CONTACT – hello@brandviolet.com

by Juan dos Passos

Brand Violet formed October 31, 1999, in London, the brainchild of Henderson K. Shatner (bass), Igor (guitars) and Ulrika Björsne (vocals). The trio recorded their first demo/EP, Sex With Susan, in early 2000 and sent it to a cryptic advertisement in Melody Maker. The EP also secured them one of the first places on the pioneering Peoplesound.com website.

This resulted in Brand Violet’s getting signed to Stevo Pearce’s Some Bizarre label (The The, Depeche Mode, Soft Cell, Cabaret Voltaire, Einsturenzde Neubauten), where they demo’d material, showcased, and gained licensing interest from several major and independent labels. Session drummer Dafydd Jones agreed to play for these sessions, and then to stay aboard full-time.

The band’s songwriters, Shatner and Igor, wanted a different singer and thus were left singer- and label-less in late 2000, when they auditioned and brought aboard Kirsty Hockenhull, who stayed with the band through late 2000 through early 2002. Hockenhull performed on the Retrovision Coma U.S.A. EP which garnered attention on Garageband.com and CDBaby.com as the band gigged heavily on the London circuit. The band also released a single, Argyle Gargoyle Grrl, which received significant underground exposure and internet airplay on MP3.com.

In 2002, the band came to the attention of ex-Arista head/Rhythm King founder Martin Heath, who loved the band but wasn’t convinced by Hockenhull and felt the group needed a more dynamic and charismatic front woman. Heath introduced the band to ex-Zomba/Jive singer Sally-Anne Marsh, whose credits included screen and television performances, West End musicals as well as singing work with Simon Cowell, Stock-Aitken, The Chemical Brothers (Ariel), and Right Said Fred as well as several charting pop singles. Although the initial demos written by the new lineup and then produced by Heath’s enthusiastic (if inexperienced) partner ensured the relationship would not continue, Marsh, Shatner, Igor and Jones agreed it was a match made in space, so Marsh replaced Hockenhull.

2002 saw the release of A Grave Mistake, an EP, with Marsh, as well as a licensing agreement with independent label Riverside Records and a publishing deal with MCS Music. The band’s tracks secured excellent exposure in underground press as well as numerous awards on Garageband.com, where Sir George Martin and other leading producers are involved. These include:

#20 Best Female Vocals in Indie Rock, all-time

Best Female Vocals in Rock, week of 11Oct2004

Most Rocking Track in Rock, week of 11Oct2004

Best Dance Track in Pop/Rock, week of 12Jul2004

#14 Potential Soundtrack in Indie Rock, all-time

Most Original overall, week of 14Jun2004

(Additional reviews can be obtained from the band’s website at www.brandviolet.com.)

Riverside released three well-received but little-promoted singles in late 2003-early 2004 (Alien Hive Theme, Head, Voodoo) ahead of the full-length album Retrovision Coma U.S.A. The singles and the Alien Hive Theme video received royalty-generating airplay on college, university and local/regional radio as well as Virgin. Tracks were also featured on several highly-rated indie compilations in the UK and Europe.

In 2004 Tapewyrm Records also released new material on two EPs -- Sputnik Bride and The Legend of Ladybeard, which included a vampire-gothic videoclip featuring Suicide Girls for the Sororicide track. Ladybeard also featured Rail Thin, produced by Brian James (The Damned, Lords of the New Church). The band was also featured on the label’s Segments: Volume One compilation disc. The Sputnik Bride EP also was featured on Steve Lamacq’s BBC OneMusic site.

In late 2004, Jones left followed by Igor, who wanted to spend more time pursuing his brilliant Thumpermonkey project. The drumming slot was filled by Stuart Perry, and guitar by John Waring (The Milburns, Telford Mining Disaster).

Early 2005 will see Tapewyrm release Brand Violet’s second full-length album, which includes new tracks as well as remixed/remastered tracks from the 2004 EPs. The band further expect to record additional EPs or a new album before the end of 2005.

-END-