British Sea Power

British Sea Power

British Sea Power is a British indie rock band. Though they are now based in Brighton, three of the band members are originally from Kendal in Cumbria. The band line-up is Yan (guitar & vocals), Noble (guitar, piano & keyboards), Hamilton (bass, vocals & guitar) and Wood (drums). They have also been joined by Abi Fry on viola.

British Sea Power: Formation

Yan, Hamilton and Wood were school friends in Cumbria and were all in a number of different bands together whilst they were at school. Yan moved away to attend university in Reading, where he met Noble. Hamilton and Woody joined them and formed the band.

After recording a demo in Reading, the band moved to Brighton and began to attract a large following, partly owing to their club night, Club Sea Power, often hosted at the Freebutt venue.

The band's debut single, 'Fear Of Drowning' was released on the band's own label, Golden Chariot. In 2001, Geoff Travis, of Rough Trade Records saw the band play live and offered them a record deal. In 2002, Eamon Hamilton was recruited to play keyboards in their live shows.

British Sea Power: On the Up

British Sea Power's debut album, The Decline of British Sea Power, was released in 2003. The album spawned the band's first Top 40 single, 'Carrion'. The band's success and popularity grew steadily and they eventually sold over 60,000 copies in the two years following its release.

The band's second album, Open Season came out in 2005 and became a critical success as well as a commercial triumph, reaching number 13 in the UK album chart. The first single from the album, 'It Ended On An Oily Stage' previewed the album by reaching number 18 in the singles chart.

In 2006, Eamon left the band to concentrate on his other outfit, Brakes.

The band's third album was entitled Do You Like Rock Music? And was released in January 2008.

British Sea Power: Image

British Sea Power's live shows have become notorious for their decorated stages, which feature plastic birds and copious amounts of foliage. Often, Eamon would walk around the audience, beating a marching drum and a 10-foot bear, Ursine Ultra very often shows up during their sets. The band also has a reputation for playing unusual venues such as Grasmere Village Hall and the St. John Boste Social Club in Kendal.

British Sea Power: Accolades

British Sea Power have been announced as one of the short-listed nominees for the 2008 Mercury Music Prize.