The View are an indie rock band from Dryburgh in Dundee, Scotland. They also include various styles such as punk, pop, alternative rock, pop punk, powerpop, folk and acoustic in their music.
The band are currently signed to 1965 Records and their debut single, "Wasted Little DJs", was released on August 12, 2006. The single entered the MTV Two/NME charts on July 9, 2006,[1] eventually reaching number one on August 13, 2006. On the same day, the song reached number 15 in the UK Singles Chart.[2]
The View released their debut album Hats Off to the Buskers on January 22, 2007, which entered the UK Album Chart at number one the following week.[3] It was nominated for the 2007 Mercury Music Prize.[4]
History
Formation and early touring (2005–2006)
The View at The Doghouse, Christmas Eve 2006.
The View initially formed around a cover band at school, playing their own versions of bands such as Squeeze and the Sex Pistols.[5] Lead singer Kyle Falconer, guitarist Peter Reilly and bassist Kieren Webster attended St John's RC High School, while drummer Steven Morrison attended Harris Academy.[6] They began by performing a number of their own songs and cover versions at school talent contests. The deputy head teacher of St John's stated that he knew the band would go far and on several occasions suggested to them that they should push for an album deal. The View entered the school talent contest 4 times but were only successful twice.[7] Following this, the band set up base to write their own material in a back room of The Bayview Pub, a bar owned by Falconer's cousin.[5] They progressed to play more cover gigs and weddings around the Dundee area, including the Centenary Bar in Central Dundee and a caravan park in Arbroath.[7] The band were later ejected from their base in The Bayview, following singer Kyle Falconer reportedly riding a scooter along the bar.[8][9]
The band continued to tour small venues around their hometown, and after their second billed gig at The Doghouse, they were signed to local independent Dundee record label Two Thumbs,[10] and released the self-titled The View EP in early 2006.[11] Alongside the EP, the band recorded a complete demo album at T-Pot studios in Perthshire and this was made available for download from the band's Two Thumbs management website.[citation needed] Videos were also made available to accompany some of the recordings.[citation needed]
During this period the band came to the attention of BBC Radio 1 presenters Zane Lowe, Edith Bowman and Jo Whiley as well as BBC Radio 2 presenter Dermot O'Leary who gave them airplay nine months before the album hit number one. The band's live performance of "Wasted Little DJs" (later to be their first single) featured on Zane's 8 February 2006 show, alongside established acts The Kooks and Be Your Own Pet.[12] Soon after, tracks from the debut EP began to be played on Radio 1 and other local and national stations. In particular, Jim Gellatly, at Xfm Scotland, featured the band heavily on X-Posure Scotland, his new music show.[13] A live acoustic session was recorded for the show broadcast 3 May 2006.[14]
Hats Off to the Buskers (2006–2008)
The band's free CD with
1965 Records, on the cover of
NME, November 25, 2006.
In mid-2006, they began to record their debut album, with Owen Morris,[15] who had previously produced albums by Oasis and The Verve.[16] During the production of the album, co-writer and bassist Kieren Webster was voted as number six on the NME Cool List 2006 Top 50.[17] Titled Hats Off to the Buskers, the album was released on 22 January, 2007 and entered the UK album chart at #1 on 28 January.[18]
Following the album's release, the band took part in the NME Awards Tour 2007, alongside acts such as The Automatic, The Horrors and Mumm-Ra.[19] and "Wasted Little DJs" was voted Best Track of the year at the annual NME Awards 2007.[20]
Taken from the album, their first single, "Wasted Little DJs", was released 7 August 2006. The single entered the UK top 75 at #73 on the week before full release, due to download sales alone, and climbed to #15 the following week. Four weeks prior to release, on July 9, 2006, the single entered the UK MTV/NME video charts at Number 9,[21] climbing to Number 1 on 13 August 2006.[22] The single was the BBC Radio 1 Colin and Edith show's record of the week for week commencing Monday, 10 July 2006 and entered the BBC Radio 1 daytime playlist on 12 July 2006.[23] The band followed up with their second single "Superstar Tradesman", released 23 October 2006, also reaching #15 in the UK.
"Same Jeans", the third single from the album, was released 15 January 2007. It became their most successful single to date, reaching #3 in the UK Singles Chart and becoming a major hit for the band. Subsequent singles however, a double a-side of "The Don"/Skag Trendy and "Face for the Radio", failed to receive such chart success, reaching only #33 and #69 respectively in the UK Singles Chart. "The Don/Skag Trendy" is to date The View's last single to chart in the UK top 40.
