A Genuine Freakshow (sometimes shortened to "AGF") were a
baroque pop
Baroque pop (sometimes called baroque rock) is a fusion genre that combines rock music with particular elements of classical music. It emerged in the mid-1960s as artists pursued a majestic, orchestral sound and is identifiable for its appropria ...
band originating from
Reading
Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of symbols, often specifically those of a written language, by means of Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch.
For educators and researchers, reading is a multifacete ...
,
Berkshire
Berkshire ( ; abbreviated ), officially the Royal County of Berkshire, is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Oxfordshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the north-east, Greater London ...
, England. They were formed in 2005, settling on their current 7-piece permanent line-up in 2008. After several
EP and single releases from 2007 to 2009 the band released their full-length debut album ''
Oftentimes'' in November 2010 on their Peartree Records label.
History
The origins of A Genuine Freakshow can be traced back to September 2003. At this time both Simon Evans and Tim Sutcliffe (formerly of Bob Marley and the Wailers), later to perform to an assemblage of professional traffic management staff an impromptu but highly competent and influential version of Tom McRae's 'The Boy with the Bubble Gun', were studying at the
Buckinghamshire New University
Buckinghamshire New University (BNU) is a public university in Buckinghamshire, England, with campuses in High Wycombe, Aylesbury, Uxbridge and Great Missenden. The institution dates from 1891, when it was founded as the School of Science and A ...
. Their first show was at The Roundhouse pub in
High Wycombe
High Wycombe, often referred to as Wycombe ( ), is a market town in Buckinghamshire, England. Lying in the valley of the River Wye, Buckinghamshire, River Wye surrounded by the Chiltern Hills, it is west-northwest of Charing Cross in London, ...
during an
unplugged
Unplugged may refer to:
*Acoustic music, music not produced through electronic means
* "Unplugged" (B.A.P song), 2014
* "Unplugged" (''Modern Family''), a 2010 episode of ''Modern Family''
Albums and EPs
* ''Unplugged'' (5'nizza album), 2002
* '' ...
night. In late 2004 Natalie Sharp joined on violin, bringing along her friend Melanie Dickson (cello), after Evans and Sutcliffe had seen her card in a music store. Late in 2005, "EP" was recorded live in one night in
Beaconsfield
Beaconsfield ( ) is a market town and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in Buckinghamshire, England, northwest of central London and southeast of Aylesbury. Three other towns are within : Gerrards Cross, Amersham and High Wycombe.
The ...
with new bassist Matthew Taylor (now of
Dry the River) and drummer Dominic Bell. Sutcliffe initially struggled with the inevitable associations with the eponymous Yorkshire Ripper but overcame these dire associations with his musical accomplishments. Not to be disregarded throughout this critical time are the influence of mentors and protectors of the faith Will Dunhill and Ed Powers, without whose invaluable advice and guidance the young Evans and Sutcliffe combo might never have found their musical 'wal', to quote
Raymond E. Feist in his influential fantasy novel ''
Magician''.
2006 saw a change in musical direction for AGF: moving away from the acoustic/
folk
Folk or Folks may refer to:
Sociology
*Nation
*People
* Folklore
** Folk art
** Folk dance
** Folk hero
** Folk horror
** Folk music
*** Folk metal
*** Folk punk
*** Folk rock
** Folk religion
* Folk taxonomy
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Fo ...
act they were, they embraced a more
Post-Rock
Post-rock is a subgenre of experimental rock that emphasizes Texture (music), texture, atmosphere, and non-traditional song structures over conventional rock techniques. Post-rock artists often combine rock instrumentation and rock stylings wit ...
sound; they also had a drastic shift in personnel. Natalie left, Dominic was replaced with Jon Burgess on drums, whilst Evans and Sutcliffe relocated from High Wycombe to Reading. By the beginning of 2007 the EP "0.008%" was recorded with the help of Mike Siddell (
Hope of the States
Hope of the States are an English post rock-influenced indie band, formed in Chichester in 2000.
Following the release of 2 albums, the band split up in 2006 before reuniting in 2024.
History
The band formed in 2000, naming themselves aft ...
,
The Leisure Society,
Lightspeed Champion) on violin and trumpet player John Dunstan of ''Cats and Cats and Cats'', whom the band had met supporting them on tour. After continued involvement with AGF's live performances, Dunstan formally joined the band in 2008. John Szmidt also arrived, and replaced Matt Taylor on bass at the start of 2008.
The group's first single "We are the Undercurrents" was released in March 2008, with second single "Holding Hearts" following in July. Both of these singles featured new and current bassist John Szmidt, and a guest appearance by Will Harvey (also now of Dry the River) on violin, as no permanent replacement for Natalie had been found. By October 2008, Marianne Casey Canning was recruited to fill the role, and Jack Bryant arrived late in preparation for an impending tour to become the band's full-time drummer.
