User:Sadsongco/Dive Dive
Dive Dive are a British rock band composed of Jamie Stuart (guitar & vocals), Ben Lloyd (guitar & vocals), Nigel Powell (drums & vocals) and Tarrant Anderson (bass guitar). Ben Lloyd, Nigel Powell and Tarrant Anderson also play as full time members of Frank Turner's band.
Dive Dive formed in 2001 in Oxford, UK after the break up of the members' previous bands, Unbelievable Truth (Nigel Powell) and Dustball (Jamie Stuart and Tarrant Anderson), in 2000. The band were championed from early on by John Peel, for whom they recorded a number of sessions at the BBC Maida Vale Studios and also performed live on his BBC Radio One show.
Biography[edit]
Debut album[edit]
Dive Dive's first release was "The Crock" (an instrumental track that often closed their live sets up to 2007). This appeared in 2002 on a joint EP called "When I Wank On My Guitar The Whole World Wanks With Me" on Oxford indie label Juggernaught Records. Other bands on the EP were The Rock Of Travolta, Six Ray Sun and South Sea Company Prospectus. "The Crock" was followed a few months later by a four track EP entitled "Sounds All Wrong", also Juggernaught Records. In 2003 Dive Dive released "Name & Number" as a 7" single on Oxford indie label Vacuous Pop Records, which garnered national press attention for the band for the first time, including single of the week in The Independent. "Name & Number" was followed by the release of a single, "Good Show"[1] on London indie label Idle Records in early 2004, which again attracted positive reviews, including another single of the week in The Independent. By 2004 the band's developing reputation as an outstanding live act led to an album deal with London based independent label Diablo Records. Diablo released Dive Dive's debut LP, "Tilting At Windmills"[1], in June 2005, along with three supporting radio singles "Good Show"[1] (rereleased), "555 For Filmstars"[2] and "The Sorry Suitor"[1]. "555 For Filmstars" and "The Sorry Suitor" both received a moderate amount of national and regional radio play and entered the UK independent singles chart at 6 and 10 respecctively.
Backing Frank Turner[edit]
In 2006 Ben Lloyd, Nigel Powell and Tarrant Anderson recorded as Frank Turner's studio band for his first solo release "Campfire Punkrock". The record was recorded in Dive Dive's studio in the basement of bassist Tarrant Anderson's Oxford home[3] and released on Xtra Mile Recordings in September 2006. In January 2007 Dive Dive appeared as Frank Turner's backing band on his first full band tour of the UK. On subsequent Frank Turner tours Jamie Stuart dropped out of the line up due to other commitments, however Ben Lloyd, Nigel Powell and Tarrant Anderson still make up three quarters of his backing band. Ben and Nigel contributed to Frank Turner's first two albums (Sleep Is For The Week and Love, Ire and Song), Ben as record producer and guitarist and Nigel as drummer and keyboardist. Tarrant was present as bassist for all full band touring, and contributed as a recording musician to 2009's Poetry of the Deed album.
Second Album[edit]
Dive Dive's second album, "Revenge of the Mechanical Dog"[4], was recorded during 2007 in gaps between touring as Frank Turner's live band. It was released on the band's own label, Land Speed Records, in conjunction with the Oxford indie label Truck Records and Pinnacle Distribution.
Future[edit]
Ben Lloyd, Nigel Powell and Tarrant Anderson's commitments in Frank Turner's live band have meant Dive Dive live shows have been sparse since 2007, however the band recorded their third album, "Potential", in 2010 and their third full length release is due for release on Xtra Mile Recordings in January 2011.