The Futureheads
Encyclopedia
The Futureheads are an English post-punk
band from Sunderland. consisting of Ross Millard
(vocals and guitar), Barry Hyde (vocals and guitar) and David "Jaff" Craig (bass guitar). Their name comes from the title of The Flaming Lips
album, Hit to Death in the Future Head
.
as a quartet consisting of Barry Hyde (vocals and guitar), David "Jaff" Craig (bass), Peter Brewis
(drums), and Ross Millard
(vocals and guitar). Millard and Craig had been in another local band together previously. They used the Sunderland City Detached Youth Project building (where Brewis and Hyde worked) as a free practice space, fitting since the project was intended to get young people off the streets by using music. They first performed in 2000, and through word-of-mouth their reputation in the local area grew. Hyde's younger brother Dave replaced Brewis (who went on to form Field Music
).
In an interview with Channel 4
's 4Music
, Barry Hyde revealed that Dave Hyde was given a golden guitar by his parents when he was young. But Barry had taken it off him to learn to strum his first chords
. Dave was left with nothing, forcing him to take up the drums.
The Futureheads played their first gig
at Ashbrooke Cricket and Rugby Club in December 2000. They debuted with their "Nul Book Standard" EP and then their "123 Nul EP" on 10 March 2003, and later that year released their first single, "First Day", on 4 August. "First Day" peaked at #58 in the UK Singles Chart
in August 2003.
The Futureheads released their self-titled debut album
in September 2004 on 679 recordings. Five tracks of the tracks were produced by Andy Gill of Gang of Four
. The rest of the album was produced by Paul Epworth. The song "Decent Days and Nights
" from the album was featured in the video game soundtrack to Burnout 3
on PlayStation 2
and Xbox
as well as EA's Rugby 2005.
On 21 February 2005, "Hounds of Love
", a cover of a Kate Bush
song, was released as a single. It reached number eight in the UK Singles Chart
in its first week, and was named Best Single of 2005 by NME
. The band toured the United States and later supported the Pixies, Foo Fighters
and Snow Patrol
.
They performed at BBC Radio One's One Big Weekend, held in their home town of Sunderland over the weekend of 7–8 May 2005. On 8 May 2005 Sunderland A.F.C.
picked up the Coca-Cola Championship trophy. In tribute, the Futureheads performed a set live at the Stadium of Light
as pre-match entertainment.
The stand-alone EP, Area was released in November 2005 while the band was working on their second album News and Tributes
(name inspired by the Munich air disaster
in 1958), which, according to NME in February 2006, took only five weeks to produce. The first single from the album was "Skip to the End
" released on 15 May. The album News and Tributes
was first released on 29 May 2006.
The band became disillusioned with major label music business and being under contract, and were released by 679 Recordings. Hyde said "we were desperate to get out of the record deal, they could easily have kept us and made us try and make more records but we didn't want that'.
, and started working on songs for their next album.
In June 2007, they reportedly completed work on their third album, This Is Not the World
, which was released in May 2008. Millard said that he expected the new album to be punkier than the last album. He also revealed that the band was close to splitting during the time after the second album was released.
The band made a free download called "Broke Up The Time" available from their website on 9 November 2007. They also announced three gigs in the UK followed by a full UK tour and now have their own label, Nul Records, set up exclusively to distribute Futureheads material. In December 2007 the band released a video of them walking around Carnaby Street
, London to the single "The Beginning of the Twist
". It was also accompanied by a free download of a song called "Crash".
The second single from their album "Radio Heart
" was released on 19 May (and featured in the game Colin McRae's DiRT 2), 2008 from their album This Is Not The World
followed by the release of the music video for the single on 16 April. A third single from the album, Walking Backwards
, was released on 4 August 2008.
in Poland
. In November 2009, the band allowed fans to download a new free track, "Struck Dumb", for a period of two weeks. The band released their new album, entitled The Chaos
, on 26 April 2010 in the UK. The Chaos was released in the US on 1 June 2010, on Dovecote Records
..
and post-punk
bands such as Gang of Four
, Devo
, XTC
, Wire
, and Fugazi.
Post-punk
Post-punk is a rock music movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...
band from Sunderland. consisting of Ross Millard
Ross Millard
Ross Millard is a guitarist and vocalist in UK act The Futureheads. The band released their debut album The Futureheads in September 2004, which included the hit singles Hounds Of Love, Decent Days & Nights, and Meantime...
