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Client (band)
Encyclopedia
Client are an English electronic
musical group from London
. They are most popular in Germany where they have had limited commercial success. They typically combine airline hostess
uniforms or shiny fetish fashion
outfits with glamour-girl aesthetics
and harsh electronics
to create a sound reminiscent of early forays into electronic sound manipulation and New Wave
. Their uniforms have become their trademark.
The original band members were formerly known only anonymously as Client A and Client B, to the extent that their faces were not shown on any publicity photos; it has since been revealed that they are, respectively, Kate Holmes, formerly of Frazier Chorus and Technique
, and Sarah Blackwood
, lead singer of Dubstar
. Holmes is married to Alan McGee
(founder of Creation Records
and discoverer of Oasis
). In late 2005 a new member, Client E, joined the group. This is Emily Mann, who was a contestant on the Channel Five
reality show Make Me a Supermodel
, an artist, and an active DJ
, usually performing as Emily Strange. Client E left the band in June 2007. In November 2007 Charlotte Hatherley joined the band as Client C, to fill the vacant role of bassist on their European and Scandinavian tours.
Client was the first act signed to Depeche Mode
keyboardist Andy Fletcher
's record label, Toast Hawaii
. They have toured with the likes of Depeche Mode
and Erasure
and have been described as a combination of "the Pet Shop Boys
at their most commercial and The Human League
at their most obscure".
Client have collaborated with several high-profile musicians and directors. Their video for "Pornography
" was directed by French director Jamie Deliessche from video production company Schmooze. It features Carl Barât
(formerly of The Libertines
and Dirty Pretty Things
) on vocals. The song "Down to the Underground" features Pete Doherty
, also formerly of The Libertines
, now frontman of Babyshambles
. The song "Overdrive" features Martin L. Gore
of Depeche Mode. The song "Where's the Rock and Roll Gone" features Tim Burgess of The Charlatans. Client have collaborated with Die Krupps
, Moonbootica
and Replica on selected tracks and also have done a special duet, "Suicide Sister" with Douglas McCarthy
of Nitzer Ebb
.
It was announced in October 2006 that Client left the Toast Hawaii label. In November 2006, Client signed with Out of Line
for Europe, SubSpace Communications in Scandinavia, Metropolis Records
for North America, Noiselab for South America and their own label Loser Friendly Records in the UK.
In December 2010 it was announced that Blackwood had left the band and a new member was being recruited to front the band.
In June 2011 it was suggested that a best-of album was in the making on Mute Records
, consisting of material taken from the band's first two studio albums. Additionally, Holmes announced that Xan Tyler
would take over live lead vocals for the band, replacing Blackwood. Holmes and Tyler formed the female synthpop duo Technique
in the mid-1990s.
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
musical group from 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...
. They are most popular in Germany where they have had limited commercial success. They typically combine airline hostess
Flight attendant
Flight attendants or cabin crew are members of an aircrew employed by airlines primarily to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers aboard commercial flights, on select business jet aircraft, and on some military aircraft.-History:The role of a flight attendant derives from that of similar...
uniforms or shiny fetish fashion
Fetish fashion
Fetish fashion is any style or appearance in the form of atype of clothing or accessory, created to be extreme or provocative. These styles are not usually worn by the majority of people on any regular basis. They are usually made of materials such as leather, latex or synthetic rubber or plastic,...
outfits with glamour-girl aesthetics
Aesthetics
Aesthetics is a branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of beauty, art, and taste, and with the creation and appreciation of beauty. It is more scientifically defined as the study of sensory or sensori-emotional values, sometimes called judgments of sentiment and taste...
and harsh electronics
Electronic musical instrument
An electronic musical instrument is a musical instrument that produces its sounds using electronics. Such an instrument sounds by outputting an electrical audio signal that ultimately drives a loudspeaker....
to create a sound reminiscent of early forays into electronic sound manipulation and New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
. Their uniforms have become their trademark.
History
Technique (band)
Technique was a female alternative synth pop band from the mid-1990s featuring Kate Holmes of Frazier Chorus and singer Xan Tyler. The band was named after New Order's 1989 album of the same name, and they were signed to Creation Records, the record label owned by Holmes's husband - Alan...
, and Sarah Blackwood
Sarah Blackwood (British musician)
Sarah Blackwood is an English recording artist. She came to prominence as the lead singer of Dubstar, and then as a singer-songwriter in Client...
, lead singer of Dubstar
Dubstar
Dubstar are an English band, performing mostly dream pop and indie dance music, as well as occasional pop ballads and, on later releases, guitar-heavy rock with an industrial influence. The group was formed in 1992 by Steve Hillier and Chris Wilkie in Newcastle-upon-Tyne...
. Holmes is married 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...
