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MP4 (band)
Encyclopedia
MP4 is a rock band made up of four British
Members of Parliament
.
, Perth and North Perthshire
) on keyboards, Ian Cawsey
(Labour, Brigg and Goole) on bass guitar and vocals, and Greg Knight
(Conservative
, East Yorkshire
) on drums. They were later joined by Kevin Brennan
(Labour
, Cardiff West
) on guitar, and changed their name to reflect this. Wishart was previously keyboardist with Runrig
and Big Country
, and is the only current MP to have appeared on Top of the Pops
.
The band first came to media attention in 2003, when the project was described as being in its "early stages".
Three of the four members were re-elected at the 2010 General Election but bassist Ian Cawsey lost his seat. He remains a band member however, and the group has indicated they intend to continue with the same line-up.
s of the Beatles
' Can't Buy Me Love
, Wilson Pickett
's In the Midnight Hour
and Steve Earle
's My Old Friend the Blues, along with the Brennan-penned original Foolish Game.
They have recorded their first full album Cross Party produced by Robin Millar, on Revolver Records http://www.crosspartymusic.com released April 2010 and launched at the Speaker's House at Westminster. Eight tracks on the eleven track album are band originals, with a bonus track remixed by Pete Waterman.
, formerly of the Undertones
, in his first stage appearance in over 15 years, when he sang Teenage Kicks
at the annual "Rock The Boat" party hosted by the British Phonographic Industry.
In 2008, MP4 were the subject of a special television short biography programme made by Sky and broadcast on the Sky Arts channel during the year.
In January 2009, MP4 made a guest appearance on BBC1's TV programme 'Your Country Needs You' with the winning UK Eurovision hopeful Jade and the other two finalist acts – the Twins and Mark Evans. MP4 gave Jade some tips on 'how to win votes'.
In December 2009 they became the first rock group ever to play at the Palace of Westminster, when they performed a sell-out concert on the terrace of the House of Commons. For an encore they were joined once again on stage by Feargal Sharkey, who reprised his 'Undertones' hit "Teenage Kicks".
In September 2010 they performed at the Labour Party Conference in support of UK Music at a sell-out concert at Manchester's Night and Day Cafe.
On New Year's Eve 2010 they performed at a sell-out concert for MPs, peers and their guests, once again on the Terrace of the House of Commons. They were introduced to the celebrity audience (including amongst others government ministers, actor Ross Kemp and Welsh singer Duffy,) by House of Commons Speaker John Bercow MP.
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...
Members of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
.
Members
It was founded as MP3 in 2004 by Pete Wishart (Scottish National PartyScottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
, Perth and North Perthshire
Perth and North Perthshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Perth and North Perthshire is a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
) on keyboards, Ian Cawsey
Ian Cawsey
Ian Arthur Cawsey is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for Brigg and Goole from 1997 until his defeat at the 2010 general election.-Early life:...
(Labour, Brigg and Goole) on bass guitar and vocals, and Greg Knight
Greg Knight
Gregory Knight is a British politician and author. He is Conservative Member of Parliament for East Yorkshire.-Education and professional life:...
(Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
, East Yorkshire
East Yorkshire (UK Parliament constituency)
East Yorkshire is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
) on drums. They were later joined by Kevin Brennan
Kevin Brennan (politician)
Kevin Denis Brennan is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Cardiff West since 2001, and was a Minister of State at both the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department for Children, Schools and Families before the 2010 general election...
(Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
, Cardiff West
Cardiff West (UK Parliament constituency)
Cardiff West is a borough constituency in the city of Cardiff. It returns one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system...
) on guitar, and changed their name to reflect this. Wishart was previously keyboardist with Runrig
Runrig
Runrig are a Scottish Celtic rock group formed in Skye, in 1973 under the name 'The Run Rig Dance Band'. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included songwriters Rory Macdonald and Calum Macdonald. The current line-up also includes longtime members Malcolm Jones, Iain Bayne, and more...
and Big Country
Big Country
Big Country are a Scottish rock band formed in Dunfermline, Fife in 1981. They were most popular in the early to mid-1980s, but they still release material for a cult following...