Throughout 2009 the band continued to tour and began recording new material; the debut album ''Oftentimes'' was finished in April 2010, and was released in November 2010. The band played at several major UK festivals in the summer preceding the release of Oftentimes, including
Bestival
Bestival was a four-day music festival held in the south of England. The name Bestival is a portmanteau of the words best and festival. It had been held annually in the late summer since 2004 at Robin Hill on the Isle of Wight. In 2017 the festi ...
,
Summer Sundae
Summer Sundae (also called the Summer Sundae Weekender) was an annual music festival held in Leicester, England which initially focused on indie (music), indie, Indie folk, alternative, and local music. The festival began as a one-dayer in 20 ...
and
2000trees.
Before the release of debut album Oftentimes, the band hired bassist/drummer Jack Fynes (formerly of failed '90s pop duo For Her Eyes Only). Jack felt the band needed an extra dimension to its image and took on heavy influences from Kiss megastar Gene Simmons, and Marilyn Manson. Unfortunately in July 2010, Jack proved to be too much of a handful and was subsequently booted from the group. His excessive partying and womanising didn't go down well with band big-man Tim 'Stoop Kid' Sutcliffe. Some believe Jack's short but influential time with A Genuine Freakshow was the inspiration behind the single I Can Feel His Heartbeats.
The second single from Oftentimes, 'Hopscotch Machine Gun Madness', was released on 14 March 2011 via Peartree Records/PIAS. The b-side is a remix of 'Our Bodies' by Bright Light Bright Light, with 'Luckmore Drive (Live)' available exclusively from
iTunes
iTunes is a media player, media library, and mobile device management (MDM) utility developed by Apple. It is used to purchase, play, download and organize digital multimedia on personal computers running the macOS and Windows operating s ...
.
In July 2011, A Genuine Freakshow were chosen by
BBC Introducing
BBC Music Introducing is BBC Radio's platform supporting unsigned, undiscovered, and under-the-radar UK music talent. The backbone of that network consists of 32 BBC local radio shows on stations across England and the Channel Islands, various ...
to play the BBC Introducing Stage at
Reading and Leeds festivals
The Reading and Leeds Festivals are a pair of annual music festivals that take place in Reading and Leeds in England. The events take place simultaneously on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend. The Reading Fest ...
.
Musical style
The focal point of the band's musical style has been a self described "pop-infused post-rock cannonade", using the rich sounds of the cello, trumpet and violin, as well as more traditional rock instruments. On top of this, Timothy Sutcliffe's
falsetto
Falsetto ( , ; Italian language, Italian diminutive of , "false") is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave.
It is produced by the vibration of the ...
vocals are interwoven with orchestral arrangements, the like of which are more commonly seen in post-rock acts such as
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Godspeed You! Black Emperor (sometimes abbreviated to GY!BE or Godspeed) is a Canadian post-rock collective that originated in Montreal, Quebec in 1994. The group releases recordings through Constellation Records (Canada), Constellation, an in ...
. In later releases, however – in particular the debut album ''Oftentimes'' – the band's sound has become more pop orientated.
Mark Ellen of ''
The Word'' describes the band as "A Bombastic Nu-Metal power house, writing a compelling tome on Jean Paul Sartre...with a String section, and trenchant sheets of
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experiments ...
and
Sigur Rós
Sigur Rós () is an Icelandic post-rock band that formed in 1994 in Reykjavík. It comprises lead vocalist and guitarist Jónsi, Jón Þór "Jónsi" Birgisson, bassist Georg Hólm, and keyboardist Kjartan Sveinsson. Known for their ethereal soun ...
fed through the
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band formed in Abingdon-on-Thames, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in 1985. The band members are Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards); brothers Jonny Greenwood (guitar, keyboards, other instruments) and Colin Gre ...
filter"
The band cites the following as artists they are inspired by:
The National,
Elbow
The elbow is the region between the upper arm and the forearm that surrounds the elbow joint. The elbow includes prominent landmarks such as the olecranon, the cubital fossa (also called the chelidon, or the elbow pit), and the lateral and t ...
,
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band formed in Abingdon-on-Thames, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in 1985. The band members are Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards); brothers Jonny Greenwood (guitar, keyboards, other instruments) and Colin Gre ...
,
Mew,
Sigur Rós
Sigur Rós () is an Icelandic post-rock band that formed in 1994 in Reykjavík. It comprises lead vocalist and guitarist Jónsi, Jón Þór "Jónsi" Birgisson, bassist Georg Hólm, and keyboardist Kjartan Sveinsson. Known for their ethereal soun ...
,
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...
,
Tom Waits
Thomas Alan Waits (born December 7, 1949) is an American musician, composer, songwriter, and actor. His lyrics often focus on society's underworld and are delivered in his trademark deep, gravelly voice. He began in the American folk music, fo ...
,
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experiments ...
and
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
.
