The Veils
Encyclopedia
The Veils are a 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...

 based Indie
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...

/Alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...

 band fronted by lead singer and songwriter Finn Andrews. They are known for their chaotic and highly cathartic live performances and Finn's often scarily possessed stage presence. Head of Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...

 Geoff Travis has referred to Finn as "A young but maturing real artist in the vein of Nick Cave and David Bowie". The Veils now have a growing following in Europe, The States and Canada.

Early years, The Runaway Found and split (2001–2004)

Finn Andrews, son of 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:...

/Shriekback
Shriekback
Shriekback are an English rock band, formed in 1981 in Kentish Town by Barry Andrews, formerly of XTC and League of Gentlemen , and Dave Allen, formerly of the Gang of Four , with Carl Marsh, formerly of Out On Blue Six soon added to the line-up. They were joined by Martyn Barker on drums in 1983...

 keyboardist Barry Andrews
Barry Andrews (musician)
Barry Andrews is a vocalist and keyboardist. He is a former member of the bands XTC and League of Gentlemen with Robert Fripp, and was co-founder of Shriekback. He has collaborated with Brian Eno on several projects, most recently guesting on keyboards for the 2005 album Another Day On Earth...

, spent his teens playing in folk bands in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...

, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

. When he was 16 a set of demos he sent to record companies created a stir and led to invitations to come to 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...

 and make a record.
The Veils were signed to Blanco Y Negro
Blanco y Negro Records
Blanco y Negro Records, a subsidiary of WEA Records Ltd., was established in 1983 by Geoff Travis of Rough Trade Records.Blanco y Negro was home to such artists as Bananarama, Everything But the Girl, The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Dream Academy, Dinosaur Jr., Bernthøler, A House, Catatonia, The...

, an indie/major hybrid imprint led by Rough Trade
Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...

's boss Geoff Travis
Geoff Travis
Geoff Travis is the founder of both Rough Trade Records and the Rough Trade chain of record shops. A former drama teacher and owner of a punk record shop, Travis founded the Rough Trade label in 1978.-Biography:...

 but funded by Warner Music. On August 19, 2002 the band released a promo only single "Death & Co.
Death & Co.
"Death & Co." is the debut single by The Veils, released only as promo on August 19, 2002 for the Blanco Y Negro inprint. All three songs featured here would be later re-released as B-sides to following singles "More Heat Than Light" and "Guiding Light"...

", while a proper commercial single release came three months later, on November 18, for "More Heat Than Light
More Heat Than Light
"More Heat Than Light" is the second single by The Veils released on November 18th 2002. The song was written by Finn and his father Barry Andrews, with musician Carl Marsch.- Tracklist :*CD # "More Heat Than Light" - 4:09...

" followed by "The Leavers Dance
The Leavers Dance
"The Leavers Dance" is the third single by The Veils, distributed exclusively at gigs. The B-side "Dominoes" is a re-interpretation of the Syd Barrett's song featured on his 1970 album Barrett.- Tracklist :*CD # "The Leavers Dance" - 4:07...

" (February 24, 2003), which was distributed exclusively at gigs..
By then increasing contractual disparities and artistic differences between the head of Warner and Geoff Travis
Geoff Travis
Geoff Travis is the founder of both Rough Trade Records and the Rough Trade chain of record shops. A former drama teacher and owner of a punk record shop, Travis founded the Rough Trade label in 1978.-Biography:...

 delayed plans for a debut album. The Blanco Y Negro label was eventually disbanded and the dispute turned into a court battle with The Veils eventually regaining ownership of their master recordings from Warner Music.
By mid-2003 Geoff Travis had signed them to Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...

.
The Veils recorded four more songs with producer Bernard Butler
Bernard Butler
Bernard Joseph Butler is an English musician and record producer. He first emerged in the early Britpop era with Suede. He has been hailed by some critics as the greatest guitarist of his generation, as well as one of Britain's most original and influential guitarists...

 (ex Suede
Suede (band)
Suede are an English alternative rock band from London, formed in 1989. The group's most prominent early line-up featured singer Brett Anderson, guitarist Bernard Butler, bass player Mat Osman and drummer Simon Gilbert. By 1992, Suede were hailed as "The Best New Band in Britain", and attracted...

 guitarist), and the band finally released its first Rough Trade single, "Guiding Light
Guiding Light (song)
Not to be confused with the Muse song on the album The Resistance."Guiding Light" is the fourth single by The Veils, first one under Rough Trade label. It is also the first result of the band's work with producer Bernard Butler...

