The Ordinary Boys
Encyclopedia
The Ordinary Boys are an English
indie rock
band
from Worthing
, in West Sussex, England. Originally named Next in Line, they were influenced by mod revival
and Britpop
music, as well as the bands Madness
, The Specials
, The Kinks
and The Smiths
. Their name derives from a Morrissey
song, "The Ordinary Boys
".
The membership of the band that split in 2008 consisted of founder members Samuel Preston (vocals, guitar) - generally known simply his surname "Preston", William Brown (guitar), James Gregory (bass), plus Simon Goldring (drums), who had replaced Charles “Chuck” Stanley in 2005.
Despite their limited success on the UK
charts
, their popularity grew particularly due to media coverage that the frontman, Samuel Preston, received when participating in Celebrity Big Brother UK in January 2006, where he also met Chantelle Houghton, who he subsequently married and then divorced. Following the Celebrity Big Brother appearance, sales of the band's albums increased and the "Boys Will Be Boys" single moved from #33 to #3 in four weeks. Fans
of the band are nicknamed "The Ordinary Army" and many gigs have in the past been marked by the presence of the Army's large custom made flag bearing the band's logo and the epiphet "Ordinary Army - on Manoeuvres".
Notable songs include "Maybe Someday", "Talk Talk Talk", and "Seaside" (the promotional video for which featured a cameo appearance from Terry Hall of 80s ska band the Specials) from their debut album
; "Boys Will Be Boys" from their second album; and "Over the Counter Culture", which was featured in the soundtrack
for Burnout 3: Takedown
. Their single "Lonely at the Top" marked a change of sound, with more of a commercial pop feel, featuring synthesisers and samples.
Yahoo!
UK revealed that The Ordinary Boys was the fourth most searched for keyword of 2006 in their annual top ten search results.
The song "Boys Will Be Boys" featured in the fifth Harry Potter
movie
, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
. The band was also referenced in episode five ("Smoke and Mirrors") of series two of The IT Crowd
.
In early 2008, lead singer Preston confirmed the band's split through the official Ordinary Boys website, and announced he was writing new material for a solo
album. Though it was apparently completed in 2009, the album was never released after his only single "Dressed To Kill" (which sampled Siouxsie and the Banshees' "Happy House
"), failed to chart and Preston then attempted a career as a DJ. Two of the tracks recorded for the album later appeared on YouTube
.
The Ordinary Boys will be reuniting in December 2011 for a full UK tour. There is no involvement from William Brown or James Gregory and the band have recruited a new guitarist, bassist and keyboard player, along with original member Samuel Preston and drummer at the time of split, Simon Goldring. They have also made a new song called "Run This Town".
The revitalised version of the Ordinary Boys has no official full website but does have a well patronised Facebook page. The Ordinary Army also have their own Facebook page.
Worthing's the Ordinary Boys should not be confused with another band of similar name "Ordinary Boys", who are a Smiths tribute band.
The music videos for 'Boys Will Be Boys', 'Life Will Be The Death Of Me', '9 To 5' and 'Lonely At The Top' were all directed by Andy Hylton (http://www.andyhylton.com).
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
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
from Worthing
Worthing
Worthing is a large seaside town with borough status in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, forming part of the Brighton/Worthing/Littlehampton conurbation. It is situated at the foot of the South Downs, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester...
, in West Sussex, England. Originally named Next in Line, they were influenced by mod revival
Mod Revival
The mod revival was a music genre and subculture that started in England in 1978 and later spread to other countries . The mod revival's mainstream popularity was relatively short, although its influence has lasted for decades...
and Britpop
Britpop
Britpop is a subgenre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom. Britpop emerged from the British independent music scene of the early 1990s and was characterised by bands influenced by British guitar pop music of the 1960s and 1970s...
music, as well as the bands Madness
Madness (band)
In 1979, the band recorded the Lee Thompson composition "The Prince". The song, like the band's name, paid homage to their idol, Prince Buster. The song was released through 2 Tone Records, the label of The Specials founder Jerry Dammers. The song was a surprise hit, peaking in the UK music charts...