Debut Album: ''Oftentimes'' (2010)
A Genuine Freakshow's debut studio album ''Oftentimes'' was produced by Jordan Fish (Worship,
Bring Me the Horizon
Bring Me the Horizon are a British Rock music, rock band, formed in Sheffield, England in 2004. The group currently consists of lead vocalist Oli Sykes, drummer Matt Nicholls, guitarist Lee Malia and bassist Matt Kean (musician), Matt Kean. T ...
), Michael Hunter (
Marillion
Marillion are a British neo-prog band, formed in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, in 1979. They emerged from the post-punk music scene in Britain and existed as a bridge between the styles of punk rock and classic progressive rock, becoming the mo ...
,
Mew,
Echo & The Bunnymen
Echo & the Bunnymen are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1978. The original line-up consisted of vocalist Ian McCulloch (singer), Ian McCulloch, guitarist Will Sergeant and bassist Les Pattinson. By 1980, Pete de Freita ...
,
Mansun
Mansun were an English alternative rock band, formed in Chester in 1995. The band comprised vocalist/rhythm guitarist Paul Draper (musician), Paul Draper, bassist Stove King, lead guitarist/backing vocalist Dominic Chad, and drummer Andie Rath ...
,
The Coral
The Coral are an English rock band, formed in 1996 in Hoylake on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside. The band emerged during the early 2000s. Their 2002 debut album ''The Coral (album), The Coral'', from which came the single "Dreaming of You (T ...
,
Alfie) as well as the band themselves, recorded in producer Jordan Fish's Studio 91, and mixed at The Racket Club. The album was released on 8 November 2010 on Peartree Records in a variety of formats: a standard CD edition, MP3 edition, and a Deluxe CD package that features the bonus album ''Pastimes''.
''Oftentimes''
* "We Are The Undercurrents"
* "I Can Feel His Heartbeats"
* "Hopscotch Machine Gun Madness"
* "New Houses"
* "She's Got A Shooter" (Part 1)
* "You Cut Me Out"
* "Our Bodies"
* "Holding Hearts"
* "Warning Shot"
[Track listing of LP via official site. ]
Four of the tracks on ''Oftentimes'' are re-recordings of tracks previously featured on the band's various EPs. ''Oftentimes'' was made available for pre-order on 16 August 2010 exclusively from the band's official website, and "I Can Feel His Heartbeats" and "Hopscotch Machine Gun Madness" are to be released as singles.
''Pastimes''
''Pastimes'' is a bonus album that was given away exclusively to customers that pre-ordered the ''Oftentimes'' deluxe edition. The CD features a mixture of past singles, former EP tracks,
radio edit
In music, a radio edit, or a "clean version," is a modification, typically truncated or censored, intended to make a song more suitable for airplay. It may be censored for profanity, vulgarities, or subject matter; or adjusted for length, instr ...
s and several
remix
A remix, also sometimes called reorchestration or rework, is a piece of media which has been altered or contorted from its original state by adding, removing, or changing pieces of the item. A song, piece of artwork, book, poem, or photograph ca ...
es. ''Pastimes'' essentially acts as a condensed history, allowing new listeners to hear songs from EPs that are now long out of print. The original recordings of the four tracks that were previously released as singles and on EPs are also featured on ''Pastimes'', enabling the listener to hear how the songs have evolved.
Discography
Albums
* ''Pastimes'' (Peartree Records – October 2010)
* ''
Oftentimes'' (Peartree Records – November 2010)
EPs
* ''EP'' (Peartree Records – March 2006)
* ''0.008% ''(Bluehand Music – April 2007)
Singles
* "We are the Undercurrents" (Dead Pilot Records – March 2008)
* "Holding Hearts" (Peartree Records – July 2008)
* "I Can Feel His Heartbeats" (Peartree Records – October 2010)
* "Hopscotch Machine Gun Madness" (Peartree Records – March 2011)
* "Our Bodies" (Peartree Records – October 2011)
Personnel
Current members
* Jack Bryant – Drums, Backing Vocals
* Marianne Casey Canning – Violin
* Melanie Dickson – Cello
* John Dunstan – Trumpet,
Glockenspiel
The glockenspiel ( ; or , : bells and : play) or bells is a percussion instrument consisting of pitched aluminum or steel bars arranged in a Musical keyboard, keyboard layout. This makes the glockenspiel a type of metallophone, similar to the v ...
, Additional Percussion
* Simon Evans – Guitar, Piano, Glockenspiel, Backing Vocals
* Timothy Sutcliffe – Vocals, Guitar, Piano, Backing Vocals
* John Szmidt – Bass Guitar
Former members
* Matthew Taylor – Bass
* Dominic Bell – Drums
* Jon Burgess – Drums
* Dan Peters – Bass
* Natalie Sharp – Violin
* Will Harvey – Violin (Guest Appearances)
* Mike Siddell – Violin (Guest Appearances)
* Hatty Taylor – Vocals (Guest Appearance)
*Jack Fynes - Bass/Drums
References
External links
Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Genuine Freakshow
Musical groups established in 2005
Musical groups from Reading, Berkshire
English post-rock groups
Rock music groups from Berkshire