The Young Knives
Encyclopedia
Young Knives are an English indie rock
band from Ashby-de-la-Zouch
, Leicestershire
. The name is based on a misunderstanding of "young knaves", which was found by the band when rummaging through a book.
The band was originally named "Simple Pastoral Existence" but this name only lasted until they split for a few years from 1997 to 1999, at which time they renamed themselves "Ponyclub." The name "Ponyclub" was changed when they got their first record deal because there was already an artist in existence named "Pony Club." This is when the name "The Young Knives" was coined. They later dropped the definite article prefix prior to the release of their second full-length album, Superabundance
.
The band is known for its energetic live performances and their taste in tweed
outfits. They broke into the music industry in 2002 with the critical success of their debut mini-album The Young Knives... Are Dead
, but began to garner national coverage upon the release of their single "The Decision" in late 2005 (partially due to the acclaim of its dark humoured, Wicker Man inspired video). They played their biggest live gig in June 2006 and completed a UK tour in support of their first proper album Voices of Animals and Men
, which reached #21 in the UK Album Charts. In July 2007 they were nominated for the Nationwide Mercury Prize
. Their second album Superabundance
entered the charts in March 2008 at number 28. Their new album Ornaments From The Silver Arcade was released on 4 April 2011.
and Ned's Atomic Dustbin
covers", but it was their subsequent move to Oxford
that saw their career begin to take off. After changing their name from 'Ponyclub' their 'big break' came in 2002 with a successful set at the popular Truck Festival
, which was followed by the release of ... Are Dead on local label Shifty Disco
.
The band also won "Road to V", a competition for bands to open the second stage at Virgin Music Festival, beating a large number of bands to win. However, they were only originally asked to take part because another band had dropped out of the competition.
After some years playing successful support slots to bands such as The Futureheads
and Hot Hot Heat
in Oxford and surrounding areas, the band were signed to Transgressive Records, and a limited EP, Junky Music Make My Heart Beat Faster, was a sell-out success. Their debut single "The Decision", produced by Andy Gill
of Gang of Four
(a noted influence on the band), was released in December 2005, and was followed in February 2006 by "Here Comes The Rumour Mill" - the latter their first chart success, reaching #36 in the UK and receiving significant airplay on MTV2
among others. They have continued to work with Gill ever since.
The band completed a lengthy UK tour in early 2006, and supported Dirty Pretty Things
and The Rakes
later in the same year, fitting in an appearance at SXSW in Texas and a terrestrial television debut on Later with Jools Holland
in June. In July that year, the band made their second appearance at Truck, and two more top 40 singles, "She's Attracted To" and "Weekends and Bleak Days (Hot Summer)" (originally the lead track of the Junky... EP) followed, just before the release of Voices of Animals and Men in August. A re-issue of "The Decision" was released on 30 October, the same day the band played what Henry described onstage as their "biggest gig ever", at the London Astoria
.
The band started their smaller UK tour on 26 March 2007, after several shows in the US. Regarding plans for after that tour, Henry stated that "...we will bring out a second album of shit songs like every other band...".
In 2008 the band released their second album "Superabundance
", recorded in Scotland. This spawned the single "Terra Firma"http://ifmv.blogspot.com/2007/09/young-knives-terra-firma.html released on Transgressive Records
at the end of 2007, and 'Up All Night', despite Razorlight
having an album and song of the same title.
In July 2007, the band's former label Shifty Disco released The Young Knives ...Are Dead ...And Some
, a compilation of the tracks from ...Are Dead and its follow-up EP Rollerskater. The album is an enhanced CD, which enables owners to access the rare music video for "Walking On the Autobahn".
In 2008 the Young Knives went to Asia for the first time, headlining the inaugural edition of the multimedia arts and music festival Clockenflap
in Hong Kong.
The Young Knives toured the UK extensively 'off the beaten tracks' throughout March 2008, as well as playing three dates as part of the NME Brats gigs. They also returned to their home town of Ashby-de-la-Zouch
to play a one-off concert at the Ashby Venture Theatre on 6 May 2008. Also, notably the band supported Kaiser Chiefs
at their homecoming gig at the Elland Road
stadium, alongside Kate Nash, Friendly Fires and The Enemy. As well as playing in the Mercury Lounge in the Lower East Side in New York City.
As was announced on 7 April, Young Knives released Turn Tail and new b-sides on 19 May 2008. They were the first band since the 1970s to record from their first take, straight to vinyl, a 'special' acoustic version of Turn Tail, recorded at Westbourne Studios, Westbourne Park London, which appears as one of the b-sides on the single.