, The Specials
The Specials
The Specials are an English 2 Tone ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry, England. Their music combines a "danceable ska and rocksteady beat with punk's energy and attitude", and had a "more focused and informed political and social stance" than other ska groups...
, The Kinks
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
and The Smiths
The Smiths
The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce...
. Their name derives from a Morrissey
Morrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,...
song, "The Ordinary Boys
The Ordinary Boys (song)
"The Ordinary Boys" is a song performed by Morrissey on his album Viva Hate. It was written by Morrissey and his producer Stephen Street....
".
The membership of the band that split in 2008 consisted of founder members Samuel Preston (vocals, guitar) - generally known simply his surname "Preston", William Brown (guitar), James Gregory (bass), plus Simon Goldring (drums), who had replaced Charles “Chuck” Stanley in 2005.
Despite their limited success on 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...
charts
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
, their popularity grew particularly due to media coverage that the frontman, Samuel Preston, received when participating in Celebrity Big Brother UK in January 2006, where he also met Chantelle Houghton, who he subsequently married and then divorced. Following the Celebrity Big Brother appearance, sales of the band's albums increased and the "Boys Will Be Boys" single moved from #33 to #3 in four weeks. Fans
Fan (person)
A Fan, sometimes also called aficionado or supporter, is a person with a liking and enthusiasm for something, such as a band or a sports team. Fans of a particular thing or person constitute its fanbase or fandom...
of the band are nicknamed "The Ordinary Army" and many gigs have in the past been marked by the presence of the Army's large custom made flag bearing the band's logo and the epiphet "Ordinary Army - on Manoeuvres".
Notable songs include "Maybe Someday", "Talk Talk Talk", and "Seaside" (the promotional video for which featured a cameo appearance from Terry Hall of 80s ska band the Specials) from 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...
; "Boys Will Be Boys" from their second album; and "Over the Counter Culture", which was featured in the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
for Burnout 3: Takedown
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...
. Their single "Lonely at the Top" marked a change of sound, with more of a commercial pop feel, featuring synthesisers and samples.
Yahoo!
Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. is an American multinational internet corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, United States. The company is perhaps best known for its web portal, search engine , Yahoo! Directory, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Answers, advertising, online mapping ,...
UK revealed that The Ordinary Boys was the fourth most searched for keyword of 2006 in their annual top ten search results.
The song "Boys Will Be Boys" featured in the fifth Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
movie
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a 2007 fantasy film directed by David Yates and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the fifth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Michael Goldenberg and produced by David Heyman and David Barron...
. The band was also referenced in episode five ("Smoke and Mirrors") of series two of The IT Crowd
The IT Crowd
The IT Crowd is a British sitcom by Channel 4, written by Graham Linehan, produced by Ash Atalla and starring Chris O'Dowd, Richard Ayoade, Katherine Parkinson and Matt Berry...
.
In early 2008, lead singer Preston confirmed the band's split through the official Ordinary Boys website, and announced he was writing new material for a solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
album. Though it was apparently completed in 2009, the album was never released after his only single "Dressed To Kill" (which sampled Siouxsie and the Banshees' "Happy House
Happy House
"Happy House" is a song recorded by British rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees. The song was written by Banshees members Siouxsie Sioux and Steven Severin and it was released as the first single from the band's third album Kaleidoscope....
"), failed to chart and Preston then attempted a career as a DJ. Two of the tracks recorded for the album later appeared on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
.
The Ordinary Boys will be reuniting in December 2011 for a full UK tour. There is no involvement from William Brown or James Gregory and the band have recruited a new guitarist, bassist and keyboard player, along with original member Samuel Preston and drummer at the time of split, Simon Goldring. They have also made a new song called "Run This Town".
The revitalised version of the Ordinary Boys has no official full website but does have a well patronised Facebook page. The Ordinary Army also have their own Facebook page.
Worthing's the Ordinary Boys should not be confused with another band of similar name "Ordinary Boys", who are a Smiths tribute band.
