Lawrence Hayward
Encyclopedia
Lawrence Hayward known simply as Lawrence, his surname never used in credits or press, is best known as the singer, songwriter and guitarist of British
indie
band Felt
.
. During his time in the band, he served as lyricist
and primary songwriter, though early on he shared songwriting credits with then-lead guitarist Maurice Deebank
, who left the band in 1986.
. Influenced by 1970s glam rock, Denim released two albums in the 1990s, plus a compilation of B-sides and extra tracks, but mainstream success continued to elude Lawrence. A third album, Denim Take Over, was shelved indefinitely.
, released through his personal imprint, West Midlands Records and distributed by Cherry Red. The 2005 follow-up was titled Tearing Up The Album Charts – a wry comment on his failure to achieve commercial success, a habit the album itself did nothing to break. UNCUT
awarded Lawrence the dubious honour of being "one of the stars fame forgot"
Since August 2006, Lawrence has been working on a new Go Kart Mozart album.
has worked on a documentary centred around Lawrence, titled Lawrence of Belgravia (a reference both to the Englishman who led the Arab Revolt and the district of Central London
in which Lawrence resides), which was set to premiere at the London Film Festival
in either October or November 2006, but failed to be ready. A 20-minute work-in-progress version of the documentary was screened at the Barbican Centre
in London in November 2008. The final 90-minute cut of the film is set to have its debut screening at the 2011 London Film festival.
He was born in Birmingham
though moved as a child to Water Orton
, a village close to the small north Warwickshire
town of Coleshill
, east of Birmingham. Early on he was heavily influenced by Tom Verlaine
of Television
in both his guitar-playing and his idiosyncratic vocals.
Updated info on the Unofficial Felt site.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
indie
Indie pop
Indie pop is a genre of alternative rock music that originated in the United Kingdom in the mid 1980s, with its roots in the Scottish post-punk bands on the Postcard Records label in the early '80s, such as Orange Juice, Josef K and Aztec Camera, and the dominant UK independent band of the mid...
band Felt
Felt (band)
Felt were a 1980s British alternative rock band led by Lawrence, whose surname was never listed in any credits or press; the band's name was inspired by Tom Verlaine's emphasis of the word "felt" in the Television song "Venus"...
.
Felt
Felt released ten albums in the 1980s, and Lawrence was the only constant member of the band from its inception in 1979 to its dissolution in 1989, though he doesn't appear at all on the band's penultimate album, Train Above The CityTrain Above the City
Train Above the City is the ninth and penultimate album by English alternative rock band Felt, released in 1988. It does not feature frontman Lawrence in any musical capacity, though he was responsible for naming the tracks...
. During his time in the band, he served as lyricist
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
and primary songwriter, though early on he shared songwriting credits with then-lead guitarist Maurice Deebank
Maurice Deebank
Maurice Deebank is a classically trained English guitarist. He was the lead guitarist of the British indie band Felt from its debut album until 1986, and was responsible for the ornate, atmospheric guitar work found on many of the band's early recordings...
, who left the band in 1986.
Denim
After the dissolution of Felt, Lawrence formed DenimDenim (UK band)
Denim was the brainchild of Lawrence, formerly of Felt, and was based in Birmingham, England.-History:Following the end of his former group, 1980s post-punk outfit Felt, Lawrence moved into different territory with Denim, a band whose brash teaming of glam rock with cutting and highly satirical...
. Influenced by 1970s glam rock, Denim released two albums in the 1990s, plus a compilation of B-sides and extra tracks, but mainstream success continued to elude Lawrence. A third album, Denim Take Over, was shelved indefinitely.
Go Kart Mozart
1999 saw the full-length debut of Lawrence's current project, Go Kart MozartGo Kart Mozart
Go Kart Mozart is a band founded by Lawrence, originally of the bands Felt and Denim. The sound of the band is similar to Denim, although with an emphasis on synthesizers rather than guitars. The songs are short in nature, most never going over three minutes. The lyrics are often funny and satirical...