They announced to BBC 6Music that they have started working on their third album. Their only planned live dates for 2010 will be performed during May, where they will preview new songs before recording the album during the Summer. At the end of April 2010 they put a demo of a new song, "I Love My Name", describing it as "it's sort of a song about how a name is one of the only things that you really have all your life, everything else about you moves and changes. Whilst writing this song we realised that it had a bit of an R'n'B vibe, so when we were demoing it we tried to enhance that sound. This is not the finished version and it may not even make it onto the album but we thought you would like to hear it. "
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 Ashby-de-la-Zouch
Ashby-de-la-Zouch
Ashby-de-la-Zouch, — Zouch being pronounced "Zoosh" — often shortened to Ashby, is a small market town and civil parish in North West Leicestershire, England, within the National Forest. It is twinned with Pithiviers in north-central France....
, Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
. The name is based on a misunderstanding of "young knaves", which was found by the band when rummaging through a book.
The band was originally named "Simple Pastoral Existence" but this name only lasted until they split for a few years from 1997 to 1999, at which time they renamed themselves "Ponyclub." The name "Ponyclub" was changed when they got their first record deal because there was already an artist in existence named "Pony Club." This is when the name "The Young Knives" was coined. They later dropped the definite article prefix prior to the release of their second full-length album, Superabundance
Superabundance
Superabundance is the second full-length album by Young Knives, released in the United Kingdom on March 10, 2008. The album reached number twenty-eight in the UK Album Charts....
.
The band is known for its energetic live performances and their taste in tweed
Tweed (cloth)
Tweed is a rough, unfinished woolen fabric, of a soft, open, flexible texture, resembling cheviot or homespun, but more closely woven. It is made in either plain or twill weave and may have a check or herringbone pattern...
outfits. They broke into the music industry in 2002 with the critical success of their debut mini-album The Young Knives... Are Dead
The Young Knives... Are Dead
The Young Knives...Are Dead is a mini-album containing seven songs by The Young Knives, and was released through the independent record label Shifty Disco in 2002...
, but began to garner national coverage upon the release of their single "The Decision" in late 2005 (partially due to the acclaim of its dark humoured, Wicker Man inspired video). They played their biggest live gig in June 2006 and completed a UK tour in support of their first proper album Voices of Animals and Men
Voices of Animals and Men
Voices of Animals and Men is the first full-length album by The Young Knives, released on August 22, 2006. The album's title is a reference to the Adam and the Ants song "Animals and Men"...
, which reached #21 in the UK Album Charts. In July 2007 they were nominated for the Nationwide Mercury Prize
Mercury Prize
The Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize and currently known as the Barclaycard Mercury Prize for sponsorship reasons, is an annual music prize awarded for the best album from the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was established by the British Phonographic Industry and British...
. Their second album Superabundance
Superabundance
Superabundance is the second full-length album by Young Knives, released in the United Kingdom on March 10, 2008. The album reached number twenty-eight in the UK Album Charts....
entered the charts in March 2008 at number 28. Their new album Ornaments From The Silver Arcade was released on 4 April 2011.
Band members
- Henry Dartnall - vocals, guitar
- Thomas "The House of Lords" Dartnall - vocals, bass guitar
- Oliver Askew - drums, backing vocals
Career
Formed under the name 'Simple Pastoral Existence', the Young Knives began their career "playing bad funkFunk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
and Ned's Atomic Dustbin
Ned's Atomic Dustbin
Ned's Atomic Dustbin are an English rock band formed in Stourbridge in West Midlands in November 1987. The band took their name from an episode of The Goon Show. The band were unusual for using two bass players in their lineup: Alex Griffin played melody lines high up on one bass, and Mat Cheslin...
covers", but it was their subsequent move to Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
that saw their career begin to take off. After changing their name from 'Ponyclub' their 'big break' came in 2002 with a successful set at the popular Truck Festival
Truck Festival
Truck Festival is an annual independent music festival in Oxfordshire, England. It was started in 1998 by the Bennett family , who decided that mainstream festivals such as Glastonbury had become too commercial and predictable. It is held in July at Hill Farm in Steventon, near Abingdon...
, which was followed by the release of ... Are Dead on local label Shifty Disco
Shifty Disco
Shifty Disco is a British independent record label based in Oxford, England.The label was started by local enthusiasts in January 1997 and their early releases were often featured by John Peel on his BBC Radio 1 show...
.
The band also won "Road to V", a competition for bands to open the second stage at Virgin Music Festival, beating a large number of bands to win. However, they were only originally asked to take part because another band had dropped out of the competition.
