Menswe@r
Encyclopedia
Menswear were a Britpop
band formed in October 1994 from Camden
in London
. They released a number of singles and an album, Nuisance on London Records
. They recorded a second album, which was released in Japan
only, and split in 1998.
led by Graham Coxon
. Two individuals closely associated with the burgeoning Britpop scene
, Chris Gentry and Johnny Dean, made references to a "top new unsigned band" (Menswear), an act which did not yet exist. They later appeared on the cover of Melody Maker
before they had released any material. Their dress sense was Mod (tight fitting suits etc.) whilst their music was influenced by both Blur
's second album Modern Life Is Rubbish
and Elastica
. Gentry and Dean had a single song - called Daydreamer - but soon recruited friend Simon White, who contributed "I'll Manage Somehow" to add to the setlist necessary for their upcoming debut gig at a Britpop-oriented club on Regent Street
called Smashing. The music press reviewed their performance enthusiastically, with the NME comparing them to a "Tarantino
film... totally derivative
but totally brilliant", increasing the record labels' interest.
After a frantic race between record companies, they had signed to London Records
for £90,000 and a lucrative 18.5% gross revenues after just their fifth gig
. Shortly afterwards, they signed a £500,000 publishing deal despite having just seven songs in their repertoire - working out at around £70,000 per song.
They generated so much publicity that they appeared on Top of the Pops
a week before their first single had even been released. This made them the first band to appear on the show without releasing a record. Their first single was "I'll Manage Somehow" - a limited release and a minor hit. Their second single "Daydreamer" peaked at number 14 in the UK Singles Chart
but saw the band accused of plagiarising Wire
, with Allmusic describing the track as sounding "more like Wire than Elastica, only funnier, even if it may be unintentional".
Menswear were criticised by the British music press for allegedly having success based upon good looks and charm rather than musical talent. However, this helped Menswear appeal to readers of the teenybopper
-oriented Smash Hits
: they were described as "the band your 14-year-old sister likes."
The band released their debut album Nuisance in 1995, described by Allmusic as "the perfect product from a band that is better known for being seen than being heard". Menswear played at the Glastonbury Festival
the same year and released another single "Stardust" in November 1995. It reached the top twenty, with the follow-up single "Sleeping In" giving the band another top-thirty hit. A fifth single, "Being Brave" gave them their first and only top ten hit.
As the popularity of Britpop faded, so did that of Menswear. In 1997 they parted company with London Records
after delivering their country-rock tinged second album Hay Tiempo!. The record was released in Japan in 1998 but did not get a release anywhere else in the world. They played their last live show at London's Camden Palace the same year.
Singer Johnny Dean and bassist Stuart Black formed a new band, Messiah, that lasted until 2000. Guitarist Simon White went on to manage the bands Bloc Party
, Hudson Mohawke
, Cassius
, Digitalism
, Phoenix
and Les Savy Fav
. Guitarist Chris Gentry went on to form the band Vatican DC, and also manages new acts The Twang
, Len
, Smash Mouth
, Bran Van 3000
and co-manages Phoenix with White. Drummer Matt Everitt left the band in 1996 to join The Montrose Avenue, and now works on the news team at Radio station 6Music. Drummer Todd Parmenter left the band to play in his main band Heck. He went on to play with Lungleg, The Beal, Evan Dando
and The Beatings.Stuart Black is now in the band Bella Echoes with former Messiah member Barnsey.
Britpop
Britpop is a subgenre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom. Britpop emerged from the British independent music scene of the early 1990s and was characterised by bands influenced by British guitar pop music of the 1960s and 1970s...
band formed in October 1994 from Camden
Camden Town
-Economy:In recent years, entertainment-related businesses and a Holiday Inn have moved into the area. A number of retail and food chain outlets have replaced independent shops driven out by high rents and redevelopment. Restaurants have thrived, with the variety of culinary traditions found in...
in 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 released a number of singles and an album, Nuisance on London Records
London Records
London Records, referred to as London Recordings in logo, is a record label headquartered in the United Kingdom, originally marketing records in the United States, Canada and Latin America from 1947 to 1979, then becoming a semi-independent label....
. They recorded a second album, which was released in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
only, and split in 1998.
History
The beginnings of the band were a feature in a Select article about a supposed London mod revivalMod Revival
The mod revival was a music genre and subculture that started in England in 1978 and later spread to other countries . The mod revival's mainstream popularity was relatively short, although its influence has lasted for decades...
led by Graham Coxon
Graham Coxon
Graham Leslie Coxon is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and painter. He came to prominence as the lead guitarist, backing vocalist and occasional lead vocalist of rock band Blur, and is also a critically acclaimed solo artist, having recorded seven solo albums...
