Spacehog

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Spacehog

Background information
Origin Leeds, England
Genre(s) Glam rock, Alternative rock
Years active 1994–2002
Label(s) Elektra, Sire, Artemis
Associated acts Arckid
Former members
Jonny Cragg
Bryce Goggin
Antony Langdon
Royston Langdon
Richard Steel

Spacehog were an English rock band from the 1990s and 2000s, heavily influenced by David Bowie, Queen, and T. Rex. The group comprised of Royston Langdon (bass and vocals), Antony Langdon (guitar and vocals), Richard Steel (guitar), and Jonny Cragg (drums).

Contents

[edit] History

Though all the band members hailed originally from Leeds, England, the band formed in New York City in 1994 when Antony Langdon met Cragg by chance, in a café where Cragg had a job killing rats. Soon after, Langdon's brother Royston joined the band, and Spacehog was born. Later when the band's original guitarist dropped out, Antony Langdon called his friend Richard Steel to join the band. The band signed in 1994 with Seymour Stein to Sire Records.

On October 24, 1995, Spacehog released their debut album, Resident Alien. It went gold on the Billboard charts, selling over 500,000 copies and spawned the hit single and video "In the Meantime" as well as the single "Cruel to be Kind". "In the Meantime" received heavy video and radio play, and featured as background music to BBC's Match of the Day football programme. The band's second album, The Chinese Album, was released on March 10, 1998. Though it did not sell as well as Resident Alien, the band's popularity continued to increase as Spacehog opened for popular acts like Pearl Jam and Supergrass. The Chinese Album featured a more "artsy" sound, with the Pink Floyd-like piano on the opening track and Michael Stipe of R.E.M. contributing vocals to the song "Almond Kisses".

After the band dropped Elektra Records, Spacehog signed with upstart label Artemis Records and released its third album, The Hogyssey, on April 10, 2001. The album continued the band's neo-glam approach and featured the singles "I Want To Live" and "At Least I Got Laid", as well as a funkified version of Richard Strauss's "Also sprach Zarathustra". The band joined The Black Crowes and Oasis on the Tour of Brotherly Love in support of the album, which proved to be the band's final major tour outing.

[edit] Break up

In 2002, Spacehog quietly broke up and the band members went their separate ways. In 2004, Royston Langdon teamed up with one of the former members of Blind Melon, Rogers Stevens, and drummer Rene Lopez to form the band The Quick. They later ran into problems touring with the name, and therefore decided to rename the band The Tender Trio. The Tender Trio broke up on March 2, 2006.

In his personal life, Royston married actress Liv Tyler, daughter of Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler, on March 25, 2003, and had a son, Milo, with her in December 2004 before the couple split up in May 2008.

[edit] Arckid

Royston, Antony and Christian Langdon then pooled their resources to form Arckid. By June 2006, they had recorded eight songs with Bryce Goggin at Trout Studios in Brooklyn. Johnny Cragg, now sporting a moustache, joined The Twenty-Twos as their drummer post-Spacehog, but has since rejoined the Langdon brothers in Arckid.

At the end of November 2006 Antony Langdon left Arckid on good terms and has since devised an alter ego known as Louis Arogant. This project is near completion as a record entitled Victoria: an homage to Langdon's love for his wife, the director Victoria Clay de Mendoza. The album was expected for release toward the end of 2007. He also continues in the production of his television work. Also in the works is an album by Antony Langdon and Joaquin Phoenix. The project is called This Lady is a Tramp and is being mixed by Paul McKenna with help from Creation Records founder Alan McGee and the Charlatans’ Tim Burgess.

Antony Langdon was briefly replaced in Arckid by Your Vegas guitarist Mat Steel, who subsequently left Arckid after they shot their first video to rejoin Your Vegas.

Pete Denton of Cube and Kid Symphony fame joined Arckid for a short period of time. The reason for his departure is unknown.

Richard Steel accompanied the three members of Arckid on stage during the Hilfiger Sessions NY and the 2007 Lollapalooza gigs. Richard's current status in the band is unknown.

Rumor has it that Spacehog may reunite in Fall of 2008 according to a poprockcandymountain.com interview.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

[edit] EPs

  • Hamsters of Rock (Sire, 1996)

[edit] Singles

Year Title Chart peak positions Album
US Hot 100 US Main. US Mod.
1996 "In the Meantime" 32 1 2 Resident Alien
1996 "Cruel to Be Kind" — 29 —
1998 "Mungo City" — 19 21 The Chinese Album
2001 "I Want to Live" — 23 — The Hogyssey

[edit] External links