Pooka (band)
| Pooka | |
|---|---|
 Sharon Lewis and Natasha Jones | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Manchester, England |
| Genres |
Folk Electronic Pop Rock |
| Years active | 1992–2002 |
| Labels |
WEA Elektra Island Rough Trade |
| Past members |
Natasha Jones Sharon Lewis |
Pooka was the former songwriting duo of UK guitarists/vocalists Sharon Lewis and Natasha Jones. They took their name from Púca, a mythical Irish goblin with an uneven temper.
Career
Pooka were formed early in 1992 at Nottingham Polytechnic. Lewis and Jones decided to try their luck in London, and were spotted by WEA Records after being showcased by the manager of Bunjies (a club they had played in). This resulted in their gaining a 5 album recording contract. In the US, Pooka's self-titled debut (produced by John Coxon) was released in 1993 on Elektra. Tours with Everything But The Girl, Tindersticks, Kristin Hersh, Al Stewart and The Levellers followed. Between their own recordings, Pooka co-wrote some tracks with Ultramarine for 1995's Bel Air. Pooka's second album, Spinning, was released in September 1997 on Trade 2, a subsidiary of Island Records and managed by ex-Rough Trade founder Geoff Travis.[1]
Garnering praise and support while on tour throughout Europe in the next two years, Pooka released a five song EP, Monday Mourning, in 1999 on the French Telescopic Records label. In 2001, Lewis and Jones independently released Fools Give Birth To Angels, a self-produced, classically written and arranged collection of new songs, replete with string sections and a hand bell choir. Only 1,000 copies of the CD were produced.[2]
Soon thereafter, their ten-year musical partnership came to an abrupt end, but not before the Rough Trade release of Shift. Both Jones and Lewis continue to play live, and have since released two solo albums each.
Discography
Studio albums
- 1993 - Pooka
- 1997 - Spinning
- 2001 - Fools Give Birth To Angels
- 2001 - Shift
Vinyl singles
- 1995 - "Sweet Butterfly"/"Love Song"
- 1996 - "The Insect"/"The Sun"
- 1997 - "Mean Girl"/"Cherry Orchard"
Extended plays
- 1993 - "City Sick" (Also available as a Cassingle)
- 1994 - "Graham Robert Wood"
- 1997 - "Mean Girl"
- 1999 - "Monday Mourning"
Songs on compilation albums
- 1993 - "Between my Knees" on the album Kale1doscope (various artists)
- 1999 - "Monsoon" on the album Playpen - An Album of New Acoustic Music (various artists)
- 2001 - "Yes Lad" on the album POPvolume#2 (various artists)
Collaborations
- 1995 - Bel Air by Ultramarine (Pooka are credited on 4 tracks)
- 1996 - Soundtrack To Spleen by Spleen (Pooka are credited on 2 tracks)
- 1999 - The Middle of Nowhere by Orbital (Pooka are credited on 1 track - "Otoño")
- 1999 - Style (CD Two) by Orbital (Pooka are credited on 1 track - "An Fhómhair")
- 2000 - Tchin Tchin by Superflu. (Pooka are credited on 1 track - "Le Secret". Only available on the 'Bonus tracks' edition)
References
- ↑ "pk-biouk". Oocities.org. Retrieved 2014-08-08.
- ↑ "Free Music Videos, Video Interviews, Music Video News, Live Sessions and Clips". Nme.Com. 2014-07-30. Retrieved 2014-08-08.