" (July 28, 2003), though the long awaited debut LP was released only as a promo in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

 and the U.K.
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...

 that November. Single releases of "Lavinia
Lavinia (song)
"Lavinia" is a single by The Veils, released on November 24, 2003. The song was spotted by the first band's video ever, directed by Gavin Boyter...

" (November 24, 2003) and "The Wild Son
The Wild Son
"The Wild Son" is a song by The Veils released as a single on January 26th 2004. It is the opening act of debut album The Runaway Found and also the second band's single to be produced by Bernard Butler.- Tracklist :*CD...

" (January 26, 2004) led to The Runaway Found
The Runaway Found
The Runaway Found is The Veils debut album, released on February 16, 2004. The record was preceded by several singles, from "More Heat Than Light" to "The Wild Son" . The last single "Lavinia" was released in November 2003, alongside a first promotional version of the album which featured a...

finally hitting the shelves on February 16, 2004. Rapturously received by the critics the album was a collection of songs recorded over four years with three different producers, and by the time of its release Andrews felt unhappy with the direction the band had taken and, allegedly following altercations between him and other members, The Veils first incarnation split mid-2004.

New line-up and Nux Vomica (2005–2006)

Andrews left the UK early 2005 and embarked on a solo tour of America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

, eventually returning home to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

 where he found a new direction for the band. He spent the summer there rehearsing with high-school friends Liam Gerrard (keyboards) and Sophia Burn (bass) in Liam's bedroom, soon amassing an album's worth of material. When the trio returned to London they were joined by Dan Raishbrook (guitar) and Henning Dietz (drums), who completed the new line-up.
They began recording sessions with producer Nick Launay
Nick Launay
Nick Launay is an English record producer and recording engineer. He is currently one of the most sought after producers in the world due to his current success with recent albums by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Arcade Fire, and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds...

 in Los Angeles in early 2006.
The resulting album 'Nux Vomica' had a darker, far heavier and more complex sound, augmented by string arrangements by ex Lounge Lizard
The Lounge Lizards
The Lounge Lizards are a jazz group formed in 1978 by saxophone player John Lurie.Initially a tongue in cheek "fake jazz" combo, drawing on punk rock and no wave as much as jazz, The Lounge Lizards have since become respected for their creative and distinctive sound.-History:Lounge Lizards were...

 Jane Scarpantoni
Jane Scarpantoni
Jane Scarpantoni is a classically trained cello player who has played on a number of alternative rock albums.She was a member of Hoboken, New Jersey's Tiny Lights in the mid-'80s, then went on to play with other musicians especially those associated with the Hoboken underground rock scene of the...

, but also a newly found, highly animalistic energy. Lead singer Finn Andrews shows "rougher" and more experimental vocals on many of the songs such as 'Not Yet' and 'Jesus for the Jugular'. The record is a compelling group of songs that can be played over and over and still sound fresh. Two singles were released from the album: "Advice for Young Mothers to Be
Advice for Young Mothers to Be
"Advice for Young Mothers to Be" is the lead single extracted from The Veils second album Nux Vomica. It was the first band's single to be released as digital download, whilst the only physical format was a limited edition 7"...

" (September 4, 2006) and "One Night on Earth
One Night on Earth
"One Night on Earth" is the second and last single off of The Veils second album Nux Vomica. It was released as a digital download exclusive available from sites like iTunes and 7digital...

" (April 15, 2007). Nux Vomica featured on 16 English and American critics' best of the year lists in 2006.

Sun Gangs (2007–2009)

In the 16 months following the release of Nux Vomica The Veils played over 250 shows across 15 countries and during the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 leg of the tour it was announced that keyboardist Liam Gerrard would leave the band to return home to New Zealand due to personal reasons. The Veils carried on as a four piece and, whilst living out of a classic car garage in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...

, started recording new demos between playing shows on the east and west coasts of the America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. By mid-2008 they were back to London to begin work on their third album with producer Graham Sutton
Graham Sutton (musician)
Graham Sutton is an English musician, songwriter, composer and record producer based in Hackney, UK. He is best known as the leader and key figure of seminal post-rock band Bark Psychosis, as well as being an in-demand producer for alternative rock bands since the late 1990s.-Bark Psychosis:Sutton...

