Alphabeat

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Alphabeat
Alphabeat during a performance @ Gröna Lund , Stockholm in 2008.
Alphabeat during a performance @ Gröna Lund , Stockholm in 2008.
Background information
Origin Silkeborg, Denmark
Genre(s) Euro pop, Dance-pop, Indie pop
Years active 2004-present
Label(s) Copenhagen, Polydor
Website thisisalphabeat.com/ myspace.com/thisisalphabeat
Members
Anders SG
Stine Bramsen
Anders B
Rasmus Nagel
Anders Reinholdt
Troels Hansen

Alphabeat is a Danish pop band from Silkeborg, signed to Copenhagen Records in Denmark. Their debut single, "Fascination", was a major hit in Denmark during the summer of 2007 and a significant hit in the UK in 2008. A second single, "10.000 Nights of Thunder" (or just "10,000 Nights" in the UK) saw equal success, and their eponymous debut album went platinum in Denmark, and in the UK, the album has gone gold. It has sold over 100,000 copies, and their 3 top 20 singles have sold in the region of 400,000 all together. [1]

Contents

[edit] Influences/Sound

Their sound is mainly retro 80s melodic pop, taking inspiration, amongst others, from Deacon Blue and Prefab Sprout, with distinctive overlay of male and female harmonies.

[edit] Background/Critical Acclaim

The band is made up of six members, Anders SG, Stine Bramsen, Anders B, Rasmus Nagel, Anders Reinholdt and Troels Hansen.

The band was previously named Sodastar but this was changed to avoid confusion with a German band. [2]

Several popular British publications have praised Alphabeat, including NME, The Observer Music Monthly[3], Digital Spy[4] and Popjustice.[5]

R&B singer Kelly Rowland said in an interview that she would love to collaborate with the band. [6]

[edit] 2007-

Their native success attracted the attention of several major labels from larger markets abroad, and Alphabeat were eventually signed to EMI's Charisma Records label in the United Kingdom. Their British debut single, "Fantastic 6", was released on 26 November 2007.

On 20th December 2008, it was announced via press release that the band had been dropped by their UK label Charisma Records, despite a Top 10 album and 3 Top 20 singles. In a statement from the band on January 19th 2009 it was confirmed that they had chosen to leave the label after being given the opportunity, and were signing with a new label in the UK for the release of their as yet unrecorded second album. They also stated that they were hoping to release said album in 2009.

It is believed that Alphabeat are going to provide the soundtrack to famous Danish speedway rider Peter Juul's exploits with his 2009 team, Glasgow Tigers.

It was announced on March 6, 2009 that Alphabeat had signed a new record deal with the label Polydor. The band's manager said "We are thrilled to be signing to one of the UK's most successful record companies and looking forward to achieving even more success with the band and Polydor in the coming years."[7]

[edit] Touring

The band was offered to play as a warm-up for the Spice Girls during their reunion world tour 2007-8, but declined the offer, feeling that it would be "too weird" to suddenly play in front of a very large audience unfamiliar with the band's music.[8][9]

They have often been associated with the Wonky Pop movement - having played the Wonky Pop Tour and DJ'd various Wonky Pop events. They are currently penned to play the Wonky Pop Xmas party in London.

Alphabeat performed at T in the Park 2008 on "Camper's Friday"[10] and were announced in the line-up for the 2008 Roskilde Festival.[11] They also performed at T4 on the beach, and they performed at the "Summerfestival" in Klaksvik, Faroe Islands, in early August 2008[12], and also in October 2008, along with many other bands at the NEC in Birmingham for hundreds of young girlguides.[13]

During late 2008, Alphabeat began a 22 gig tour of the UK and Holland, with many shows sold out. [14]

They will be playing select shows with American singer Katy Perry on her 2008 world tour. However, in March 2009, Alphabeat canceled their appearances in support of her US tour. Their management has stated that they are instead working on their second album and will be touring the USA later in the year.

[edit] Discography

Main article: Alphabeat discography

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://allscandinavian.com/349/alphabeat-receives-uk-gold-record-tour/
  2. ^ http://www.exclaim.ca/articles/generalarticlesynopsfullart.aspx?csid1=115&csid2=804&fid1=30123 Alphabeat "Fascination" review on Exclaim.ca 3/4/2008 By Cam Lindsay
  3. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/may/30/popandrock.shopping1
  4. ^ Alphabeat: Fantastic Six - Nick Levine, Digital Spy
  5. ^ Popjustice - Alphabeat - 'Fantastic Six'
  6. ^ http://angryape.com/news/2008/07/23/kelly-rowland-eyes-kate-nash-for-collaboration
  7. ^ http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/a148789/alphabeat-sign-new-record-deal.html
  8. ^ » Spice Girls snubbed by Danish band Alphabeat - Thaindian News
  9. ^ Alphabeat: Supporting Spice Girls would have been weird
  10. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/tinthepark/2008/artist/alphabeat/
  11. ^ http://www.roskilde-festival.dk/2008/frontpage/system/bands/singleband/alphabeat/
  12. ^ http://www.summarfestivalur.fo/english/?id=2&uid=106
  13. ^ http://www.girlguiding.org.uk/xq/asp/sID.567/aID.3416/qx/biggig/article.asp
  14. ^ http://allscandinavian.com/349/alphabeat-receives-uk-gold-record-tour/

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Alphabeat
Studio albums
Singles
Other articles


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