Polly Scattergood
Polly Scattergood |
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Polly Scattergood is a singer songwriter from Essex, England. She has been described as ethereal, dark, intense and quirky.[1][2][3] while her musical style has been described as "early 21st century electro-dance-pop of London proper".[4]
Early years
Scattergood grew up near Colchester, the eldest of three siblings with two younger brothers.
Her first memory of making music was playing a toy piano when she was 4[5]. Aged 12, having listened to Suzanne Vega's song "Luka", Scattergood concluded, "Music doesn't have to be strident to carry a strong message" and "That you don't have to shout. You can say things and people will listen if they want to."[1]
Aged 16 she moved to London. She took part time work on a market stall to pay her way through music school.[1]
Musical career
Despite misunderstanding in the press, her name Scattergood is her family name. It means "here today, gone tomorrow" or "spendthrift waster".[1]
Scattergood attended the Brit School where she wrote 800 songs.[1] After graduation she caught the attention of music industry executive Neil Ferris who took on her management. Ferris then introduced Scattergood to Daniel Miller head of Mute Records. He led her to her current producer Simon Fisher Turner.[1]
Scattergood describes herself as a storyteller. "I write about emotions and moments, not all are biographical."[1] Scattergood's debut single entitled "Glory Hallelujah" was released in 2005. Her September 2007 single "Nitrogen Pink" is about the fragility of life and how quickly things come and go. It was written about "a friend of a friend who was really sick from cancer, this young guy who was only 30 and had a great, happy life but was slowly deteriorating".[1][2] The single "I Hate the Way" which was written on a toy keyboard was released on 22 September 2008 on both limited edition 10 inch vinyl and iTunes.[6] The song has been described as documenting her emotional instability and penchant of going to bed with unsuitable men.[7]
On November 10 2008 Scattergood was a guest on the Rob Da Bank show where three of her songs were played ("I Hate The Way", "Untitled 27" & "Nitrogen Pink").[8] Da Bank called her "The Kate Bush of the 21st century". Later that month, on the 28th, she played an acoustic set on the Janice Long show ("I Hate The Way", "Please Don't Touch" & "I've Got A Heart"). When asked about her discovery of music, she replied, "I found a guitar when I was about 12, in the coat cupboard, it had maybe 3 strings on it ... I just taught myself".
On March 7 2009 Scattergood gave a live studio session on the BBC Radio 2 Dermot O'Leary show. Her cover version of "Puff, the Magic Dragon" proved to be popular with listeners, introducing many for the first time to the artist.
Debut album
Polly Scattergood was released 9 March 2009 in the United Kingdom.[9][10] and on 19 May in the United States.
"Other Too Endless" was released as a single from the album on 23 February, 2009. It was named "record of the week" on the Steve Lamacq show. The download version features a remix by Vince Clarke who is a member of Erasure, ex Yazoo and ex Depeche Mode.[9] iTunes made it 'Single of the Week' on 30 March 2009. "Please Don't Touch" was her second single, released on 4 May 2009.[11]
Touring
February 2009 saw Scattergood playing several clubs and hosting her own club night.[9] According to her MySpace page Scattergood is on a United Kingdom club tour which will conclude on 19 April. She is scheduled to play a Dublin, Ireland club date on 21 April followed by festival appearances at Live at Leeds, The Great Escape, and Bestival. She accompanied Bat for Lashes at an The iTunes Live Festival on 19 July, 2009.[12] A EP of the iTunes performance is scheduled for release the week of 2 August on iTunes. She supported Amanda Palmer in September 2009 at Union Chapel, Islington.
Other pursuits
Scattergood is using her MySpace to advocate for a campaign to protest a proposal by a London Council member to remove a work by graffiti artist Banksy entitled "one nation under cctv" from Ginglik at Shepherds Bush Empire.
Scattergood and her friends post small art films to her MySpace page and YouTube