After some years playing successful support slots to bands such as The Futureheads
The Futureheads
The Futureheads are an English post-punk band from Sunderland. consisting of Ross Millard , Barry Hyde and David "Jaff" Craig...
and Hot Hot Heat
Hot Hot Heat
Hot Hot Heat is a Canadian indie rock band formed in 1999 from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.-Career:Dustin Hawthorne and Steve Bays had been in many different bands together since 1995 and met Hawley in 1998. In 1999, Hawley bought a Juno 6 keyboard and asked Bays to try playing it, as no one...
in Oxford and surrounding areas, the band were signed to Transgressive Records, and a limited EP, Junky Music Make My Heart Beat Faster, was a sell-out success. Their debut single "The Decision", produced by Andy Gill
Andy Gill
Andy Gill is a founding member and guitarist for the English rock group Gang of Four, considered among the most influential post-punk bands...
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...
(a noted influence on the band), was released in December 2005, and was followed in February 2006 by "Here Comes The Rumour Mill" - the latter their first chart success, reaching #36 in the UK and receiving significant airplay on MTV2
MTV2
MTV2 is a cable network that is widely available in the United States on digital cable and satellite television, and is progressively being added to analogue cable lineups across the nation...
among others. They have continued to work with Gill ever since.
The band completed a lengthy UK tour in early 2006, and supported Dirty Pretty Things
Dirty Pretty Things (band)
Dirty Pretty Things were an English band fronted by Carl Barât, a member of The Libertines. The formation of the band was announced in September 2005, after a dispute between Barât and Pete Doherty led to the breakup of The Libertines in 2004. Barât had worked with Vertigo Records and had...
and The Rakes
The Rakes
The Rakes were an English indie rock band from London. They split up in October 2009.-History:The Rakes formed in 2004. Since coming to fame in 2005, they were associated with the British post-punk/art rock scene, a genre shared by bands such as Bloc Party, Maxïmo Park, and The Futureheads...
later in the same year, fitting in an appearance at SXSW in Texas and a terrestrial television debut on Later with Jools Holland
Later with Jools Holland
Later... with Jools Holland is a contemporary British music television show hosted by Jools Holland. A spin-off of The Late Show, it has been running in short series since 1992 and is a part of BBC Two's late-night line-up, usually at around 11pm to 12 midnight...
in June. In July that year, the band made their second appearance at Truck, and two more top 40 singles, "She's Attracted To" and "Weekends and Bleak Days (Hot Summer)" (originally the lead track of the Junky... EP) followed, just before the release of Voices of Animals and Men in August. A re-issue of "The Decision" was released on 30 October, the same day the band played what Henry described onstage as their "biggest gig ever", at the London Astoria
London Astoria
The London Astoria was a music venue, located at 157 Charing Cross Road, in London, England. It had been leased and run by Festival Republic since 2000. It was closed on 15 January 2009 and has since been demolished...
.
The band started their smaller UK tour on 26 March 2007, after several shows in the US. Regarding plans for after that tour, Henry stated that "...we will bring out a second album of shit songs like every other band...".
In 2008 the band released their second album "Superabundance
Superabundance
Superabundance is the second full-length album by Young Knives, released in the United Kingdom on March 10, 2008. The album reached number twenty-eight in the UK Album Charts....
", recorded in Scotland. This spawned the single "Terra Firma"http://ifmv.blogspot.com/2007/09/young-knives-terra-firma.html released on Transgressive Records
Transgressive Records
Transgressive Records is an independent record label based in London, England formed in 2004. Founders Tim Dellow, and Toby L first met at a Bloc Party gig organised by Toby's rockfeedback website. The first release on the label was 1am by The Subways, released in September 2004...
at the end of 2007, and 'Up All Night', despite Razorlight
Razorlight
Razorlight are a UK based indie rock band formed in 2002. They are primarily known in the UK, having topped the charts with the 2006 single "America" and its parent self-titled album, their second...
having an album and song of the same title.
In July 2007, the band's former label Shifty Disco released The Young Knives ...Are Dead ...And Some
The Young Knives ...Are Dead ...And Some
The Young Knives ...Are Dead ...And Some is a compilation of tracks by The Young Knives, released on July 30, 2007. The band's former label Shifty Disco released the compilation of the tracks from The Young Knives... Are Dead and its follow-up EP Rollerskater...
, a compilation of the tracks from ...Are Dead and its follow-up EP Rollerskater. The album is an enhanced CD, which enables owners to access the rare music video for "Walking On the Autobahn".
In 2008 the Young Knives went to Asia for the first time, headlining the inaugural edition of the multimedia arts and music festival Clockenflap
Clockenflap
Clockenflap Multimedia Arts & Music Festival, commonly abbreviated to "Clockenflap", is a two-day music and multimedia arts festival held at various locations in Hong Kong...
in Hong Kong.
