Pele (English band)

Pele
Origin Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, England
Genres Indie music
Years active 1990–1996
Labels M&G Records
Past members Ian Prowse
Andrew Roberts/Eddie Hayes

Pele were an English indie rock band, formed in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire in 1990, by the guitarist and frontman Ian Prowse and keyboard player Andrew Roberts. They were joined by Dally on drums, Jimmy McAllister on bass guitar and finally Nico on violin. Despite only reaching the lower end of the UK Singles Chart, the band built up a loyal live following, but split in 1995 due to a legal wrangle with their record label.

Biography

After gigging around Chester and Liverpool, the band were signed to the independent record label, M&G Records, after their head of A&R heard a demo of "Megalomania". Within weeks the band set about recording their debut album, Fireworks, at the Metropolis recording studios in London, with record producer, Gary Langan.

As the album took shape, "Raid the Palace" was released as the first single. In the week after release, Pele began a tour at Kingston University, which culminated at the (University of Wales) in 1995, and included gigs across Europe. In February 1992, their second single, "Megalomania", was released and peaked at #73 in the UK Singles Chart.[1] The third single from the album was "Fair Blows the Wind for France", which reached #62 in the UK.[1]

Tours with Del Amitri and The Pogues followed, before the band used the Rockfield Studios in Wales to record the follow-up album with producer Jon Kelly. "Fat Black Heart" was the band's first single off that album, and was their final UK chart hit (#75).[1] "Don't Worship Me" was Pele's sixth single - (a hit in the Netherlands and Germany) and was followed in early December by the Sport of Kings album.

The situation between the band and their record label deteriorated. Despite the live album, A-Live A-Live-O, legal threats and the record label's ultimate bankruptcy, led to the band splitting up. Prowse formed Amsterdam, who released their debut album in 2005.

In July and August 2009, Pele played two reunion gigs in Liverpool,[2] and London,[3] whilst a final reunion show at the Cavern Club took place in December 2009.[4]

Discography

Singles

Albums

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 422. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. The single also hit Number 1 in South Africa.
  2. ↑ Ian Prowse talks to the Liverpool Echo
  3. ↑ Last.fm
  4. ↑ Cavernclub.org
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