The Crocketts
Encyclopedia
The Crocketts were a rock group originating at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth
in 1995/6. They recorded two full length albums for V2 Records
- We May Be Skinny And Wirey (1998) and The Great Brain Robbery (2000). The group disbanded in 2002 with Davey Macmanus and Owen Hopkin going on to form The Crimea
.
at the London Astoria
in November 1996.
A number of early line-up changes lead to the band becoming the four piece which would go on to sign to Blue Dog Records, a subsidiary of the Richard Branson-funded V2 Records in 1997. The line-up consisted of:
The Crocketts released two albums on Blue Dog/V2, We May be Skinny and Wirey (1998) and The Great Brain Robbery (2000). The band were dropped by V2 and then broke up as they began collating songs for an unreleased third album. Davey Macmanus, Dan Harris and Owen Hopkin went on to form the current UK rock band The Crimea
, although Harris left shortly after the band's inception.
The Crocketts supported The Stereophonics at the Morfa Stadium
in Swansea
on 31 July 1999, shortly before the stadium was demolished. They also supported the band at their Donington and Millennium Stadium shows in 2001. The band also supported The Levellers, Shane Macgowan And The Popes, The Supernaturals, New Model Army and Kid Rock.
The Crocketts have been featured on the soundtrack of British hidden camera sketch show Trigger Happy TV
; "1939 Returning", from their second album was used in the second series. They also had numerous inclusions in Kerrang!
magazine (an early single, "James Dean-esque", received 5 out of a possible 5 "K"s; "Host" got 4 "K"s and second album The Great Brain Robbery also received 4 "K"s). They also recorded the song "Chicken Vs Macho" (on The Great Brain Robbery album) featuring Mary Hopkin
.
University of Wales, Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth University is a university located in Aberystwyth, Wales. Aberystwyth was a founding Member Institution of the former federal University of Wales. As of late 2006, the university had over 12,000 students spread across seventeen academic departments.The university was founded in 1872 as...
in 1995/6. They recorded two full length albums for V2 Records
V2 Records
V2 Records is a record label that is owned by Universal Music Group as of October 2007. The label was founded in 1996 by Richard Branson, five years after he sold Virgin Records to EMI....
- We May Be Skinny And Wirey (1998) and The Great Brain Robbery (2000). The group disbanded in 2002 with Davey Macmanus and Owen Hopkin going on to form The Crimea
The Crimea (band)
The Crimea are a British indie band, based in Camden, London. The band were featured in the late John Peel's Festive Fifty, ranking higher than bands such as The White Stripes and all eleven of the initial album demos were played on his show...
.
History
The Crocketts played early gigs in the Bay Hotel, The Glengower and Rummers Wine Bar in Aberystwyth. During 1996, as an unsigned band, they toured briefly as well and performed at the ‘In the City Live’ festival in Dublin and supported Shane MacGowanShane MacGowan
Shane Patrick Lysaght MacGowan is an Irish musician and singer, best known as the original singer and songwriter of The Pogues.-History:...
at the London Astoria
London Astoria
The London Astoria was a music venue, located at 157 Charing Cross Road, in London, England. It had been leased and run by Festival Republic since 2000. It was closed on 15 January 2009 and has since been demolished...
in November 1996.
A number of early line-up changes lead to the band becoming the four piece which would go on to sign to Blue Dog Records, a subsidiary of the Richard Branson-funded V2 Records in 1997. The line-up consisted of:
- Davey McManus - Vocals/Rhythm guitar
- Dan Harris - Lead Guitar/Backing vocals
- Richard Carter - Bass guitar
- Owen Hopkin - Drums
The Crocketts released two albums on Blue Dog/V2, We May be Skinny and Wirey (1998) and The Great Brain Robbery (2000). The band were dropped by V2 and then broke up as they began collating songs for an unreleased third album. Davey Macmanus, Dan Harris and Owen Hopkin went on to form the current UK rock band The Crimea
The Crimea (band)
The Crimea are a British indie band, based in Camden, London. The band were featured in the late John Peel's Festive Fifty, ranking higher than bands such as The White Stripes and all eleven of the initial album demos were played on his show...
, although Harris left shortly after the band's inception.
The Crocketts supported The Stereophonics at the Morfa Stadium
Morfa Stadium
Morfa Stadium was an athletics stadium in the Landore area of Swansea, Wales. It has now been demolished and the land is occupied by the Morfa Retail Park and the Liberty Stadium, home of the city's football and rugby teams, which opened in 2005....
in Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
on 31 July 1999, shortly before the stadium was demolished. They also supported the band at their Donington and Millennium Stadium shows in 2001. The band also supported The Levellers, Shane Macgowan And The Popes, The Supernaturals, New Model Army and Kid Rock.
The Crocketts have been featured on the soundtrack of British hidden camera sketch show Trigger Happy TV
Trigger Happy TV
Trigger Happy TV was a hidden camera/practical joke reality television program. The original British edition of the show, produced by Absolutely Productions, starred Dom Joly and ran for two series on the British television channel Channel 4 from 2000 until 2002...
; "1939 Returning", from their second album was used in the second series. They also had numerous inclusions in Kerrang!
Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
magazine (an early single, "James Dean-esque", received 5 out of a possible 5 "K"s; "Host" got 4 "K"s and second album The Great Brain Robbery also received 4 "K"s). They also recorded the song "Chicken Vs Macho" (on The Great Brain Robbery album) featuring Mary Hopkin
Mary Hopkin
Mary Hopkin , credited on some recordings as Mary Visconti, is a Welsh folk singer best known for her 1968 UK number one single "Those Were The Days". She was one of the first musicians to sign to The Beatles' Apple label....
.