, released through his personal imprint, West Midlands Records and distributed by Cherry Red. The 2005 follow-up was titled Tearing Up The Album Charts – a wry comment on his failure to achieve commercial success, a habit the album itself did nothing to break. UNCUT
UNCUT (magazine)
Uncut magazine, trademarked as UNCUT, is a monthly publication based in London. It is available across the English-speaking world, and focuses on music, but also includes film and books sections...
awarded Lawrence the dubious honour of being "one of the stars fame forgot"
Since August 2006, Lawrence has been working on a new Go Kart Mozart album.
Documentary
Filmmaker Paul KellyPaul Kelly (film maker)
Paul Kelly is an English film director, musician, photographer and designer.-Music:The son of an RAF fighter pilot - he took up flying aged fourteen, making his first solo flight on his seventeenth birthday. However, a passion for music and electric guitars eventually led him to follow a musical...
has worked on a documentary centred around Lawrence, titled Lawrence of Belgravia (a reference both to the Englishman who led the Arab Revolt and the district of Central London
Belgravia
Belgravia is a district of central London in the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Noted for its immensely expensive residential properties, it is one of the wealthiest districts in the world...
in which Lawrence resides), which was set to premiere at the London Film Festival
London Film Festival
The BFI London Film Festival is the UK's largest public film event, screening more than 300 features, documentaries and shorts from almost 50 countries. The festival, , currently in its 54th year, is run every year in the second half of October under the umbrella of the British Film Institute...
in either October or November 2006, but failed to be ready. A 20-minute work-in-progress version of the documentary was screened at the Barbican Centre
Barbican Centre
The Barbican Centre is the largest performing arts centre in Europe. Located in the City of London, England, the Centre hosts classical and contemporary music concerts, theatre performances, film screenings and art exhibitions. It also houses a library, three restaurants, and a conservatory...
in London in November 2008. The final 90-minute cut of the film is set to have its debut screening at the 2011 London Film festival.
Personal life
Very little is known about Lawrence's background or personal life - even his last name has never been verified, since in official songwriting credits, only his first name is given.He was born in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
though moved as a child to Water Orton
Water Orton
Water Orton is a village near the River Tame in the North Warwickshire borough of Warwickshire in England. It is located between Castle Bromwich and Coleshill, and borders the West Midlands metropolitan county boundary to the north, west and south. At the last census in 2001, the population was...
, a village close to the small north Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
town of Coleshill
Coleshill, Warwickshire
Coleshill is a market town in the North Warwickshire district of Warwickshire, England, taking its name from the River Cole. It has a population of 6,343 and is situated east of Birmingham.-Location:...
, east of Birmingham. Early on he was heavily influenced by Tom Verlaine
Tom Verlaine
Tom Verlaine is a singer, songwriter and guitarist, best known as the frontman for the New York rock band Television.-Biography:...
of Television
Television (band)
Television was an American rock band, formed in New York City in 1973. They are best known for the album Marquee Moon and widely regarded as one of the founders of "punk" and New Wave music. Television was part of the early 1970s New York underground rock scene, along with bands like the Patti...
in both his guitar-playing and his idiosyncratic vocals.
with Felt
- Crumbling the Antiseptic BeautyCrumbling the Antiseptic BeautyCrumbling the Antiseptic Beauty is the first album by British alternative rock band Felt, released in 1982.Track 1 is instrumental. "Fortune" was later re-recorded and released on the band's 1984 single Sunlight Bathed the Golden Glow...
(Cherry RedCherry RedCherry Red is a London-based independent record label formed in 1978.-History:Cherry Red grew from the rock promotion company founded in 1971 to promote rock concerts at the Malvern Winter Gardens...
, 1981) - The Splendour of FearThe Splendour of FearThe Splendour of Fear is the second album by British alternative rock band Felt, released in 1984. A largely instrumental album, only tracks 2 and 5 have lyrics....
(Cherry Red, 1984) - The Strange Idols Pattern and Other Short StoriesThe Strange Idols Pattern and Other Short StoriesThe Strange Idols Pattern and Other Short Stories is the third album by British alternative rock band Felt, released in 1984. The original album contained an instrumental track, "Crucifix Heaven," which was removed from recent CD reissues. "Whirlpool Vision of Shame" is a re-recording of earlier...
