Futuristic Retro Champions
Encyclopedia
Futuristic Retro Champions were a Scottish indie band from Edinburgh
and Glasgow
who sang and played Electropop with a Scottish brogue
. They played support for such headliners as Kate Nash
, Ladyhawke
, The Vaselines
, Bombay Bicycle Club
, Charlotte Hatherley
, Friendly Fires
and Glasvegas
, before eventually headlining their own shows.
, and the band properly took shape when Carla, Sita and Luke wrote the song, 'Lullaby' together as a soundtrack to a film they'd made. They turned to Harry to help record the song, and when recording the first version of 'Hi!', were joined by Dan on trumpet. Carla and Sita then moved to Lithuania, where they continued to develop their sound. On their return, Adam joined the band on synth.
In 2007, The List named them as a band to look out for that year. Then in June, they headlined at Glasgow's King Tut's Wah Wah Hut
, supported by fellow electro popsters Pooch. That same year while still at college, they played support for Kate Nash
, Glasvegas
, and Friendly Fires
, and headlined The 2007 Art College Revel. Also at an Art College tribute night in memory of their tutor and mentor Paul Carter, they were joined on stage by Eugene Kelly
of Scottish indie band The Vaselines
, for covers of (The Vaselines' songs) 'Son Of A Gun' and 'You Think You're A Man'.
In 2008, Carla, Harry and Sita's long-term friend Cecilia 'Ceal' Stamp replaced Luke on bass, while Adam and Dan also left. The new lineup supported Ladyhawke
, visited London a couple of times, played Shoreditch
, and supported (former BiS
star) Manda Rin. In 2009 they played the Heavylight/Darkbright club night in Stereo, then in March, Edinburgh's The Mill. Next, on a trip to London, they supported The Vaselines at The Forum
, then played the Hinterland Festival. During summer they played the inaugural Define Pop Festival.
Moving to Glasgow they began to concentrate on writing new songs. They supported Charlotte Hatherley
at King Tut's, and their music was played on Radio 1, Radio 6 Music, Jim Gellatly
's New Music podcast, Subcity Radio, Glasgow PodcART and Gill Mills' 'Best of MySpace' podcast. In 2010 they played King Tut's again, then Sneaky Petes in Edinburgh, and London's Club Fandango
. The FRC EP was launched with a packed and overspilling sellout show at The 13th Note Café
. In March they recorded four new tracks at La Chunky Studio in Glasgow, and in April, headlined Sneaky Petes. Their (free) La Chunky EP was released in the summer, when they played the Hidden Lane Festival.
The debut single 'May The Forth / Settle Down' was released at a Mono launch night in Glasgow on 5 August 2010, with Turner Prize
-winning artist Martin Creed
, who supplied the original artwork, performing a rare set with his band; also The Vaselines' Eugene Kelly; and the Hidden Masters. The single was favourably reviewed, receiving airplay on Radio 1 by Ally McCrae, and also by Kissy Sell Out
(who played/remixed it twice on air, inviting them to play one of his Birmingham nights).
On October 21, 2010, the band announced on Facebook and Twitter, the December launch (at shows in Glasgow and Edinburgh) of a "Retrospective" album featuring all songs recorded to date; and also that they would "... not be continuing into 2011." Then on November 20, another announcement said bassist Ceal had suffered a shattered elbow, and the farewell/album party gigs would have to be postponed until 2011.
Their 26-track, 2-CD debut/retrospective album 'Love And Lemonade' was released in April 2011.
CD1: Epic New Song, Jenna, Isn't It Lovely, Kitten With A Loaded Gun, You Make My Heart, Strawberries And Vodka Shots, Let's Make Out, Speak To Me, Told Ya, Pulling Box Shapes, Settle Down, DIY Lovesong, May The Forth, Robert De Niro's Waiting, Count To Ten (Kevin's version).
CD2: Hi!, I'm Tired, Old Man (Magpie Eyes), Nintendo, Oh My God, Drunk Love, One Last Time (acoustic feat. David Pollock), Uh Oh (No Show), May The Forth (Miaoux Miaoux remix), Speak To Me (Isaac Martin remix), Told Ya (TYGH remix).
