Hard Life

For the 1961 novel, see The Hard Life. For the song by Kodak Black, see Hard Life (song). For the song by Summer Walker, see Hardlife (song).

Hard Life
Hard Life in April 2019
Background information
Also known aseasy life (2017–2023)
OriginLeicester, England
Genres
  • Pop
Years active2017–present
LabelsIsland
Members
  • Murray Matravers
  • Oliver Cassidy
  • Lewis Berry
  • Jordan Birtles
Past members
  • Sam Hewitt
Websitehardlifemusic.co.uk

Hard Life (stylised in all lowercase),[1] formerly known as Easy Life,[2] is an English alternative indie pop group formed in Leicester in 2017. They came second in the 2020 edition of the BBC's Sound of..., an annual music poll of music critics and industry figures to find the most promising new music talent. Their third mixtape, Junk Food, reached No. 7 on the UK Albums Chart a day after its release. Their debut studio album, Life's a Beach, was released on 28 May 2021.[3]

The band ceased performing under the Easy Life name in October 2023, after they announced that they were being sued by easyGroup over the use of the "easy" name and were unable to financially fight the dispute in court.[4][5] In June 2024 the band returned under the new name of Hard Life.

History

[edit]

The band was formed by frontman Murray Matravers in mid-2017.[6][7] They released their first single, "Pockets", via Chess Club Records in November 2017,[8] and subsequently signed to Island Records.[7] They released their debut mixtape, Creature Habits in April 2018.[9] Following the release of the singles, "Frank" in July 2018[10] and "Nightmares" in September 2018,[11] the band appeared on Later... with Jools Holland.[12] The band finished 2018 by releasing their fourth single, "Temporary Love Part 1" (with B-side "Temporary Love Part 2"), in December.[13] In 2022 they took to Glastonbury's Pyramid Stage, this was their second Glastonbury appearance and a remarkable step-up from their first on BBC Introducing. They featured alongside former Brockhampton member Kevin Abstract, who joined them on stage and promptly forgot his verse.

They released their second mixtape, Spaceships, containing the single "Sunday" in March.[14] They headlined the BBC Introducing stage at the Glastonbury Festival in June.[15] Debuting as Annie Mac's "Hottest Record" on BBC Radio 1 in July, the band released the single "Earth". The music video, commenting on environmental issues, was shot at a plastic recycling plant in Morocco.[16]

The band released their debut album Life's a Beach on 28 May 2021. It reached the number two spot on the UK Albums Chart.

They released their second album Maybe in Another Life... on 7 October 2022.[17] Like the band's first album, it also reached the number two spot on the UK Albums Chart.

Litigation and Rebranding

[edit]

In October 2023, The Times reported that Easy Life were being sued for trademark infringement by EasyGroup, a venture capital conglomorate.[18] The company alleged that the band used their branding and imagery of EasyJet, a subsidiary of the group, in their 2021 and 2022 Life's a Beach tour.[19] The band confirmed the lawsuit in a statement posted to their Instagram and X accounts, saying that they found the whole situation hilarious but they were "virtually powerless against such a massive corporation."[20] In a statement to the BBC and The Guardian, a spokesman for EasyGroup referred to the band as "brand thieves."[20] Following EasyGroup's statement the band posted a timeline of their activities from as early as 2015, and then referenced EasyGroup's trademark application for "Easylife" which had been registered in August 2022.[20]

Later that month, Easy Life announced that they would change their name because they did not have the financial resources to continue fighting the litigation.[4] They played their final performances under the Easy Life name on 12 October 2023 at O2 Academy Leicester, and on 13 October 2023 at Koko in London.[21]

On 11 June 2024, the band announced their rebrand to Hard Life and released their new single "Tears" the same day.[2][22]

Band members

[edit]
  • Murray Matravers – vocals, synthesizer, keyboard, trumpet
  • Oliver Cassidy – drums, percussion
  • Lewis Alexander Berry – guitar, bass guitar
  • Jordan Birtles – percussion, keyboard, backing vocals

Past members

[edit]
  • Sam Hewitt – bass guitar, saxophone, backing vocals (2017–2024, Sam made an announcement about his departure from the band via Instagram Stories.)[23]

Discography

[edit]

Studio albums

[edit]
List of studio albums, with selected details and chart positions
Title Details Peak chart positions Certifications
UK
[24] 		IRE
[25] 		SCO
[24]
Life's a Beach 2 47 4
MAYBE IN ANOTHER LIFE...
  • Released: 7 October 2022
  • Label: Island
  • Format: LP, digital download, streaming, CD
 2 — 2
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Mixtapes

[edit]
List of mixtapes, with selected details and chart positions
Title Details Peak chart positions
UK
[24] 		SCO
[24]
creature habits
  • Released: 29 March 2018[27]
  • Label: Easy Co Limited / Island
  • Format: Digital download, streaming, vinyl
 — —
spaceships
  • Released: 22 March 2019[28]
  • Label: Easy Co Limited / Island
  • Format: Digital download, streaming, vinyl
 — —
junk food
  • Released: 17 January 2020[29]
  • Label: Island
  • Format: Cassette, CD, digital download, streaming, vinyl
 7 23
see you later maybe never (demos)
  • Released: 8 May 2020[30]
  • Label: Island
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
 — —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Singles