(Cherry Red, 1984) - Ignite the Seven CannonsIgnite the Seven CannonsIgnite the Seven Cannons is the fourth album by British alternative rock band Felt, released in 1985. The album was produced by Robin Guthrie of Cocteau Twins, and features his bandmate Elizabeth Fraser as a backing vocalist. The band's most successful single, "Primitive Painters", was culled from...
(Cherry Red, 1985) - Let the Snakes Crinkle Their Heads to DeathLet the Snakes Crinkle Their Heads to DeathLet the Snakes Crinkle Their Heads to Death is the fifth album by British alternative rock band Felt, released in 1986. Their first album for Creation Records, it is composed of short instrumentals in different styles and is less than nineteen minutes in length...
(Creation RecordsCreation RecordsCreation 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...
, 1986) - Forever Breathes the Lonely WordForever Breathes the Lonely WordForever Breathes the Lonely Word is the sixth album by British alternative rock band Felt, released in 1986. This is the first Felt album with no instrumental tracks.The cover features a colour photograph of keyboardist Martin Duffy.-Track listing:...
(Creation Records, 1986) - Poem of the RiverPoem of the RiverPoem of the River is the seventh album by British alternative rock band Felt, released in 1987.-Track listing:All songs written by Lawrence.#"Declaration" – 1:47#"Silver Plane" – 2:38#"She Lives by the Castle" – 6:18...
(Creation Records, 1987) - The Pictorial Jackson ReviewThe Pictorial Jackson ReviewThe Pictorial Jackson Review is the eighth album by British alternative rock band Felt, released in 1988. Unusually, the first side of the record consisted of short pop songs with the second side containing just two long keyboard instrumentals by keyboardist Martin Duffy...
(Creation Records, 1988) - Train Above the CityTrain Above the CityTrain Above the City is the ninth and penultimate album by English alternative rock band Felt, released in 1988. It does not feature frontman Lawrence in any musical capacity, though he was responsible for naming the tracks...
(Creation Records, 1988) - Me and a Monkey on the MoonMe and a Monkey on the MoonMe and a Monkey on the Moon is the tenth and final album by British alternative rock band Felt, released in 1989.- Recording :The album was recorded at ICC Studios in Eastbourne between 5 and 14 August 1989, after earlier demos had been recorded in Brighton...
(Cherry Red, 1989) - Gold Mine Trash (Cherry Red, 1987)
- Bubblegum Perfume (Creation Records, 1990)
- Absolute Classic Masterpieces (Cherry Red, 1992)
- Absolute Classic Masterpieces Volume II (Creation Records, 1993)
- Stains on a Decade (Cherry Red, 2003)
with Denim
- Back in DenimBack in DenimBack in Denim is an album by the band Denim. It was released in 1992 on Boy's Own Recordings and then reissued in May 2006 on West Midland's Records, a subsidiary of Cherry Red...
(Boy's Own, 1992) - Denim on IceDenim on IceDenim on Ice is the second album by Denim. It was released in 1996.-Track listing:#"The Great Pub Rock Revival" – 4:14#"It Fell off the Back of a Lorry" – 3:21#"Romeo Jones Is in Love Again" – 1:44#"Brumburger" – 4:23#"The Supermodels" – 4:02...
(EchoEcho RecordsThe Echo Label was a record label started by Chrysalis Group in 1994, and linked with Pony Canyon in Japan. The Chrysalis Group were the original owners of Chrysalis Records, which they sold to EMI....
, 1996) - Novelty RockNovelty Rock-Side one:#"The New Potatoes" – 1:52#"On a Chicory Tip" – 3:24#"Robin's Nest" – 1:51#"Internet Curtains" – 3:22#"Snake Bite" – 2:59...
(EMIDISC, 1997)
with Go Kart Mozart
- Instant Wigwam and Igloo MixtureInstant Wigwam and Igloo MixtureInstant Wigwam And Igloo Mixture is the debut album by the band Go Kart Mozart. It was released in 1999 on West Midlands Records, a subsidiary of Cherry Red...
(West Midlands Records, 1999) - Tearing Up The Album ChartsTearing Up The Album ChartsTearing Up the Album Charts is an album by the band Go Kart Mozart. It was released in 2005 on West Midland's Records, a subsidiary of Cherry Red...
(West Midlands Records, 2005)
Links
Perfect Sound Forever zine interview from 2003Updated info on the Unofficial Felt site.