Maybeshewill

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Maybeshewill
Origin Leicester, UK
Genre(s) Post-rock, electronica
Years active 2005 - present
Label(s) Robot Needs Home
Field Records
Xtal Records
Website http://www.maybeshewill.net
Members
James Collins (drums)
John Helps (guitar)
Andy Jackson (bass)
Robin Southby (guitar)
Former members
Dave Voss (drums)
Lawrie Malen (drums)
Tanya Byrne (bass)
Kris Tearse (drums)
Scott West (guitar)

Maybeshewill is an instrumental rock band from Leicester, United Kingdom whose music is characterised by the use of electronic elements alongside more traditional 'rock' instrumentation. The band's music is also littered with references from film and popular culture.

Contents

[edit] History

Maybeshewill was formed by guitarists Robin Southby and John Helps whilst the pair were studying together at university in 2005. They released their first record Japanese Spy Transcript on the band's own label, Robot Needs Home Records in 2006 with Tanya Byrne on bass guitar and Lawrie Malen on drums. The 4 track EP was well received by press and attracted the attention of Nottingham's Field Records (also home to Public Relations Exercise) who released "The Paris Hilton Sex Tape" (taken from the record) as part of a split 7" single with Ann Arbor later that year.

In August 2006 a re-mastered version "Japanese Spy Transcript" was released in Japan on the XTAL label (also home to Yndi halda) which was set up specifically for the release by The Media Factory Group. In October the band were joined by Kris Tearse on drums and guitarist Scott West (formerly of TEAM), but the pair left in January to begin work on deATH of LONdon. At this point the band also parted company with Tanya Byrne.

In May 2007, John and Robin began working with James Collins (also a member of Fight Fire With Water) and Andy Jackson (previously of minusplusdivide), along with a number of guest vocalists and musicians on the forthcoming Not For Want of Trying album. A three track double A-Side CDR single, 'Seraphim & Cherubim / Heartflusters' was released by the band on 21st September 2007 on Robot Needs Home Records, which featured two songs from the forthcoming album as the title tracks, as well as a remix of Japanese Spy Transcript-era track 'The Paris Hilton Sex Tape' by Robin Southby under his Turboshinboy alias. This release was intended as a 'teaser' for the album.

Not For Want Of Trying was released on Monday 12th May 2008, and was chosen by Radio 1 DJ Huw Stephens as his album of the week in its release week. 'The Paris Hilton Sex Tape' also featured on the cover CD of June's edition of Rock Sound magazine.

The band have described their sound as "instrumental rock with electronics",[1] while Drowned In Sound described them as sounding "like Mogwai would if the latter had ever found love in an arthouse cinema. And then were beaten around the head with a keyboard".[2]

[edit] Ethics and Ethos

The band have stated in a number of interviews that they are concerned about the state of the mainstream music industry and as such continue to work with 'DIY' label Field Records, release a lot of their music themselves, and are learning to do the jobs that would normally be performed by managers and booking agents themselves.

All of Maybeshewill's musical output so far has been recorded by the band themselves at no cost. The band have claimed in interviews that they wanted to prove that it's possible to make music without spending any money.

[edit] Discography

  • The Start Of Something... (Demo) (Self-Release) (July 2005)
  1. Exercises In Style
  2. Chalk For A Thousand Hopscotch Games
  1. He Films The Clouds
  2. The Paris Hilton Sex Tape
  3. ...In Another Life, When We Are Cats
  4. Japanese Spy Transcript
  • Ann Arbor / Maybeshewill Split (7" Single) (Field Records) (July 2006)
A1 - Ann Arbor - Spill
B1 - Maybeshewill - The Paris Hilton Sex Tape
  • Japanese Spy Transcript (EP) (XTAL) (August 2006)
  1. He Films The Clouds
  2. Transmission One (Wires)
  3. The Paris Hilton Sex Tape
  4. Transmission Two (Cholesterol)
  5. In Another Life, When We Are Both Cats
  6. Transmission Three (Zombies)
  7. Japanese Spy Transcript
  • "Seraphim & Cherubim" / "Heartflusters" (CD-R Single) (Robot Needs Home) (September 2007)
A1 - Seraphim & Cherubim
A2 - Heartflusters
B1 - The Paris Hilton Sex Tape (Turboshinboy Remix)
  • Not For Want of Trying (album) ([Field Records] UK & EU, [XTAL] JP]) (May 2008)
  1. Ixnay On The Autoplay
  2. Seraphim & Cherubim
  3. The Paris Hilton Sex Tape
  4. I'm In Awe, Amadeus!
  5. We Called For An Ambulance But A Fire Engine Came
  6. Heartflusters
  7. C.N.T.R.C.K.T
  8. He Films The Clouds Pt. 2
  9. Not For Want Of Trying
  10. Takotsubo
  1. Tired Irie - Freeze Me A River (Maybeshewill Remix)
  2. Gallery 47 - Hopeless (Maybeshewill Remix)
  3. Herra Hidro - Up against The Bat (Maybeshewill Remix)
  4. Minnaars - Spelt With A K Not A C (Maybeshewill Remix)

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Kylie Buchanan (August 2006). Maybeshewill interview. Wrexham Music. Retrieved on 02 February 2008.
  2. ^ Artists: Maybeshewill. Drowned In Sound. Retrieved on 02 February 2008.

[edit] External links

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