Doves (band)

For the band also known as the Doves, see Thrashing Doves.

Doves
Doves performing live in 2009. From left to right: Jimi Goodwin, Andy Williams (on drums), and Jez Williams.
Doves performing live in 2009.
From left to right: Jimi Goodwin, Andy Williams (on drums), and Jez Williams.
Background information
OriginWilmslow, Cheshire, England
Genres
Years active1998–2010, 2018–present
Labels
SpinoffsBlack Rivers
Spinoff ofSub Sub
MembersJimi Goodwin
Jez Williams
Andy Williams

Doves are an English indie rock band, formed in Wilmslow, Cheshire in 1998. The band is composed of singer and bassist Jimi Goodwin and twin brothers, guitarist Jez and drummer Andy Williams.

The band released five studio albums between 2000 and 2020, three of which reached #1 on the UK album charts.[7][8][9][10] A compilation album, The Places Between: The Best of Doves, was released in April 2010.

Doves went on hiatus in 2010. During this time, Goodwin released his first solo album, Odludek (2014), while the Williams brothers regrouped as Black Rivers. In December 2018, Doves announced they were ending their hiatus by performing for the Teenage Cancer Trust at London's Royal Albert Hall on 29 March 2019. Further festivals, including some dates with Noel Gallagher, were subsequently announced. The band released two new songs: "Carousels" and "Prisoners", in June and July 2020 respectively. Their fifth studio album The Universal Want was released in September 2020.[11][12] On 4 November 2024, the band released a new single, "Renegade", alongside the announcement of their sixth studio album Constellations for the Lonely, to be released on 14 February 2025.

History

[edit]

Formation as Sub Sub (1991–1998)

[edit]
Main article: Sub Sub

The Williams brothers and Goodwin met at Wilmslow High School at age 15.[13][14] Whilst the Williams brothers grew up in Wilmslow, Goodwiin grew up in Altrincham, Cheshire.[15]

All three members played in various local bands during the timeframe, with their paths occasionally crossing. After meeting again at The Haçienda in 1989,[16] the three formed Sub Sub, releasing their first single "Space Face" in 1991. In 1993 they released "Ain't No Love (Ain't No Use)," which reached No. 3 in the UK Singles Chart.[17] On the Williams twins' birthday in February 1996, the band's Ancoats studio caught fire and burned down, leading the band members to abandon their previous dance-oriented style and start afresh as alternative rock band Doves in 1998.[17] On the band's change of direction, Jez Williams said: "We were faced with a really black and white decision: throw the towel in or carry on. And if you're going to carry on, you've got to put everything into it to justify it, because before that you've lost everything. That was quite a liberating feeling, actually."[18]

Lost Souls and The Last Broadcast 1998–2003

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The band released three EPs in 1998 and 1999 on Casino Records, a subsidiary of Rob Gretton's Rob's Records, which established the group's new sound and met with a warm critical response. Their debut album Lost Souls in April 2000 was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize, which they lost to fellow Mancunian and former collaborator Badly Drawn Boy.[19]

Doves' second album The Last Broadcast was released two years later, reaching No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart, and was again nominated for the Mercury Music Prize. The album's first single "There Goes the Fear" became the band's highest-charting single to date, reaching No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart[20] despite only being released for one day before it was deleted. The album's second single "Pounding" reached No. 21 on the Singles Chart[20] and was used in the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics With Glowing Hearts/Des Plus Brillants Exploits advertisement campaign and in pre-event intros.

In 2003, the band released a B-sides compilation, Lost Sides, and a DVD entitled Where We're Calling From. The DVD included all of their music videos to date, as well as incidental videos played before the start of their Lost Souls and The Last Broadcast tours. Also on the DVD was a live concert video of the band's gig at Cornwall's Eden Project, recorded in Summer 2002, as well as documentary videos about Doves as well as Sub Sub.