. The recording sessions at West Point Studios lasted only three weeks and at the end of the summer the album was done and ready to be mixed. In March 2009 they began touring the new songs in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

 and America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 with new drummer Raife Burchell (of Jetplane Landing
Jetplane Landing
Jetplane Landing is a four piece band from Derry and London . They comprise Andrew Ferris , Jamie Burchell , Cahir O’Doherty and Raife Burchell . Jamie and Raife are brothers...

), after Henning Dietz' defection. Sun Gangs
Sun Gangs
Sun Gangs is the third album by The Veils, released on April 6 2009. Finn Andrews has described it as "a very modern mixture of prayers, love letters and personal record keeping". Sun Gangs was produced by Graham Sutton, with the exception of the opening track "Sit Down by the Fire", produced by...

was released on April 6, 2009 and was featured in many websites top albums of 2009.

Troubles of the Brain (2010-2011)

The band spent the summer of 2010 working on new material. On December 6 it was announced that a new 7 song EP entitled Troubles of the Brain
Troubles of the Brain EP
Troubles of the Brain is the first EP by The Veils, out on January 24, 2011 on Pitch Beast Records. Finn Andrews set up his own label to release The Veils first EP after leaving Rough Trade after almost 9 years. It was recorded at Finn Andrews home studio in London, and produced by Andrews and...

 is set to be released on January 24, and that the band had left Rough Trade after almost 9 years and started their own label, Pitch Beast Records. The EP is produced by Finn Andrews and Bernard Butler
Bernard Butler
Bernard Joseph Butler is an English musician and record producer. He first emerged in the early Britpop era with Suede. He has been hailed by some critics as the greatest guitarist of his generation, as well as one of Britain's most original and influential guitarists...

 and was recorded at Finn's home studio in London.
In March 2011 The Veils headlined a benefit concert for the NZ Red Cross in London, playing a selection of songs from the EP.
Finn is currently writing The Veils 4th album in London.

Studio albums

Title Released Label Format
The Runaway Found
The Runaway Found
The Runaway Found is The Veils debut album, released on February 16, 2004. The record was preceded by several singles, from "More Heat Than Light" to "The Wild Son" . The last single "Lavinia" was released in November 2003, alongside a first promotional version of the album which featured a...

16 February 2004 Rough Trade
Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...

CD, LP
Nux Vomica
Nux Vomica
Nux Vomica is the second album by The Veils, released on September 18 2006. It was recorded in Laurel Canyon and produced by Nick Launay, during spring of 2006. A far heavier and darker sound characterises Nux Vomica, very different from the indie sound of the previous record...

18 September 2006 Rough Trade CD, LP
Sun Gangs
Sun Gangs
Sun Gangs is the third album by The Veils, released on April 6 2009. Finn Andrews has described it as "a very modern mixture of prayers, love letters and personal record keeping". Sun Gangs was produced by Graham Sutton, with the exception of the opening track "Sit Down by the Fire", produced by...

6 April 2009 Rough Trade CD, LP

EPs

Title Released Label Format
"Troubles of the Brain EP
Troubles of the Brain EP
Troubles of the Brain is the first EP by The Veils, out on January 24, 2011 on Pitch Beast Records. Finn Andrews set up his own label to release The Veils first EP after leaving Rough Trade after almost 9 years. It was recorded at Finn Andrews home studio in London, and produced by Andrews and...

"
24 January 2011 Pitch Beast CD, Download

Singles

Title Released Label Format Album
"Death & Co.
Death & Co.
"Death & Co." is the debut single by The Veils, released only as promo on August 19, 2002 for the Blanco Y Negro inprint. All three songs featured here would be later re-released as B-sides to following singles "More Heat Than Light" and "Guiding Light"...

"
19 August 2002 Blanco Y Negro
Blanco y Negro Records
Blanco y Negro Records, a subsidiary of WEA Records Ltd., was established in 1983 by Geoff Travis of Rough Trade Records.Blanco y Negro was home to such artists as Bananarama, Everything But the Girl, The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Dream Academy, Dinosaur Jr., Bernthøler, A House, Catatonia, The...

CD single
"More Heat Than Light
More Heat Than Light
"More Heat Than Light" is the second single by The Veils released on November 18th 2002. The song was written by Finn and his father Barry Andrews, with musician Carl Marsch.- Tracklist :*CD # "More Heat Than Light" - 4:09...

