The Bees (English band)
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The Bees (known in United States as A Band of Bees) are an English band from Ventnor on the Isle of Wight. Although they are generally classified as an indie rock group, their style of music is influenced by a colourful range of 60's rock, country, reggae and jazz.
The Bees have so far released three albums: 2002's Mercury Prize-nominated Sunshine Hit Me (which was acclaimed by critics for being recorded in frontman Paul Butler's own garden shed), its 2004 major label follow-up Free the Bees, and the band's most recent work, 2007's Octopus. The first two albums feature songs that have been used in British television advertisements, which are partially responsible for the band's recognition: Sunshine Hit Me's "A Minha Menina", a cover of an Os Mutantes track, appeared in a Citroën car commercial, whilst "Chicken Payback" and "Wash in the Rain", both from Free the Bees, were incorporated in adverts for Sure Deodorant for Men and Sainsbury's, respectively.
The promo video for the band's most recent single "Listening Man" was directed by Dominic Leung (who has directed videos for acts such as Coldplay), and was acclaimed for its' laid-back storytelling approach.
Members
- Paul Butler – lead vocals, guitar, piano, saxophone, trumpet, clarinet, mandolin, drums, various percussion
- Aaron Fletcher – bass guitar, guitar, piano, drums, percussion, lyrics, vocals
- Michael Clevett – drums, bass guitar, percussion, hammond organ, vocals
- Tim Parkin – trumpet, bass guitar, piano, rhodes, percussion, vocals
- Warren Hampshire – hammond organ, celesta, acoustic guitar, percussion, jew's harp, vocals
- Kris Birkin – guitar, vocals
Discography
Albums
-
Sunshine Hit Me (25 March, 2002) We Love You (UK)/Astralwerks (US) #180 UK -
Free The Bees (17 August, 2004) Virgin (UK)/Astralwerks (US) #26 UK -
Octopus (26 March 2007) Virgin (UK)/Astralwerks (US) #26 UK
EPs
- You Got to Leave EP: "You've Got to Leave"/"Elane"/"Whistle Stop"/"Jackel Head" (March 2002)
Singles
From Sunshine Hit Me
- "No Trophy" (7" only release, January 2001)
- "Punchbag" #118 UK (August 2001)
- "A Minha Menina" #80 UK (June 2002)
From Free The Bees
- "Wash In The Rain" #31 UK (April 2004)
- "Horsemen" #41 UK (June 2004)
- "One Glass Of Water" (7" and download-only release, October 2004)
- "Chicken Payback" #28 UK (April 2005)
From Octopus
- "Left Foot Stepdown" (download-only release, November 2006)
- "Who Cares What The Question Is?" (March 2007) UK #53
- "Listening Man" (June 2007) UK #91
Collaborations
- "Off The Lip" (The Aspects & The Bees, August 2004)
- "Bill Murray" (Gorillaz & The Bees, 2005)