Dubstar
Encyclopedia
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. Sarah Blackwood
joined in 1993, replacing Hillier on vocals.
"Stars", the best-selling single by Dubstar, received a wide variety of play time in clubs. Many remix
es were also created of this song and it was covered by metal
band Lacuna Coil
on their 2000 EP Halflife
. "Stars" allowed Dubstar to achieve American
recognition.
, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Blackwood replaced Hillier on vocals in early 1994, though he remained a key member of the group.
Dubstar appointed Darlington
based record producer
and talent manager Graeme Robinson as their manager after Robinson had seen them play in a sparsely attended Newcastle club
in March 1994. Robinson renamed the band and provided studio
time and produced independent demos of seventeen song
s which he brought to the attention of former Sounds
journalist
, Andy Ross, who promptly signed the band to his Camden based label
, Food Records
. Ross engaged the services of Pet Shop Boys
and New Order
producer Stephen Hague
to co-produce a number of tracks with Robinson for their critically acclaimed debut album Disgraceful (1995), and commissioned an advertising
campaign featuring Robert Steel's controversial "pencil case vulva" artwork
.
The album
charted
well on release in July 1995, and by January 1996 Dubstar had arrived in the Top 20 of the UK Singles Chart
with "Not So Manic Now"; followed by a re-released "Stars" which marked Dubstar's UK chart zenith. Hague produced a second album, Goodbye (1997), in his upstate New York
barn studio. A US
album release (also called Goodbye) on Polydor Records
, combining tracks from both the first and second albums, also emerged in 1998. The third original Dubstar album, Make It Better, was released in 2000, with EMI releasing a 'Best of' compilation
in 2004.
Blackwood joined the band Technique
to replace Xan Tyler as singer for a European tour with Depeche Mode
in 2002. Shortly afterwards, Kate Holmes, the other member of the band, and Blackwood decided to write together and formed the new group Client
.
Posts in 2008 on their official Myspace page stated that the recording of their fourth album was underway. However, in November 2008 they made a post to their Facebook group stating that Blackwood would not participate, and the future of the album was up in the air. Blackwood and Wilkie have worked together in the interim, as Blackwood's first solo album, 2008's Acoustic at the Club Bar & Dining, features Wilkie on guitar; the seven-track live recording was released exclusively online, and consists of acoustic versions
of Dubstar and Client songs, plus covers of tracks by The Smiths
and New Order
.
On 12 April 2010, the band released a cover version
of "I'm in Love with a German Film Star
" for an Amnesty International
project. Interviewed by Andrew Collins
on BBC 6 Music
that afternoon, Blackwood confirmed that the band were back together and would be going into studio to record tracks for a new Dubstar album, although she would continue to also record with Client.
Other key people:
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
band, performing mostly dream pop
Dream pop
Dream pop is a subgenre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom in the mid-1980s, when bands like The Passions, Dif Juz, Lowlife and A.R. Kane began fusing post-punk and ethereal experiments with bittersweet pop melodies into dreamy, sensual soundscapes. The term was almost...
and indie dance
Alternative dance
Alternative dance or indie dance is a musical genre that mixes rock subgenres with electronic dance music...
music, as well as occasional pop ballads and, on later releases, guitar-heavy rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
with an industrial
Industrial dance
Industrial dance is an US American alternative term for EBM and Electro-industrial music. The term was used since the mid-1980s to describe the music of Cabaret Voltaire, early Die Krupps, Portion Control, The Neon Judgement, Clock DVA, Nitzer Ebb, Skinny Puppy Front Line Assembly, Front 242,...
influence. The group was formed in 1992 by Steve Hillier
Steve Hillier
Steve Hillier from Welling, South London is a British songwriter, DJ and record producer who has worked with rock bands such as Keane, Landon Pigg and Mark Owen. Hillier is chiefly known for his work with the band Dubstar which he formed with Chris Wilkie and Sarah Blackwood in Newcastle Upon Tyne...
and Chris Wilkie in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. 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...
joined in 1993, replacing Hillier on vocals.