Albums
| Year | Details | UK UK Albums Chart The 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... |
Certifications Music recording sales certification Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Over the Counter Culture Over the Counter Culture Over the Counter Culture is the first studio album by Worthing, England band The Ordinary Boys. The album received critical praise and spawned the singles "Maybe Someday", "Week In Week Out", "Talk Talk Talk", and "Seaside". On its initial release in the UK, there was an ordinary version and...
|
19 |
British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... : Silver |
| 2005 | Brassbound Brassbound Brassbound is The Ordinary Boys' second studio album, released in 2005. It contains the singles "Boys Will Be Boys" and "Life Will Be The Death Of Me"... |
11 |
|
| 2006 | How to Get Everything You Ever Wanted in Ten Easy Steps How to Get Everything You Ever Wanted in Ten Easy Steps How to Get Everything You Ever Wanted in Ten Easy Steps is the third album by English indie band The Ordinary Boys, released following on from lead singer Preston's appearance on Celebrity Big Brother in January 2006. It was released on 23 October 2006 in the UK. It signified a transition in the... Polydor Records Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone... |
15 | |
Singles
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK 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 ... |
UK D/L |
IRE Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
|||
| 2004 | "Maybe Someday Maybe Someday (The Ordinary Boys song) Maybe Someday was the first single released by The Ordinary Boys from their first album Over the Counter Culture. This was released on the b-unique label as a 2 track CD single, the B-side was "Laughing From The Sidelines". The single sold well enough to chart in the top 40, but was not able to... " |
— | — | — | Over the Counter Culture |
| "Week In, Week Out" | 36 | — | — | ||
| "Talk, Talk, Talk Talk, Talk, Talk "Talk, Talk, Talk" was a single from The Ordinary Boys which appeared on their first album Over the Counter Culture. The single was released in July 2004 and reached number 17 in the UK singles chart, making it their highest placed single from the debut album.... " |
17 | — | — | ||
| "Seaside Seaside (The Ordinary Boys song) "Seaside" is a 2004 single by The Ordinary Boys which appeared on the band's first album Over the Counter Culture.-Track listing:#"Seaside "#"Loves Coming Down"#"All The Things She Said"... " |
27 | — | — | ||
| 2005 | "Boys Will Be Boys Boys Will Be Boys (song) "Boys Will Be Boys" is a single by British rock group The Ordinary Boys.It was released in 2005, when it reached number 16 in the UK Singles Chart, but it re-entered the charts in January 2006, following singer Samuel Preston's appearance on Celebrity Big Brother... " |
16 | — | — | Brassbound |
| "Life Will Be the Death of Me Life Will Be the Death of Me Life Will Be the Death of Me was a 2005 single from The Ordinary Boys from the album Brassbound.... " |
50 | — | — | ||
| 2006 | "Boys Will Be Boys" (reissue) | 3 | 1 | 22 | |
| "Nine2Five" (vs. Lady Sovereign Lady Sovereign Louise Amanda Harman , better known by the stage name Lady Sovereign, is an English rapper & grime artist. She is noted for her professional success in performing styles of music generally dominated by males... ) |
6 | 12 | 25 | How To Get Everything You Ever Wanted in Ten Easy Steps | |
| "Lonely at the Top Lonely at the Top "Lonely at the Top" was a 2006 single by The Ordinary Boys and appeared as the third single from - and proceeded before - their album How to Get Everything You Ever Wanted in Ten Easy Steps . It became the band's third UK Top 10 single, peaking at #10 in the UK Singles Chart.... " |
10 | 26 | — | ||
| 2007 | "I Luv U I Luv U (The Ordinary Boys song) "I Luv U" is a song by English indie rock group The Ordinary Boys, released in early 2007. The song was taken from their album How to Get Everything You Ever Wanted in Ten Easy Steps and features a distinctive double-bass line. It reached #7 in the UK Singles Chart, and #5 in the UK Download Chart... " |
7 | 5 | — | |
The music videos for 'Boys Will Be Boys', 'Life Will Be The Death Of Me', '9 To 5' and 'Lonely At The Top' were all directed by Andy Hylton (http://www.andyhylton.com).