The Departure
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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|---|---|
| Origin |  Northampton, England |
| Years active | 2004– |
| Genres | Rock, Alternative rock, Indie rock |
| Labels | Parlophone |
| Members | David Jones Sam Harvey Ben Winton Simon Alexander |
| Past members | Lee Irons Andy Hobson |
| Website(s) | The Departure |
The Departure is an English rock band from Northampton, that formed in January 2004. Their debut album, Dirty Words, was released 13 June 2005 by Parlophone.
Contents |
[edit] History
The Departure formed in January 2004 after initially starting life in Northampton as a collaboration between a former Christian commune inhabitant called David Jones (vocals/guitar) and his friend Sam Harvey (guitar)[1]. After recruiting old school associate Ben Winton (bass) and Lee Irons (guitar), the lineup was completed with the addition of Andy Hobson (drums) via a website[2]. Jones described the concept of the band to music webzine Drowned in Sound: "We all got quite excited about the whole ethos of what we’re trying to do, which is to take 1980s reference points and transcend them into modern day, edgy, instant kind of sounds."[3]
The band were signed to Parlophone Records after playing only three gigs and being together for just four months[4], a fact that attracted a not inconsiderable level of derision and scepticism[5]. Touring slots with Placebo, The Tears and a reformed Gang Of Four soon followed as the band sought to build a support base ahead of their first wing of releases. Debut single All Mapped Out was released on August 2nd 2004 and debuted at number 30 on the UK singles chart[6]. Follow up single Be My Enemy emerged on October 18th 2004 and was included on the soundtrack to the FIFA 06 video game.[7]
The Departure released their debut album ‘Dirty Words’, produced by Steve Osborne (who has also worked with New Order, Suede and Happy Mondays), a year after signing to Parlophone. The album was trailed the week before its release by the reissue of the All Mapped Out single, which disappointingly charted lower than the original[8]. The album itself drew a mostly middling response from critics[9], who varied between praising the album for its bleak, futuristic atmosphere[10] and slating it for its perceived superficiality and over-reliance on the music of the 80s for inspiration[11].
A UK tour and festival appearances followed soon after. In early 2006, it was announced that guitarist Lee Irons had left the band citing artistic differences[12]. This news was followed by the announcement that drummer Andy Hobson had decided to leave in late 2006, with the band claiming the split was amicable. He was replaced by the band's original drummer, Simon Alexander. The four-piece are currently working on the follow-up to Dirty Words in Grouse Lodge Studios, Ireland which is expected to see a release in 2007, confirmed in a recent bulletin on their MySpace website.
[edit] Members
- David Jones - vocals
- Sam Harvey - lead guitar
- Ben Winton - bass guitar
- Simon Alexander - drums
[edit] Former members
- Lee Irons - guitar, backing vocals
- Andy Hobson - drums
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
[edit] Singles
| Title | Release date | Album | UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| "All Mapped Out" | 2 August 2004 | Dirty Words | 30 |
| "Be My Enemy" | 18 October 2004 | Dirty Words | ? |
| "Lump In My Throat" | 4 April 2005 | Dirty Words | 30 |
| "All Mapped Out" (re-release) | 6 June 2005 | Dirty Words | 33 |
| *"Arms Around Me" | 17 October 2005 | Dirty Words | ? |
[edit] External links
- The Departure - official website
- Dirty Words - official album site
- Myspace: Bruises - Lee Irons new project on myspace