"Stars", the best-selling single by Dubstar, received a wide variety of play time in clubs. Many remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
es were also created of this song and it was covered by metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band Lacuna Coil
Lacuna Coil
Lacuna Coil is an Italian gothic metal band from Milan. Formed in 1994, the group has had two name changes since being previously known as Sleep of Right and Ethereal and was inspired by the combination of gothic imagery and music...
on their 2000 EP Halflife
Halflife (EP)
Halflife is an EP by the Italian rock band Lacuna Coil, released in 2000 by Century Media. The EP contains 5 tracks. A slightly altered version of the track Senzafine would later appear on international releases of their 2001 full-length album, Unleashed Memories, while the entire HALFLife EP was...
. "Stars" allowed Dubstar to achieve American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
recognition.
Career
Formerly known as The Joans, Dubstar were initially a two piece band, with Chris Wilkie playing guitar and Steve Hillier singing and playing keyboards. Gavin Lee joined The Joans in the Autumn of 1992 and played drums and latterly bass guitar before leaving to pursue a career at British Airways the following year. Performance artist and musician, Mark Greenwood also played bass in the The Joans for a number gigs in the summer of 1992. Sarah Blackwood was invited to join the band in August 1993 after her boyfriend accidentally left a cassette tape of her singing in Steve Hillier's flat in JesmondJesmond
Jesmond is a residential suburb and is split into two electoral wards just north of the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. The population is about 12,000. It is adjacent to, and to the east of, the Town Moor, providing pedestrian and cycle paths to Spital Tongues and the city's two Universities...
, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Blackwood replaced Hillier on vocals in early 1994, though he remained a key member of the group.
Dubstar appointed Darlington
Darlington
Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, part of the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It lies on the small River Skerne, a tributary of the River Tees, not far from the main river. It is the main population centre in the borough, with a population of 97,838 as of 2001...
based record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
and talent manager Graeme Robinson as their manager after Robinson had seen them play in a sparsely attended Newcastle club
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
in March 1994. Robinson renamed the band and provided studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
time and produced independent demos of seventeen song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
s which he brought to the attention of former Sounds
Sounds (magazine)
Sounds was a long-term British music paper, published weekly from 10 October 1970 – 6 April 1991. It was produced by Spotlight Publications , which was set up by Jack Hutton and Peter Wilkinson, who left "Melody Maker" to start their own company...
journalist
Music journalism
Music journalism is criticism and reportage about music. It began in the eighteenth century as comment on what is now thought of as 'classical music'. This aspect of music journalism, today often referred to as music criticism , comprises the study, discussion, evaluation, and interpretation of...
, Andy Ross, who promptly signed the band to his Camden based label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, Food Records
Food Records
Food Records was a record label set up in 1984 by David Balfe, who later took on Andy Ross as his partner. Originally formed as an independent record label with distribution going through Rough Trade Distribution, Food licenced acts to the Polygram offshoot London and Warner's WEA Records, before...
. Ross engaged the services of 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....
and New Order
New Order
New Order are an English rock band formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris...
producer Stephen Hague
Stephen Hague
Stephen Hague is an American music producer most active with various British acts in the 1980s. He was an influential figure in the synthpop movement.-Early career:...
to co-produce a number of tracks with Robinson for their critically acclaimed debut album Disgraceful (1995), and commissioned an advertising
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
campaign featuring Robert Steel's controversial "pencil case vulva" artwork
Visual arts
The visual arts are art forms that create works which are primarily visual in nature, such as ceramics, drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, design, crafts, and often modern visual arts and architecture...
.
The album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
charted
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
well on release in July 1995, and by January 1996 Dubstar had arrived in the Top 20 of the UK Singles Chart
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 ...
with "Not So Manic Now"; followed by a re-released "Stars" which marked Dubstar's UK chart zenith. Hague produced a second album, Goodbye (1997), in his upstate New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
barn studio. A US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
album release (also called Goodbye) on Polydor Records
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
, combining tracks from both the first and second albums, also emerged in 1998. The third original Dubstar album, Make It Better, was released in 2000, with EMI releasing a 'Best of' compilation
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
in 2004.