Notes:
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
who sang and played Electropop with a Scottish brogue
Brogue
A brogue is a strong accent, notably in Irish dialects of English. For example, in the folksong "Finnegan's Wake", the character of the song, Tim Finnegan, was said to have a "beautiful brogue so rich and sweet"....
. They played support for such headliners as Kate Nash
Kate Nash
Kate Marie Nash is an English singer, songwriter, and musician. She had a UK no. 2 hit "Foundations" in 2007, followed by the platinum selling UK number 1 album Made of Bricks. She was named Best Female Artist at the 2008 BRIT Awards....
, Ladyhawke
Ladyhawke
Ladyhawke is a 1985 fantasy film directed by Richard Donner, starring Matthew Broderick, Rutger Hauer and Michelle Pfeiffer. The film marked the second 20th Century Fox film to be co-produced and co-released by Warner Bros.. The first was The Towering Inferno; this time Warner got the U.S...
, The Vaselines
The Vaselines
The Vaselines are an alternative rock band from Glasgow, Scotland. Formed in 1986, the band was originally a duo between its songwriters Eugene Kelly and Frances McKee, but later added James Seenan and Eugene's brother Charlie Kelly on bass and drums respectively from the band Secession. McKee had...
, Bombay Bicycle Club
Bombay Bicycle Club
Bombay Bicycle Club are a British indie rock and folk band from Crouch End, London. The band comprises: Jack Steadman , Jamie MacColl , Ed Nash and Suren de Saram ....
, Charlotte Hatherley
Charlotte Hatherley
Charlotte Franklin Hatherley is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. She initially came to prominence as guitarist and backing vocalist for alternative rock band Ash. Since departing Ash in 2006, she has found success as a solo artist...
, Friendly Fires
Friendly Fires
Friendly Fires are an English band from St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. They are currently signed to XL Recordings. Their self-titled debut album was released on 1 September 2008 and was announced as one of the shortlisted twelve for the 2009 Mercury Prize on 21 July 2009.-History:Friendly Fires...
and Glasvegas
Glasvegas
Glasvegas are a Scottish indie rock band from Glasgow. The band consists of James Allan , Rab Allan , Paul Donoghue and Jonna Löfgren . The band received critical acclaim for their debut album Glasvegas which was released in September 2008, reaching No...
, before eventually headlining their own shows.
History
Futuristic Retro Champions played their debut public gig at Edinburgh's Wee Red Bar in 2006. They'd met at Edinburgh College of ArtEdinburgh College of Art
Edinburgh College of Art is an art school in Edinburgh, Scotland, providing tertiary education in art and design disciplines for over two thousand students....
, and the band properly took shape when Carla, Sita and Luke wrote the song, 'Lullaby' together as a soundtrack to a film they'd made. They turned to Harry to help record the song, and when recording the first version of 'Hi!', were joined by Dan on trumpet. Carla and Sita then moved to Lithuania, where they continued to develop their sound. On their return, Adam joined the band on synth.
In 2007, The List named them as a band to look out for that year. Then in June, they headlined at Glasgow's King Tut's Wah Wah Hut
King Tut's Wah Wah Hut
King Tut's Wah Wah Hut, also known as King Tut's, is a live music venue and bar in on St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Scotland. It is owned and managed by Glasgow-based gig promoters DF Concerts...
, supported by fellow electro popsters Pooch. That same year while still at college, they played support for Kate Nash
Kate Nash
Kate Marie Nash is an English singer, songwriter, and musician. She had a UK no. 2 hit "Foundations" in 2007, followed by the platinum selling UK number 1 album Made of Bricks. She was named Best Female Artist at the 2008 BRIT Awards....
, Glasvegas
Glasvegas
Glasvegas are a Scottish indie rock band from Glasgow. The band consists of James Allan , Rab Allan , Paul Donoghue and Jonna Löfgren . The band received critical acclaim for their debut album Glasvegas which was released in September 2008, reaching No...
, and Friendly Fires
Friendly Fires
Friendly Fires are an English band from St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. They are currently signed to XL Recordings. Their self-titled debut album was released on 1 September 2008 and was announced as one of the shortlisted twelve for the 2009 Mercury Prize on 21 July 2009.-History:Friendly Fires...