. Two individuals closely associated with the burgeoning Britpop scene
Britpop
Britpop is a subgenre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom. Britpop emerged from the British independent music scene of the early 1990s and was characterised by bands influenced by British guitar pop music of the 1960s and 1970s...
, Chris Gentry and Johnny Dean, made references to a "top new unsigned band" (Menswear), an act which did not yet exist. They later appeared on the cover of Melody Maker
Melody Maker
Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
before they had released any material. Their dress sense was Mod (tight fitting suits etc.) whilst their music was influenced by both Blur
Blur (band)
Blur is an English alternative rock band. Formed in London in 1989 as Seymour, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing...
's second album Modern Life Is Rubbish
Modern Life Is Rubbish
Modern Life Is Rubbish is the second album by English alternative rock band Blur, released in May 1993. Although their debut album Leisure had been commercially successful, Blur faced a severe media backlash soon after its release, and fell out of public favour...
and Elastica
Elastica
Elastica were an English alternative rock band that played punk rock-influenced music. They were best known for their 1995 album Elastica, which produced singles that charted in the US and the UK.-History:...
. Gentry and Dean had a single song - called Daydreamer - but soon recruited friend Simon White, who contributed "I'll Manage Somehow" to add to the setlist necessary for their upcoming debut gig at a Britpop-oriented club on Regent Street
Regent Street
Regent Street is one of the major shopping streets in London's West End, well known to tourists and Londoners alike, and famous for its Christmas illuminations...
called Smashing. The music press reviewed their performance enthusiastically, with the NME comparing them to a "Tarantino
Tarantino
Tarantino is an Italian word meaning "originating from Taranto", the town in Apulia, south Italy. So it is used i.e. for gentilic of Taranto and for the Tarantino language.- People with the last name Tarantino :...
film... totally derivative
Derivative
In calculus, a branch of mathematics, the derivative is a measure of how a function changes as its input changes. Loosely speaking, a derivative can be thought of as how much one quantity is changing in response to changes in some other quantity; for example, the derivative of the position of a...
but totally brilliant", increasing the record labels' interest.
After a frantic race between record companies, they had signed to London Records
London Records
London Records, referred to as London Recordings in logo, is a record label headquartered in the United Kingdom, originally marketing records in the United States, Canada and Latin America from 1947 to 1979, then becoming a semi-independent label....
for £90,000 and a lucrative 18.5% gross revenues after just their fifth gig
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
. Shortly afterwards, they signed a £500,000 publishing deal despite having just seven songs in their repertoire - working out at around £70,000 per song.
They generated so much publicity that they 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...
a week before their first single had even been released. This made them the first band to appear on the show without releasing a record. Their first single was "I'll Manage Somehow" - a limited release and a minor hit. Their second single "Daydreamer" peaked at number 14 in 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 ...
but saw the band accused of plagiarising Wire
Wire (band)
Wire are an English rock band, formed in London in October 1976 by Colin Newman , Graham Lewis , Bruce Gilbert , and Robert Gotobed...
, with Allmusic describing the track as sounding "more like Wire than Elastica, only funnier, even if it may be unintentional".
Menswear were criticised by the British music press for allegedly having success based upon good looks and charm rather than musical talent. However, this helped Menswear appeal to readers of the teenybopper
Teenybopper
The term teenybopper was invented by marketing professionals and psychologists, later becoming a subculture of its own. The term describes a young teenager, particularly a girl, who follows adolescent trends in music, fashion and culture. The term was introduced in the 1950s to refer to teenagers...
-oriented Smash Hits
Smash Hits
Smash Hits was a pop music based magazine, aimed at teenagers and young adults and originally published in the United Kingdom by EMAP. It ran from 1978 to 2006 and was issued fortnightly for most of that time...
: they were described as "the band your 14-year-old sister likes."
The band released their debut album Nuisance in 1995, described by Allmusic as "the perfect product from a band that is better known for being seen than being heard". Menswear played at the Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
the same year and released another single "Stardust" in November 1995. It reached the top twenty, with the follow-up single "Sleeping In" giving the band another top-thirty hit. A fifth single, "Being Brave" gave them their first and only top ten hit.
As the popularity of Britpop faded, so did that of Menswear. In 1997 they parted company with London Records
London Records
London Records, referred to as London Recordings in logo, is a record label headquartered in the United Kingdom, originally marketing records in the United States, Canada and Latin America from 1947 to 1979, then becoming a semi-independent label....
after delivering their country-rock tinged second album Hay Tiempo!. The record was released in Japan in 1998 but did not get a release anywhere else in the world. They played their last live show at London's Camden Palace the same year.
