Chloe Alper
Encyclopedia
Chloe Alper is a British/French musician and artist, best known as a singer and bassist in the British New prog
rock group Pure Reason Revolution
. Her career began with girl punk
band Period Pains, and she later appeared as a guest vocalist on the Hope of the States
song The Good Fight. She also works as a designer and artist.
band Period Pains, based in Reading
. The band formed in 1995 with Alper on vocals, Felicity Aldridge on guitar, Laura Warwick on bass and Laura Viney on drums. Viney was later replaced by Magdalena (Magda) Przybylski.
Their 1997 anti-Spice Girls
single, "Spice Girls (Who Do YOU Think You Are?)", was released on Damaged Goods
. The disc received airplay from John Peel
, for whom they later recorded a session which was later released as an EP
. The band were covered by publications including The Daily Mail and Just 17 but only played a few live shows, notably opening in the Dr Martens tent for the 1997 Reading Festival, playing to an audience of around 1000.
guitar
on certain tracks.
The band signed to Alan McGee
's Poptones
label for a one-off release of "Apprentice of the Universe", which peaked at number 12 in the indie charts. Signing to SonyBMG in autumn 2004, the following year saw Pure Reason Revolution releasing two singles and one mini-album, followed by the full-length debut The Dark Third
in 2006, with producer Paul Northfield. During this time, PRR supported Mew
, Hope of the States
, Porcupine Tree
, Secret Machines and Oceansize
, as well as headlining their own gigs, and recorded sessions for Mark Radcliffe
's BBC Radio 2
show and XFM
.
The band's second album Amor Vincit Omnia
was released in March 2009 on Superball Music
, and accompanied by an extensive headline tour of Britain and Europe. The band were track of the week on Kerrang! Radio and track of the day in Classic Rock Magazine. The new music was darker and more electronic than previous offerings, qualities that were largely retained for 2010's third studio album, Hammer and Anvil, also released via Superball. Hammer and Anvil opens with a track sung exclusively by Alper, Fight Fire, which received lengthy airtime on XFM
and other radio stations.
Pure Reason Revolution split on good terms in November 2011, with members choosing to pursue other projects. A final series of concerts in the UK will see the Dark Third album played in full for the first time. A final EP entitled Valour was also released as a download-only in conjunction with the break up, with proceeds donated to charity.
drummer Gavin Harrison
's 2007 collaboration with 05Ric, Drop. Alper also designed the album artwork for Pure Reason Revolution's 2009 release, Amor Vincit Omnia
. The sleeve contained a 16 page booklet which included 12 pieces of her work. Some limited edition numbered prints of these plates were made available on her website in early 2009.
New prog
New prog is a term used to describe a number of recent alternative rock/experimental bands who incorporate elements from progressive rock.Most notable bands described as new prog include:...
rock group Pure Reason Revolution
Pure Reason Revolution
Pure Reason Revolution are a British rock group formed at the University of Westminster in 2003 and who are playing their final dates together in November 2011. Their music incorporates elements of progressive rock and electro. Their music has been variously described as 'Astral Folk' and 'New...
. Her career began with girl punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Period Pains, and she later appeared as a guest vocalist on the Hope of the States
Hope of the States
Hope of the States were an English post rock-influenced indie band from Chichester.-Members:* Sam Herlihy - vocals, guitar, piano, music boxes, glockenspiels, mellotron, sampler, celeste, harmonium* Michael Hibbert - guitar, harmonica, backing vocals...
song The Good Fight. She also works as a designer and artist.
Period Pains
From the age of 13, Alper fronted girl punkPunk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Period Pains, based in Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
. The band formed in 1995 with Alper on vocals, Felicity Aldridge on guitar, Laura Warwick on bass and Laura Viney on drums. Viney was later replaced by Magdalena (Magda) Przybylski.
Their 1997 anti-Spice Girls
Spice Girls
The Spice Girls were a British pop girl group formed in 1994. The group consisted of Victoria Beckham , Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell. They were signed to Virgin Records and released their debut single, "Wannabe" in 1996, which hit number-one in more than 30...
single, "Spice Girls (Who Do YOU Think You Are?)", was released on Damaged Goods
Damaged Goods (record label)
Damaged Goods is a British independent record label and online shop.- History :Damaged Goods started in 1988 from a living room in east London.Ian Damaged called it DamagedGoods. The first release was a re-issue of the 1977 single by Slaughter and the Dogs, "Where Have All the Bootboys Gone?"...
. The disc received airplay from John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
, for whom they later recorded a session which was later released as an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
. The band were covered by publications including The Daily Mail and Just 17 but only played a few live shows, notably opening in the Dr Martens tent for the 1997 Reading Festival, playing to an audience of around 1000.
Pure Reason Revolution
Alper then joined Reading-based band The Sunset Sound, which eventually became Pure Reason Revolution, contributing vocals, picking up the bass guitar later after the previous bassist left. Alper also plays keyboards, including a midi sample-triggering keyboard during live performances. In shows in 2010 and 2011 she also played an Epiphone SGGibson SG
At the launch of the SG in 1961, Gibson offered four variants of the SG; the SG Junior , the SG Special, the SG Standard, and the top-of-the-line SG Custom. However, Gibson's current core variants as of 2010 are the SG Standard and the SG Special...
guitar
Guitar
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...
on certain tracks.
The band signed to Alan McGee
Alan McGee
Alan McGee has been a record label owner, musician, manager, and music blogger for The Guardian.McGee is best-known for co-forming and running the independent Creation Records label from 1983–1999, and then Poptones from 1999-2007...