Some Cities and Kingdom of Rust (2003–2009)

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Doves recorded Some Cities, their third studio album, away from urban influences, and in cottages tucked away in the countryside of Snowdonia, Darlington, and around Loch Ness. "Lyrically, the theme of cities and towns and change started cropping up a lot... which was strange because we were recording and writing in the countryside, but it started taking this real urban shape," said Jimi Goodwin.[21] Some Cities was released in February 2005 and went straight to No. 1 in the UK Albums Chart, aided by some of the strongest reviews they had received to date. The album was preceded by the single "Black and White Town," which reached No. 6 on the Singles Chart.[20] On 18 June 2005, the band opened for U2 at Twickenham Stadium in London. They also supported Oasis at the City of Manchester Stadium on their triumphant return to Manchester, and Coldplay at the Reebok Stadium in Bolton, both during their respective 2005 tours.

The band's fourth album, Kingdom of Rust, was released in April 2009. Prior to the new release, Doves offered a free download of the album's lead track "Jetstream" on their website. On 27 January 2009 the band announced a week's worth of tour dates from 12–19 March, in which new album tracks made their debuts. The eleven songs on the album were described by Jez Williams as "schizophrenic, but... also strangely cohesive."[22] The band have subsequently stated that writing and recording the album was the most difficult and fractious of their career. Worldwide tours, including multiple tours of the United Kingdom, United States and Canada, followed the album's release. On 12 July 2009 the band appeared on the Radio 1 stage at T in the Park and the festival Latitude in Southwold. They also appeared with the London Bulgarian Choir as part of the BBC Electric Proms series in October 2009.[23]

The band's first best of compilation, entitled The Places Between: The Best of Doves was released on 5 April 2010.[3]

An interview with the band regarding their history and Jodrell Bank performance was posted on The Guardian's website on 4 April 2010.[24] Doves toured the UK throughout May 2010,[25] and performed at the Isle of Wight Festival 2010.[26]

Hiatus and side projects (2010–2018)

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The band took a break from recording in 2010, according to an interview with The Daily Record.[27][28] Jimi Goodwin stated: "It's nice just to have a bit of breathing space... We just wanted to get off that whole album-tour-album-tour treadmill. None of us are ready to face going into the studio for another two years. This is wiping the slate clean, we have nothing else in the vaults now. That is it. Whatever we do from now on will be a new start."

On 2 October 2012, EMI International released a Doves anthology titled 5 Album Set featuring all four studio albums from Lost Souls to Kingdom of Rust and the 2003 re-issue of Lost Sides.[29]

In March 2014, Jimi Goodwin released his first solo album, entitled Odludek. Jez and Andy Williams began working on music again in 2012, recording in Andy's home studio in Glasgow, Jez's home studio in Salford, and in an Anglesey cottage.[30] In summer 2014, their project was announced under the name Black Rivers, who began playing live shows with new material,[31] and in February 2015 released a self-titled album.[32][33][34][35]

Reformation, The Universal Want and Constellations for the Lonely (2018–present)

[edit]

At the end of 2018 the band members announced a series of gigs for 2019 and a tentative plan to explore new music together. As the series neared conclusion, Doves posted on Facebook that the 31 August 2019 and 6 September 2019 shows would be the last two concerts until they completed their new album.[36]

On 18 June 2020, the band released their first new music in ten years with a song entitled "Carousels".[37] It and "Prisoners", released on 9 July, are from their new album, The Universal Want, which was released on 11 September 2020 and charted at number 1 in its first week.[11][12] In October 2021, the band cancelled their upcoming tour due to Goodwin's mental health, making a statement that "performing live isn't possible for us at this time or in the immediate future".[38]

On 4 November 2024, the band released a new single, "Renegades", alongside the announcement of their sixth studio album Constellations for the Lonely, to be released on 14 February 2025. On 8 November, three "intimate" shows were announced for later in the month, with Goodwin not participating due to his mental health; the Williams brothers will share vocals alongside an expanded touring band.[39]

