- For the group's debut album, see The Coral (album).
The Coral are an English band formed in 1996 in Hoylake on the Wirral Peninsula in Merseyside.
The band's music is a mixture of old-fashioned country, 1960s-style psychedelia and folk with modern rock influences. The Coral have released four albums. Their self-titled debut album was nominated for the 2002 Mercury Music Prize and later voted the fourth best album of the year by NME Magazine. It was announced on the 9th January 2008 that Bill Ryder-Jones would be leaving, but the band would continue as a 5-piece.
History
Formation
Meeting at Hilbre High School in West Kirby on the Wirral Peninsula, the six friends would meet at each others' houses and the school music room where they would watch films, listen to music and play guitars. After leaving school they went on to jobs and university before quitting both to take up the band full time. The band was soon signed to Liverpool label Deltasonic. The band started as prominent members of the Liverpool music scene, playing many gigs around the city. The Coral's distinctive musical style has strongly influenced many other of the Liverpool-based label's acts, including The Zutons, The Dead 60s, The Basement and The Rascals.
The Coral
Hailed as the first English band of the "guitar group revival" the band released the critically acclaimed EPs Shadows Fall, The Oldest Path, and Skeleton Key in 2001. Their eponymous debut album The Coral, released in 2002, reached number five on the UK Albums Chart and was nominated for the Mercury Prize the day after its release. A successful UK tour and festival slots followed along with the singles "Goodbye" reaching number twenty-one in the UK Singles Chart and "Dreaming of You" reaching number thirteen. The single "Dreaming of You" was included in the United States sitcom "Scrubs" episode My Monster.
Magic and Medicine
After a hectic year they took it easy with recording yet again another critically-acclaimed album Magic and Medicine in 2003 reaching number one on the UK Albums Chart, once more followed with UK, European, American and Japanese tours and a one-off festival Midsummer Nights Scream held on the New Brighton promenade and held an impressive line up of the then hottest up-and-coming bands. Singles from the album, "Don't Think You're the First", "Pass It On", "Secret Kiss" and "Bill McCai" reached number ten, number five, number twenty-five and number twenty-three on the UK Singles Chart respectively.
The Invisible Invasion
In 2004 they began recording The Invisible Invasion but not before releasing Nightfreak and the Sons of Becker a limited-edition "mini album" getting to number five on the UK Albums Chart which was produced by Lightning Seeds singer/songwriter Ian Broudie (as were the first two albums), whilst Portishead's Adrian Utley and Geoff Barrow were in charge of The Invisible Invasion.
In 2005, The Coral did UK, European, American and Japanese tours also releasing "In The Morning" which reached number six and "Something Inside of Me" reaching number forty-one on the UK Singles Chart.
Roots and Echoes
The Coral toured with Arctic Monkeys during their 2007 summer festival gigs. The band released the single "Who's Gonna Find Me" on 30 July 2007 followed by the album Roots & Echoes on 6 August 2007.
The Coral kicked off 'the BBC Electric Proms' on 24 October 2007 with "Who's Gonna Find Me". They were joined on stage by friend Noel Gallagher, who played lead guitar on their track In the Rain.
The Coral enlisted the help of Matt Potter for percussion and Jazz flute on the album.
The Singles Collection
The Coral released a 3LP & 2CD compilation album The Singles Collection on 15 September 2008. It features singles, rarities and new songs. A new single, "Being Somebody Else" was released on 8 September 2008.
Fifth Studio Album
The Coral have been working on songs for their fifth album since 2008, by August James Skelly said that they had '13 or 14 tracks'. Even though most of the album has been written The Coral have decided to play the songs live before they record them. The album's is now expected to be released in 2010 although no official release date has been mentioned by the band. Some songs include "Rovin' Jewel" , "Green is the Colour" and "Coney Island".1 The album is being produced by John Leckie, of Stone Roses and Radiohead fame2 and is being recorded at RAK studios in London as well as Rockfield in South Wales.
So far seven track name have been revealed; "Rovin Jewel", "Green Is The Colour", "Sandhills", "Butterfly House", "Walkin' In The Winter", "Coney Island" and "A Thousand Years".3
They have been announced to perform at T In the Park 2010 in Balado, Scotland, and Oxegen 2010 in Co Kildare, Eire.
Discography
References
External links
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The Coral |
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James Skelly • Ian Skelly • Nick Power • Lee Southall • Paul Duffy
Bill Ryder-Jones |
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| Singles |
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&videoType=YouTube&summary=Live footage recorded at the Deltasonic Records Christmas Party. Liverpool Academy, 16th December 06.&link=http://www.youtube.com/v/bPNdholUjxE&fs=1&source=uds&autoplay=1&thumb=http://1.gvt0.com/vi/bPNdholUjxE/default.jpg&celebrity=The Coral)
