Orlando (band)
Encyclopedia
Orlando was the most successful and visible band to emerge from the extremely brief Romo
movement of the mid-'90s. Formed from the ashes of Sarah Records band Shelley, Orlando were led by lyricist/guitarist Dickon Edwards
, and singer/songwriter Tim Chipping. Multi-instrumentalists Neil Turner and Mike Austen completed the group, but did not appear on the group's record sleeves or participate in interviews. Orlando combined the stylish, synthesized dance-pop of 90s boybands and American swingbeat acts, alongside an obvious love of Motown, Northern Soul and the songs of Jimmy Webb
but added Pulp
's sense of purpose, Manic Street Preachers
' sense of outrage and Morrissey
's sense of humour.
The group first came to public attention when a demo version of "Nature's Hated" appeared on Melody Maker
s covermount cassette Fiddling While Romo Burns in March 1996. In the summer of 1996, Orlando released their first single, "Just for a Second" which received largely rave reviews, in particular from Melody Maker's Simon Price, who called Orlando "The best new band in Britain". The Magic EP followed in the fall, and received similar reviews. A new version of "Nature's Hated", the group's third single, was released in 1997, and the group also contributed a cover of Tim Hardin
's "How Can We Hang On to a Dream" to the soundtrack of the film Fever Pitch. Despite being almost ubiquitous in the British music press, Radio One mostly ignored the band and Orlando never achieved the success that many predicted for them.
Orlando delivered their full-length debut, Passive Soul, in September 1997, released by Blanco y Negro
. It received an 8/10 review from the NME (a music paper that had taken a largely hostile attitude towards the group up till then) and made both the Melody Maker and Gay Times albums of the year list (as well as being highly praised by pop bible Smash Hits). The album is now hard to find and commands upwards of £30 on the collectors market.
Edwards subsequently went on to form the band Fosca
. Tim Chipping is a music journalist, and also appeared as a zombie in Shaun of the Dead
, and as a gay Star Trek fan in Little Britain
. Perhaps most bizarrely, drummer David Gray returned to his roots by forming the much-acclaimed satanic death metal band Akercocke
.
Romo
Romantic Modernism, more commonly known as Romo, was a musical and clubbing movement, of Glam/style pop lineage, in the UK circa 1995–1997, centred around the twin homes of Camden-based clubnight Club Skinny and its West End clone Arcadia, as well as concerts by the chief associated bands.The Romo...
movement of the mid-'90s. Formed from the ashes of Sarah Records band Shelley, Orlando were led by lyricist/guitarist Dickon Edwards
Dickon Edwards
Dickon Edwards is a London-based indie pop musician, writer, critic, DJ and online diarist. Although his parents named him Richard Edwards, they also chose to call him by the archaic derivative of Richard, "Dickon"...
, and singer/songwriter Tim Chipping. Multi-instrumentalists Neil Turner and Mike Austen completed the group, but did not appear on the group's record sleeves or participate in interviews. Orlando combined the stylish, synthesized dance-pop of 90s boybands and American swingbeat acts, alongside an obvious love of Motown, Northern Soul and the songs of Jimmy Webb
Jimmy Webb
Jimmy Webb is an American songwriter, composer, and singer. He wrote numerous platinum selling classics, including "Up, Up and Away", "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", "Wichita Lineman", "Galveston", "The Worst That Could Happen", "All I Know", and "MacArthur Park"...
but added Pulp
Pulp (band)
Pulp are an English alternative rock band formed in Sheffield in 1978. Their lineup consists of Jarvis Cocker , Russell Senior , Candida Doyle , Mark Webber , Steve Mackey and Nick Banks ....
's sense of purpose, Manic Street Preachers
Manic Street Preachers
Manic Street Preachers are a Welsh alternative rock band, formed in 1986. They are James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire, Richey Edwards and Sean Moore. The band are part of the Cardiff music scene, and were at their most prominent during the 1990s...
' sense of outrage and Morrissey
Morrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,...
's sense of humour.
The group first came to public attention when a demo version of "Nature's Hated" appeared on 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...
s covermount cassette Fiddling While Romo Burns in March 1996. In the summer of 1996, Orlando released their first single, "Just for a Second" which received largely rave reviews, in particular from Melody Maker's Simon Price, who called Orlando "The best new band in Britain". The Magic EP followed in the fall, and received similar reviews. A new version of "Nature's Hated", the group's third single, was released in 1997, and the group also contributed a cover of Tim Hardin
Tim Hardin
James Timothy "Tim" Hardin was an American folk musician and composer. He wrote the Top 40 hits "If I Were a Carpenter", covered by, among others, Joan Baez, Bobby Darin, Johnny Cash, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, and Robert Plant, and "Reason to Believe", covered by many, including Rod Stewart, as well...
's "How Can We Hang On to a Dream" to the soundtrack of the film Fever Pitch. Despite being almost ubiquitous in the British music press, Radio One mostly ignored the band and Orlando never achieved the success that many predicted for them.
Orlando delivered their full-length debut, Passive Soul, in September 1997, released by Blanco y Negro
Blanco y Negro
Blanco y Negro can refer to* Blanco y Negro in Spain.* Blanco y Negro Music, a record label in Spain.* Blanco y Negro Records, a record label in the U.K....
. It received an 8/10 review from the NME (a music paper that had taken a largely hostile attitude towards the group up till then) and made both the Melody Maker and Gay Times albums of the year list (as well as being highly praised by pop bible Smash Hits). The album is now hard to find and commands upwards of £30 on the collectors market.
Edwards subsequently went on to form the band Fosca
Fosca
Fosca was a British band, combining indie pop songwriting with synth pop instrumentation. They released a total of three studio albums between 2000-2008...
. Tim Chipping is a music journalist, and also appeared as a zombie in Shaun of the Dead
Shaun of the Dead
Shaun of the Dead is a 2004 British zombie comedy directed by Edgar Wright, starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, and written by Pegg and Wright. Pegg plays Shaun, a man attempting to get some kind of focus in his life as he deals with his girlfriend, his mother and stepfather...
, and as a gay Star Trek fan in Little Britain
Little Britain
Little Britain is a British character-based comedy sketch show which was first broadcast on BBC radio and then turned into a television show. It was written by comic duo David Walliams and Matt Lucas...
. Perhaps most bizarrely, drummer David Gray returned to his roots by forming the much-acclaimed satanic death metal band Akercocke
Akercocke
Akercocke is an English progressive blackened death metal band from London, England. They take their name from a talking monkey in Robert Nye's interpretation of the Faust-legend, and are notable for their heavily Satanic and sexual lyrical content....
.