The Young Knives toured the UK extensively 'off the beaten tracks' throughout March 2008, as well as playing three dates as part of the NME Brats gigs. They also returned to their home town of Ashby-de-la-Zouch
Ashby-de-la-Zouch
Ashby-de-la-Zouch, — Zouch being pronounced "Zoosh" — often shortened to Ashby, is a small market town and civil parish in North West Leicestershire, England, within the National Forest. It is twinned with Pithiviers in north-central France....
to play a one-off concert at the Ashby Venture Theatre on 6 May 2008. Also, notably the band supported Kaiser Chiefs
Kaiser Chiefs
Kaiser Chiefs are an English indie rock band from Leeds who formed in 1996. They were named after the South African football club Kaizer Chiefs....
at their homecoming gig at the Elland Road
Elland Road
Elland Road is an all-seater football stadium in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It has been the permanent residence of Leeds United A.F.C...
stadium, alongside Kate Nash, Friendly Fires and The Enemy. As well as playing in the Mercury Lounge in the Lower East Side in New York City.
As was announced on 7 April, Young Knives released Turn Tail and new b-sides on 19 May 2008. They were the first band since the 1970s to record from their first take, straight to vinyl, a 'special' acoustic version of Turn Tail, recorded at Westbourne Studios, Westbourne Park London, which appears as one of the b-sides on the single.
They announced to BBC 6Music that they have started working on their third album. Their only planned live dates for 2010 will be performed during May, where they will preview new songs before recording the album during the Summer. At the end of April 2010 they put a demo of a new song, "I Love My Name", describing it as "it's sort of a song about how a name is one of the only things that you really have all your life, everything else about you moves and changes. Whilst writing this song we realised that it had a bit of an R'n'B vibe, so when we were demoing it we tried to enhance that sound. This is not the finished version and it may not even make it onto the album but we thought you would like to hear it. "
Albums
- The Young Knives ...Are DeadThe Young Knives... Are DeadThe Young Knives...Are Dead is a mini-album containing seven songs by The Young Knives, and was released through the independent record label Shifty Disco in 2002...
(2002 mini-album) - Voices of Animals and MenVoices of Animals and MenVoices of Animals and Men is the first full-length album by The Young Knives, released on August 22, 2006. The album's title is a reference to the Adam and the Ants song "Animals and Men"...
(2006) – #21 (UK) - The Young Knives ...Are Dead ...And SomeThe Young Knives ...Are Dead ...And SomeThe Young Knives ...Are Dead ...And Some is a compilation of tracks by The Young Knives, released on July 30, 2007. The band's former label Shifty Disco released the compilation of the tracks from The Young Knives... Are Dead and its follow-up EP Rollerskater...
(2007 expanded re-issue) - SuperabundanceSuperabundanceSuperabundance is the second full-length album by Young Knives, released in the United Kingdom on March 10, 2008. The album reached number twenty-eight in the UK Album Charts....
(2008) – #28 (UK) - Ornaments from the Silver ArcadeOrnaments from the Silver ArcadeOrnaments from the Silver Arcade is the third full-length album by Young Knives, released in the United Kingdom on 4 April 2011 on the Gadzook label.The track "Love My Name" was released as a single on 14 March 2011.-Track listing:...
- (2011) – #80 (UK)
EPs
- 2003 Rollerskater EP
- 2004 Split EP (a collaboration with Smilex)
- 2005 Junky Music Make My Heart Beat Faster
Singles
- "The Decision" - (6 December 2005) Chart Position: Did not chart
- "Here Comes the Rumour Mill" - (27 February 2006) Chart Position: #36 (UKUK Singles ChartThe 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 ...
) - "She's Attracted To" - (19 June 2006) Chart Position: #38 (UKUK Singles ChartThe 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 ...
) - "Weekends and Bleak Days (Hot Summer)Weekends and Bleak Days (Hot Summer)"Weekends and Bleak Days " is a song by English indie rock band Young Knives and is featured on their second studio album, Voices of Animals and Men. The fourth single taken from the album, it was released on August 14, 2006 and reached a peak position of #35 in the UK Singles Chart....
" - (14 August 2006) Chart Position: #35 (UKUK Singles ChartThe 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 ...
) - "The Decision" (re-issue) - (30 October 2006) Chart Position: #60 (UKUK Singles ChartThe 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 ...
) - "Terra Firma" (29 October 2007) Chart Position: #43 (UKUK Singles ChartThe 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 ...
) - "Up All Night" (25 February 2008) Chart Position: #45 (UKUK Singles ChartThe 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 ...
) - "Turn Tail" (19 May 2008) Chart Position: #148 (UKUK Singles ChartThe 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 ...
) - "Dyed in the Wool" (1 September 2008)
- "I Love My Name"