(founder of Creation Records
Creation Records
Creation Records was a British independent record label headed by Alan McGee. Along with Dick Green and Joe Foster, McGee founded Creation in 1983. The label lasted until its demise in 1999. The name came from the 1960s band The Creation , whom McGee greatly admired. McGee, Green and Foster were...
and discoverer of Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
). In late 2005 a new member, Client E, joined the group. This is Emily Mann, who was a contestant on the Channel Five
Channel Five
Channel 5 is a television network that broadcasts in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1997, it was the fifth and final national terrestrial analogue network to launch. The station was branded as Five between 2002 and 2010...
reality show Make Me a Supermodel
Make Me a Supermodel (UK TV series)
Make Me a Supermodel is a British reality television modeling competition hosted and judged by New Zealander model Rachel Hunter, airing on the television channel Five. A U.S...
, an artist, and an active DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
, usually performing as Emily Strange. Client E left the band in June 2007. In November 2007 Charlotte Hatherley joined the band as Client C, to fill the vacant role of bassist on their European and Scandinavian tours.
Client was the first act signed to Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
keyboardist Andy Fletcher
Andrew Fletcher (musician)
Andy Fletcher , known as "Fletch", is a co-founder and member of the English synth band Depeche Mode.-Depeche Mode:...
's record label, Toast Hawaii
Toast Hawaii (record label)
Toast Hawaii is a record label founded by Depeche Mode's Andrew Fletcher and named after his reported fondness for the sandwich. The label is independent, but its North American releases are distributed by Mute Records.-History:...
. They have toured with the likes of Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
and Erasure
Erasure
Erasure are an English synthpop duo, consisting of songwriter and keyboardist Vince Clarke and singer Andy Bell. Erasure entered the music scene in 1985 with their debut single "Who Needs Love Like That"...
and have been described as a combination of "the Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
at their most commercial and The Human League
The Human League
The Human League are an English electronic New Wave band formed in Sheffield in 1977. They achieved popularity after a key change in line-up in the early 1980s and have continued recording and performing with moderate commercial success throughout the 1980s up to the present day.The only constant...
at their most obscure".
Client have collaborated with several high-profile musicians and directors. Their video for "Pornography
Pornography (Client song)
"Pornography" is a song by the English electronic group Client, released as the third single from their second studio album, City . The track features guest vocals by Carl Barât, who also appears in the video...
" was directed by French director Jamie Deliessche from video production company Schmooze. It features Carl Barât
Carl Barât
Carl Ashley Raphael Barât is an English musician, actor and author. He was the frontman and lead guitarist of Dirty Pretty Things, and recently debuted a solo album, but is best known for being the co-frontman with Peter Doherty of the garage rock band The Libertines.-Early life:Carl Barât was...
(formerly of The Libertines
The Libertines
The Libertines were an English rock band, formed in London in 1997 by frontmen Carl Barât and Pete Doherty . The band, centred on the song-writing partnership of Barat and Doherty, also included John Hassall and Gary Powell for most of its recording career...
and Dirty Pretty Things
Dirty Pretty Things (band)
Dirty Pretty Things were an English band fronted by Carl Barât, a member of The Libertines. The formation of the band was announced in September 2005, after a dispute between Barât and Pete Doherty led to the breakup of The Libertines in 2004. Barât had worked with Vertigo Records and had...
) on vocals. The song "Down to the Underground" features Pete Doherty
Pete Doherty
Peter Doherty is an English musician, writer, actor, poet and artist. He is best known musically for being co-frontman of The Libertines, which he reformed with Carl Barât in 2010. His other musical project is indie band Babyshambles...
, also formerly of The Libertines
The Libertines
The Libertines were an English rock band, formed in London in 1997 by frontmen Carl Barât and Pete Doherty . The band, centred on the song-writing partnership of Barat and Doherty, also included John Hassall and Gary Powell for most of its recording career...
, now frontman of Babyshambles
Babyshambles
Babyshambles are an English indie rock band established in London. The band was formed by Pete Doherty during a hiatus from his former band The Libertines, but Babyshambles has since become his main project . Babyshambles has released two albums, three EPs and a number of singles...
. The song "Overdrive" features Martin L. Gore
Martin Gore
Martin Lee Gore is an English songwriter, lyricist, singer, guitarist, keyboardist, remixer and DJ. He is a founding member of Depeche Mode and has written the vast majority of their songs...
of Depeche Mode. The song "Where's the Rock and Roll Gone" features Tim Burgess of The Charlatans. Client have collaborated with Die Krupps
Die Krupps
Die Krupps is a German industrial rock/EBM band, formed in 1980 by Jürgen Engler and Bernward Malaka in Düsseldorf.-History:Their initial sound throughout the 1980s combined synthesizers with metallic percussion...
, Moonbootica
Moonbootica
Moonbootica is the pseudonym of Hamburg DJs KoweSix und Tobitob . The band name derives from their rather large shoe sizes which quickly lead to the fitting shoes, moon boots. Their musical style is a mixture of Electro and House with little Hip Hop influences...
and Replica on selected tracks and also have done a special duet, "Suicide Sister" with Douglas McCarthy
Douglas McCarthy
Douglas John McCarthy is the vocalist of Chelmsford, Essex-based EBM band Nitzer Ebb.Apart from writing and performing with Nitzer Ebb, McCarthy has also appeared on recordings by Recoil and has released material in collaboration with DJ Terence Fixmer as Fixmer/McCarthy...
of Nitzer Ebb
Nitzer Ebb
Nitzer Ebb is a British EBM group formed in 1982 by Essex school friends Vaughan "Bon" Harris , Douglas McCarthy , and David Gooday .-Band name:...
