Blaine Harrison
Encyclopedia
Blaine Harrison is an English musician
and songwriter
best known as the lead vocalist
of the indie rock
band Mystery Jets
.
and piano
later on. In his early teens, Blaine found a love for listening to progressive rock
instead of the commercial garage
music preferred by his peers. Blaine's father, Henry William Cope Harrison, is a former architect
and designer
. Henry was named "18th coolest person in rock" by NME in 2005. Blaine's mother, Helen Harrison, is a former maths teacher and lives in the southwest of France
. He also has a sister Dymphna Harrison, a designer.
in Twickenham
, London
in 2004. The band started with Blaine, his father Henry, and his best friend William when the boys were at school. The current line-up includes Blaine Harrison (lead vocals, keyboards, guitar), William Rees (guitar, vocals), Kai Fish (bass, vocals), Kapil Trivedi (drums), and Henry Harrison (lyrics, keyboards). Henry was a full-time member until moving to a background role during the recording of the band's second album, "Twenty One". Mystery Jets has released three studio albums, Making Dens
(2006), Twenty One (2008), and Serotonin
(2010). A further album, Zootime
(2007) was released as a US only compilation to introduce the band to an american audience. The band divide their time between working at home in London and touring internationally. The band are currently working on their fourth studio album.
during the years he spent in France as an important influence on his creativity: "At the time I found it quite difficult being so out of the loop, but looking back, it was the best thing that ever happened to me. It taught me to use my imagination. I made music because I couldn't speak the language. Blaine's personal life has affected the band's sound a lot; Blaine has cited his turbulent relationship with his first girlfriend as a the inspiration behind songs such as "flakes" and "Behind the Bunhouse" on the album Twenty One. Blaine also has a close relationship with his father, Henry, who introduced him to music as a child and supported his musical career, despite his physical obstacles. Blaine has said his father's role is more like an older brother's protectiveness and that there would be no Mystery Jets without him.
, which has affected his leg muscles since he was a child. In 2009 He became a patron of the Attitude is Everything Charity, who work with live music venues in the UK to make gigs accessible for people with disabilities. Blaine was quoted in an interview with the BBC
saying, "When we first got together as a band we decided that we wouldn't make my disability an issue, the same way we didn't make a big deal of my dad being in the band. We weren't interested in gimmics... We wanted people to read our lyrics and listen to our music." Blaine has said playing live as someone with a physical impairment is sometimes hard work, seeing as many modern facilities still do not have the means to cater for disabled people. He has made it clear that Mystery Jets will only play in venues who have made an effort to cater for people with disabilities and refrain from playing in small, crowded pubs.
In 2008, Mystery jets were forced to pull out of Several UK and European festivals due to Blaine getting sick. Blaine apologised to his fans in a letter on Mystery Jet's Myspace
blog.
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
best known as the lead vocalist
Lead vocalist
The lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
of the indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band Mystery Jets
Mystery Jets
Mystery Jets are an English five-piece indie band, formerly based on Eel Pie Island in Twickenham, London. The band was formed by Henry Harrison , Blaine Harrison and William Rees when the boys were still at school and would send each other songs on cassettes...
.
Early life
Blaine started playing instruments as a child. He experimented with drumming at the age of eight, as well as guitarGuitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
later on. In his early teens, Blaine found a love for listening to progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
instead of the commercial garage
Garage
Garage may refer to:Vehicles:*Automobile repair shop, where vehicles are serviced and repaired.*Parking and storage :**Parking garage, a building serving as a public parking facility.**Garage , a building or a residence for storing a car....
music preferred by his peers. Blaine's father, Henry William Cope Harrison, is a former architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
and designer
Designer
A designer is a person who designs. More formally, a designer is an agent that "specifies the structural properties of a design object". In practice, anyone who creates tangible or intangible objects, such as consumer products, processes, laws, games and graphics, is referred to as a...
. Henry was named "18th coolest person in rock" by NME in 2005. Blaine's mother, Helen Harrison, is a former maths teacher and lives in the southwest of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He also has a sister Dymphna Harrison, a designer.