's Poptones
Poptones
Poptones is a record label launched by Alan McGee after the demise of Creation Records in 1999. Named after a Public Image Limited song, it is seen as something of a return to the staunchly independent roots of Creation...
label for a one-off release of "Apprentice of the Universe", which peaked at number 12 in the indie charts. Signing to SonyBMG in autumn 2004, the following year saw Pure Reason Revolution releasing two singles and one mini-album, followed by the full-length debut The Dark Third
The Dark Third
The Dark Third is the first full-length album by Pure Reason Revolution. It was produced by Paul Northfield and recorded at Fairhazel Studios and later RAK studios. An earlier single "Apprentice of the Universe" peaked at #74...
in 2006, with producer Paul Northfield. During this time, PRR supported Mew
Mew (band)
Mew is a Danish alternative music band consisting of Jonas Bjerre, Bo Madsen, and Silas Utke Graae Jørgensen. Bassist Johan Wohlert was also a founding member of the band, but left in 2006...
, Hope of the States
Hope of the States
Hope of the States were an English post rock-influenced indie band from Chichester.-Members:* Sam Herlihy - vocals, guitar, piano, music boxes, glockenspiels, mellotron, sampler, celeste, harmonium* Michael Hibbert - guitar, harmonica, backing vocals...
, Porcupine Tree
Porcupine Tree
Porcupine Tree is a progressive rock band formed by Steven Wilson in 1987 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England. Their music is difficult to categorise, being associated with both psychedelic rock and progressive rock, yet having been influenced by trance, krautrock and ambient due to Steven...
, Secret Machines and Oceansize
Oceansize
Oceansize were a British rock band, formed in Manchester, England on 19th October 1998. The band consisted of Mike Vennart , Steve Durose , Richard "Gambler" Ingram , Mark Heron and Jon Ellis for the majority of its career, with Steve Hodson replacing Ellis on bass in 2006...
, as well as headlining their own gigs, and recorded sessions for Mark Radcliffe
Mark Radcliffe
Mark Radcliffe is an English broadcaster who has worked in various roles for the BBC since the 1980s and remains one of Britain's most recognised DJs. He is currently a presenter on BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music, where he hosts an afternoon show five times a week alongside Stuart Maconie, called...
's BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
show and XFM
Xfm
Xfm is a brand of two commercial radio stations focused on alternative music, primarily indie pop, and owned by Global Radio.-History:Xfm was created in London in 1992 by Sammy Jacob, who later co-founded NME Radio in 2008. Xfm subsequently expanded to a network of four stations; there are...
.
The band's second album Amor Vincit Omnia
Amor Vincit Omnia (album)
Amor Vincit Omnia is the second full-length album by British progressive rock band Pure Reason Revolution.The title of the album is Latin for Love Conquers All. It is also a reference to the painting Amor Vincit Omnia by the Italian baroque painter Caravaggio, completed circa 1601. The track title...
was released in March 2009 on Superball Music
Superball music
Superball Music is a German independent record label, launched on 1 October 2007. Superball Myspace page claims that "The label’s focus will be on keen, young rock acts with a stylistic range that is centred on independent and alternative music, as well as acts that transcend genres and include a...
, and accompanied by an extensive headline tour of Britain and Europe. The band were track of the week on Kerrang! Radio and track of the day in Classic Rock Magazine. The new music was darker and more electronic than previous offerings, qualities that were largely retained for 2010's third studio album, Hammer and Anvil, also released via Superball. Hammer and Anvil opens with a track sung exclusively by Alper, Fight Fire, which received lengthy airtime on XFM
Xfm
Xfm is a brand of two commercial radio stations focused on alternative music, primarily indie pop, and owned by Global Radio.-History:Xfm was created in London in 1992 by Sammy Jacob, who later co-founded NME Radio in 2008. Xfm subsequently expanded to a network of four stations; there are...
and other radio stations.
Pure Reason Revolution split on good terms in November 2011, with members choosing to pursue other projects. A final series of concerts in the UK will see the Dark Third album played in full for the first time. A final EP entitled Valour was also released as a download-only in conjunction with the break up, with proceeds donated to charity.
Artist
Alper is also a designer and artist. She designed the cover-slip for Pure Reason Revolution's single entitled "Victorious Cupid" that was distributed at tours in 2006 and 2007 to accommodate the free Myspace download, which has since become a collector's item. She also designed the cover art for the official "Victorious Cupid" EP release on ORG records in 2008. Recently, she designed the artwork for Porcupine TreePorcupine Tree
Porcupine Tree is a progressive rock band formed by Steven Wilson in 1987 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England. Their music is difficult to categorise, being associated with both psychedelic rock and progressive rock, yet having been influenced by trance, krautrock and ambient due to Steven...
drummer Gavin Harrison
Gavin Harrison
Gavin Harrison is a British drummer and percussionist. He is best known for playing with the British progressive rock band Porcupine Tree which he joined in 2002. As of 2008, he also plays with the band King Crimson....
's 2007 collaboration with 05Ric, Drop. Alper also designed the album artwork for Pure Reason Revolution's 2009 release, Amor Vincit Omnia
Amor Vincit Omnia (album)
Amor Vincit Omnia is the second full-length album by British progressive rock band Pure Reason Revolution.The title of the album is Latin for Love Conquers All. It is also a reference to the painting Amor Vincit Omnia by the Italian baroque painter Caravaggio, completed circa 1601. The track title...
. The sleeve contained a 16 page booklet which included 12 pieces of her work. Some limited edition numbered prints of these plates were made available on her website in early 2009.