.
It was announced in October 2006 that Client left the Toast Hawaii label. In November 2006, Client signed with Out of Line
Out of Line Music
Out of Line Music is a German electronic music label based in Berlin....
for Europe, SubSpace Communications in Scandinavia, Metropolis Records
Metropolis Records
Metropolis Records is a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania based record label, distributor, and mail-order store specializing in the post-industrial field such as electro-industrial, synthpop, futurepop, darkwave, and gothic musical genres....
for North America, Noiselab for South America and their own label Loser Friendly Records in the UK.
In December 2010 it was announced that Blackwood had left the band and a new member was being recruited to front the band.
In June 2011 it was suggested that a best-of album was in the making on Mute Records
Mute Records
Mute is an independent record label based in the UK. It was founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller and featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Goldfrapp, Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure and Fad Gadget.-Beginnings:...
, consisting of material taken from the band's first two studio albums. Additionally, Holmes announced that Xan Tyler
Xan Tyler
Xan Tyler is a female British singer.Born and raised in South London, Xan began her singing career in 1991. After working with numerous bands and as session singer, she signed to Alan McGee's Creation Records as one half of synth pop duo Technique .In 1999 Xan and Kate Holmes collaborated with Mad...
would take over live lead vocals for the band, replacing Blackwood. Holmes and Tyler formed the female synthpop duo Technique
Technique (band)
Technique was a female alternative synth pop band from the mid-1990s featuring Kate Holmes of Frazier Chorus and singer Xan Tyler. The band was named after New Order's 1989 album of the same name, and they were signed to Creation Records, the record label owned by Holmes's husband - Alan...
in the mid-1990s.
Studio albums
- Client (2003)
- CityCity (Client album)City is the second studio album by the English electronic group Client. Released on 27 September 2004, the album features guest appearances by Carl Barât and Pete Doherty of The Libertines and by Martin L...
(2004) - HeartlandHeartland (Client album)Heartland is the third studio album by the English electronic group Client. It was released in Germany on 23 March 2007 by Out of Line Music.Initial copies came with a bonus DVD containing all the group's music videos released up to that point....
(2007) - CommandCommand (Client album)Command is the fourth studio album by the English electronic group Client. It was released in Germany on 6 March 2009 by Out of Line Music.- Track listing :German limited edition bonus disc# "Can You Feel" – 6:32...
(2009)
Compilations
- Going DownGoing Down (album)Going Down is a remix album by the English electronic group Client. It was released in 2004 by Toast Hawaii as a download-only release on the band's website.The album collected various remixes for the singles from the Client album...
(2004) - MetropolisMetropolis (Client album)Metropolis is a compilation album by the English electronic group Client. It was first released digitally on 2 May 2005, and was later made available on CD on 20 April 2006 exclusively at the Client Store...
(2005) - Client Megamix (2006)
- Untitled Remix (2008)
- Best of (2012)
Live albums
- Live at Club Koko (2006)
- Live in Porto (2007)
- Live in Hamburg (2009)
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
GER Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
|||
| 2003 | "Price of Love" | 189 | — | Client |
| "Rock and Roll Machine" | 124 | — | ||
| "Here and Now" | — | — | ||
| 2004 | "In It for the Money In It for the Money (song) "In It for the Money" is a song by the English electronic group Client, released as the lead single from their second studio album, City . The single peaked at number fifty-one on the UK Singles Chart... " |
51 | — | City |
| "Radio" | 68 | — | ||
| 2005 | "Pornography Pornography (Client song) "Pornography" is a song by the English electronic group Client, released as the third single from their second studio album, City . The track features guest vocals by Carl Barât, who also appears in the video... " |
22 | — | |
| 2006 | "Lights Go Out Lights Go Out "Lights Go Out" is a song by English electronic group Client from their third studio album, Heartland. It was released in Germany in December 2006 on CD and digital download by Out of Line Music and SPV GmbH, and on 12" by Masterhit Recordings.... " |
— | — | Heartland |
| 2007 | "Zerox Machine Zerox Machine "Zerox Machine" is a song by the English electronic group Client from their third studio album, Heartland . Released as the album's second single, it is their first release since they parted ways with Toast Hawaii. The track itself is a cover of a 1979 song by Adam and the Ants simply titled... " |
199 | — | |
| "Drive Drive (Client song) "Drive" is a song by English electronic group Client, released as the third single from their third studio album, Heartland. It reached number ninety in Germany... " |
— | 90 | ||
| "It's Not Over" | — | — | ||
| 2009 | "Can You Feel" | — | — | Command |
| "Make Me Believe in You" | — | — | ||
External links
- [ Client] at Allmusic