Beat Union
Encyclopedia
Beat Union was a pop-punk band from Birmingham
, Bromsgrove
and Redditch
, United Kingdom
. They were formerly known as Shortcut to Newark. The group has garnered comparisons to Elvis Costello
and The Jam
, as well as pop punk
groups like Green Day
.
In 2006 the band toured the UK with Bedouin Soundclash
and Zox
.
Their debut full-length album, Disconnected
, was released on Science Records in April 2008. It was produced with the help of John Feldmann
, producer and frontman of Goldfinger
. Rolling Stone
named their song "She Is the Gun" Song of the Day on July 17, 2008. The song also received rotation on BBC Radio 1
, where it rose to #5 on the station's airplay charts.
After releasing the album, the group toured with Goldfinger and then played the 2008 Warped Tour
in the U.S. A U.S. fall tour has been announced with Flogging Molly
, followed by UK dates with Less Than Jake
.
As of August 2009, Luke Johnson has been officially announced as Lostprophets
new drummer, as a permanent member providing "it all works out".
As Shortcut to Newark
As Beat Union
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, Bromsgrove
Bromsgrove
Bromsgrove is a town in Worcestershire, England. The town is about north east of Worcester and south west of Birmingham city centre. It had a population of 29,237 in 2001 with a small ethnic minority and is in Bromsgrove District.- History :Bromsgrove is first documented in the early 9th century...
and Redditch
Redditch
Redditch is a town and local government district in north-east Worcestershire, England, approximately south of Birmingham. The district had a population of 79,216 in 2005. In the 19th century it became the international centre for the needle and fishing tackle industry...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. They were formerly known as Shortcut to Newark. The group has garnered comparisons to Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...
and The Jam
The Jam
The Jam were an English punk rock/New Wave/mod revival band active during the late 1970s and early 1980s. They were formed in Woking, Surrey. While they shared the "angry young men" outlook and fast tempos of their punk rock contemporaries, The Jam wore smartly tailored suits rather than ripped...
, as well as pop punk
Pop punk
Pop punk is a fusion music genre that combines elements of punk rock with pop music, to varying degrees. Allmusic describes the genre as a strand of alternative rock, which typically merges pop melodies with speedy punk tempos, chord changes and loud guitars...
groups like Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
.
In 2006 the band toured the UK with Bedouin Soundclash
Bedouin Soundclash
Bedouin Soundclash is a Canadian band currently based in Toronto. Their sound can be described as reggae and ska.-History:The band's current lineup consists of vocalist and guitarist Jay Malinowski, and bassist Eon Sinclair with Sekou Lumumba on drums. Their debut album, Root Fire, released in 2001...
and Zox
ZOX
ZOX is a band from Providence, Rhode Island that is self-described as "violin-laced Reggae rock." The band consists of four members: namesake John Zox , Eli Miller , Spencer Swain , and Dan Edinberg ....
.
Their debut full-length album, Disconnected
Disconnected (Beat Union album)
Disconnected is the debut album of the band Beat Union. It is produced by John Feldmann, producer and frontman of Goldfinger.-Track listing:#Disconnected - 2:33#Pressure Zone - 3:05#My Heart Starts Beating - 3:29#Dancing In Our Sleep - 2:35...
, was released on Science Records in April 2008. It was produced with the help of John Feldmann
John Feldmann
John William Feldmann is an American musician and producer who is the lead singer/guitarist of the band Goldfinger. He is known as an animal rights advocate.- Music :...
, producer and frontman of Goldfinger
Goldfinger (band)
Goldfinger is a Los Angeles pop punk/ska punk band that formed in 1994. Currently, the band is composed of vocalist/guitarist John Feldmann, guitarist Charlie Paulson, bassist Kelly LeMieux, and drummer Darrin Pfeiffer...
. Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
named their song "She Is the Gun" Song of the Day on July 17, 2008. The song also received rotation on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
, where it rose to #5 on the station's airplay charts.
