The Coral

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For the group's debut album, see The Coral (album).

The Coral
The Coral performing at the 2003 V Festival
Background information
Origin	Hoylake,Merseyside England
Genres	Indie Pop/Rock Psychedelic folk Alternative country
Years active	1996–present
Labels	Deltasonic
Website	Official website
Members
James Skelly Ian Skelly Nick Power Lee Southall Paul Duffy
Former members
Bill Ryder-Jones

The Coral are an English band formed in 1996 in Hoylake on the Wirral Peninsula in Merseyside.

The band's music is a mixture of old-fashioned country, 1960s-style psychedelia and folk with modern rock influences. The Coral have released four albums. Their self-titled debut album was nominated for the 2002 Mercury Music Prize and later voted the fourth best album of the year by NME Magazine. It was announced on the 9th January 2008 that Bill Ryder-Jones would be leaving, but the band would continue as a 5-piece.

History

Formation

Meeting at Hilbre High School in West Kirby on the Wirral, the six friends would meet at each others' houses and the school music room where they would watch films, listen to music and play guitars. After leaving school they went on to jobs and university before quitting both to take up the band full time. The band was soon signed to Liverpool label Deltasonic. The band started as prominent members of the Liverpool music scene, playing many gigs around the city. The Coral's distinctive musical style has strongly influenced many other of the Liverpool-based label's acts, including The Zutons, The Dead 60s, The Basement and The Rascals.

The Coral

Hailed as the first English band of the "guitar group revival" the band released the critically acclaimed EPs Shadows Fall, The Oldest Path, and Skeleton Key in 2001. Their eponymous debut album The Coral, released in 2002, reached number five on the UK Albums Chart and was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize the day after its release. A successful UK tour and festival slots followed along with the singles "Goodbye" reaching number twenty-one in the UK Top 40 and "Dreaming of You" reaching number thirteen.

Magic and Medicine

After a hectic year they took it easy with recording yet again another critically-acclaimed album Magic and Medicine in 2003 reaching number one on the UK Albums Chart, once more followed with UK, European, American and Japanese tours and a one-off festival Midsummer Nights Scream held on the New Brighton promenade and held an impressive line up of the then hottest up-and-coming bands. Singles from the album, "Don't Think You're the First", "Pass It On", "Secret Kiss" and "Bill McCai" reached number ten, number five, number twenty-five and number twenty-three on the UK Top 40 respectively.

The Invisible Invasion

In 2004 they began recording The Invisible Invasion but not before releasing Nightfreak and the Sons of Becker a limited-edition "mini album" getting to number five on the UK Albums Chart which was produced by Lightning Seeds singer/songwriter Ian Broudie (as were the first two albums), whilst Portishead's Adrian Utley and Geoff Barrow were in charge of The Invisible Invasion.

In 2005, The Coral did UK, European, American and Japanese tours also releasing "In The Morning" which reached number six and "Something Inside of Me" reaching number forty-one on the UK Top 75.

Roots and Echoes

The Coral toured with Arctic Monkeys during their 2007 summer festival gigs. The band released the single "Who's Gonna Find Me" on 30 July 2007 followed by the album Roots & Echoes on 6 August 2007.

The Coral kicked off BBC Electric Proms 07 on 24 October 2007 with "Who's Gonna Find Me". They were joined on stage by friend Noel Gallagher, who played lead guitar on their track In the Rain.

The Coral enlisted the help of Matt Potter, Solihull, for percussion and Jazz flute on the album.

The Singles Collection

The Coral released a 3LP & 2CD compilation album The Singles Collection on 15 September 2008. It features singles, rarities and new songs. A new single, "Being Somebody Else" was released on 8 September 2008.

Current Activities

The Coral have been working on songs for their fifth album since 2008, by August Skelly said that they had '13 or 14 tracks'. Even though most of the album has been written The Coral have decided to play the songs live before they record them. Some songs include "Rovin' Jewel" , "Green is the Colour" and "Coney Island".^[1]

Discography

• The Coral (July 29, 2002)
• Magic and Medicine (July 28, 2003)
• Nightfreak and the Sons of Becker (January 26, 2004)
• The Invisible Invasion (May 23, 2005)
• Roots & Echoes (August 6, 2007)
• The Singles Collection (September 15, 2008)

References

External links

• Official website
• The Coral at MySpace
• Deltasonic Records
• Interview in LeftLion Magazine
• The Coral discography at MusicBrainz