006, the band appeared , live in the studio, in an 18 minute long segment of the Dermot O'Leary show on BBC Radio 2. This featured an interview with the band as well as live performances of "Face for the Radio" and a Ska version of the Squeeze classic "Up the Junction".[29]

On 9 August 2006, the Zane Lowe show on BBC Radio 1, featured the band in a live session and interview. "Same Jeans" and "Up the Junction" were performed live from the Maida Vale studio. On 15 August 2006, the Janice Long show on Radio 2 featured the band live in the studio. The View performed acoustic versions of "Claudia", "Same Jeans" and "Superstar Tradesman".

On 26 October 2006 the band's complete 30 minute set for the BBC Electric Proms was broadcast live on Radio 1's Zane Lowe show.[30]

On 11 August 2006, The View performed "Wasted Little DJs" live for the first time on national UK television, on the Channel 4 show "Transmission".

On 10 November 2006 the band appeared on the BBC2 show Later with Jools Holland alongside Kasabian, Damien Rice and Smokey Robinson among others.

In 2007, the band performed shows in Australia and performed "Same Jeans" on the talk show Rove Live. Instead of waiting on-stage to shake hands with the host, the band immediately left the stage, leaving Rove McManus with a simple pat on the back from Steven Morrison.

[edit] Members

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

The Band have recorded 4 songs for their new album. They have performed 3 of them during their winter tour. 'Jimmys Crazy Conspiracy' about their mate Jimmys conspiracy theories about The New World Order, '5 Rebeccas' is about one night in which they met 5 girls all called Rebbecca and 'One Off Pretender' about their time in an Aberdeen jail cell. A demo MP3 of 'Jimmys Crazy Conspiracy' appeared on their artist friends' website www.ryanmcphail.co.uk. Drew Mcconnell from Babyshambles appeared in the backing vocals of the rough recording.

[edit] EPs

[edit] Singles

Date of release Title UK Singles Chart Position Album
August 7, 2006 "Wasted Little DJs" 15 Hats Off to the Buskers
October 23, 2006 "Superstar Tradesman" 15 Hats Off to the Buskers
January 15, 2007 "Same Jeans" 3 Hats Off to the Buskers
April 23, 2007 "The Don/Skag Trendy" (Double A-Side) 33 Hats Off to the Buskers
June 25, 2007 "Face for the Radio" 69 Hats Off to the Buskers

[edit] References

  1. ^ The View top NME chart. NME. Retrieved on 2006-07-09.
  2. ^ The View score massive chart hit. NME. Retrieved on 2006-08-13.
  3. ^ The View Debut Album Tops UK Chart. Ilikemusic.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-21.
  4. ^ Mercury Music Prize: The nominees. BBC News. Retrieved on 2007-07-19.
  5. ^ a b About The View. Official website. Retrieved on 2007-07-19.
  6. ^ An Interview with The View. fat-controller.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-21.
  7. ^ Sony BMG Artist spotlight on The View. Sony BMG. Retrieved on 2006-07-18.
  8. ^ Lemuria/Doghouse Halloween 2005 band interview. Lemuria/Doghouse. Retrieved on 2007-04-23.
  9. ^ One Big Weekend Launch Party. BBC. Retrieved on 2006-07-17.
  10. ^ X-Posure Scotland Sessions Archive. Xfm Scotland. Retrieved on 2006-07-18.
  11. ^ "ShockWaves NME Awards Tour 2007 Indie Rock line-up.", NME, 27 November 2006. 
  12. ^ "The View win Best Track at Shockwaves NME Awards", NME, 01 March 2007. 
  13. ^ "The View From the Top.", Daily Record, 26 January 2007. 
  14. ^ "NME Chart 9 July 2006.", NME, 09 July 2006. 
  15. ^ "NME News Chart 13 August 2006", NME, 13 August 2006. 
  16. ^ BBC Radio 1 Playlist 2006-07-12. BBC. Retrieved on 2006-07-14.
  17. ^ Mark Martin Interview (MP3). Forth One. Retrieved on 2007-02-28.
  18. ^ "The View announce headlining tour", NME, 4 September 2006. 
  19. ^ "Big names sign-up for annual 'Gonzo' tour", NME, 4 September 2006. 
  20. ^ Tour Dates. The View. Retrieved on 2006-12-28.
  21. ^ "View star on cocaine charge", Daily Record, 24 February 2007. 
  22. ^ New US tour dates. The View Are On Fire. Retrieved on 2007-03-08.
  23. ^ Album Tour Dates. The View. Retrieved on 2007-02-02.
  24. ^ Album Tour Dates. The View. Retrieved on 2007-10-10.
  25. ^ "Sun, fun and surprises at stunning Big Weekend", D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd, 15 May 2006. 
  26. ^ "Legendary moment at safest-ever T", D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd, 10 July 2006. 
  27. ^ T in the Park report. Xfm Scotland. Retrieved on 2006-07-17.
  28. ^ "Action from this year's festival", NME, August 27, 2006. 
  29. ^ BBC Radio 2 Dermot O'Leary Live Sessions. BBC. Retrieved on 2006-07-23.
  30. ^ BBC Electric Proms - The View. BBC. Retrieved on 2006-10-28.

[edit] External links