The Moths!
Encyclopedia
The Moths! were an English
indie rock
band from London
. They made new wave and post-punk pop and had drawn comparisons with the Human League
, Wire
, the Buzzcocks
and early Adam and the Ants
.
Their first EP "Games" was released as a triple A-side with "Wild Birds" and "Valentine" by indie label Fandango. It was hailed by Artrocker
and received critical acclaim from NME
, as well as gaining extensive radio support from Zane Lowe
(BBC Radio 1
) and XFM
. It was also named single of the week by Steve Lamacq
(BBC
) and the band were invited to record live sessions with John Kennedy
(XFM
) and Marc Riley
(BBC 6 Music
).
In 2007, they were touring the UK and Sweden, supporting bands including Foals
, Good Shoes
and The 1990s
. Founder member Jon Vick left the band around the middle of 2007 and The Moths! briefly became a full live band with extra members before disbanding in December of that year.
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 from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. They made new wave and post-punk pop and had drawn comparisons with the Human League
The Human League
The Human League are an English electronic New Wave band formed in Sheffield in 1977. They achieved popularity after a key change in line-up in the early 1980s and have continued recording and performing with moderate commercial success throughout the 1980s up to the present day.The only constant...
, Wire
Wire
A wire is a single, usually cylindrical, flexible strand or rod of metal. Wires are used to bear mechanical loads and to carry electricity and telecommunications signals. Wire is commonly formed by drawing the metal through a hole in a die or draw plate. Standard sizes are determined by various...
, the Buzzcocks
Buzzcocks
Buzzcocks are an English punk rock band formed in Bolton in 1976, led by singer–songwriter–guitarist Pete Shelley.They are regarded as an important influence on the Manchester music scene, the independent record label movement, punk rock, power pop, pop punk and indie rock. They achieved commercial...
and early Adam and the Ants
Adam and the Ants
Adam and the Ants were a British rock band active during the late 1970s and early 1980s. The original group, which existed from 1977 to 1980, became notable as a cult band marking the transition from the late-1970s punk rock era to the post-punk and New Wave era...
.
History
The band started in August 2006 with James Fox (lead vocals, lyrics), Dave Lightfoot (guitars, music) and Jon Vick (synthesizer, production) creating bedroom demos and placing them on MySpace to great critical acclaim. The band were quickly picked up for development.Their first EP "Games" was released as a triple A-side with "Wild Birds" and "Valentine" by indie label Fandango. It was hailed by Artrocker
ArtRocker
Artrocker is a UK-based collective involved in music promotion and publishing. It was started by Paul Cox and Tom Fawcett who had been co-promoters of a London night called The Sausage Factory...
and received critical acclaim from 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...
, as well as gaining extensive radio support from Zane Lowe
Zane Lowe
Zane Lowe also known as 'Zipper', is a radio DJ and television presenter. He was born in New Zealand and grew up in Auckland, where he was a presenter on the local music station Max TV, before moving to England...
(BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
) and XFM
Xfm
Xfm is a brand of two commercial radio stations focused on alternative music, primarily indie pop, and owned by Global Radio.-History:Xfm was created in London in 1992 by Sammy Jacob, who later co-founded NME Radio in 2008. Xfm subsequently expanded to a network of four stations; there are...
. It was also named single of the week by Steve Lamacq
Steve Lamacq
Steve Lamacq , sometimes known by his nicknames Lammo or "The Cat" is an English disc jockey, currently working with the BBC radio stations BBC 6 Music and BBC Radio 2.-Early career:He was born in Basingstoke, Hampshire...
(BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
) and the band were invited to record live sessions with John Kennedy
John Kennedy (DJ)
John Kennedy, is a DJ who presents Xposure on XFM, between 10pm and 2am Monday-Thursdays. He is the only DJ to have been with XFM constantly since its inception and the show is the longest running of all of the specialist shows John Kennedy, is a DJ who presents Xposure on XFM, between 10pm and 2am...
(XFM
Xfm
Xfm is a brand of two commercial radio stations focused on alternative music, primarily indie pop, and owned by Global Radio.-History:Xfm was created in London in 1992 by Sammy Jacob, who later co-founded NME Radio in 2008. Xfm subsequently expanded to a network of four stations; there are...
) and Marc Riley
Marc Riley
Marc Riley is a British musician, alternative rock critic and radio DJ on BBC 6 Music. Formerly a member of The Fall, he had his own record label, In-Tape, and also worked as a record plugger...
(BBC 6 Music
BBC 6 Music
BBC 6 Music is one of the BBC's digital radio stations, was launched on 11 March 2002 and originally codenamed Network Y. It was the first national music radio station to be launched by the BBC in 32 years....
).
In 2007, they were touring the UK and Sweden, supporting bands including Foals
Foals (band)
Foals are an English indie rock band from Oxford. They are currently signed to Transgressive Records in the UK and Sub Pop in the US. They released their debut album Antidotes on 24 March 2008 in the UK, and 8 April 2008 in the US...
, Good Shoes
Good Shoes
Good Shoes are a four-piece English indie pop band, hailing from Morden, London.-Biography:Good Shoes was formed by lead singer Rhys Jones and guitarist Steve Leach who often wrote and played music together as a hobby. Rhys and Steve appeared as a two piece under the Good Shoes name for a friend's...
and The 1990s
1990s (band)
-History:They were signed to Rough Trade Record Company when they were spotted at only their sixth gig, and have released two albums so far, Cookies and Kicks....
. Founder member Jon Vick left the band around the middle of 2007 and The Moths! briefly became a full live band with extra members before disbanding in December of that year.