Genre:
Indie,
Pop
Hometown: Glasgow, Scotland
Unkle Bob have been around since 2006 but 2013 marked a fresh start. Tipped by many to go all the way, their legacy was two albums Sugar and Spite (2006) and Shockwaves (2010). They became a hit in the US with tracks featuring in TV dramas, including Grey’s Anatomy. Originally formed in Glasgow, Scotland in the early 2000s, they later relocated to London. Unkle Bob MK1 finally called it a day in 2011.
Now based in Edinburgh, singer-songwriter Rick Webster revived the Unkle Bob name releasing an EP called Songs For Others in August 2013. The record was uniquely funded via Pledge Music giving fans the opportunity to buy a song written about their lives. Pledgers entered into dialogue with Rick about lyrics and the general style of the track, giving birth to the EP and album track "Brother."
In January 2014 Rick invited some of his former band-mates to work on material for a new album. “I didn’t expect anyone to accept an invitation to reunite in a studio. But they said yes.” says Rick. Old chemistry returned to breathe new life into bedroom demos as former members Stuart Cartwright (banjo, guitar), Ron Yeadon (piano), and Chris Hardwick (drums) reunited with Rick Webster (vocals, guitar, piano) & new bass player Chris Plews in a remote studio in Wales. Special guest musicians Saul Davies (from James) adds 12-string guitar & violin, and Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah Slean provides backing vocals & string arrangements which are performed by The Cairn Quartet.
The new album, Embers is released digitally worldwide on 7th July 2014. Pre-orders are available here which includes immediate download of single "It’s Not Enough."
“Don’t be surprised if this Glasgow-born quintet are still selling albums 20 years from now because they have a deadly weapon in their armoury; great songs.” – The Times
“Just imagine fellow Scots Teenage Fanclub doing full-tilt, hypnotic Neil Young-style razor rock. The spellbinding dynamics hit the bull’s eye in the centre, like a turntable spindle going into a classic vinyl album. Fab” – The Mirror
“As warm-melancholic as Prefab Sprout or icy-isolated as Radiohead, Unkle Bob hurl themselves from reflection to ripped-up despair in a moment.” – Mojo