(vocals and guitar), Barry Hyde (vocals and guitar) and David "Jaff" Craig (bass guitar). Their name comes from the title of The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips are an American alternative rock band, formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1983.Melodically, their sound contains lush, multi-layered, psychedelic rock arrangements, but lyrically their compositions show elements of space rock, including unusual song and album titles—such as "What...
album, Hit to Death in the Future Head
Hit to Death in the Future Head
-Personnel:* Wayne Coyne - guitar, vocals* Michael Ivins - bass* Jonathan Donahue - guitar* Nathan Roberts - drums...
.
Early days
The band met at City of Sunderland CollegeCity of Sunderland College
Sunderland College, is a Further Education, Higher Education College based in Sunderland, North East England. The enrolment includes around 6,300 part-time learners and approximately 4,800 full-time students...
as a quartet consisting of Barry Hyde (vocals and guitar), David "Jaff" Craig (bass), Peter Brewis
Peter Brewis
Peter Brewis is a composer and instrumentalist who has been active in several spheres of music from ballet and modern dance to music theatre and rock music...
(drums), and Ross Millard
Ross Millard
Ross Millard is a guitarist and vocalist in UK act The Futureheads. The band released their debut album The Futureheads in September 2004, which included the hit singles Hounds Of Love, Decent Days & Nights, and Meantime...
(vocals and guitar). Millard and Craig had been in another local band together previously. They used the Sunderland City Detached Youth Project building (where Brewis and Hyde worked) as a free practice space, fitting since the project was intended to get young people off the streets by using music. They first performed in 2000, and through word-of-mouth their reputation in the local area grew. Hyde's younger brother Dave replaced Brewis (who went on to form Field Music
Field Music
Field Music are a band from Sunderland, England who formed in 2004. The band's core consists of brothers David and Peter Brewis , with Andrew Moore. Their line-ups have at times featured members of both Maxïmo Park and The Futureheads...
).
In an interview with Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
's 4Music
4Music
4Music is a music and entertainment channel in the United Kingdom and available on some digital television providers in the Republic of Ireland - its web component can be found at with its own and pages. It is the only channel within the Box Television Network to be branded under Channel 4 and...
, Barry Hyde revealed that Dave Hyde was given a golden guitar by his parents when he was young. But Barry had taken it off him to learn to strum his first chords
Guitar chord
In music, a guitar chord is a chord, or collection of tones usually sounded together at once, played on a guitar. It can be composed of notes played on adjacent or separate strings or all the strings together...
. Dave was left with nothing, forcing him to take up the drums.
2003–2005; self titled first album
Gig (musical performance)
Gig is slang for a musical engagement in which musicians are hired. Originally coined in the 1920s by jazz musicians, the term, short for the word "engagement", now refers to any aspect of performing such as assisting with performance and attending musical performance...
at Ashbrooke Cricket and Rugby Club in December 2000. They debuted with their "Nul Book Standard" EP and then their "123 Nul EP" on 10 March 2003, and later that year released their first single, "First Day", on 4 August. "First Day" peaked at #58 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 ...
in August 2003.
The Futureheads released their self-titled debut album
The Futureheads (album)
The Futureheads was The Futureheads self titled debut album. It was released on July 12, 2004 and spawned the singles "First Day", "Decent Days and Nights", "Meantime", and "Hounds of Love"...
in September 2004 on 679 recordings. Five tracks of the tracks were produced by Andy Gill of Gang of Four
Gang of Four (band)
Gang of Four are an English post-punk group from Leeds. Original personnel were singer Jon King, guitarist Andy Gill, bass guitarist Dave Allen and drummer Hugo Burnham. They were fully active from 1977 to 1984, and then re-emerged twice in the 1990s with King and Gill...
. The rest of the album was produced by Paul Epworth. The song "Decent Days and Nights
Decent Days and Nights
Split single -In popular culture:* Appears on the soundtrack to Burnout 3: Takedown.* Appears as a downloadable song for the Rock Band series.-Personnel:* Barry Hyde: lead vocals, guitar* Ross Millard: guitar, backing vocals...
" from the album was featured in the video game soundtrack to Burnout 3
Burnout 3: Takedown
Burnout 3: Takedown is the third game in the Burnout series of video games. Released on September 7, 2004, developed by Criterion Games and published by Electronic Arts , the game drew critical acclaim and a large fanbase.A GameCube version was planned but was scrapped during development...
on PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
and Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
as well as EA's Rugby 2005.