Band members

[edit]
  • Jimi Goodwin – lead vocals, bass guitar, acoustic guitar, samples, occasional drums
  • Jez Williams – guitar, vocals, percussion, programming
  • Andy Williams – drums, vocals, percussion, harmonica, melodica, samples
Touring musicians

Discography

[edit]
Main article: Doves discography

Studio albums

References

[edit]
  1. ^ MacKenzie Wilson (1 March 2005). "Some Cities - Doves | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  2. ^ "Brit What?". The Independent. 2 February 2003. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Doves - Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  4. ^ Stuart Berman (15 April 2009). "Doves: Kingdom of Rust Album Review". Pitchfork.com. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  5. ^ Andrew Leahey. "Doves Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  6. ^ MacKenzie Wilson. "Doves - Lost Souls". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  7. ^ "Doves: The Last Broadcast (2002): Reviews". Metacritic. CNET Networks, Inc. Archived from the original on 30 July 2010. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
  8. ^ "Doves: Some Cities (2005): Reviews". Metacritic. CNET Networks, Inc. Archived from the original on 28 May 2010. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
  9. ^ "Doves: Kingdom of Rust (2009): Reviews". Metacritic. CNET Networks, Inc. Archived from the original on 12 April 2009. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
  10. ^ "BPI Searchable database – Gold and Platinum". BPI. Archived from the original on 15 January 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
  11. ^ a b Bloom, Madison (9 July 2020). "Doves announce first album in 11 years, share video for new song "Prisoners"". Pitchfork. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  12. ^ a b "Doves | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  13. ^ https://www.mancity.com/news/club-news/club-news/2019/city-dna/city-dna-45-doves-city-journey
  14. ^ "Doves Interview". Archived from the original on 13 November 2006.
  15. ^ https://www.theguardian.com/music/2005/feb/25/1
  16. ^ "Macclesfield - News, views, gossip, pictures, video - Cheshire Live". Cheshire-live.co.uk. Archived from the original on 15 April 2009. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  17. ^ a b Petridis, Alexis (17 April 2002). "Where did it all go right?". Arts.guardian.co.uk. London. Retrieved 7 April 2007.
  18. ^ "Doves Interview". Clashmusic.com. 7 April 2009. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  19. ^ "Badly Drawn Boy interview". CNN. Archived from the original on 25 January 2021. Retrieved 22 April 2007.
  20. ^ a b c "Doves". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  21. ^ "Doves talk to Ukula". Ukula.com.
  22. ^ Doves announce comeback tour – NME.com, 27 January 2009
  23. ^ "BBC Electric Proms". Archived from the original on 22 September 2009. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  24. ^ Bainbridge, Luke (4 April 2010). "Doves: "The band are splitting up? Nobody told me!"". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 4 April 2010.
  25. ^ "Doves – Gigography 2010". Archived from the original on 13 April 2010. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  26. ^ "Isle of Wight Festival Line-up 2010". Archived from the original on 23 November 2010. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  27. ^ Cadden, Avril (28 April 2010). "Doves plan to fly again following post-RockNess break". Dailyrecord.co.uk. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  28. ^ "Doves set for 'two-year break from recording'". Nme.com. 28 April 2010. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  29. ^ "Amazon.com item listing". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  30. ^ Interview, The Independent, 23 January 2015.
  31. ^ Gig Review, Manchester Evening News, 31 July 2014
  32. ^ Review Archived 6 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine, Drowned in Sound
  33. ^ Review, The Telegraph
  34. ^ Staff Review, Sputnik Music
  35. ^ Review, The Irish Times
  36. ^ "Doves Facebook photo". Facebook.com. 31 August 2019. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022.
  37. ^ "Doves return with first single in 11 years, 'Carousels': "It's a mission statement"". Nme.com. 18 June 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  38. ^ "Doves cancel tour due to singer Jimi Goodwin's mental health". BBC News. 22 October 2021. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  39. ^ a b c Trendell, Andrew (8 November 2024). "Doves announce first UK shows since 2019 – without frontman Jimi Goodwin". NME. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
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