Mystery Jets
Mystery Jets was first based on Eel Pie IslandEel Pie Island
Eel Pie Island is an island in the River Thames in England at Twickenham, in the Borough of Richmond upon Thames, London. It is situated on the Tideway and can be reached only by footbridge or boat...
in Twickenham
Twickenham
Twickenham is a large suburban town southwest of central London. It is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 2004. The band started with Blaine, his father Henry, and his best friend William when the boys were at school. The current line-up includes Blaine Harrison (lead vocals, keyboards, guitar), William Rees (guitar, vocals), Kai Fish (bass, vocals), Kapil Trivedi (drums), and Henry Harrison (lyrics, keyboards). Henry was a full-time member until moving to a background role during the recording of the band's second album, "Twenty One". Mystery Jets has released three studio albums, Making Dens
Making Dens
Making Dens is the debut album from Mystery Jets, released in the UK on March 6, 2006. Tracks on the album include previous singles "Alas Agnes", "You Can't Fool Me Dennis" and "Zoo Time"...
(2006), Twenty One (2008), and Serotonin
Serotonin
Serotonin or 5-hydroxytryptamine is a monoamine neurotransmitter. Biochemically derived from tryptophan, serotonin is primarily found in the gastrointestinal tract, platelets, and in the central nervous system of animals including humans...
(2010). A further album, Zootime
Zootime
Zootime is the second studio album by British band Mystery Jets. It consists of tracks from their UK only debut Making Dens, and from the Flotsam and Jetsam EP.-Track listing:All tracks written by Mystery Jets.# "Diamonds in the Dark"...
(2007) was released as a US only compilation to introduce the band to an american audience. The band divide their time between working at home in London and touring internationally. The band are currently working on their fourth studio album.
Fashion
Since the early days of the Mystery Jets, when the band would dress in white collarless shirts Blaine has often been pictured dressed up, onstage and off. A style blog who recently named him their "Fashion hero of the week" described his early style as "half elf, half time-travelling hippie, but he had a true bohemian air about him that I longed for and which I felt was missing from London’s indie scene of the time.Personal life
Blaine cites his inability to speak FrenchFrench language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
during the years he spent in France as an important influence on his creativity: "At the time I found it quite difficult being so out of the loop, but looking back, it was the best thing that ever happened to me. It taught me to use my imagination. I made music because I couldn't speak the language. Blaine's personal life has affected the band's sound a lot; Blaine has cited his turbulent relationship with his first girlfriend as a the inspiration behind songs such as "flakes" and "Behind the Bunhouse" on the album Twenty One. Blaine also has a close relationship with his father, Henry, who introduced him to music as a child and supported his musical career, despite his physical obstacles. Blaine has said his father's role is more like an older brother's protectiveness and that there would be no Mystery Jets without him.
Disability
Blaine was born with the disability spina bifidaSpina bifida
Spina bifida is a developmental congenital disorder caused by the incomplete closing of the embryonic neural tube. Some vertebrae overlying the spinal cord are not fully formed and remain unfused and open. If the opening is large enough, this allows a portion of the spinal cord to protrude through...
, which has affected his leg muscles since he was a child. In 2009 He became a patron of the Attitude is Everything Charity, who work with live music venues in the UK to make gigs accessible for people with disabilities. Blaine was quoted in an interview with the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
saying, "When we first got together as a band we decided that we wouldn't make my disability an issue, the same way we didn't make a big deal of my dad being in the band. We weren't interested in gimmics... We wanted people to read our lyrics and listen to our music." Blaine has said playing live as someone with a physical impairment is sometimes hard work, seeing as many modern facilities still do not have the means to cater for disabled people. He has made it clear that Mystery Jets will only play in venues who have made an effort to cater for people with disabilities and refrain from playing in small, crowded pubs.
In 2008, Mystery jets were forced to pull out of Several UK and European festivals due to Blaine getting sick. Blaine apologised to his fans in a letter on Mystery Jet's Myspace
Myspace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
blog.