Tindersticks

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Tindersticks are a rock band from Nottingham, England. Their sound is characterised by a synthesis of orchestral backing, lounge jazz, and soul; the lush orchestrations of multi-instrumentalist Dickon Hinchliffe and the smoky baritone of lead vocalist Stuart Staples are the band's hallmarks. Tindersticks have employed electric guitars, as most rock bands have done, but augment their instrumentation with a wide array of instruments: Rhodes piano, glockenspiel, vibraphone, violin, trumpet, trombone, clarinet, bassoon, Hammond organ, and many more are prominently utilised in the music of Tindersticks. The band has a cult following in the United Kingdom and continental Europe, although the eclectic and unique sound Tindersticks possesses never made significant inroads in the mainstream.

Contents 1 Personnel 2 History 3 Soundtrack work 4 Influence 5 Discography 5.1 Singles 5.2 Studio albums 5.3 Other Albums 5.4 Original Soundtracks (OST) 5.5 Solo Albums 5.6 Videos & DVDs 5.7 Misc Audio/Video Content 6 External links

[edit] Personnel

• Stuart Ashton Staples, born 14 November 1965 - Lead voice, guitar, melodica
• Dickon James Hinchliffe, born 9 July 1967 - violin, guitar, voice, piano, string and brass arrangements
• Neil Timothy Fraser, - born 22 November 1962 - lead guitar, vibraphone
• David Leonard Boulter, born 27 February 1965 - keyboards, percussion
• Alasdair Robert De Villeneuve Macaulay, born 2 August 1965 - drums, percussion, trumpet
• Mark Andrew Colwill, born 12 May 1960 - bass guitar

[edit] History

The band formed in late 1991, Staples, Boulter and Hinchcliffe having previously been members of Asphalt Ribbons. Tindersticks started recording demo tapes in 1992, and were signed by Tippy Toe Records who released their first single, "Patchwork".

Their self-titled first and second albums established their signature sound and received widespread critical acclaim. Their live performances, often augmented by large string sections and even, on occasion, a full orchestra, were rapturously received. (The live album Bloomsbury Theatre 12.3.95 is a recording of one such concert.) By the time of the third album, Curtains, however, it was clear that a change of direction was called for. There was a certain ennui to the songs, and the lengthy "Ballad of Tindersticks" was a weary swipe at the pressures of being a touring band.

The fourth album, Simple Pleasure, lived up to its title with a series of snappy, direct songs influenced by soul music. The female backing vocals on several tracks, and the respectful cover of Odyssey's "If You're Looking For A Way Out", signalled the band's wish to move towards lighter, more soulful material. However, the inner sleeve's documentation of the number of takes each track went through was evidence that the band continued to adopt a painstaking approach to recording.

The fifth album, Can Our Love, continued the band's soulful direction, in particular evidence on the tender "Sweet Release" and in the nod to the Chi-Lites in the title of "Chilitetime".

The sixth and most recent album, Waiting For The Moon, was more stripped down and introspective in nature, particularly on the harrowing "4.48 Psychosis" (based on the play of the same name by the British playwright Sarah Kane) and "Sometimes It Hurts". Only the bouncy "Just A Dog" lightened the otherwise melancholy mood of the album.

In 2005 Staples embarked on a solo career and there was resultant speculation that the band had split. Staples has so far produced two solo albums, Lucky Dog Recordings 03-04 and Leaving Songs. The title of the second album, and Staples' notes on it, indicate that Tindersticks may indeed be at an end: "These are songs written on the verge of leaving the things I loved and stepping into a new unknown life, both musically and personally. I was always aware that these songs were the end of something, a kind of closing a circle of a way of writing that I started so long ago and I knew I had to move on from." [1]

In September 2006, the band played a one-off concert at London's Barbican Centre, performing their second album in full with a nine-member string section and two brass players, including former collaborator Terry Edwards on trumpet. [2]

As of April 2007, no official announcement had been made regarding the future of the band. There are currently no plans for them to record or tour again.

