The Mercurymen
Encyclopedia
The Mercurymen were a British
acoustic music
project. They were signed by Arista Records
in the UK in 2008. Their only album, Postcards From Valonia received a limited release in 2008. The project officially ended in 2009 after being dropped by their record label and splitting from their management. However they have expressed their hope to play again together when they are 'old and crinkly and hopefully not dead' . The band performed sporadic live dates around the United Kingdom
and have toured as support to Melody Gardot
, Sinéad O'Connor
and Deacon Blue
.
Key influences include Crosby, Stills & Nash, Paul Simon
, Del Amitri
, Richard Thompson, Crowded House
and Townes Van Zandt
. The Mercurymen's contemporaries include Fleet Foxes
and Bon Iver
.
The Mercurymen also toured with Level 42
, playing venues such as the Albert Hall
.
They played live on BBC Radio 2
on Janice Long
's show in November 2008 and also played live on Bob Harris
and Johnnie Walker
.
The Mercurymen were Jinder
, Simon Johnson and Gavin Wyatt. Gavin and Simon worked with music mogul Mickie Most
before his death and are highly successful session musicians, working with, amongst others, Aynsley Lister, Ed Drewitt, Jamelia, Rhys Morgan and Jon Allen. Simon Johnson is also a prolific songwriter for other artists.
Jinder continues to enjoy a lengthy solo career, resumed following the Mercurymen split, and released his fifth solo album Nine Cents From Benelux on 29 June 2009. After The Mercurymen's departure from Sony BMG, Jinder founded successful independent label Din Of Ecstasy Records
, who will release his sixth, as yet untitled solo album in 2011. Jinder also worked with indie rock band Candlefire in 2001.
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...
acoustic music
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
project. They were signed by Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
in the UK in 2008. Their only album, Postcards From Valonia received a limited release in 2008. The project officially ended in 2009 after being dropped by their record label and splitting from their management. However they have expressed their hope to play again together when they are 'old and crinkly and hopefully not dead' . The band performed sporadic live dates around the United Kingdom
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...
and have toured as support to Melody Gardot
Melody Gardot
Melody Gardot is a Grammy-nominated American singer, writer and musician in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, though she considers herself a "citizen of the world". She has been influenced by such blues and jazz artists as Judy Garland, Janis Joplin, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Stan Getz and George...
, Sinéad O'Connor
Sinéad O'Connor
Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor is an Irish singer-songwriter. She rose to fame in the late 1980s with her debut album The Lion and the Cobra and achieved worldwide success in 1990 with a cover of the song "Nothing Compares 2 U"....
and Deacon Blue
Deacon Blue
Deacon Blue are a Scottish pop band formed in Glasgow during 1985. Their name was taken from the title of the Steely Dan song "Deacon Blues". The band consists of vocalist Ricky Ross and Lorraine McIntosh, keyboard player James Prime and drummer Dougie Vipond....
.
Key influences include Crosby, Stills & Nash, Paul Simon
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
, 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...
, Richard Thompson, Crowded House
Crowded House
Crowded House are a rock band, formed in Melbourne, Australia and led by New Zealand singer-songwriter Neil Finn. Finn is the primary songwriter and creative director of the band, having led it through several incarnations, drawing members from New Zealand , Australia and the United States...
and Townes Van Zandt
Townes Van Zandt
John Townes Van Zandt , best known as Townes Van Zandt, was an American Texas Country-folk music singer-songwriter, performer, and poet...
. The Mercurymen's contemporaries include Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes are a folk rock band which formed in Seattle, Washington. They are signed to the Sub Pop and Bella Union record labels. The band came to prominence in 2008 with the release of their second EP, Sun Giant, and their debut full length album Fleet Foxes...
and Bon Iver
Bon Iver
Bon Iver is a Grammy nominated folk band founded in 2007 by American indie folk singer-songwriter Justin Vernon. It includes Michael Noyce, Sean Carey, and Matthew McCaughan. Vernon released Bon Iver's debut album, For Emma, Forever Ago independently in July 2007. The majority of that album was...
.
The Mercurymen also toured with Level 42
Level 42
Level 42 are an English pop rock and jazz-funk band who had a number of worldwide and UK hits during the 1980s and 1990s.The band gained fame for their high-calibre musicianship—in particular that of Mark King, whose percussive slap-bass guitar technique provided the driving groove of many of the...
, playing venues such as the Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
.
They played live on BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
on Janice Long
Janice Long
Janice Long is an English radio broadcaster currently working on BBC Radio 2. Her show is on Sunday to Thursday nights from midnight to 02:00. She is the older sister of TV and radio personality Keith Chegwin.-Early career:...
's show in November 2008 and also played live on Bob Harris
Bob Harris (radio)
Robert Brinley Joseph "Bob" Harris, OBE , known as "Whispering" Bob Harris, is British radio host who currently works for BBC Radio 2, presenting music two nights a week...
and Johnnie Walker
Johnnie Walker (DJ)
Johnnie Walker MBE is a popular British veteran radio disc jockey and broadcaster....
.
The Mercurymen were Jinder
Jinder
Jinder is an English singer/songwriter and Gibson endorsed guitarist. He is best known for his folk-and-country-influenced solo work, and his brief tenure as frontman of harmony-driven trio The Mercurymen...
, Simon Johnson and Gavin Wyatt. Gavin and Simon worked with music mogul Mickie Most
Mickie Most
Mickie Most was an English record producer, with a string of hit singles with acts such as The Animals, Arrows, Herman's Hermits, Donovan, Suzi Quatro and the Jeff Beck Group often issued on his own RAK Records label....
before his death and are highly successful session musicians, working with, amongst others, Aynsley Lister, Ed Drewitt, Jamelia, Rhys Morgan and Jon Allen. Simon Johnson is also a prolific songwriter for other artists.
Jinder continues to enjoy a lengthy solo career, resumed following the Mercurymen split, and released his fifth solo album Nine Cents From Benelux on 29 June 2009. After The Mercurymen's departure from Sony BMG, Jinder founded successful independent label Din Of Ecstasy Records
Din Of Ecstasy Records
Din Of Ecstasy Records is an independent record label based in Bridport, England. The label was originally founded by singer-songwriter Jinder in 2007, and began releasing music in 2009, following the end of Jinder's contract with Arista/Sony BMG...
, who will release his sixth, as yet untitled solo album in 2011. Jinder also worked with indie rock band Candlefire in 2001.
External links
- Official Website for Jinder