, and headlined The 2007 Art College Revel. Also at an Art College tribute night in memory of their tutor and mentor Paul Carter, they were joined on stage by Eugene Kelly
Eugene Kelly
Eugene Kelly is a Scottish musician who is a member of the group The Vaselines, a founding member of the now disbanded Eugenius and has had a number of solo releases....
of Scottish indie band The Vaselines
The Vaselines
The Vaselines are an alternative rock band from Glasgow, Scotland. Formed in 1986, the band was originally a duo between its songwriters Eugene Kelly and Frances McKee, but later added James Seenan and Eugene's brother Charlie Kelly on bass and drums respectively from the band Secession. McKee had...
, for covers of (The Vaselines' songs) 'Son Of A Gun' and 'You Think You're A Man'.
In 2008, Carla, Harry and Sita's long-term friend Cecilia 'Ceal' Stamp replaced Luke on bass, while Adam and Dan also left. The new lineup supported Ladyhawke
Ladyhawke
Ladyhawke is a 1985 fantasy film directed by Richard Donner, starring Matthew Broderick, Rutger Hauer and Michelle Pfeiffer. The film marked the second 20th Century Fox film to be co-produced and co-released by Warner Bros.. The first was The Towering Inferno; this time Warner got the U.S...
, visited London a couple of times, played Shoreditch
Shoreditch
Shoreditch is an area of London within the London Borough of Hackney in England. It is a built-up part of the inner city immediately to the north of the City of London, located east-northeast of Charing Cross.-Etymology:...
, and supported (former BiS
Bis (band)
Bis are a Scottish indie pop band composed of Steven Clark , John Clark , and Amanda MacKinnon . Formed in 1994, the band broke up in 2003, but reformed briefly in 2007 for a series of concerts.-History:...
star) Manda Rin. In 2009 they played the Heavylight/Darkbright club night in Stereo, then in March, Edinburgh's The Mill. Next, on a trip to London, they supported The Vaselines at The Forum
London Forum
The London Forum, or sometimes Kentish Town Forum is a well-known venue for concerts in Kentish Town, London, United Kingdom owned by the MAMA Group. The venue was built in 1934 and was originally used as an art deco cinema. After the closure of the cinema, The Town & Country Club was established...
, then played the Hinterland Festival. During summer they played the inaugural Define Pop Festival.
Moving to Glasgow they began to concentrate on writing new songs. They supported Charlotte Hatherley
Charlotte Hatherley
Charlotte Franklin Hatherley is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. She initially came to prominence as guitarist and backing vocalist for alternative rock band Ash. Since departing Ash in 2006, she has found success as a solo artist...
at King Tut's, and their music was played on Radio 1, Radio 6 Music, Jim Gellatly
Jim Gellatly
Jim Gellatly is a Scottish radio presenter and DJ. He currently presents the New Music show In:Demand Uncut across Scotland, and a weekly showcase on the UK-wide DAB digital radio station Amazing Radio.-Biography:...
's New Music podcast, Subcity Radio, Glasgow PodcART and Gill Mills' 'Best of MySpace' podcast. In 2010 they played King Tut's again, then Sneaky Petes in Edinburgh, and London's Club Fandango
Club Fandango
Club Fandango is a live music promotions company based in Highbury, London, England. It was started in 2001, by Simon Williams and Andy MacLeod. The former runs Fierce Panda records, the latter the Pointy Records label...
. The FRC EP was launched with a packed and overspilling sellout show at The 13th Note Café
The 13th Note Café
The 13th Note Café is a restaurant, bar and music venue in Glasgow, Scotland.It opened in 1997 on Glassford Street, before moving to its present site on King Street. Later, the 13th Note franchise expanded to include a larger club venue on Clyde Street. The holding company that owned both venues...
. In March they recorded four new tracks at La Chunky Studio in Glasgow, and in April, headlined Sneaky Petes. Their (free) La Chunky EP was released in the summer, when they played the Hidden Lane Festival.
The debut single 'May The Forth / Settle Down' was released at a Mono launch night in Glasgow on 5 August 2010, with Turner Prize
Turner Prize
The Turner Prize, named after the painter J. M. W. Turner, is an annual prize presented to a British visual artist under the age of 50. Awarding the prize is organised by the Tate gallery and staged at Tate Britain. Since its beginnings in 1984 it has become the United Kingdom's most publicised...