On 21 February 2005, "Hounds of Love
Hounds of Love (song)
"Hounds of Love" is the title track of the Hounds of Love album by Kate Bush, the third of the album's four singles. The single was released on 24 February 1986, and reached number 18 in the UK Singles Chart...
", a cover of a Kate Bush
Kate Bush
Kate Bush is an English singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Her eclectic musical style and idiosyncratic vocal style have made her one of the United Kingdom's most successful solo female performers of the past 30 years.In 1978, at the age of 19, Bush topped the UK Singles Chart...
song, was released as a single. It reached number eight 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 ...
in its first week, and was named Best Single of 2005 by NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
. The band toured the United States and later supported the Pixies, Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
and Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol are an alternative rock band from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. Formed at the University of Dundee in 1994 as an indie rock band, the band is now based in Glasgow...
.
They performed at BBC Radio One's One Big Weekend, held in their home town of Sunderland over the weekend of 7–8 May 2005. On 8 May 2005 Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
picked up the Coca-Cola Championship trophy. In tribute, the Futureheads performed a set live at the Stadium of Light
Stadium of Light
The Stadium of Light is an all-seater football stadium in Sunderland, England. With space for 49,000 spectators, the Stadium of Light has the fifth-largest capacity of any English football stadium. The stadium primarily hosts Sunderland A.F.C. matches...
as pre-match entertainment.
2005–2006; News and Tributes
News and Tributes
News and Tributes is the second full length album by The Futureheads, released on May 29, 2006. The first single "Skip to the End" was released on May 15, 2006. The album, like their debut, received critical acclaim, and praise that The Futureheads had 'matured' their sound...
(name inspired by the Munich air disaster
Munich air disaster
The Munich air disaster occurred on 6 February 1958, when British European Airways Flight 609 crashed on its third attempt to take off from a slush-covered runway at Munich-Riem Airport in Munich, West Germany. On board the plane was the Manchester United football team, nicknamed the "Busby Babes",...
in 1958), which, according to NME in February 2006, took only five weeks to produce. The first single from the album was "Skip to the End
Skip to the End
"Skip to the End" is the first single from The Futureheads's second album News and Tributes. It was released on May 22, 2006 in the United Kingdom. It was voted as the top video in the week commencing May 1, 2006 in the NME Video Chart featured on MTV2...
" released on 15 May. The album News and Tributes
News and Tributes
News and Tributes is the second full length album by The Futureheads, released on May 29, 2006. The first single "Skip to the End" was released on May 15, 2006. The album, like their debut, received critical acclaim, and praise that The Futureheads had 'matured' their sound...
was first released on 29 May 2006.
The band became disillusioned with major label music business and being under contract, and were released by 679 Recordings. Hyde said "we were desperate to get out of the record deal, they could easily have kept us and made us try and make more records but we didn't want that'.
2006–2008; This Is Not the World
Throughout the rest of 2006, The Futureheads started their own independent record label, Nul RecordsNul Records
Nul Records is an independent record label set up by the post-punk revival band The Futureheads.-Overview:The Futureheads set up this record label some time after they split with their former record label 679 Recordings in late 2006, apparently disliking the direction they were taking them....
, and started working on songs for their next album.
In June 2007, they reportedly completed work on their third album, This Is Not the World
This Is Not the World
This Is Not The World is an album by post-punk revivalists The Futureheads.It was released on 26 May 2008, on their own label Nul Records...
, which was released in May 2008. Millard said that he expected the new album to be punkier than the last album. He also revealed that the band was close to splitting during the time after the second album was released.
The band made a free download called "Broke Up The Time" available from their website on 9 November 2007. They also announced three gigs in the UK followed by a full UK tour and now have their own label, Nul Records, set up exclusively to distribute Futureheads material. In December 2007 the band released a video of them walking around Carnaby Street
Carnaby Street
Carnaby Street is a pedestrianised shopping street in London, United Kingdom, located in the Soho district, near Oxford Street and Regent Street. It is home to numerous fashion and lifestyle retailers, including a large number of independent fashion boutiques...
, London to the single "The Beginning of the Twist
The Beginning of the Twist
"The Beginning of the Twist" is the first single from The Futureheads's third album This Is Not the World. It was released on March 10, 2008 in the United Kingdom. It very quickly peaked at #20 on the UK singles chart...
". It was also accompanied by a free download of a song called "Crash".