[edit]
Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
UK
Sales
[24] 		ICE
[31] 		JPN
Over.
[32] 		SCO
[33]
"pockets" 2017 — — — — creature habits
"frank" 2018 —[A] — — — Non-album single
"nightmares" 54 — — 82 life's a beach
"temporary love" — — — — Non-album singles
"houseplants" 2019 — — — —
"sunday" — — — — spaceships
"earth" — — — — junk food
"nice guys" — — — —
"sangria"
(featuring Arlo Parks) 		— — — —
"dead celebrities" 2020 — — — —
"peanut butter" / "petty crime" —[B] — — — see you later maybe never (demos)
"daydreams" — — — — life's a beach
"a message to myself" 2021 — — — —
"skeletons" — 14 16 —
"have a great day" — 9 — —
"ocean view" — 18 — —
"BEESWAX" 2022 — — — — MAYBE IN ANOTHER LIFE...
"DEAR MISS HOLLOWAY"
(featuring Kevin Abstract) 		— — — —
"OTT"
(featuring BENEE) 		— — — —
"FORTUNE COOKIE" — — — —
"trust exercises"[34] 2023 4 — — — Non-album singles
"tears" 2024 — — — —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ "frank" did not enter the UK Single Sales Chart, but peaked at number four on the UK Physical Singles Chart.[24]
  2. ^ "peanut butter" / "petty crime" did not enter the UK Single Sales Chart, but peaked at number 15 on the UK Physical Singles Chart.[24]

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Year Nominee / work Award Result
2020 Easy Life NME Best New British Act Won

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "hard life - Apple Music". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 6 June 2024. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  2. ^ a b Nanji, Noor (11 June 2024). "Easy Life band renamed after EasyGroup legal row". BBC News. Archived from the original on 11 June 2024. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  3. ^ "easy life – official website". easy life – official website. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  4. ^ a b Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (10 October 2023). "Pop group Easy Life forced to change name after objection from easyGroup". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  5. ^ Richards, Will (16 October 2023). "Easy Life live in London: an emotional farewell amid legal drama". NME. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  6. ^ "Easy Life on Apple Music". Apple Music.
  7. ^ a b "Easy Life – Artists – Island Records". Islandrecords.co.uk.
  8. ^ "Easy Life make a stunning debut with "Pockets" and sign to Chess Club Records". Thelineofbestfit.com.
  9. ^ "Review: Easy Life – 'Creature Habits' – Born Music". Bornmusiconline.com. 18 April 2018.
  10. ^ "Easy Life premiere new single 'Frank' + announce UK headline tour (Island Records)". Withguitars.com. 12 July 2018.
  11. ^ "Easy Life's new track 'Nightmares' is anything but". Dork. 28 September 2018.
  12. ^ "BBC Two – Later... with Jools Holland – Episode guide". BBC.
  13. ^ "Easy Life share two new tracks 'Temporary Love Pt. 1 & 2'". DIY. 7 December 2018.
  14. ^ "Easy Life share mixtape, 'Spaceships'". DIY. 19 March 2019.
  15. ^ "BBC Music – BBC Music Introducing – BBC Music Introducing at Glastonbury Festival 2019". BBC.
  16. ^ "Easy Life highlight environmental concerns with their new video for 'Earth'". Dork. 17 July 2019.
  17. ^ Williams, Sophie (6 October 2022). "Easy Life – 'Maybe In Another Life...' review: soulful snapshots grappling with post-pandemic strife". NME. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  18. ^ Kampfner, Constance (3 October 2023). "Easyjet owner sues Easy Life over band name". The Times. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  19. ^ "Easy life: Band say easyJet brand owner suing over name". BBC News. 3 October 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  20. ^ a b c Hogg, Ryan (4 October 2023). "EasyJet owner sues band Easy Life to force it to change its name and accuses members of being 'brand thieves'". Yahoo Finance. Fortune. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  21. ^ Jefford, Will (11 October 2023). "Easy life: EasyJet brand owner row prompts band name switch". BBC. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  22. ^ Carter, Daisy (11 June 2024). "easy life rebrand as hard life and share new single 'tears'". DIY. Archived from the original on 11 June 2024. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  23. ^ "Sam made an announcement about his departure from the band via Instagram Stories". r/easylife. 28 May 2024. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  24. ^ a b c d e f g "Easy Life | Full Official Chart history". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  25. ^ "Discography easy life". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  26. ^ a b "British certifications – Easy Life". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 21 July 2023. Type Easy Life in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  27. ^ "Creature Habits Mixtape". Open.spotify.com. 12 April 2018.
  28. ^ "Spaceships Mixtape". 18 March 2019 – via open.spotify.com.
  29. ^ "Junk Food by Easy Life", Apple Music, 10 January 2020, retrieved 18 January 2020
  30. ^ "Easy Life have decided to share two demos titled "peanut butter" and "petty crime" that were written and recorded during the coronavirus lockdown". Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  31. ^ Peaks in Iceland:
  32. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Overseas". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). 9 June 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  33. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  34. ^ "trust exercises - Single by easy life". Apple Music. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
[edit]
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