, and is the only current MP to have appeared on Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
.
The band first came to media attention in 2003, when the project was described as being in its "early stages".
Three of the four members were re-elected at the 2010 General Election but bassist Ian Cawsey lost his seat. He remains a band member however, and the group has indicated they intend to continue with the same line-up.
Recordings
In 2005, MP4 recorded an EP entitled House Music, which was initially released as a download by EMI, and later in CD format by Busy Bee Records. The EP features cover versionCover 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...
s of the Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' Can't Buy Me Love
Can't Buy Me Love
"Can't Buy Me Love" is a song composed by Paul McCartney and released by The Beatles on the A-side of their sixth British single, "Can't Buy Me Love"/"You Can't Do That".-Interpretation:...
, Wilson Pickett
Wilson Pickett
Wilson Pickett was an American R&B/Soul singer and songwriter.A major figure in the development of American soul music, Pickett recorded over 50 songs which made the US R&B charts, and frequently crossed over to the US Billboard Hot 100...
's In the Midnight Hour
In the Midnight Hour
"In the Midnight Hour" is a song originally performed by Wilson Pickett in 1965 and released on the 1966 album The Exciting Wilson Pickett. It was composed by Pickett and Steve Cropper at the historic Lorraine Motel in Memphis where Martin Luther King, Jr. would later be murdered in April 1968...
and Steve Earle
Steve Earle
Stephen Fain "Steve" Earle is an American singer-songwriter known for his rock and Texas Country as well as his political views. He is also a producer, author, a political activist, and an actor, and has written and directed a play....
's My Old Friend the Blues, along with the Brennan-penned original Foolish Game.
They have recorded their first full album Cross Party produced by Robin Millar, on Revolver Records http://www.crosspartymusic.com released April 2010 and launched at the Speaker's House at Westminster. Eight tracks on the eleven track album are band originals, with a bonus track remixed by Pete Waterman.
Appearances
In July 2007, the band backed Feargal SharkeyFeargal Sharkey
Feargal Sharkey is a singer from Northern Ireland who first found fame as the lead vocalist of pop punk band The Undertones...
, formerly of the Undertones
The Undertones
The Undertones are a punk rock/new wave band formed in Derry, Northern Ireland, in 1975.The original line-up of the Undertones released thirteen singles and four studio albums — The Undertones , Hypnotised , Positive Touch and The Sin of Pride — before disbanding in July 1983.Music guide Allmusic...
, in his first stage appearance in over 15 years, when he sang Teenage Kicks
Teenage Kicks
"Teenage Kicks" is a 1978 song originally recorded by Northern Irish punk rock group The Undertones. Composed by the band's principal songwriter, John O'Neill, it was championed by DJ John Peel, and was his all-time favourite song.-John Peel:...
at the annual "Rock The Boat" party hosted by the British Phonographic Industry.
In 2008, MP4 were the subject of a special television short biography programme made by Sky and broadcast on the Sky Arts channel during the year.
In January 2009, MP4 made a guest appearance on BBC1's TV programme 'Your Country Needs You' with the winning UK Eurovision hopeful Jade and the other two finalist acts – the Twins and Mark Evans. MP4 gave Jade some tips on 'how to win votes'.
In December 2009 they became the first rock group ever to play at the Palace of Westminster, when they performed a sell-out concert on the terrace of the House of Commons. For an encore they were joined once again on stage by Feargal Sharkey, who reprised his 'Undertones' hit "Teenage Kicks".
In September 2010 they performed at the Labour Party Conference in support of UK Music at a sell-out concert at Manchester's Night and Day Cafe.
On New Year's Eve 2010 they performed at a sell-out concert for MPs, peers and their guests, once again on the Terrace of the House of Commons. They were introduced to the celebrity audience (including amongst others government ministers, actor Ross Kemp and Welsh singer Duffy,) by House of Commons Speaker John Bercow MP.
Albums
- House Music EP (2005) Busy Bee Records
- Cross Party (2010) Revolver Records