Echobelly

[Kailey]

Echobelly were a prominent Britpop band and a force in the British musical invasion of the 1990s. Although often compared to Blondie and influenced by Morrissey, who himself was a fan of the group, Echobelly carved out their own place with tuneful melodies that cascaded between exuberant optimism and vehement attacks against oppression, bigotry, and alienation in the modern world.

Sources: Last.fm, Wikipedia.
Requested by Jasmine

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[notsomanicnow]

Yes, Echobelly were one of the bands that defined those times.

'I Can't Imagine The World Without Me' and 'Close...But' were little more than cheerful indie by numbers, 6th Form music.

But this developed into the great pop songs that were 'Great Things' and 'King of the Kerb'. I defy anyone to say that 'Great Things' did not epitomise 'Britpop'. It had broad appeal across all types of young people, from indie kids to office girls and factory lads who wouldn't normally go near a live gig in a pub.

I saw them live at this time (Jan 96) and they were on top of their game. I already had the album 'On' but there was a lot of other good music going on at the time. That night was probably 3rd-4th time I'd heard 'Dark Therapy' but this time it jumped out at me, it was an epic 'Britpop' moment. I played that album (& esp that song) in the car a lot after. 'Dark Therapy' became their next single and got lots of radio play.

I recall visiting Canada and riding across the prairies on a moonlit night on a Greyhound bus. 'Dark Therapy' was playing atmospherically on my walkman. It was a rock n roll moment (or several moments). Echobelly were going to be there forever and ever. They had the right ingredients. A band rooted in indie but with pop/rock overtones and a charismatic girl fronting them.

As I understood it at the time, Madonna was so impressed that she wanted to sign them to her Maverick label. Echobelly were keen to go there but had an unfulfilled album deal with their existing label, who were having none of it. Echobelly were held to their existing contract, and now defined as "traitors" their following album received little promotion, and equally was released when the 'Britpop' tide was starting to go out anyway.

Definitely a case of "what might have been?" Does it pay to be so good? If they had been mediocre, they would never have come to Madonna's attention, and fizzled out naturally. But then again, had they been able to go to Maverick, they would have assimilated into the rock mainstream like Oasis and the Manics, and become blander.

We are best left with just the great memories of a short period. I'll have to go and dig out 'Dark Therapy' again.