In early 2006, the band signed to James Endeacott's new record label 1965 Records, part of the Sony BMG group and linked to Columbia Records. A rare live version of "Screamin' n Shoutin'", recorded at the University of Abertay Dundee, headlined the NME/1965 Records cover CD featured with the NME issue dated 25 November 2006. The view currently are in the final stages of releasing a feature lengh documentary titled drybrough style following the band on tour at home and in the recording studio intending to show the lifestyles of the young group due to be relased early in the new year (2009)
Which Bitch?
The band released their second album Which Bitch? on Monday 2 February 2009. In its initial week of release it debuted at #4 in the UK albums chart, but fell to #27 the following week and was out of the top 40 another week later. The first single from the album, "5Rebbeccas" did poorly in the UK charts peaking at just #57. It was followed by "Shock Horror", which despite having significantly greater airplay charted even lower at #64. The album's third single "Temptation Dice" missed the top 100 altogether.
Notable Tour appearances
Their biggest performance so far was at BBC Radio 1's One Big Weekend in Dundee on 14 May 2006 and this was followed, soon after, by their second major festival appearance at T in the Park on 8 July 2006.[24][25][26] They played again in 2007, when they also performed at the Glastonbury Festival.
On 26 August and 27 August 2006, The View were a last-minute addition to the Reading and Leeds Festivals. The NME reported the fans' chant of "The View, The View, The View are on Fire!" could be heard ringing loudly around the packed tent.[27] They also played both festivals in 2007.
On 22 July 2006, the band appeared , live in the studio, in an 18 minute long segment of the Dermot O'Leary show on BBC Radio 2. This featured an interview with the band as well as live performances of "Face for the Radio" and a Ska version of the Squeeze classic "Up the Junction".[28]
On 9 August 2006, the Zane Lowe show on BBC Radio 1, featured the band in a live session and interview. "Same Jeans" and "Up the Junction" were performed live from the Maida Vale studio. On 15 August 2006, the Janice Long show on Radio 2 featured the band live in the studio. The View performed acoustic versions of "Claudia", "Same Jeans" and "Superstar Tradesman".On 26 October 2006 the band's complete 30 minute set for the BBC Electric Proms was broadcast live on Radio 1's Zane Lowe show.[29]
On 11 August 2006, The View performed "Wasted Little DJs" live for the first time on national UK television, on the Channel 4 show "Transmission".
On 10 November 2006 the band appeared on the BBC2 show Later with Jools Holland alongside Kasabian, Damien Rice and Smokey Robinson among others.
In 2007, the band performed shows in Australia and performed "Same Jeans" on the talk show Rove Live. Instead of waiting on-stage to shake hands with the host, the band immediately left the stage, leaving Rove McManus with a simple pat on the back from Steven Morrison.
First headlining tour
In mid-2006, the band began a UK wide headline tour. During this tour the band played their first headline show in Scotland at the Liquid Room on 1 September 2006, they then went on to play dates with other major acts and feature in the MTV Two Gonzo tour.[30][31] Documenting this, a half hour long special "On Tour With The View" was broadcast on MTV Two on 18 November 2006.
During the tour, The View played with the Underground Heroes at the Tap'n'Tin in Chatham. At the end of the night The View and Underground Heroes joined forces on a version of 'Same Jeans'. The union prompted the band to be called 'The Underground View'.
Japan and U.S. mini tour
In December 2006, the band played gigs in Tokyo, Japan and made their first trip to the USA, in January 2007, playing dates in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles.[32] A follow-up U.S. tour due in March 2007 was postponed because of visa problems. This was reportedly due to singer Kyle Falconer's arrest for cocaine possession in August 2006.[33] Falconer was convicted of cocaine possession and fined £1000. The tour was rescheduled for May 2007. This tour has now been cancelled. Falconer also said that the band were now completely banned from Japan in an interview with Tim Lovejoy on the website channel bee. [34]
Album headline tour
The band announced a national tour in April 2007 to mark the album release. Tickets for the entire UK tour sold out within 1 hour. In August, they headlined the NME/Radio 1 stage at the Carling: Reading and Leeds festival.[35]
Winter tour
The band announced a 6 date national tour for December 2007 to support their new album due out in 2008. They played the 2nd at Edinburgh Liquid Rooms, 3rd at Leeds Cockpit, 4th at Brighton Concorde 2, 10th at London Astoria, 11th at Stoke Sugarmill and the 13th at Dundee University.[36]
2009 Tours
The View are appearing at Reading and Leeds Festival in August and at the Isle of Wight Festival on 12 June 2009.[citation needed]
They also Played To a jam packed King Tut's Wah Wah Hut Tent On The Friday Night at T in The Park on 10 July 2009.
They are going to support Mando Diao through Europe in summer and fall.
Members
Discography
Albums
Singles
References
External links
