Brakes (band)

Brakes
File:Brakes2.jpg A 2005 promo shot
Background information
Origin	Brighton, England
Years active	2002 - Present
Members	Eamon Hamilton-Guitar/Vocals Tom White-Guitar Marc Beatty-Bass Alex White-Drums

Brakes are a 4-piece band from Brighton, England, fronted by Eamon Hamilton, formerly of British Sea Power. They formed in 2002.

Biography

Brakes were formed when Tom White (guitar) and Alex White (drums) of The Electric Soft Parade saw Eamon Hamilton (vocals, guitar) then of British Sea Power perform a solo gig supporting The Lonesome Organist in Brighton. Marc Beatty (bass) of Mockin' Bird Studios and The Tenderfoot (and who also worked with British Sea Power, when recording their debut album) was also soon recruited, and the band set about recording their debut single, "Pick Up the Phone", which was released on Tugboat Records in 2004.

In early 2005 the band recorded their debut album, Give Blood, for Rough Trade Records. The album was released in July of the same year. The album features 16 songs (including re-recordings of the 3 tracks from their debut single) and runs for 29 minutes. It features duets with Liela Moss of The Duke Spirit on a cover of the Johnny Cash/ June Carter Cash classic "Jackson" and with The Pipettes on a version of The Jesus and Mary Chain's "Sometimes Always".The album was voted the best of 2005 by Rough Trade shops. The album featured re-recorded versions of "Pick Up The Phone" and the tracks "I Can't Stand To Stand Beside You" and "Cheney" which also featured on their debut single, as well as the singles "All Night Disco Party" and "Ring A Ding Ding"

Brakes toured with Belle & Sebastian in January and February 2006 and Editors in February and March 2006. The continued success of the band lead to Eamon quitting his role as keyboardist for British Sea Power. What began as a side project has become a serious proposition and the band continue to go from strength to strength.

As the band prepares for the release of their album in the US, they've been forced to change their name due to a US band already having the name. While the album will be released under the name "BrakesBrakesBrakes" in the US, the band will continue to use their current name in Europe.

Discography

Eamon Hamilton live with Brakes in Liverpool, September 2004

Albums

• Give Blood - 4th July 2005 on Rough Trade Records
• The Beatific Visions - 6th November 2006 on Rough Trade Records

Singles

• "Pick Up the Phone" - 20th September 2004 on Tugboat Records
• "All Night Disco Party" - 13th June 2005 on Rough Trade Records
• "Ring A Ding Ding" - 17th October 2005 on Rough Trade Records
• "All Night Disco Party" (remixed) - 17th April 2006 on Rough Trade Records
• "Hold Me in the River" - 4th December 2006 on Rough Trade Records

External links

• Official Brakes website
• Brakes fansite
• Brakes interview on Badvibes.net
• Brakes interview on Twisted Ear
• Preview of The Beatific Visions and concert tickets to be won
• Information about the band's US namechange

References

• Rough Trade Shops Top 100 of 2005