Savoy Grand

Biography

Formed in 1997, around singer-songwriter Graham Langley, it was 1999 that (alongside other obscure acts such as Coldplay) NME named them as one of the best new bands to watch. Later that year they released the debut 7" single "The Moving Air" on Leicester's Pickled Egg label. This record received great press and narrowly missed being NME's single of the week, as the weather at the time was "too sunny". They followed this a year later with the five track mini-album "Dirty Pillows", which MOJO Ma...

Formed in 1997, around singer-songwriter Graham Langley, it was 1999 that (alongside other obscure acts such as Coldplay) NME named them as one of the best new bands to watch. Later that year they released the debut 7" single "The Moving Air" on Leicester's Pickled Egg label. This record received great press and narrowly missed being NME's single of the week, as the weather at the time was "too sunny".

They followed this a year later with the five track mini-album "Dirty Pillows", which MOJO Magazine described as: "Fans of minimalist heartbreak will be wringing their hands with joy over Savoy Grand's debut mini-LP 'Dirty Pillows': think of it as an English take on Slint, with hints of Soft Machine and Mark Hollis." "Dirty Pillows" (combined with the 7" tracks) saw a mainland Europe release on Glitterhouse Records in early 2001.

Their debut album: "Burn The Furniture"- A nine track epic, recorded over several weekends in 2001. Where earlier recordings captured the live frailty of the band, this release is more focussed and distilled - Using dramatic dynamics, string quartets, and subtle electronics to open up the dark lyrical world inside the songs.

Following the release of “ Burn The Furniture” Savoy Grand were left scattered around the UK, wondering how to follow their debut LP. Songwriter Graham Langley was living in London contemplating the dilemma between having a job and no time to make music, and having to make money to continue making music. Practical reasons had meant that a change was essential for Savoy Grand to continue so Langley returned to Nottingham and recorded 2004's Lost Horizon EP with drummer turned pianist Kieran O'Riordan. The lo-fi home recording methods and the reduction of Savoy Grand to a duo had brought a new directness and freedom to the sound, but this line-up would need expanding to produce the new full-length.

So with the addition of some of Nottingham's musicians, Neil Wells (Escapologists, Line) on Bass, Neil Johnson (Wolves of Greece, Great Bear) on Guitar & tape loops, and Mark Simms (Prints, Brown Owl) on Drums, they entered the studio with “Burn The Furniture” producer Mark Spivey to record what would become the “People And What They Want” album.

Their fourth album "Accident Book"was released in late 2009, again with a changed line-up: Darren Simpson Joined on drums, Neil Wells departed, but played on some of the album. The album was met with wide critical acclaim, a tour followed in Spring 2010 culminating in a headline performance at the Orange Blossom Special festival.

Currently Savoy Grand are working on album number 5. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.