Switches (band)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Origin |  Southend and Guildford, England |
|---|---|
| Genre(s) | Alternative Rock Indie Rock |
| Years active | 2005–present |
| Label(s) | Degenerate Music Atlantic Records Interscope (US) |
| Website | http://www.switchesmusic.net/ |
| Members | |
| Matty Bishop Thom Kirkpatrick Ollie Thomas Steve Godfrey |
|
- This article is about the rock and roll band Switches. For other uses, see Switch (disambiguation).
Switches are a British rock and roll band from Southend and Guildford
Contents |
[edit] Band members
- Matty Bishop - lead vocals, guitar
- Thom Kirkpatrick - bass
- Ollie Thomas - guitar, backing vocals
- Steve Godfrey - drums
[edit] Career
The band initially met whilst at university in Guildford, Surrey. When Matt was young, he wrote songs and made music in his Essex home. After meeting and befriending the other band members, they did some gigs and got publishing interest before finding a manager. The band claims the process took a few years to come together, owing to Matt's unpredictable bouts of depression and mental illness. Meanwhile, the boys where experimenting with different band names in order to "conjure something non-cliché, something simple and bold". They cite many artists as their main influences, all of whom can be seen here: [1].
They released their debut EP on Degenerate Records, entitled 'Message from Yuz' on 10 July 2006. It was produced by Paul Schroeder. Their debut single (limited to 500 copies), 'Lay Down the Law' on September 25, 2006. The band began recording their debut album in August 2006 at Sunset Sound Studios in Los Angeles, where Prince recorded some of his classic 80's material. The album was recorded by legendary producer Rob Schnapf and charismatic engineer extraodinaire Doug Boehm.
Switches toured with The Rakes, The Automatic, childhood hero Graham Coxon and played the Carling Festivals in Leeds and Reading. The band released their second single 'Drama Queen', their first official release with Atlantic Records, on January 29th 2007.
The band's debut album, Heart Tuned To D.E.A.D., was released on 23 April 2007, preceded by their second official single, a re-recording of 'Lay Down The Law', the album reached #64 on the UK album charts, despite gaining little airplay or promotion.
The band made its Glastonbury debut in the summer of 2007, opening Saturday's Other Stage. Now signed to Interscope in the US, Switches released their first American album, 'Lay Down the Law', on 18 March 2008 upon completion of their US tour with New York-based band, The Bravery.
The band are currently touring with She Want's Revenge, Be your own pet, and The Virgins on the Nylon magazine tour.
TV appearances on The Album Chart Show (UK), Transmission (UK) and Jimmy Kimmel (US).
The song Drama Queen has been featured in:
Rimmel London advert featuring Kate Moss
FIFA 08
BAFTA Television awards 08
Ferrari Challenge
Ugly Betty
Hollyoaks
Drama Queen is currently being used as the theme for the MTV show Legally Blonde.
The song "Lay Down The Law" was used in Jumper (film) as well as coverage of the V festival.
The song "Message from yuz" was used in Greys Anatomy
PRESS QUOTES
"In light of all the mild-mannered Coldplay knockoffs of the last few years, it's easy to forget that British rockers used to be cocky young things, happy to bang out shout-along choruses filled with drug references. Switches remember; their debut LP sounds as if it were written with soccer stadiums in mind, complete with chirpy harmonies and hooks..." – BLENDER
"Switches justify their cockiness with talent, excelling in the feisty hooks and high-pitched oo-oo-oos that hark back to the glam era at its best. If you've hoped for a missing link between T. Rex and the Killers (and hoped the balance would tilt toward the former), swaggering salvation is at hand." – Entertainment Weekly, A-
"Tunes like “Drama Queen” and “Lay Down the Law” have enough hooks and sleaze-rock muscle to deserve to find their way to mainstream American rock radio." - Boston Herald
"Combining foot-stomping drums and bass with tight vocals and sharp guitar riffs, Switches are as cocksure as their pop piers."- Spin
"Focusing on material from their upcoming debut album, there’s one thing Switches proved for sure on Saturday night: their music is entirely and utterly danceable—even the frat boys were movin’. Switches make highly-refined rock music—rock music that makes good use of a thumping disco rhythm section. Their music mobilizes people, and in the end listeners are left with no other choice but to bite their lips, get up and dance!" – Filter
"Switches…dedicated their suddenly ubiquitous…"Drama Queen" to the many loony ladies of La-La Land that allegedly inspired it. And the ladies (and gentlemen) in attendance reacted in a suitably loony manner" – NME
"[Switches] brightest spot came with “Lay Down the Law,” the namesake single to their soon to be released album, which seemed to amplify the energy of the crowd, measured in tween scream decibels." - BlackBook
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
[edit] Singles
| Date | Single | Peak Rank |
|---|---|---|
| October 2006 | "Lay Down the Law" | |
| January 2007 | "Drama Queen" | (UK) |
| April 2007 | "Lay Down the Law" (re-issue) | (UK) |
| March 2008 | "Drama Queen" (United States) | (Billboard) |