Blackwood joined the band 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...
to replace Xan Tyler as singer for a European tour with 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...
in 2002. Shortly afterwards, Kate Holmes, the other member of the band, and Blackwood decided to write together and formed the new group Client
Client (band)
Client are an English electronic musical group from London. They are most popular in Germany where they have had limited commercial success...
.
Posts in 2008 on their official Myspace page stated that the recording of their fourth album was underway. However, in November 2008 they made a post to their Facebook group stating that Blackwood would not participate, and the future of the album was up in the air. Blackwood and Wilkie have worked together in the interim, as Blackwood's first solo album, 2008's Acoustic at the Club Bar & Dining, features Wilkie on guitar; the seven-track live recording was released exclusively online, and consists of acoustic versions
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
of Dubstar and Client songs, plus covers of tracks by The Smiths
The Smiths
The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce...
and New Order
New Order
New Order are an English rock band formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris...
.
On 12 April 2010, the band released a cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of "I'm in Love with a German Film Star
I'm in love with a German film star
"I'm in Love with a German Film Star" is a song by the British pop band The Passions. It was released as a single in 1981 and reached number twenty-five on the UK Singles Chart. It was the band's only single to reach the charts. Sam Taylor-Wood recorded a cover version which was released a single...
" for an Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
project. Interviewed by Andrew Collins
Andrew Collins (broadcaster)
Andrew Collins is the creator and writer of Radio 4 sitcom Mr Blue Sky. His TV writing work includes EastEnders and the sitcoms Grass and Not Going Out .-Personal life:Collins was a member of the Labour Party between the late 1980s and early 1990s, leaving after Labour's...
on BBC 6 Music
BBC 6 Music
BBC 6 Music is one of the BBC's digital radio stations, was launched on 11 March 2002 and originally codenamed Network Y. It was the first national music radio station to be launched by the BBC in 32 years....
that afternoon, Blackwood confirmed that the band were back together and would be going into studio to record tracks for a new Dubstar album, although she would continue to also record with Client.
Personnel
- Sarah BlackwoodSarah 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...
— Vocalist - Steve HillierSteve HillierSteve Hillier from Welling, South London is a British songwriter, DJ and record producer who has worked with rock bands such as Keane, Landon Pigg and Mark Owen. Hillier is chiefly known for his work with the band Dubstar which he formed with Chris Wilkie and Sarah Blackwood in Newcastle Upon Tyne...
— KeyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Chris Wilkie — GuitaristGuitaristA guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Other key people:
- Paul Wadsworth — Drums and percussion
- Diid Osman — Bass guitar
- Rochelle Vincente — Backing vocals
- Graeme Robinson — DrumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, songwriter, producer, engineer, manager - 1993-96 - Andy Ross — Food Records Managing Director - 1993-2000
- Stevo PearceStevo PearceStephen John Pearce, commonly known as Stevo, is the owner of British record label, Some Bizzare Records.-Biography:Pearce was born in 1962 and came from Haverhill. He left school at sixteen without any qualifications and entered a work training placement with ‘Phonogram Records’...
— Manager - 1997-98 - Stephen HagueStephen HagueStephen Hague is an American music producer most active with various British acts in the 1980s. He was an influential figure in the synthpop movement.-Early career:...
— Producer - 1995-97 - Jon Kirby — Keyboards, songwriter, session musicianSession musicianSession musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
1994-95
Albums
- DisgracefulDisgracefulDisgraceful was Dubstar's debut album. It was released in October 1995 on the Food Records label, a division of EMI that was also home to Blur.-Track listing:#"Stars"#"Anywhere"#"Just A Girl She Said"#"Elevator Song"#"The Day I See You Again"...
(1995)- Disgraceful (with remix disc) (1996)
- GoodbyeGoodbye (Dubstar album)Goodbye is Dubstar's second album. It was released in September 1997 on the Food Records label, a division of EMI that was also home to Blur.-Track listing:#"I Will Be Your Girlfriend"#"Inside"#"No More Talk"#"Polestar"#"Say the Worst Thing First"...
