Dubstar

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Dubstar are a British dream pop band, formed in 1992 by Steve Hillier and Chris Wilkie in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Sarah Blackwood joined in 1993, replacing Steve Hillier on vocals.

Career

Formally known as The Joans, Dubstar were initially a two piece band, with Chris Wilkie playing guitar and Steve Hillier singing and playing keyboards. Gavin Lee joined The Joans in the Autumn of 1992 and played drums and latterly bass guitar before leaving to pursue a career at British Airways the following year. Sarah Blackwood was invited to join the band in August 1993 after her boyfriend accidentally left a cassette tape of her singing in Steve Hillier's flat in Jesmond, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Sarah Blackwood replaced Steve Hillier on vocals in early 1994.

Dubstar appointed Darlington based Record producer and artist manager Graeme Robinson as their manager after Robinson had seen them play in a sparsely attended Newcastle club in March 1994. Robinson renamed the band and provided studio time and produced independent demos of seventeen songs which he brought to the attention of former Sounds journalist, Andy Ross, who promptly signed the band to his Camden based label, Food Records (marketed through EMI UK). Ross engaged the services of Pet Shop Boys and New Order producer Stephen Hague to co-produce a number of tracks with Robinson for their critically acclaimed debut album Disgraceful (1995), and commissioned an advertising campaign featuring Robert Steel's controversial 'pencil case vulva' artwork.

The album charted well on release in July 1995, and by January 1996 Dubstar had arrived in the Top 20 of the UK Singles Chart with "Not So Manic Now" (a song originally by Brick Supply, writers: Harling, Kirby, Mason, Robinson); followed by a re-released "Stars" (Hillier) which marked Dubstar's UK chart zenith. Hague produced a second album, Goodbye (1997), in his upstate New York barn studio. A U.S. album release (also called Goodbye) on Polydor Records, combining tracks from both the first and second albums, also emerged in 1998. The third original Dubstar album, Make It Better was released in 2000, with EMI releasing a 'Best of' compilation in 2004.

Sarah Blackwood joined the band Technique with Kate Holmes (wife of Alan McGee) to replace Xan Tyler as singer for a European tour with Depeche Mode in 2002. Holmes renamed Technique as Client shortly after.

Posts in 2008 on their official Myspace page stated that the recording of their fourth album was underway.^[1] However, in November 2008 they made a post to their Facebook group stating that Blackwood would not participate, and the future of the album was up in the air.^[2]

Personnel

• Sarah Blackwood - Vocalist - born 6 May 1971, Halifax, West Yorkshire.

• Steve Hillier - Keyboards - born 14 May 1969, Southampton.

• Chris Wilkie - Guitarist - born 25 January 1973, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear

Other key people:

• Paul Wadsworth — Drums and Percussion

• Diid Osman — Bass Guitar

• Rochelle Vincente — Backing Vocals

• Graeme Robinson - Drums, Songwriter, Producer, Engineer, Manager - 1993-96

• Andy Ross — Food Records MD - 1993-2000

• Stevo Pearce - Manager - 1997-98

• Stephen Hague — Producer 1995-97

• Jon Kirby — Keyboards, Songwriter, Studio Musician 1994-95

Discography

Albums

• Disgraceful (1995)
  • Disgraceful (with remix disc) (1996)
• Goodbye (1997)
• Make It Better (2000)
• Stars - The Best of Dubstar (2004)

Singles

"Stars", the best-selling single by Dubstar, received a wide variety of play time in clubs, and is still regularly heard on radio throughout Europe.^{[citation needed]} Many remixes were also created of this song and it was covered by metal band Lacuna Coil on their 2000 EP Halflife. "Stars" allowed Dubstar to achieve American recognition.

	Dubstar - "Stars" excerpt File:Dubstar — Stars excerpt.ogg An excerpt from Dubstar's "Stars"
Problems listening to this file? See media help.

The following singles were released in the UK by Dubstar, via Food Records:

• "Stars" (1995) (UK #40)
• "Anywhere" (1995) (UK #37)
• "Not So Manic Now" (1995) (UK #18)
• "Stars" (re-release) (1996) (UK #15)
• "Elevator Song" (1996) (UK #25)
• "No More Talk" (1997) (UK #20)
• "Cathedral Park" (1997) (UK #41)
• "I Will Be Your Girlfriend" (1998) (UK #28)
• "I (Friday Night)" (2000) (UK #37)
• "The Self Same Thing" (2000) (chart-ineligible EP)

Exclusive songs

• "Not So Fast" – Volume Sixteen (1996)
• "Everyday I Die" – Random, Volume 1: A Gary Numan Tribute (1997)
• "In Charge" – Shooting Fish Soundtrack (1997)
• "Jealousy" – Come Again (EMI, UK, 1997) / Essential: Interpretations (Capitol, 1998)
• "Poupée de Cire, Poupée de Son" featuring Sacha Distel – Song for Eurotrash (1998)

References

External links

• Stars - The Best of Dubstar track listing
• Not So Manic Now track listing