"
18 November 2002 Blanco y Negro CD single The Runaway Found
The Runaway Found
The Runaway Found is The Veils debut album, released on February 16, 2004. The record was preceded by several singles, from "More Heat Than Light" to "The Wild Son" . The last single "Lavinia" was released in November 2003, alongside a first promotional version of the album which featured a...

"The Leavers Dance
The Leavers Dance
"The Leavers Dance" is the third single by The Veils, distributed exclusively at gigs. The B-side "Dominoes" is a re-interpretation of the Syd Barrett's song featured on his 1970 album Barrett.- Tracklist :*CD # "The Leavers Dance" - 4:07...

"
24 February 2003 Blanco y Negro CD single The Runaway Found
"Guiding Light
Guiding Light (song)
Not to be confused with the Muse song on the album The Resistance."Guiding Light" is the fourth single by The Veils, first one under Rough Trade label. It is also the first result of the band's work with producer Bernard Butler...

"
28 July 2003 Rough Trade CD single, 7" vinyl The Runaway Found
"Lavinia
Lavinia (song)
"Lavinia" is a single by The Veils, released on November 24, 2003. The song was spotted by the first band's video ever, directed by Gavin Boyter...

"
24 November 2003 Rough Trade CD single, 7" vinyl The Runaway Found
"The Wild Son
The Wild Son
"The Wild Son" is a song by The Veils released as a single on January 26th 2004. It is the opening act of debut album The Runaway Found and also the second band's single to be produced by Bernard Butler.- Tracklist :*CD...

"
26 January 2004 Rough Trade CD single, 7" vinyl The Runaway Found
"The Tide That Left and Never Came Back
The Tide That Left and Never Came Back
"The Tide That Left and Never Came Back" is the last single extracted from The Veils first record The Runaway Found. The accompanying video was directed by Gina Birch of The Raincoats.- Tracklist :*CD...

"
17 May 2004 Rough Trade CD single, 7" vinyl The Runaway Found
"Advice for Young Mothers to Be
Advice for Young Mothers to Be
"Advice for Young Mothers to Be" is the lead single extracted from The Veils second album Nux Vomica. It was the first band's single to be released as digital download, whilst the only physical format was a limited edition 7"...

"
4 September 2006 Rough Trade 7" vinyl, Download Nux Vomica
Nux Vomica
Nux Vomica is the second album by The Veils, released on September 18 2006. It was recorded in Laurel Canyon and produced by Nick Launay, during spring of 2006. A far heavier and darker sound characterises Nux Vomica, very different from the indie sound of the previous record...

"One Night on Earth
One Night on Earth
"One Night on Earth" is the second and last single off of The Veils second album Nux Vomica. It was released as a digital download exclusive available from sites like iTunes and 7digital...

"
15 April 2007 Rough Trade Download Nux Vomica
"The Letter
The Letter (The Veils song)
"The Letter" is a song by The Veils released as a 1-track digital single available from iTunes and 7digital....

"
13 April 2009 Rough Trade Download Sun Gangs
Sun Gangs
Sun Gangs is the third album by The Veils, released on April 6 2009. Finn Andrews has described it as "a very modern mixture of prayers, love letters and personal record keeping". Sun Gangs was produced by Graham Sutton, with the exception of the opening track "Sit Down by the Fire", produced by...


Music videos

Title Year Director
"Lavinia" 2003 Gavin Boyter
Gavin Boyter
- Biography :Boyter attended the Northern Media School between 1997-98, graduating with an MA in Film and Television drama.In 1998 his short film Our House was shown at the Leeds International Film Festival....

"The Tide That Left and Never Came Back" 2004 Gina Birch
Gina Birch
Gina Birch is an English musician and film-maker, probably best known as a founding member of The Raincoats.Born in Nottingham where she attended Nottingham High School for Girls, Birch formed The Hangovers and released an album, Slow Dirty Tears, in 1998. In 2002 and 2007 she performed live at...

"The Wild Son" 2004 Tim Groenendaal
"Advice for Young Mothers to Be" 2006 Suzanne Schurgers for Minivegas
"Calliope!" 2007 The Brownlee Brothers
"The Letter" 2009 Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard
Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard
Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard are British artists who create re-enactments of cultural and art historical events. Forsyth was born in Manchester in 1973, Pollard in Newcastle in 1972.-Life and work:...

"Begin Again" 2009 Sean Gratton
"The Stars Came Out Once The Lights Went Out" 2011 Alexander Gandar

External links

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