[edit] Soundtrack work

As well as their six studio albums, the band has produced the soundtracks for two films by the French director Claire Denis, Nenette et Boni and Trouble Every Day.

The Tindersticks song Tiny Tears was featured prominently in the Series 1 episode "Isabella" of HBO's The Sopranos.

[edit] Influence

• The Norwegian writer Frode Grytten released in 2001 a collection of short-stories called "Popsongar" (Pop songs) where each story is based on the lyrics of a song by different artists. One of the stories is based on "Bathtime".

[edit] Discography

[edit] Singles

• "Patchwork" (Tippy Toe, 1992)
• "Marbles" (Tippy Toe/Che, 1993)
• "A Marriage Made in Heaven" (Rough Trade Singles Club, 1993)
• "Unwired E.P." (Domino, 1993)
• "City Sickness" (This Way Up, 1993)
• "Marbles" (No.6 Records, 1993)
• "We Have All the Time in the World" (Clawfist Singles Club, 1993)
• "Live in Berlin" (Tippy Toe/This Way Up, 1993)
• "Kathleen" (This Way Up, 1994)
• "No More Affairs" (This Way Up, 1995)
• "Plus De Liaisons" (This Way Up, 1995)
• "The Smooth Sounds of Tindersticks" (Sub Pop, 1995)
• "Travelling Light" (This Way Up, 1995)
• "Bathtime" (This Way Up, 1997)
• "Rented Rooms" (This Way Up, 1997)
• "Can We Start Again" (Island 1999)
• "What is a Man" (Beggar's Banquet, 2000)
• "Trouble Every Day (Promo)" (Beggar's Banquet, 2001)
• "Don't Even Go There E.P." (Beggar's Banquet, 2003)
• "Trojan Horse" (Tippy Toe, 2003)
• "Sometimes it Hurts" (Beggar's Banquet, 2003)
• "My Oblivion" (Beggar's Banquet, 2003)

[edit] Studio albums

• Tindersticks (aka First Album) (This Way Up, 1993)
• Tindersticks (aka Second Album) (This Way Up, 1995)
• Curtains (This Way Up, 1997)
• Simple Pleasure (Island, 1999)
• Can Our Love... (Beggar's Banquet, 2001)
• Waiting for the Moon (Beggar's Banquet, 2003)

[edit] Other Albums

• Amsterdam February 94 (This Way Up, 1994)
• The Bloomsbury Theatre 12.3.95 (This Way Up, 1995)
• Donkeys 92-97 (This Way Up/Island, 1998)
• Live at the Botanique – 9th-12th May, 2001 (Tippy Toe, 2001)
• Coliseu dos recreios de Lisboa – October 30th, 2001 (Tippy Toe, 2003)
• Working for the Man (Island, 2004)

[edit] Original Soundtracks (OST)

• Nénette et Boni (This Way Up/Island, 1996)
• Trouble Every Day (Beggar's Banquet, 2001)

[edit] Solo Albums

• Stuart A Staples - Lucky Dog Recordings 03-04 (Lucky Dog, 2005)
• Stuart A Staples - Leaving Songs (Beggars Banquet, 2006)
• Stuart A Staples - Souvenir '06 (Lucky Dog, 2006)
• Dickon Hinchliffe - Keeping Mum O.S.T. (Wrasse Rec, 2006)

[edit] Videos & DVDs

• Bareback - nine films by Martin Wallace (Beggar's Banquet, 2004)

[edit] Misc Audio/Video Content

• Songs for the Young at heart (Rough Trade/City Slang, 2007)

[edit] External links

• Official website
• Stuart Staples' website
• Dickon Hinchliffe's website
• Discography and lyrics
• Ati´s unofficial tindersticks band homepages
• Gigography
• Concert photos by Laurent Orseau