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Doves

[duhv]

Doves is an English indie rock band which formed in Wilmslow, Cheshire, England, although most of their early gigs were in the nearby city of Manchester. The band comprises brothers Jez Williams (guitar) and Andy Williams (drums), along with Jimi Goodwin (bass, vocals, guitar).

History

Formation, Sub Sub: 1985–1998

The formation of Doves can be traced back to Wilmslow, Cheshire, where the Williams brothers and Goodwin met at school aged 15. Jimi Goodwin was at the time playing in a band called "The Risk". Jimi played lead guitar with the band and the other members were Joe Roberts (vocals & Rhodes keyboard), Steve Green (rhythm guitar), Dermot Ahern (bass guitar), Jimi's cousin Pat Goodwin (drums) and managed by Tim Mulryan. The Risk used to practice at Handforth Youth Club and met with some moderate success, mainly playing in Manchester pubs and at The Gallery (Peter Street), The Boardwalk (Little Peter Street) and The International (Anson Road in Rusholme). They also played at The Tunnel Club, Greenwich and at SoapAid. A 5 track demo entitled take five was recorded at Spirit studios in Manchester. Meanwhile, back in 1981, Andy and Jez Williams formed a band with school mate and bass player, Tim Whiteley, recording and gigging from the age of 12 onwards. Various line ups followed, and a brief TV appearance in 1986, then, in 1988, Jez Williams and Whiteley became members of Metro Trinity, a Manchester indie band, with Jonny Male latterly of Republica, and released a Debris Flexi Disc (Manchester Indie Fanzine) with the Inspiral Carpets. Metro Trinity played a number of gigs including the Boardwalk and the legendary Hacienda. They also released an EP called Die Young, on Cafeteria Records, recorded in Brixton, with drummer Colin Rocks, who was eventually replaced by Andy Williams due to other commitments. In 1991, the Williams brothers and Jimi Goodwin formed dance collective called Sub Sub, which had moderate success in the early 1990s, most famously with the hit single "Ain't No Love (Ain't No Use)", which reached #3 in the UK Singles Chart. However, Sub Sub's success was brief; their inability to produce a second hit drove them into obscurity. In 1995 the band's Ancoats studio burned down, causing them to abandon their previous dance-oriented style and start afresh as alternative rock band Doves in 1998.

Doves: 1998–present

The band released three EPs in 1998 and 1999 which established the group's new sound and met with a warm critical response.

Their debut album Lost Souls (2000) was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize, which they lost to fellow Mancunian and former front-man Badly Drawn Boy. Doves' second album The Last Broadcast was released two years later, reaching #1 in the UK album chart and was again nominated for the Mercury Music Prize. This record contained the track "There Goes the Fear", which reached #3 in the UK singles chart despite only being released for one day before it was deleted. In 2003 the band released a B-sides compilation, Lost Sides, and a DVD entitled Where We're Calling From. The DVD included all their music videos to date, as well as incidental videos played before the start of their Lost Souls and Last Broadcast tour. Also on the DVD was their gig at Cornwall's Eden Project, recorded in Summer 2002.

Doves recorded Some Cities, their third studio album, away from urban influences, and in cottages tucked away in the countryside of Snowdonia, Darlington, and around Loch Ness,. "Lyrically, the theme of cities and towns and change started cropping up a lot…which was strange because we were recording and writing in the countryside, but it started taking this real urban shape". says Jimi Goodwin. Some Cities was released in February 2005 and went straight to #1 in the UK album chart, aided by some of the strongest reviews they had received to date, and preceded by the single "Black and White Town," which reached #6 in the UK singles chart. The song "Black and White Town" was inspired by the social divide in their home town of Wilmslow. On June 18, 2005, the band opened for U2 at Twickenham Stadium in London. They also supported Oasis at the City of Manchester Stadium on their triumphent return to Manchester during their 2005 tour.

The band are currently working on new material for their fourth album. The album was originally expected to be released in late 2007, but according to their blog, it was delayed. They have recorded tracks including '10.03', 'Winter Hill', 'Disco Eyam', 'Devils in the Detail', 'Spellbound', 'House of Mirrors', 'Drifter', 'Kingdom of Rust' and 'Jetstream'. In a June 19, 2008 update posted in their blog: "We aim to have this record finished by the end of summer, songs are already starting to be mixed..."

The band also has an unofficial fourth member named Martin Roman Rebelski. He plays keyboards, and has produced two solo albums: Thanks for Your Thoughts in 2003 and Stickers on Keys in 2005.

It was announced by front man Jimi Goodwin on the radio station BBC 6 Music on 18 September 2008 that the fourth as yet untitled Doves album is completed and would be released in Spring 2009. He also said that the band would try and air some new material from that album by playing a handful of gigs before Christmas 2008. Jimi described one of the tracks as being "Country 70's German" influenced.