(1997) - Make It BetterMake It BetterMake It Better is the third studio album by British dance-pop band Dubstar. It was released August 2000 on Food, and spawned two singles: "I " and "The Self Same Thing". The single "I was released in the UK on 1 May...
(2000) - Stars - The Best of DubstarStars - The Best of DubstarStars: The Best Of Dubstar is a compilation album by British dance-pop band, Dubstar, released in April 2004. The album contains a hidden track - a remix of Stars and this can be found after the song 'Self Same Thing'....
(2004)
Singles
The following singles were released in the UK by Dubstar, via Food Records:- "Stars" (1995) (UKUK Singles ChartThe 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 ...
#40) - "Anywhere" (1995) (UK #37)
- "Not So Manic Now" (1995) (UK #18)
- "Stars" (re-release) (1996) (UK #15)
- "Elevator Song" (1996) (UK #25)
- "No More Talk" (1997) (UK #20)
- "Cathedral Park" (1997) (UK #41)
- "I Will Be Your Girlfriend" (1998) (UK #28)
- "I (Friday Night)" (2000) (UK #37)
- "The Self Same Thing" (2000) (chart-ineligible EP)
Exclusive songs
- "Not So Fast" – Volume SixteenVolume SixteenVolume Sixteen, dubbed "Copulation Explosion!", is the sixteenth issue of Volume magazine, which was published in 1996. The package includes an extra disc, which has a few more music tracks, plus it2, a cross-platform CD-ROM section which contains video files of some animations.-Track listing:#...
(1996) - "Everyday I Die" – Random, Volume 1: A Gary NumanGary NumanGary Numan is an English singer, composer, and musician, most widely known for his chart-topping 1979 hits "Are 'Friends' Electric?" and "Cars". His signature sound consisted of heavy synthesizer hooks fed through guitar effects pedals.Numan is considered a pioneer of commercial electronic music...
TributeTribute albumA tribute album is a recorded collection of cover versions of songs or instrumental compositions. Its concept may be either various artists making a tribute to a single artist, a single artist making a tribute to various artists, or a single artist making a tribute to another single artist.There...
(1997) - "In Charge" – Shooting FishShooting FishShooting Fish is a 1997 British film co-written by Richard Holmes and Stefan Schwartz. Holmes produced and Schwartz directed. It co-starred Dan Futterman and Stuart Townsend as two con men with Kate Beckinsale as their unwilling assistant. It was produced by Winchester Films and partly funded by...
Soundtrack (1997) - "JealousyJealousy (Pet Shop Boys song)"Jealousy" is a song originally written in 1982 by the Pet Shop Boys, recorded for their 1990 album Behaviour. In 1991, it was released in a slightly remixed form as a single, which appears on both Pet Shop Boys' greatest hits albums...
" – Come Again (EMIEMIThe EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
, UK, 1997) / Essential: Interpretations (CapitolCapitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
, 1998) - "Poupée de Cire, Poupée de Son" featuring Sacha DistelSacha DistelSacha Distel was a French singer and guitarist who had hits with a cover version of the Academy Award-winning "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" , "Scoubidou", and "The Good Life". He was born in Paris.-Career:Sacha Distel, born Alexandre Distel, was a son of Russian White émigré Leonid Distel...
– Song for EurotrashEurotrash (TV series)Eurotrash is a 30-minute magazine-format programme in English produced by Rapido Television. It was shown in the United Kingdom on Channel 4 from 1993 and was a late-night comical review of weird and wonderful topics from around the world...
(1998) - "I'm in Love with a German Film StarI'm in love with a German film star"I'm in Love with a German Film Star" is a song by the British pop band The Passions. It was released as a single in 1981 and reached number twenty-five on the UK Singles Chart. It was the band's only single to reach the charts. Sam Taylor-Wood recorded a cover version which was released a single...
" from Peace, a compilation for Amnesty InternationalAmnesty InternationalAmnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
(2010)