STRANGELOVE

Strangelove were an English alternative rock band, formed in Bristol in 1991 and led by singer Patrick Duff. They released three albums before splitting up in 1998. History: The band was formed in 1991 by Patrick Duff (vocals), Alex Lee (guitar, formerly of The Blue Aeroplanes), Julian Pransky Poole (guitar, formerly part of The Jazz Butcher's band), Joe Allen (bass guitar), and David Francolini (drums, of Levitation). Strangelove played their first concert at Bath Moles Club on 9 October 1991. Singer Duff's vocals were described by Tom Doyle in Q Magazine's World of Noise compilation as "evoking thoughts of Morrissey as vocally-tutored by Scott Walker" The band released their first EP Visionary in October 1992 on Sermon Records, which was made 'single of the week' by Cathi Unsworth in Melody Maker. Two BBC Radio 1 John Peel sessions followed in June 1992 and January 1993. Their second EP, Hysteria Unknown, in February 1993 earned them a support slot on Radiohead's Pop is Dead tour. Ed O'Brien said of Strangelove; "We toured with them and changed quite a bit after. They were inspirational. Apart from their trousers". Manic Street Preachers' Richey James Edwards was also a fan, inviting them to support at the London Astoria on the penultimate gig before his disappearance in 1995. Critical acclaim of their early singles led to major-label interest and they were signed to EMI label Food Records in 1993. Strangelove released their first album, Time For The Rest Of Your Life to critical acclaim in August 1994. It made numerous top albums of 1994 polls, and brought them to the attention of Suede who invited them to support on their Dog Man Star European tour in 1995. The two bands bonded and covered each other's songs at Sala Multiusos Zaragoza on 16 May 1995. Strangelove played Suede's "Killing of a Flashboy", whilst Suede played "She's Everywhere", which Brett Anderson then guested on in the studio, for Strangelove's second album, Love and Other Demons. The second single from the album was "Beautiful Alone", which went to number 35 in the UK Singles Chart. A third, eponymously-titled album was released in October 1997, which yielded another UK Top 40 single, "The Greatest Show on Earth", and sell-out shows at the London Astoria and Shepherds Bush Empire. However, seemingly on the point of a major breakthrough, Strangelove split up on the 20 April 1998. Post Strangelove: Patrick Duff released a solo album on 21 June 2005, Luxury Problems on Harvest Records produced by Alex Lee. His second solo album, The Mad Straight Road was released in early 2010. Lee joined Suede between 2001 and 2003; toured as an extra keyboardist and guitarist with Placebo on the Meds World Tour in 2006 and 2007; played guitar & bass on Goldfrapp's 2008 album Seventh Tree which he also toured as guitarist. He also continues to produce television and film soundtracks with Nick Powell, who has produced two albums with is own band OSKAR on Incarnation Records. Allen, Pransky-Poole and Langley formed Saturation Point. Their fourth album, Mechanisms, was released in 2009 on Invada Records. Powell was Music and Sound Designer for the theatre company Cheek by Jowl's 2011/12 production of John Ford's 'Tis Pity She's a Whore. A Strangelove B-side compilation album appeared retrospectively in 2008 on EMI. Band members: The band's initial line up was: Patrick Duff, vocals, guitar, Alex Lee, guitar, keyboards, Julian Pransky-Poole, guitar, Joe Allen, bass, David Francolini, drums, Francolini played two gigs with the band, before being replaced by John Langley on drums. The band were joined by keyboard player, Nick Powell, from late 1995 onwards.