Pele (band)
Encyclopedia
Pele were an English
indie rock
band, formed on Merseyside
in 1990, by the guitarist and frontman Ian Prowse
and keyboard player Andrew Roberts. They were joined by Dally on drums, Jimmy McAllister on bass guitar and finally Nico on violin. Despite only reaching the lower end of the UK Singles Chart
, the band built up a loyal live following, but split in 1995 due to a legal wrangle with their record label
.
and Chester
, the band were signed to the independent record label
, M&G Records, after their head of A&R
heard a demo
of "Megalomania". Within weeks the band set about recording
their debut album
, Fireworks, at the Metropolis recording studio
s in London, with record producer
, Gary Langan
.
As the album took shape, "Raid the Palace" was released as the first single
. In the week after release, Pele began a tour at Kingston University, which culminated at the (University of Wales
) in 1995, and included gig
s across Europe. In February 1992, their second single, "Megalomania", was released and peaked at #73 in the UK Singles Chart
. The third single from the album was "Fair Blows the Wind for France", which reached #62 in the UK
.
Tours with Del Amitri
and The Pogues
followed, before the band used the Rockfield Studios in Wales to record the follow-up album with producer Jon Kelly
. "Fat Black Heart" was the band's first single off that album, and was their final UK chart hit (#75). "Don't Worship Me" was Pele's sixth single - (a hit in the Netherlands
and Germany
) and was followed in early December by the Sport of Kings
album.
The situation between the band and their record label deteriorated. Despite the live album
, A-Live A-Live-O, legal threats and the record label's ultimate bankrupty, led to the band splitting up. Prowse formed Amsterdam
, who released their debut album in 2005.
In July and August 2009, Pele played two reunion gigs in Liverpool, and London, whilst a final reunion show at the Cavern Club took place in December 2009.
England
England 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...
indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band, formed on Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
in 1990, by the guitarist and frontman Ian Prowse
Ian Prowse
Ian Prowse is a singer/songwriter from Cheshire, England who has formed two bands, Pele, and Amsterdam.-Pele:Pele were a 5 piece formed by Prowse on Merseyside in 1990 following the demise of his first schoolboy bands When in Rome/Joseph Groome Towers in Ellesmere Port. Signed by Michael Levy in...
and keyboard player Andrew Roberts. They were joined by Dally on drums, Jimmy McAllister on bass guitar and finally Nico on violin. Despite only reaching the lower end of 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 ...
, the band built up a loyal live following, but split in 1995 due to a legal wrangle with their record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
.
Biography
After gigging around LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
and Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
, the band were signed to the independent record label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
, M&G Records, after their head of A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
heard a demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
of "Megalomania". Within weeks the band set about recording
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
their debut album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Fireworks, at the Metropolis recording studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
s in London, with record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, Gary Langan
Gary Langan
Gary Langan is an audio engineer and record producer.-Biography:In 1983, Langan co-founded the ZTT Records label with Trevor Horn, Paul Morley and Jill Sinclair...
.
As the album took shape, "Raid the Palace" was released as the first single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
. In the week after release, Pele began a tour at Kingston University, which culminated at the (University of Wales
University of Wales
The University of Wales was a confederal university founded in 1893. It had accredited institutions throughout Wales, and formerly accredited courses in Britain and abroad, with over 100,000 students, but in October 2011, after a number of scandals, it withdrew all accreditation, and it was...
) in 1995, and included gig
Gig
Gig or GIG may refer to:* Gig , live performance by a musician or other performer** Temporary work, by extension* Gig , 1993* Gig , 1992...
s across Europe. In February 1992, their second single, "Megalomania", was released and peaked at #73 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 ...
. The third single from the album was "Fair Blows the Wind for France", which reached #62 in the UK
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...
.
Tours with Del Amitri
Del Amitri
Del Amitri were a Scottish pop-rock guitar band, formed in Glasgow, Scotland in 1983. The band grew out of Justin Currie's Jordanhill College School band and came together after teenager Currie placed an advertisement in the window of a music store asking for people who could play to contact him...
and The Pogues
The Pogues
The Pogues are a Celtic punk band, formed in 1982 and fronted by Shane MacGowan. The band reached international prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. MacGowan left the band in 1991 due to drinking problems but the band continued first with Joe Strummer and then with Spider Stacy on vocals before...
followed, before the band used the Rockfield Studios in Wales to record the follow-up album with producer Jon Kelly
Jon Kelly
Jon Kelly is a British music producer who has produced albums and singles for Chris Rea, The Damned, Kate Bush, Pele , The Beautiful South, Prefab Sprout, Deacon Blue, Heather Nova, The Levellers, Fish, Lynsey De Paul and Nolwenn Leroy.-References:...
. "Fat Black Heart" was the band's first single off that album, and was their final UK chart hit (#75). "Don't Worship Me" was Pele's sixth single - (a hit in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
) and was followed in early December by the Sport of Kings
Sport of Kings
Sport of Kings is an album by Liverpool based band Pele, released in December 1993.-Track listing:*Beside The Fields*Don't Worship Me*Hey America*Fat Black Heart *The Word Is...*Oh Lord Part II*The Chosen One...
album.
The situation between the band and their record label deteriorated. Despite the live album
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
, A-Live A-Live-O, legal threats and the record label's ultimate bankrupty, led to the band splitting up. Prowse formed Amsterdam
Amsterdam (band)
Amsterdam are a pop/rock group from Liverpool, England. Formed in 1999, they had their first UK Top 40 single with "The Journey" in February 2005...
, who released their debut album in 2005.
In July and August 2009, Pele played two reunion gigs in Liverpool, and London, whilst a final reunion show at the Cavern Club took place in December 2009.
Singles
- "Raid the Palace" (October 1991)
- "Megalomania" (February 1992) - UKUK Singles ChartThe 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 ...
#73 - "Fair Blows the Wind for France" (June 1992) - UK #62
- "Fireworks" (September 1992)
- "Fat Black Heart" (July 1993) - UK #75
- "Don't Worship Me" (November 1993)
Albums
- Fireworks (April 1992)
- Sport of KingsSport of KingsSport of Kings is an album by Liverpool based band Pele, released in December 1993.-Track listing:*Beside The Fields*Don't Worship Me*Hey America*Fat Black Heart *The Word Is...*Oh Lord Part II*The Chosen One...
(December 1993) - A-Live A-Live O (June 1994)
- This Time Next Year (December 2001)