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Siberia
LITTLE SISTER RECORDS
Now, officially a bona fide solo artist in her own right, former Ash guitarist Charlotte Hatherley releases the latest single from her second album, THE DEEP BLUE, SIBERIA.
SIBERIA is a song that harks back to the debut record, a sugar rush explosion of cascading guitars and catchy choruses, Charlottes vocals reaching out in a way that's part Julianna Hatfield, part Kim Deal and the perfect antidote for anyone missing those indie glory days of The Lemonheads, Throwing Muses and the Pixies.
Another dizzying slice of indie rock from Charlotte Hatherley, SIBERIA finds the singer/songwriter still in superb form.
BIOGRAPHY
Charlotte was a working rock guitarist even before she left her West London high school. Working towards her A levels during the day, the 15-year old was playing loud, scungy gigs round the London club scene with the proto-riot girl group, Nightnurse.
Aged 17, Charlotte joined Northern Irish rockers Ash, her guitars adding beef to their heavy schedule of live performances. She had two weeks in a rehearsal studio before making her Ash debut at the V97 Festival in front of an audience of 50,000!
Her first studio recording with Ash was on the 1997 single 'A Life Less Ordinary', then on the 1998 album 'Nu-Clear Sounds'. Just as touring the world became normal for her, so did Charlotte's cool persona and driving talent become a solid feature of the 'new Ash'.
Writing on the road
Whilst on the road she was inspired to start writing songs of her own. Her first song 'Taken Out' appeared as a B-side on the 1998 Ash single 'Jesus Says', and 'Gonna Do It Soon' was on the 'Wild Surf'
single of the same year. Fans really started to take notice when her song 'Grey Will Fade' appeared on the 2001 single 'There's A Star'
from Ash's 2001 No. 1 album 'Free All Angels'. Reaction to the song came as a surprise and a challenge to Charlotte(when Ash fans vote for their favourite B sides, 'Grey Will Fade' regularly appears among the top 5), so she decided to write a whole album of songs.
But writing, recording demos and organising the album had to be done while Ash continued their punishing non-stop schedule. It wasn't until the group settled in Los Angeles for a few months in 2003 to record 'Meltdown' that Charlotte was able to get together with her chosen producer Eric Drew Feldman (once part of legendary Captain Beefheart's Magic Band and Frank Black's solo producer), drummer Rob Ellis (PJ Harvey, Marianne Faithful) and top recording engineer Rob Laufer to put down the ten tracks that would form her first solo album, also entitled 'Grey Will Fade'.
Grey Will Fade
In the Summer 2004 when Charlotte commenced an 18 month tour of the world with Ash, her own website 'charlottehatherley.com' was launched with a free download single 'Kim Wilde' to a fantastic response. Her next single 'Summer' was released in the UK in August 2004 and entered the UK national chart at 31.
Charlotte found time to play the headline slot on the Red Marquee stage at Fuji Rock in Japan and play second headline on the Carling Stage at Reading and Leeds festival in the summer of 2005, whilst still touring the world with Ash. In February 2006 Ash and Charlotte parted ways and she is now looking forward to asserting herself as a full time solo artist and hitting the road, starting with a UK tour in February 2007.
The Deep Blue
Eagerly awaited new album 'The Deep Blue' was written and recorded in Italy in the summer of 2006. The album is produced by Eric Drew Feldman (once part of Captain Beefheart's Magic Band and producer of Frank Black and Deus), Rob Ellis (best known for his work with PJ
Harvey) and Charlotte herself, and is mixed by Ben Hillier (Blur, Elbow). The album develops beyond the post-punk melodies of first album 'Grey Will Fade', to a grander, more elaborate sound with influences ranging from Kate Bush to David Bowie to The Flaming Lips.
In addition to this ambitious new musical direction, Charlotte has also co-written a remarkable collaboration with one of her musical heroes, XTC's Andy Partridge.
'The Deep Blue' will be released on Little Sister Records, set up by Charlotte and her manager Ann-Marie Shields, with distribution by Vital, to make sure the artist has complete creative control.
With the launch of Charlotte's new website, first single "Behave"
will be available on a limited download EP, available December 17th.
LINE UP
Charlotte Hatherley>Guitars/Bass/Vocals
Rob Ellis>Drums
Eric Drew Feldman>Keyboards
DISCOGRAPHY
GREY WILL FADE>2004-Double Dragon Music
Kim Wilde
Rescue Plan
Paragon
Summer
Down
Stop
Where I'm Calling From
Why You Wanna?
Bastardo
Grey Will Fade
BEHAVE EP (Little Sister Records>2006)
Behave
Mr. Ed
Cousteau
Behave - Luke Smith Remix
I WANT YOU TO KNOW (Little Sister Records>2007) I Want You To Know Sister Universe Suspiria
THE DEEP BLUE (Little Sister Records>2007) Cousteau Be Thankful I Want You To Know Again Wounded Sky Behave Love's Young Dream Roll Over (Let It Go) Very Young Dawntreader It Isn't Over Siberia
SIBERIA (Little Sisters Records>2007)
Siberia
LINKS
Charlotte Hatherley>www.charlottehatherley.com
FURTHER LISTENING
The Julianna Hatfield Three
The Pixies
Throwing Muses
Review date: June 2007 |