The second single from their album "Radio Heart
Radio Heart
"Radio Heart" is the second single from The Futureheads's third album This Is Not the World. It was released on 19 May 2008 in the United Kingdom and reached #65 on the UK Singles Chart and #1 in the UK Indie Chart...
" was released on 19 May (and featured in the game Colin McRae's DiRT 2), 2008 from their album This Is Not The World
This Is Not the World
This Is Not The World is an album by post-punk revivalists The Futureheads.It was released on 26 May 2008, on their own label Nul Records...
followed by the release of the music video for the single on 16 April. A third single from the album, Walking Backwards
Walking Backwards
Walking Backwards is the 3rd single from The Futureheads 3rd studio album This Is Not The World which was released August 4, 2008.-Track listings:*7"# "Walking Backwards"# "This Is Not The World "*Digital download...
, was released on 4 August 2008.
2008–2010; The Chaos
Their latest single, "I Wouldn't Be Like This If You Were Here", was released on 8 December 2008. In 2009 the band played at the biggest open-air festival in Europe – Przystanek WoodstockPrzystanek Woodstock
Przystanek Woodstock is an annual free rock music festival in Poland, inspired by and named for the Woodstock Festival, that has taken place since 1995...
in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. In November 2009, the band allowed fans to download a new free track, "Struck Dumb", for a period of two weeks. The band released their new album, entitled The Chaos
The Chaos (album)
The Chaos is the fourth album by English post-punk revival band The Futureheads. It was released on April 26, 2010. The album is the band's second on their label Nul Records, and was preceded by a download-only single, 'Struck Dumb', on 2 December 2009....
, on 26 April 2010 in the UK. The Chaos was released in the US on 1 June 2010, on Dovecote Records
Dovecote Records
Dovecote Records is a New York based record label which releases primarily indie rock music. It is run by its founder, Carter Matschullat and is distributed by Redeye Distribution in the US.-Artists and projects:...
2011–present; Rant
The Futureheads will release their 5th full length album, entitled "Rant" in the Autumn of 2011. The album is to be entirely a cappellaA cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
..
Musical style
The band is influenced by New WaveNew Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
and post-punk
Post-punk
Post-punk is a rock music movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...
bands such as Gang of Four
Gang of Four (band)
Gang of Four are an English post-punk group from Leeds. Original personnel were singer Jon King, guitarist Andy Gill, bass guitarist Dave Allen and drummer Hugo Burnham. They were fully active from 1977 to 1984, and then re-emerged twice in the 1990s with King and Gill...
, Devo
Devo
Devo is an American band formed in 1973 consisting of members from Kent and Akron, Ohio. The classic line-up of the band includes two sets of brothers, the Mothersbaughs and the Casales . The band had a #14 Billboard chart hit in 1980 with the single "Whip It", and has maintained a cult...
, XTC
XTC
XTC were a New Wave band from Swindon, England, active between 1976 and 2005. The band enjoyed some chart success, including the UK and Canadian hits "Making Plans for Nigel" and "Senses Working Overtime" , but are perhaps even better known for their long-standing critical success.- Early years:...
, 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...
, and Fugazi.
Studio albums
- The FutureheadsThe Futureheads (album)The Futureheads was The Futureheads self titled debut album. It was released on July 12, 2004 and spawned the singles "First Day", "Decent Days and Nights", "Meantime", and "Hounds of Love"...
(12 July 2004) 679 Recordings #11 UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... - News and TributesNews and TributesNews and Tributes is the second full length album by The Futureheads, released on May 29, 2006. The first single "Skip to the End" was released on May 15, 2006. The album, like their debut, received critical acclaim, and praise that The Futureheads had 'matured' their sound...
(29 May 2006) 679 Recordings #12 UK - This Is Not the WorldThis Is Not the WorldThis Is Not The World is an album by post-punk revivalists The Futureheads.It was released on 26 May 2008, on their own label Nul Records...
(24 May 2008) Nul Records #17 UK (#1 UK Indie ChartUK Indie ChartThe UK Independent Chart or Indie Chart is a chart of the best-selling independent record releases in the UK.- History :In the wake of punk, small record labels began to spring up, as an outlet for artists that were unwilling to sign contracts with major record companies, or were not considered...
) - The ChaosThe Chaos (album)The Chaos is the fourth album by English post-punk revival band The Futureheads. It was released on April 26, 2010. The album is the band's second on their label Nul Records, and was preceded by a download-only single, 'Struck Dumb', on 2 December 2009....
(26 April 2010) Nul Records #48 UK (#3 UK Indie Chart)