Felt (band)

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Felt
Lawrence
Background information
Origin	Birmingham, England
Genre(s)	Alternative Post Punk Indie pop
Instrument(s)	Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Drums, Organ, Keyboards
Years active	1979–1989
Label(s)	Cherry Red Creation
Associated acts	Denim Go Kart Mozart
Members
Lawrence Hayward Maurice Deebank Gary Ainge Marco Thomas Martin Duffy

Felt were a 1980s British alternative rock band, named after the way Tom Verlaine enunciated the word "felt" in the Television song "Venus", and led by Lawrence Hayward (known simply as Lawrence, his full name never listed in any record credits). Lawrence and drummer Gary Ainge were the only constant member (though Ainge is not featured on the band's first release, recorded by Lawrence solo).

Felt are often cited as a major influence by Belle and Sebastian's Stuart Murdoch, as well as by American alternative rock group The Tyde. The band released ten albums and ten singles in ten years and then disbanded.

1 History
2 Discography
3 External links

[edit] History

Over the course of its ten-year existence, the band included classically-trained guitarist and co-songwriter Maurice Deebank (who left in 1986), keyboard player Martin Duffy who (essentially replaced Deebank in the band's soundscape), bassist-turned-lead guitarist Marco Thomas, and a variety of other bassists and guitarists.

During its years with Deebank, Felt cultivated an atmospheric, delicate sound built around Deebank's intricate guitar playing. After firmly establishing themselves on the indie scene, Felt recruited the services of Robin Guthrie as producer for their album, 'Ignite the Seven Cannons' which remains one of the group's most popular albums (although it apparently didn't impress Deebank, who left the band soon afterwards to pursue a solo career). Guthrie's most notable influence is arguably heard in the single "Primitive Painters", which offers the listener a Guthrie infused 'sonic cathedral of sound.'

In the second half of the band's existence, keyboards (especially the electric organ) became a more important part of the band's sound, and they dominate the band's two instrumental albums, Train Above The City (which does not feature lead singer Lawrence in any musical capacity, though he reportedly "named the tracks") and Let the Snakes Crinkle Their Heads To Death. It was during this period that the band recorded Forever Breathes The Lonely Word and the follow-up EP Poem of the River, which are often cited as their masterpieces.

The band recorded their last album, Me and a Monkey on the Moon in 1989. Lawrence went on to form Denim, and subsequently Go Kart Mozart.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Singles

"Index" / "Break It" 7" (released as by Felt though recorded solo by Lawrence before band formed, Shanghai Records, 1979)
"Something Sends Me to Sleep" / "Red Indians" / "Something Sends Me to Sleep" (different version) / "Red Indians" 7" (Cherry Red, 1981)
"My Face Is on Fire" / "Trails of Colour Dissolve" 7" (Cherry Red, 1981)
"Penelope Tree" / "A Preacher in New England" 7" (Cherry Red, 1983)
"Penelope Tree" / "A Preacher in New England" / "Now Summer's Spread Its Wings Again" 12" (Cherry Red, 1983)
"Mexican Bandits" / "The World Is As Soft As Lace" 7" (Cherry Red, 1984)
"Sunlight Bathed the Golden Glow" / "Fortune" 7" (Cherry Red, 1984)
"Sunlight Bathed the Golden Glow" / "Fortune" / "Sunlight Strings" 12" (Cherry Red, 1984)
"Primitive Painters" / "Cathedral" 12" (Cherry Red, 1985)
"Ballad of the Band" / "I Didn't Mean to Hurt You" 7" (Creation Records, 1986)
"Ballad of the Band" / "I Didn't Mean to Hurt You" / "Candles in a Church" / "Ferdinand Magellan" 12" (Creation Records, 1986)
"Rain of Crystal Spires" / "I Will Die with My Head in Flames" 7" (Creation Records, 1986)
"Rain of Crystal Spires" / "Gather up Your Wings and Fly" / "Sandman's on the Rise Again" / "I Will Die With My Head in Flames" 12" (Creation Records, 1986)
"The Final Resting of the Ark" / "Autumn" / "Fire Circle" / "There's No Such Thing As Victory" / "Buried Wild Blind" 12" (Creation Records, 1987)
"Space Blues" / "Be Still" (originally by The Beach Boys; the only cover recorded by Felt) 7" (Creation Records, 1988)
"Space Blues" / "Be Still" / "Female Star" / "Tuesday's Secret" 12" (Creation Records, 1988)
"Get out of My Mirror" 7" (free one-sided flexidisc, Cherry Red, 1989)