-winning artist Martin Creed
Martin Creed
Martin Creed is an artist and musician. He won the Turner Prize in 2001 for Work No. 227: the lights going on and off, which was an empty room in which the lights went on and off.-Life and work :...
, who supplied the original artwork, performing a rare set with his band; also The Vaselines' Eugene Kelly; and the Hidden Masters. The single was favourably reviewed, receiving airplay on Radio 1 by Ally McCrae, and also by Kissy Sell Out
Kissy Sell Out
Kissy Sell Out an English DJ, producer and graphic designer. Kissy Sell Out quickly gained notability in 2006 for his eccentric electro productions and energetic DJ style. In 2009 Mixmag described him as "one of the most exciting, charismatic and entertaining DJs of the decade"...
(who played/remixed it twice on air, inviting them to play one of his Birmingham nights).
On October 21, 2010, the band announced on Facebook and Twitter, the December launch (at shows in Glasgow and Edinburgh) of a "Retrospective" album featuring all songs recorded to date; and also that they would "... not be continuing into 2011." Then on November 20, another announcement said bassist Ceal had suffered a shattered elbow, and the farewell/album party gigs would have to be postponed until 2011.
Their 26-track, 2-CD debut/retrospective album 'Love And Lemonade' was released in April 2011.
Band Name
Interviewed in the Jez Curnow movie The Art School Dance, Carla reveals that she and her brother were in a school contest to coin "the best band name", and Futuristic Retro Champions is what they arived at. Carla decided that if ever she were in a band, that would be its name.Band Members
- Sita Pieraccini - vocals and melodica, occasional tambourine (2006–2011)
- Carla Easton - keys, vocals, occasional saxophone (2006–2011)
- Harry Weeks - guitar, vocals, synths, laptop, production (2006–2011)
- Cecilia Stamp - bass, vocals (2008–2011)
Former members
- Luke Fletcher - bass (2006–2008)
- Dan O'Neill - trumpet (2006–2008)
- Adam D. Scott - synths, shouting (2006–2008)
EPs
| Year | Title | Tracks |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Lollipoptastic EP | Speak To Me; Epic New Song; Pulling Box Shapes; Isn't It Lovely |
| 2010 | FRC EP | You Make My Heart; DIY Lovesong; Let's Make Out; Told Ya |
| 2010 | La Chunky EP (FREE) | Jenna; Kitten With A Loaded Gun; Strawberries And Vodka Shots; Told Ya (TYGH Remix) |
Compilations
- Love And Lemonade (2CD) (2011)
CD1: Epic New Song, Jenna, Isn't It Lovely, Kitten With A Loaded Gun, You Make My Heart, Strawberries And Vodka Shots, Let's Make Out, Speak To Me, Told Ya, Pulling Box Shapes, Settle Down, DIY Lovesong, May The Forth, Robert De Niro's Waiting, Count To Ten (Kevin's version).
CD2: Hi!, I'm Tired, Old Man (Magpie Eyes), Nintendo, Oh My God, Drunk Love, One Last Time (acoustic feat. David Pollock), Uh Oh (No Show), May The Forth (Miaoux Miaoux remix), Speak To Me (Isaac Martin remix), Told Ya (TYGH remix).
Notes:
- Due to a production error, Let's Make Out was omitted from the limited edition mini-vinyl CD release. Immediately on discovery, the track was made publicly available as a free download.
- "Robert De Niro's Waiting" is not included on the iTunes edition of the album.
Other Appearances
- A live 2007 performance of "Jenna" features in Jez Curnow's film "The Art School Dance" (DVD) (2009).
- The song "Speak To Me" features on the Amazing TunesAmazing RadioAmazing Radio is a national radio station broadcasting on digital radio in the United Kingdom. The station plays new music from a number of music genres including pop, rock, indie, hip hop, electronica and jazz...
musical soundtrack accompanying "Flick", the debut novel of actress and writer Abigail TarttelinAbigail TarttelinAbigail Jane Kathryn Tarttelin is an English actress and novelist.-Early life:Tarttelin was born in Grimsby, England. Her paternal grandfather is artist David Tarttelin. She grew up in North East England...
(2011).
External links
- Futuristic Retro Champions (official website)