Singer Johnny Dean and bassist Stuart Black formed a new band, Messiah, that lasted until 2000. Guitarist Simon White went on to manage the bands Bloc Party
Bloc Party
Bloc Party are a British Indie rock band, composed of Kele Okereke , Russell Lissack , Gordon Moakes , and Matt Tong...
, Hudson Mohawke
Hudson Mohawke
Hudson Mohawke, also known as Hudson Mo or HudMo, is an electronic music producer/DJ from Glasgow, Scotland, affiliated with the LuckyMe collective. He is signed to Warp Records and released his debut album on Warp, called Butter in October 2009...
, Cassius
Cassius (band)
Cassius is a French house music duo, consisting of producers Philippe Cerboneschi and Hubert Blanc-Francart, better known as Philippe Zdar and Boom Bass.-History:...
, Digitalism
Digitalism (band)
Digitalism is a German electro house duo founded in 2004 in Hamburg and consisting of Jens "Jence" Moelle and İsmail "Isi" Tüfekçi. They are signed to French label Kitsuné Music, and have released four singles to date: "Idealistic", "Zdarlight", "Jupiter Room", and "Pogo"...
, Phoenix
Phoenix (band)
Phoenix is a Grammy Award winning French indie rock band from Versailles, founded by Thomas Mars, Deck d'Arcy, Christian Mazzalai and Laurent Brancowitz.-Formation and early years:...
and Les Savy Fav
Les Savy Fav
Les Savy Fav is a New York City indie rock band. Their style is influenced by art rock and post-hardcore. The group is known for the stage presence of lead singer Tim Harrington...
. Guitarist Chris Gentry went on to form the band Vatican DC, and also manages new acts The Twang
The Twang
The Twang are an indie rock band from Birmingham, England, formed in 2001. The band have released two studio albums - Love It When I Feel Like This and Jewellery Quarter...
, Len
Len
Len is a Canadian alternative rock group from Toronto, Ontario. They are best known as a one-hit wonder for their song "Steal My Sunshine" in 1999. The band consists of siblings Marc Costanzo and Sharon Costanzo .-Studio albums:...
, Smash Mouth
Smash Mouth
Smash Mouth is an American rock band from San Jose, California. The band was formed in 1994, and was originally composed of Steve Harwell, Greg Camp, Paul De Lisle and Kevin Coleman as lead vocals, guitar, bass and drums respectively...
, Bran Van 3000
Bran Van 3000
Bran Van 3000 is an electronica collective from Manhattan, New York City, New York and Montreal, Quebec. Founded by DJ James Di Salvio and E.P...
and co-manages Phoenix with White. Drummer Matt Everitt left the band in 1996 to join The Montrose Avenue, and now works on the news team at Radio station 6Music. Drummer Todd Parmenter left the band to play in his main band Heck. He went on to play with Lungleg, The Beal, Evan Dando
Evan Dando
Evan Griffith Dando is an American musician, most famous for fronting the alternative rock band The Lemonheads. He is the only original member left in the current Lemonheads line-up, having served as lead singer since the band's original formation in 1986...
and The Beatings.Stuart Black is now in the band Bella Echoes with former Messiah member Barnsey.
Albums
- Nuisance (1995) - #11 UK, #25 Japan
- ¡Hay Tiempo! (1998)
Singles
- "I'll Manage Somehow" (1995) - #49
- "Daydreamer" (1995) - #14
- "Stardust" (1995) - #16
- "Sleeping In" (1995) - #24
- "Being Brave" (1996) - #10
- "We Love You" (1996) - #22
Members
- Johnny Dean - Vocals (born John Hutchinson Dean, 12 December 1971, SalisburySalisburySalisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
, EnglandEnglandEngland 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...
) - Chris Gentry - Guitar (born 23 February 1977, Southend, England)
- Stuart Black - Bass (born Stuart Lee Black, 1 April 1974, WalthamstowWalthamstowWalthamstow is a district of northeast London, England, located in the London Borough of Waltham Forest. It is situated north-east of Charing Cross...
, London, England) - Simon White - Guitar (born Simon Ian White, 1 July 1977, MoseleyMoseleyMoseley is a suburb of Birmingham, England, two miles south of the city centre. The area is a popular cosmopolitan residential location and leisure destination, with a number of bars and restaurants...
, BirminghamBirminghamBirmingham 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...
, England) - Matt Everitt - Drums (born Matthew Stephen Everitt, 13 Sept 1972, Birmingham, England)
- Todd Parmenter - Drums (replaced by Everitt before first release)
- Tud - Drums (former roadie, replaced Everitt in July 1996)