After releasing the album, the group toured with Goldfinger and then played the 2008 Warped Tour
Warped Tour
The Warped Tour is a touring music and extreme sports festival. The tour is held in venues such as parking lots or fields upon which the stages and other structures are erected. The BMX/skateboarding shoe manufacturer Vans, among others, has sponsored the tour every year since 1995, and it is...
in the U.S. A U.S. fall tour has been announced with Flogging Molly
Flogging Molly
Flogging Molly is a seven-piece Irish-descendant band from Los Angeles, California, that is currently signed to their own record label, Borstal Beat Records.-Early years:...
, followed by UK dates with Less Than Jake
Less Than Jake
Less Than Jake is an American ska punk band from Gainesville, Florida. Originally formed in 1992 as a power pop trio, the band evolved into a hybrid of ska punk. Less Than Jake have also been cited as showing influences from a wide variety of genres including post-grunge, heavy metal, alternative...
.
As of August 2009, Luke Johnson has been officially announced as Lostprophets
Lostprophets
Lostprophets is a Welsh rock band from Pontypridd, formed in 1997. Founded by vocalist Ian Watkins, bassist Mike Lewis, drummer Mike Chiplin and guitarist Lee Gaze, they were originally a side-project to hardcore punk band Public Disturbance. To date, Lostprophets have released four studio...
new drummer, as a permanent member providing "it all works out".
Lineup
- Dave Warsop - Lead Vocals, Guitar (Shooter McGavin / Shortcut To Newark)
- Luke Johnson (aka Jocko Johnson) - Drums (Shooter McGavin / Shortcut To Newark / AmenAmen (band)Amen is a hardcore punk-influenced band formed in 1994.The band has an almost constantly rotating lineup, with founder Casey Chaos remaining as the only constant member throughout...
/ LostprophetsLostprophetsLostprophets is a Welsh rock band from Pontypridd, formed in 1997. Founded by vocalist Ian Watkins, bassist Mike Lewis, drummer Mike Chiplin and guitarist Lee Gaze, they were originally a side-project to hardcore punk band Public Disturbance. To date, Lostprophets have released four studio...
) - Dean Ashton - Guitar, Backup Vocals (Shooter McGavin / Shortcut To Newark /FarseFarseFarse are a five-piece ska-punk band hailing from Birmingham in the West Midlands.They attended St. Thomas Aquinas school in Birmingham, where the band formed in 1996 as a four piece, Ollie Chris Dan Tom Rose...
/ The King BluesThe King BluesThe King Blues are a punk band from London, England, credited for fusing ska and folk together with influences from punk rock and hardcore punk. Tariq Ali described the band's sounds as 'rough, radical music that should unsettle the rulers of this country. A new generation of musicians are...
) - Ade Preston - Bass, Backup Vocals (FarseFarseFarse are a five-piece ska-punk band hailing from Birmingham in the West Midlands.They attended St. Thomas Aquinas school in Birmingham, where the band formed in 1996 as a four piece, Ollie Chris Dan Tom Rose...
/ The High SocietyThe High SocietyThe High Society are a glam rock group from Birmingham, United Kingdom formed in 2006 by Matt "Maxi" Browne and Martyn "The Nelsta" Nelson following the breaup of their previous band King Adora. They have one release to date, the self-titled EP The High Society, released in 2009...
/ The King BluesThe King BluesThe King Blues are a punk band from London, England, credited for fusing ska and folk together with influences from punk rock and hardcore punk. Tariq Ali described the band's sounds as 'rough, radical music that should unsettle the rulers of this country. A new generation of musicians are...
)
Discography
As Shooter McGavin- Saving The Day 7" - Boss Tuneage (2001)
- Split with Dugong 7" - Rock 'Em Dead Records (2001)
As Shortcut to Newark
- Heads in Hands Heads in Half 7" EP - Boss Tuneage (2003)
- Gearing Up for Getting Down CD - (Suckapunch Records (2006)
As Beat Union
- She Is The Gun 7"/CD - Haddock Recordings (2007)
- DisconnectedDisconnected (Beat Union album)Disconnected is the debut album of the band Beat Union. It is produced by John Feldmann, producer and frontman of Goldfinger.-Track listing:#Disconnected - 2:33#Pressure Zone - 3:05#My Heart Starts Beating - 3:29#Dancing In Our Sleep - 2:35...
CD - Science Records (2008)
External links
- Official band site
- Official Myspace page
- Science Records band page
- Beat Union Take To The States Feature article. PlugInMusic.com