The Veils
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Background information | ||
| Origin |  London, England Auckland, New Zealand |
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| Genre(s) | Indie, Alternative, Art Rock | |
| Years active | 2002 - present | |
| Label(s) | Blanco Y Negro Rough Trade |
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| Website | Official Website Myspace Site |
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| Members | ||
| Finn Andrews Sophia Burn Liam Gerrard Dan Raishbrook Henning Dietz |
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The Veils are a New Zealand band based in London, fronted by English lead singer/songwriter, Finn Andrews.
The Veils sound has been likened to artists as diverse as Jeff Buckley, The Birthday Party, The Smiths & Joy Division. Their live shows have become famed for their emotional intensity and Finn's often scarily possessed stage presence.
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[edit] History
Finn started playing music in a folk club in Devonport, New Zealand, half way up an extinct Volcano in an old World War II ammunitions bunker. Finn played in a 12 piece band there for 3 years, where he first started composing his own music.
When Finn reached 16 he left school and moved to London to form a band and find a record label to record his compositions under. Geoff Travis of Rough Trade Records signed him to Blanco Y Negro and they began recording their debut album, The Runaway Found, in 2001.
A court battle ensued due to a dispute between Blanco and The Veils, which ended in 2003, after which The Veils were allowed to keep their recordings. Geoff Travis signed them to Rough Trade, under which they finished recording their album. The have toured with an increasingly ecclectic list of bands including Beth Orton, Suede, The Raveonettes, British Sea Power, Ed Harcourt & The Fiery Furnaces.
The original lineup of '"The Veils"' disbanded in late 2004 following a string of alleged inter-band altercations related to the future sound of the band , and Andrews returned to New Zealand in order to find a new lineup and the write a new record. He spent the New Zealand summer rehearsing with high school classmates Liam Gerrard (keyboards) and Sophia Burn (bass), and the trio returned to London early 2005.
The group recorded their second album Nux Vomica at Underbelly Studios in Los Angeles, with producer Nick Launay, and the album was released September 18, 2006. The album features string arrangements by ex-Lounge Lizard and long time Lou Reed collaborator Jane Scarpontoni. The gamble has so far paid off and Nux Vomica has featured on 9 critics Best Of The Year lists.
[edit] Trivia
- Finn's father Barry Andrews has collaborated with numerous musicians in his career, but began as keyboard player for eccentric New Wave pioneers XTC. He guested on Iggy Pop's record Soldier with David Bowie and has collaborated with Brian Eno on various projects including his latest studio album. He toured with Robert Fripp & The League of Gentlemen during the early 1980's and continues to release albums with his band Shriekback.
- The Veils bassist Sophia Burn is fluent in Ancient Greek.
- There are many speculations as to where The Veils got their name, however the most popular theory is that it was lifted from the Sylvia Plath poem 'A Birthday Present' which repeats the word 'Veils' throughout and is also the name of a song on their second album Nux Vomica.
- One of Finns snakeskin boots (thrown into the crowd at a gig in Berlin) fetched over $900 on eBay.
- Finn has 'Res Ipsa Loquitur' tattooed on his right shoulder, a Latin phrase which translates as 'The Thing Speaks Only For Itself'. This phrase also appears on the spine of the record Nux Vomica.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
 (February 16, 2004) |
 (September 18, 2006) |
[edit] Singles
| Year | Title | Chart Positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart | UK Download | |||
| 2002 | "Death & Co." | - | - | - |
| 2002 | "More Heat Than Light" | - | - | The Runaway Found |
| 2003 | "The Leavers Dance" | - | - | The Runaway Found |
| 2003 | "Guiding Light" | - | - | The Runaway Found |
| 2003 | "Lavinia" | - | - | The Runaway Found |
| 2004 | "The Wild Son" | - | - | The Runaway Found |
| 2004 | "The Tide That Left and Never Came Back" | - | - | The Runaway Found |
| 2006 | "Advice for Young Mothers to Be" | - | - | Nux Vomica |
| 2006 | "Under the Folding Branches" | - | - | Nux Vomica |
